Water Security & Infrastructure Strategy Lead

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is financing infrastructure for tomorrow in Asia and beyond – infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in 2016 and have since grown to 111 approved members worldwide. We are capitalized at USD100 billion and AAA-rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Collaborating with partners, AIIB meets clients' needs by unlocking new capital and investing in infrastructure that is green, technology-enabled, and promotes regional connectivity.

The Sectors, Themes and Finance Solutions Department (STF) expands the Bank's financing expertise across all sectors and themes to support both sovereign and non-sovereign investment operations. It spearheads the development and implementation of innovative investment projects and leads the introduction and operationalization of new products and financing modalities, often ahead of their mainstream adoption by client departments (CDs). In close collaboration with the CDs, STF conducts upstream work to support and incubate new initiatives in frontier technologies, public-private partnership (PPP) advisory, and other productive sectors. It also guides the Bank's corporate strategy by setting thematic priorities. STF also supports the Bank’s efforts on crosscutting themes, including climate, gender and inclusivity, and nature, and further represents the Bank in international forums.

STF is seeking a Senior Water Resources Specialist to provide technical leadership in water security and integrated water resources management. This role focuses on driving the adoption of best practices and innovative technologies within infrastructure investments. As a technical and knowledge-driven expert, the candidate will bridge the gap between sector expertise and investment operations to maximize project impact.

Responsibilities:

• Review pipeline projects for strategic and thematic alignment, technical soundness, and value addition.
• Monitor and analyze the water portfolio and global market trends to inform sector positioning and operational priorities.
• Engage with client governments to provide strategic advice and align water-sector development with national development priorities and public investment frameworks to ensure sustainable sector financing.
• Support the implementation and refinement of the Bank’s water sector strategy as needed.
• Contribute to corporate reporting, strategy reviews, and Board documentation.
• Conduct country water-sector diagnostics to identify policy and financing gaps, emerging subsectors, technologies, and investment opportunities.
• Carry out market analysis to identify best practices, innovative technologies, and digital tools for water resources management and water service deliveries (e.g., nature-based solutions, climate adaptation technologies and early warning systems, AI-based monitoring, smart metering).
• Evaluate members' water-related policies and regulatory frameworks to support the formulation of actionable reforms, which underpin policy-based financing, particularly climate-focused policy-based financing.
• Provide expert advice to project teams and/or clients throughout the full project cycle as needed.
• As relevant, lead, co-lead, or contribute to water-sector operations and cross-sector operations with water components.
• Collaborate across STF and with other departments to resolve crosscutting operational issues.
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices into high-quality knowledge products, reference materials, and operational guidance notes.
• Disseminate insights and technical learning through professional and media reports, international fora, and knowledge events, partnering with both internal departments and external institutions.
• Represent the Bank in international platforms, including MDB working groups and client-facing sector dialogues.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships and professional networks to integrate global best practices and cutting-edge innovations into operational design.

Requirements:

• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the water sector. Prior experience with other MDBs is a plus.
• Advanced degree (M.Sc. or Ph.D.) in hydrology, water resources management, water supply and sanitation, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated track record in water security, covering resource management, irrigation, flood and drought management, and water supply and sanitation.
• Proven experience in conducting country-level diagnostics, including the assessment of the enabling environment (sectoral policies, regulations, and financial frameworks).
• Direct experience integrating nature-based solutions and climate adaptation strategies into large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Exceptional ability to draft technical papers, policy notes, and Board-level documentation in English.
• Experience with sovereign and/or non-sovereign MDB projects is highly desirable.
• Ability to identify and pilot frontier technologies and smart water infrastructure solutions.
• Experience working across diverse sector and thematic teams to address crosscutting operational issues.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Proficiency in other UN languages (e.g., French, Spanish, Russian) is an advantage.

AIIB is committed to diversity, transparency, and inclusion. We believe our strength comes from having a team with the right diverse skills, experiences, and abilities selected through a merit-based competitive process. We actively encourage applications from people from both within and outside AIIB members, regardless of nationality, religion, gender, race, disability, or sexual orientation. Join in AIIB’s mission to promote sustainable infrastructure investments and to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond.

Previous experience and qualifications will determine the grade and job title at which successful applicants will enter AIIB.