Water Engineer , European Investment Bank

Vienna, Warsaw or Bucharest, Multiple Countries

The EIB, the European Union’s bank is seeking to recruit for its Secretariat General, Advisory Services, JASPERS (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions) Department, a Water Engineer (to be based in Vienna, Warsaw or Bucharest).

This is a general recruitment campaign aimed to fill a specific vacancy and create a pool of candidates for future needs.

Appointment is for a fixed period of 3 years with possibility of prolongation up to 3 years.

The post will be located in the JASPERS offices in Vienna, Warsaw or Bucharest. Allocation to one of the offices will be determined based on operational needs and on the profile of the candidates chosen.

JASPERS (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions) assists the new EU Member States in the preparation of major projects to be submitted for grant financing under the Structural and Cohesion Funds. The aim is to increase the quantity and quality of projects to be sent for approval to the services of the Commission. JASPERS' assistance, which is provided free of charge, is geared towards accelerating the absorption of the available funds.

The successful candidate will assist beneficiaries in the new EU Member States, within a multidisciplinary team, to prepare water projects (water supply, wastewater, flood risk management and coastal protection) to be co-financed by the Structural and Cohesion Funds. The jobholder will report to the Head of the Water Division in JASPERS and will cooperate closely with other colleagues (project engineers, economists, environmental experts) working in the division.

Responsibilities

• Manage and execute technical assignments for project preparation of water projects potentially eligible for EC grant funding; this includes i) Advise on the conceptual development and structuring of water projects; ii) Advise on the specific aspects of projects such as technical assessment, environmental assessment, procurement planning, project implementation, iii) Review masterplans, feasibility studies and EC grant application, iv) Review and advise on technical designs, environmental requirements, tender documents etc.;
• Assist in the review, preparation or completion of applications for funding under the Cohesion Fund or the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund). Assess compliance with EU law and conformity with EU policy;
• Advise on the planning and programming of sector investment activities (water supply, wastewater, flood risk management, coastal protection) to improve access to Funding from EU sources; support preparation of a project pipeline suitable for future EC grant finance;
• Address sectoral, institutional or thematic issues which are limiting i) grant draw down capability and/or ii) the sustainable operation of the water management infrastructure across a number of projects or countries;
• Develop, through the implementation of model projects, the dissemination of international best practice, and the skills needed to take advantage of EU-grants. Contribute to measures for institutional strengthening and capacity building in beneficiary countries;
• Share his/her own information and experience in the preparation of projects with other members of the team in order to enlarge the knowledge and competencies of the team.

Qualifications

• Master degree (or equivalent) in Engineering with expertise in the area of water management; additional studies in the Environmental Domain, Economics, Business or Finance are considered advantageous;
• A minimum of eight years of relevant experience in both:
• the review and/or preparation of water projects (key phases of the project cycle such as preparation, appraisal, implementation, management and operation);
• relevant methodologies (e.g. masterplans, feasibility studies, cost estimates, EIA);
• Preference in short listing will be given to candidates with experience in:
• development of large and cost-efficient infrastructure projects in the water sector;
• preparation of Cohesion Fund and Structural Fund projects;
• knowledge of relevant EU sector policies and directives, international standards and best practices for the water and the solid waste management sector;
• JASPERS beneficiary countries;
• management of consultants;
• relationship management;
• structuring and operation of viable water service providers;
• procurement aspects of water projects;
• mitigation of climate related risks, assessing investment vulnerabilities to climate impacts and designing adaptation options to make investments climate resilient;
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English, with knowledge of one or more languages of the countries under the responsibility of JASPERS being an advantage;
• Knowledge of standard IT tools;
• Availability for travel.

Competencies

• Good team player;
• Strong analytical skills with ability to make sound judgments;
• Ability to draft clearly and concisely;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Good diplomatic skills and ability to deal with high level counterparts;
• Ability to work well under pressure and respect tight deadlines.

For more details and to apply, please go to https://erecruitment.eib.org selecting Job ID 102530.

Deadline for applications: October 11, 2015

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