Senior Poverty Specialist

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Our aim is to influence policy and practices to meet environmental and livelihood challenges emerging in the HKH region. ICIMOD delivers impact through its six Regional Programmes of Adaptation to Change, Transboundary Landscapes, River Basins, Cryosphere and Atmosphere, Mountain Environment Regional Information System, and Himalayan University Consortium (emerging). These regional programmes are supported by the four Thematic Areas of Livelihoods, Ecosystem Services, Water and Air, and Geospatial Solutions and underpinned by Knowledge Management and Communication. ICIMOD seeks to reduce poverty and vulnerability and improve the lives and livelihoods of mountain women and men, now and for the future.

 

The Livelihood Thematic Area focuses on promoting diversified and sustainable livelihood options in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. It also provides expertise on strategic institutional functions such as governance, gender, poverty, and inclusive development to promote ICIMOD’s goals. Poverty alleviation is a key to livelihood security. Hence the Centre is looking for a specialist who has comprehensive understanding of micro and macro issues of poverty in the HKH region and is capable of identifying and facilitating appropriate actions to alleviate poverty, hence ICIMOD seeks recruit a

 

Senior Poverty Specialist

 

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Livelihood Theme Leader, the Senior Poverty Specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:

·               Provide support to ICIMOD’s Thematic Areas and Regional Programmes and Initiatives to enhance social dimensions and enhance poverty focus in ICIMOD’s work.

·               Develop suitable analytical tools to measure and analyse poverty and livelihood vulnerability at the household and community level; develop and update the poverty profile for the HKH region.

·               Take a lead in assessing vulnerability conditions concerning poverty,and strategies for alleviating poverty in the HKH region. 

·               Develop livelihood strategies to reduce poverty and vulnerability.

·               Explore feasible ways and means to take opportunities of increased market access, economic growth, and liberalization and minimize the risks of climatic variability and market shocks.

·               Initiate research on poverty and livelihood issues and ensure high-quality research and publications keeping in view sustainable development goals.

·               Organize, conduct, and contribute to internal and external trainings, workshops, and seminars on poverty and livelihood issues to strengthen the capacity of partners.

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

·               Postgraduate degree, preferably PhD, in economics, agricultural economics, development economics, sociology, anthropology, rural development, or any other related field.

 

·               At least 10 years of experience in research on poverty, social analysis, and poverty measurement and well conversant with different approaches and methods to poverty estimation.

·               Demonstrated ability to undertake rigorous quantitative and in-depth qualitative analyses including policy analysis related to poverty, its causes and determinants, trends, and patterns.

·               Demonstrated ability to link research outcomes into policies and practices.

·               Ability to conceptualize different dimensions and changing socioeconomic context of poverty in the HKH region. 

·               Intercultural sensitivity and contribute to establishing commitment among team members.

 

The duty station is Kathmandu; frequent travelling in the region may be required.

Remuneration: Salaries and benefits of ICIMOD are highly competitive compared to other regional organisations; remuneration is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Duration: 3 years, of which the first 6 months are on probation, and subject to ICIMOD’s future funding levels. 

Qualified and eligible women candidates and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply. ICIMOD implements a gender fair policy and is supportive of working women.

 

For more information on ICIMOD, please visit to our website www.icimod.org. For more information about the position, go to www.icimod.org/vacancies.

Applicants are requested to apply before 26 September’ 2013 through ICIMOD’s Online Application System: www.icimod.org/vacancies.

Only short- listed candidates will be notified.