Planning and Policy Domain (PPD) of DA Group has a mandate to influence and support public policy in the transition towards sustainable development by connecting practice with policy. It develops innovative policy and practice-oriented research to guide policymakers and domestic/international leaders, who develop high-impact policies that will address our national/worldwide most pressing Natural Resource Management/ Climate change related challenges.
Our focus area are Sustainable Consumption & Production (water, green building materials and waste management); Climate Change Resilience (Climate Change Adaptation: water/ Agriculture, Climate Finance & SDG-CC Inter Linkages); and Inclusive Development (Agriculture and FPOs, Access to Housing, Eco-Tourism, Green MSMEs and Jobs, Equity and Resource Efficiency)
Job Description
We are looking for a Green Buildings Expert to join our team. This position will work directly with the Programme Officer at Development Alternatives to strategically anchor and develop the organisation's work on Green Building Materials & Technologies towards mainstreaming resource efficiency and circular economy principles in policy as well as praxis, with the broad objective of generating responses towards building ecological resilience and improving the living conditions of local communities.
Your primary responsibility would be to support the Planning and Policy Domain in managing and leading project activities for conducting policy and technical research on green building materials and capacity development work related to sustainable buildings, starting from design and strategy for project planning up to project completion. You would work in a highly interdisciplinary team in a very dynamic environment. You would be encouraged to look at possible synergies across systems, sectors and scales to design and implement cross-cutting projects. You would be expected to further our ambitious efforts to advance the organization's agenda by disseminating our work and message to a wide variety of stakeholders nationwide, including researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and higher education institutions.
Responsibilities
- Managing projects related to policy and planning research for green buildings and sustainable habitats, including project management, financial and human resource management, guiding team to conduct research and ensuring timely completion of project deliverables.
- Contribute to the growth of the organisation's work portfolio related to Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy (RE-CE), particularly with respect to green buildings and sustainable habitats, through strategic planning, fundraising and business development, team management, financial management, communications and networking with clients and other partners, under the direction of the Programme Officer.
- Manage and contribute to all project activities, including primary and secondary research, field data collection, data compilation and analysis, compiling technical reports and knowledge p roducts, preparing presentations, event planning and coordination, stakeholder engagement, capacity building activities, and other responsibilities as assigned.
- Develop reports, policy/advocacy briefs, and other knowledge products as required for projects and DA communication materials and publication in journals, books, other platforms and media.
- Strengthen the RE-CE vertical's position and portfolio related to urban-environmental planning and governance and sustainable/climate/municipal finance.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of online and offline training products for the RE-CE vertical.
Qualification
Masters in Building Sciences/ Design and Construction Technology/ Architecture/ Urban or Regional Planning/ Urban Systems Engineering/ Environmental Management
Experience
Minimum 5 years of experience relevant to the sustainable buildings and construction sector, including:
- Experience working in circular and climate-resilient green buildings sector in providing technical and advisory support as well as capacity building support/training and implementing sustainability research projects.
- In-depth understanding of low carbon impact green building design principles, energy efficient building policies, Green Building Certification systems and state-of-the-art knowledge of upcoming material technologies and innovations, sustainable and municipal finance, especially for affordable housing
- Prior experience in the management of large projects, including management of project deliverables, human resources, financial management, and stakeholder and client management.
- Demonstrated experience in resource mobilisation, developing and managing effective partnerships with government, civil society, and business in the construction sector.
- Experience in independently planning and designing research initiatives along with the implementation of projects on the ground.
Skills And Competencies
- Proficiency in technical report writing and academic research, excellent writing, editing & presentation skills.
- Working knowledge of AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit, Google Sketchup, and Adobe Suite would be an asset.
- Excellent working knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and online tools for collaborative working
- Knowledge of tools & methodologies for Life Cycle Assessment, Material Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Building Information Modelling (BIM), and Environmental Impact Assessment would be considered a bonus.
- Creative and critical thinker with the ability to comprehend, critique, analyse and articulate.
- Ability to guide and lead the group work, draw conclusions, and present the same at national and international forums.
- A national perspective of development work and ability to network.
- Highly professional attitude with excellent organizational skills, ability to work under pressure, and manage multiple tasks.
- Ability to function effectively as a team member.
Willingness to travel for field work (travel may include smaller towns, villages and remote locations for community interactions).
Contract Duration - Initial 6 months, subject to availability of funding.
