rahil nazir

Project Manager , Asian Development Bank

Dili, East Timor

Civil Engineer and Infrastructure Resilience Specialist with 13+ years’ experience delivering reconstruction, climate-resilient public infrastructure, and disaster recovery projects in fragile contexts. Experienced in donor-funded project management, contract supervision, and risk-informed design, aligning infrastructure delivery with international standards, sustainability frameworks, and communi

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Area of Expertise:
  • Disaster, Aid, Emergencies, Relief
  • Environment, Climate, Energy, Water, Sanitation
  • Infrastructure, Technology, Engineering, Science
Professional Experience:

Civil Engineer and Infrastructure Resilience Specialist with over 13 years of progressively responsible experience in public infrastructure delivery, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and climate-resilient reconstruction within government and development contexts. My professional trajectory combines large-scale public works implementation with risk-informed planning and stabilization-oriented infrastructure programming in fragile and hazard-exposed environments.
I have served in senior engineering and project management roles within the Public Works (Roads & Buildings) Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, India, leading the planning, design coordination, contract management, execution, and supervision of diverse infrastructure portfolios. Projects have included highways, bridge and protection works, public buildings, tourism infrastructure, urban maintenance systems, WASH-related assets, and energy-efficient public facilities. Responsibilities have encompassed preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs), cost estimation, procurement processes, contractor supervision, quality assurance, compliance monitoring, and inter-departmental coordination. Infrastructure delivery was routinely undertaken in complex terrains with high seismic exposure and climate vulnerability, requiring strong emphasis on structural safety, regulatory compliance, and resilience standards.
My work integrates technical engineering execution with disaster risk management principles. I have contributed to risk-informed infrastructure planning aligned with the Sendai Framework, incorporating hazard assessment, vulnerability analysis, and mitigation measures into public works programming. Experience includes engagement in post-flood recovery contexts, socio-economic vulnerability assessments, and rehabilitation planning in disaster-affected areas. I have also undertaken risk analysis assignments related to heritage and culturally significant sites, applying structured methodologies to assess physical, environmental, and social risks to infrastructure assets.
In addition to core government service, I have worked in advisory and consultancy capacities supporting development-oriented initiatives. This includes engagement in infrastructure planning and strategic development processes, contributing technical expertise to resilience-oriented urban and regional programming. I have experience coordinating with multidisciplinary stakeholders, including government authorities, engineers, contractors, community representatives, and development partners, ensuring alignment between technical delivery, policy objectives, and community needs.
My professional strengths include project lifecycle management, contract administration, site supervision, procurement oversight, stakeholder coordination, and integration of climate and disaster risk considerations into infrastructure systems. I am experienced in operating in sensitive, politically complex, and environmentally challenging settings, where infrastructure delivery must balance technical rigor, fiscal accountability, and social inclusion.
Overall, my experience bridges hands-on engineering implementation with resilience-oriented planning, positioning me to contribute effectively to reconstruction, stabilization, and climate-resilient infrastructure programmes led by development partners, multilateral institutions, and international organizations.

Education:

MSc in Risk, Disaster and Resilience, University College London (UCL), United Kingdom (Chevening Scholar). Advanced interdisciplinary training in hazard analysis, climate risk assessment, resilience planning, and disaster governance. Academic work focused on seismic and flood risk modelling, vulnerability assessment, post-disaster recovery, and infrastructure resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Applied quantitative and qualitative methodologies including GIS-based spatial risk mapping, probabilistic hazard assessment, and socio-technical resilience frameworks. Research integrated urban risk, cultural heritage protection, and community-based recovery strategies, contributing to peer-reviewed work on disaster risk reduction and resilience.
Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT), J&K, India. Comprehensive engineering training in structural analysis, geotechnical engineering, construction management, transportation engineering, water resources, and environmental systems. Developed strong technical foundations in reinforced concrete design, infrastructure planning, contract administration, and project execution, with particular emphasis on structural safety in high seismic zones and sustainable public infrastructure systems.
This combined academic background bridges engineering practice with risk-informed policy and resilience planning, supporting integrated approaches to reconstruction, climate-resilient infrastructure delivery, and stabilization-oriented development programming.

Affiliations and Achievements:

Chevening Scholar (UK Government), awarded for academic merit and leadership potential in resilience and public policy. Co-awardee of the Prince Claus Fund Cultural Emergency Response grant, contributing as Risk Analyst to a heritage risk assessment and conservation planning initiative in Kashmir, integrating technical, environmental, and community-based approaches to safeguarding historic sites.
Published and presented research on disaster risk reduction, infrastructure resilience, and cultural heritage protection in hazard-prone regions. Contributed to peer-reviewed academic work integrating quantitative risk analysis, GIS mapping, and socio-cultural resilience frameworks, with emphasis on seismic and flood vulnerability in fragile urban environments.
Active contributor to interdisciplinary discussions on climate resilience, stabilization-oriented infrastructure delivery, and post-disaster reconstruction. Professional experience includes participation in high-level infrastructure initiatives supporting tourism development, energy-efficient public infrastructure, and climate-sensitive urban systems.
Recognized for leadership in complex public works portfolios, including infrastructure delivery in high seismic zones and environmentally sensitive terrains. Demonstrated capacity to align engineering practice with international resilience standards, environmental safeguards, and inclusive development principles.
Technical proficiency includes AutoCAD, GIS applications, structural analysis tools, and data-driven risk assessment methodologies supporting evidence-based infrastructure planning.

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments
  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

10-15 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English, Spanish, Urdu

Nationality:

India

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