Project Specialist - Climate & Water Systems

About the role

The Climate and Water Systems Specialist will expand DRC Kenya’s climate‑focused programme portfolio, addressing the nexus of displacement, climate change and water access. Working within the protection and economic recovery sectors, the role will help design, test and scale integrated interventions that boost climate resilience for vulnerable and displaced communities in arid and semi‑arid lands.

Key responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of pilot projects on resilience design, climate‑smart agriculture and farmer‑managed natural regeneration.
• Lead technical design and quality assurance of water‑resource management components, including IWRM planning, water security, groundwater and aquifer management, and coordination with basin‑level governance bodies.
• Integrate climate‑resilient WASH principles such as risk screening, drought‑ and flood‑proofing, water safety planning under climate stress, and low‑carbon solutions like solar‑powered pumping.
• Generate evidence to inform programme improvement, scaling strategies and resource mobilisation.
• Collaborate with national and regional partners to align interventions with policy, legal and financing frameworks for climate adaptation.

Required profile

• Strong technical grounding in climate‑resilient WASH and integrated water resource management.
• Understanding of policy, legal and financing architecture for climate adaptation in Kenya and the wider region.
• Experience working in humanitarian or development contexts, particularly with displaced or pastoral communities.

Required skills

• Climate‑resilient WASH implementation
• Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
• Water resource planning and groundwater management
• Solar‑powered water system design
• Climate‑smart agriculture and farmer‑managed natural regeneration