Consultant - Technical Writer / Knowledge Synthesis

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is an international non-profit research-for-development organization that collaborates with governments, civil society, and the private sector to address water-related challenges in developing countries and scale up sustainable solutions. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR research center with offices in 15 countries and a global network of researchers working in approximately 56 countries.

Al-Murunah+ builds on the core Al-Murunah project by integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) with household resilience-building to promote positive gender norms across pilot sites in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the State of Palestine.

The project aims to advance positive gender norms and household resilience through weekly sessions focused on household planning, budgeting, decision-making, and resilience to shocks. These sessions are complemented by economic interventions that improve women’s financial access while strengthening their voice and leadership through community engagement.

By supporting sustainable agriculture and water management through targeted household-level interventions—including asset transfers and Islamic revolving funds—the project empowers vulnerable groups, particularly women. It positions gender equity as both a social imperative and a key enabler of climate adaptation, water security, and sustainable livelihoods.

As pilot activities progress across the four countries, Al-Murunah+ requires structured documentation and synthesis of emerging lessons, data, and outcomes to inform knowledge products, investment briefs, and policy dialogues, demonstrating the feasibility, viability, and relevance of NBS interventions in the MENA context.

The objective of the assignment is to develop comprehensive couples’ curricula tailored to each country, including exercises, stories, and examples drawn from local contexts, and linking the social curricula with RNBWS.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Assignment Planning and Methodology Review
Draft a detailed plan for completing the assignment, including a review of methodologies, previous adaptations, and final field adaptations. The plan should outline meetings, interviews, and focus group discussions with facilitators, lead trainers, and women’s rights organizations.

B. Ease Curriculum Review and Manual Development
Review the Ease curriculum adaptations for the four countries and propose a unified structure for the final modules, including annexes and supporting tools. The final Ease Manual should be interactive and available in digital format. This includes:

• Designing the complete Ease Manual for each country
• Finalizing all exercises and tools
• Incorporating field-based stories to ground the curricula in real-life contexts

C. Background Material and Data Visualization (M&E)
Develop background materials using monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data for visualization and communication purposes. This will include:

• Working closely with monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) focal points to interpret datasets
• Designing or guiding the creation of figures, infographics, maps, and dashboards to illustrate pathways and co-benefits
• Recommending formats and layouts to enhance data readability and visual storytelling
• Supporting the preparation of visuals for presentations, reports, and web-based dissemination

D. Opinion Leaders Curriculum and Knowledge Synthesis
Review the opinion leaders curriculum and develop final training packages. This includes reviewing existing technical reports, monitoring data, and field documentation from AM+ pilot sites, and synthesizing findings across key thematic areas. Prepare concise, well-structured synthesis products such as country summaries, comparative analyses, and thematic briefs, translating technical content into accessible formats for non-specialist audiences.

E. Coordination and Peer Review
Coordinate with country technical leads, MEL experts, and the communications team to validate content. Incorporate feedback from IWMI scientists and regional partners, and support the finalization of products for donor submission or publication in layout-ready formats.

DELIVERABLES:

A. Inception & Work Planning Documents

• Inception report / work plan
• Stakeholder engagement plan
• Interview and FGD methodology

B. Review of Ease Curriculum Adaptations (4 Countries)

• Country-by-country review notes
• Proposed module structure
• Recommended annexes and tools

C. Design of Country-Specific Ease Manuals

• Draft designs of four country-specific Ease Manuals

D. Finalization of Exercises, Tools, and Stories

• Finalized exercises and tools
• Curated field stories embedded within the manuals

E. M&E-Based Background Materials and Data Visualization

• Data interpretation notes
• Draft figures, infographics, maps, and dashboard concepts

F. Visual Storytelling Products

• Presentation-ready visuals
• Graphics for reports and web dissemination

G. Review of Opinion Leaders Curriculum

• Curriculum review memo

H. Final Opinion Leaders Training Packages

• Final training package(s)
• User-friendly training materials with annexes

I. Synthesis and Thematic Documentation

• Country summaries (not exceeding 10 pages each)
• Comparative analysis
• Thematic briefs

J. Coordination, Peer Review, and Finalization

• Validated, layout-ready deliverables
• Consolidated peer-review responses

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Essential:

• Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in pedagogy development studies, gender studies, water resources management, environmental sciences, or a related field.

KNOWLEDGE & EXPEREINCE REQUIRED:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in technical writing, data synthesis, or scientific communication, preferably in development or research contexts.
• Strong understanding of GEDSI and environmental sciences.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing high-quality knowledge products (e.g., reports, synthesis papers, policy briefs) for donors, governments, or international research organizations.

SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Proven ability to interpret technical data and translate it into clear, visual, and reader-friendly outputs.
• Proficiency in MS Office, Adobe Illustrator/Canva, or data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, QGIS) is an advantage.
• Excellent written English; working knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

Benefits

This is a nationally recruited consultancy; therefore, individuals with relevant qualifications and experience are encouraged to apply. IWMI offers a competitive rate for this assignment. The contract duration will be six (6) months.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. Applications will be accepted until 24:00 (IST) on 07 January 2026 and 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; however, only shortlisted 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.