Consultant - Scaling and Partnerships for Coastal Salinity Management

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is looking for a national consultant to join our team in Bangladesh to support the scaling of scientific innovations, including strengthening the enabling environment for key water management interventions in coastal polders.

IWMI is implementing a set of integrated activities in Bangladesh under the science program Scaling for Impact (S4I), which builds on earlier efforts under the Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) and the Asian Mega Deltas (AMD) Initiatives. Key activities under this program include implementing data-driven river salinity forecasting and irrigation advisories, as well as supporting associated institutions designed to enhance resilience and adaptive capacity in Bangladesh's coastal polders.

A core innovation under this program is the AI-driven river salinity forecasting and irrigation advisory system, which is being piloted across three coastal polders in the Khulna region. This system uses machine learning models, open-access datasets, and localized data inputs to provide short-term salinity forecasts that inform adaptive irrigation scheduling and sluice gate operations. The advisory aims to reduce the risk of crop loss due to saline water intrusion and improve decision-making for water management groups and farming communities. Successful scaling of the advisory system would require appropriate pathways, which may include bundling with other services, supporting enabling environments, and establishing partnerships at both community and higher governance levels. The consultant will play a critical role in supporting the scaling and integration of this advisory system with local institutions, end users, and policy processes.

Past research supported by AMD points to evidence that salinity challenges result in issues of unequal conflict and contestation over freshwater resources in southern coastal Bangladesh. AI-driven salinity forecasting and related irrigation advisory services can help improve decision-making for water management groups. However, past IWMI studies have shown that water management groups are often exclusionary and deeply politicized, and do not necessarily enable equal access to water for marginalized groups, including women farmers. It is therefore key to ensure that a robust socio-political analysis informs the outcomes of AI-driven salinity forecasting and irrigation advisory services.

To support the implementation and scaling up of this innovation, with a key focus on inclusion and gender equality, IWMI seeks a national consultant based in Bangladesh to lead scaling efforts of water management interventions through engagements with local stakeholders, facilitate technical expertise, help bridge local and national institutions and processes, and oversee reporting activities. The consultant will work closely with the IWMI Bangladesh team and international technical specialists to ensure the effective delivery of project outputs and alignment with local partners.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.       Technical and Operational Support:

• Support the technical team in validating spatial and temporal trends in river salinity and freshwater availability across the selected polders.
• Provide a contextual understanding of local hydrology, water governance arrangements, and farming practices influencing salinity intrusion and irrigation scheduling.
• Liaise with relevant government departments (e.g., BWDB, DAE, DoE) to collect and compile secondary datasets related to river salinity, freshwater inflows, sluice gate operations, cropping calendars, and rainfall patterns.
• Maintain a structured database of collected datasets and document metadata for traceability and future use by the technical team.
• Assess local governance and institutional mechanisms and review alternative local governance models that can facilitate and support the demand and use of salinity advisory services.
• Facilitate the co-design of an effective, context-appropriate, and equitable scaling pathway for the salinity advisory service.
• Support the testing and deployment of advisory services and facilitate user training sessions on interpreting and applying the forecasts.
• Collect feedback from farmers, extension agents, and water managers to assess the usability, relevance, and perceived accuracy of the advisory services, with a core focus on inclusion.
• Contribute to developing recommendations for improving the delivery mechanism, content, and scalability of the salinity advisory tool based on field insights.

2.       Stakeholder Partnerships and Coordination to Support the Scaling of Innovations for Use:

Government and Institutional Stakeholders

• Establish and maintain regular communication with key government agencies, including the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Environment (DoE), and other relevant departments and ministries to enable policy and institutional demand for salinity advisory services.
• Coordinate joint review meetings or technical sessions with public agencies to validate the forecasting tool and explore alignment and integration into formal irrigation advisory services and existing government programs/mandates.
• Assist in obtaining necessary permissions, data access, and official support for field activities in target polders.

Non-Government, Local, and Community Stakeholders

• Engage with local NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs), cooperatives, and Water Management Groups (WMGs) to build grassroots support and demand for the advisory system.
• Organize and facilitate local-level consultation meetings, focus group discussions, and training events tailored to farmers, extension workers, and sluice gate operators.
• Map local power structures and recommend institutional frameworks that can support more equitable value and benefits from water salinity management.
• Take note of and address issues of conflict and competition in the multiple uses of water – for irrigation, fisheries, livestock, and domestic use.
• Support the establishment and functioning of local advisory or user committees to guide and co-design an effective and equitable scaling pathway for the advisory system.

3.       Reporting and Knowledge Management.

• Contribute to the preparation of reports, technical summaries, and communication materials for both internal and external audiences.
• Draft content for donor reports, blog posts, success stories, and policy briefs related to the innovation and its application.
• Support knowledge exchange between national and regional teams and ensure integration of field insights into programmatic learning.

Requirements

MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Essential:

• A master’s or advanced degree in Water Resources Management, Agricultural Sciences, Development Studies, Environmental Science, or related disciplines.
• 5–8 years of professional experience in stakeholder engagement, project coordination, or applied research in the water/agriculture/climate sectors.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating with government agencies, local institutions, and rural communities.
• Strong organizational, facilitation, and communication skills, with the ability to work independently and across teams.
• Fluent in Bangla and proficient in English (oral and written).
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to project sites in coastal Bangladesh.

Desirable:

• Prior experience working on salinity management, forecasting, or digital advisory services.
• Experience with participatory research, action learning, or community-based adaptation.
• Understanding of the socio-ecological dynamics of coastal polders in Bangladesh.
• Familiarity with donor-funded development programs.
• Proficiency in writing project reports, field notes, or documentation for technical and policy audiences.

Benefits

This is a nationally hired consultancy; therefore, individuals with relevant abilities are encouraged to apply. IWMI offers a competitive monthly rate for this assignment. The duration of the contract will be for a period of six (06) months.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on June 17, 2025 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.