Consultant (disaster risk reduction advisor)

UNISDR/C/09/2011

Background:

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multi-disciplinary and multistakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental hazards induced disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human and economic and social risk and losses.

The implementation of the ISDR is supported by a secretariat led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. The secretariat’s main functions are policy coordination, advocacy and information management, at the international and regional levels, to ensure synergy between disaster reduction strategies and those in the socio-economic and humanitarian fields.

In January 2005, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction adopted the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. The Hyogo Framework constitutes the essential guide for implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and represents the key policy framework for reducing risk and to strengthen community resilience.

The Regional Economic Commissions in Africa are responsible for coordinating the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), developed under African Union leadership in 2004, and have all developed policies on DRR. Congruent to the Africa Regional Strategy and Programme for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Hyogo Framework for Action the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has adopted a comprehensive regional Disaster Risk Management programme. The programme was endorsed in 2004 and entrusted the IGAD Secretariat for its implementation. The IGAD Disaster Management Unit has been put in place to oversee the overall implementation process of the adopted DRM programme.

Under an European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) funded decision on drought risk reduction for the Horn of Africa, technical support will be provided to The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) through UNISDR Regional Office for Africa, to strengthen IGAD’s capacities for DRR and to provide technical support in the implementation of IGAD’s regional Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Programme in the IGAD member states including addressing the cross-boundary disaster risks.

IGAD Secretariat is currently strengthening its institutional capacity in order to realize the full implementation of its DRM programme which is inline with Hyogo Framework for Action and the Continental Strategy. Consequently, IGAD with the support of the UNISDR and ECHO, seek to recruit a Disaster Risk Reduction/Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Consultant to help provide technical services for putting into operation the Policy and Plan of Action in the IGAD sub-region and member states.

Under the overall authority of the Executive Secretary of the IGAD, the guidance of the appropriate Director and direct supervision of and reporting to the Programme Manager of Humanitarian Affairs responsible for DRM programme of IGAD, the DRR Consultant will:

• Facilitate the incorporation of disaster risk reduction approaches in the ongoing regional and thematic and sectoral programmes of the IGAD with specific focus on linking climate change and DRR; promote DRR and CCA in Africa in programmes such as ClimDev and other major climate change initiatives.

• Provide technical backstopping on DRR; maintain liaison with the African Union, other Regional Economic Commissions, national governments and international development partners; provide other support services to the related disaster risk management unit of the IGAD in the performance of their functions as outlined in the respective sub-regional DRR policies and strategies.

• Support coordination, harmonization and national enforcement of DRM/DRR policies and strategies in member states of the IGAD, including pastoralist policies and other proposed related activities identified under the ECHO project.

• Help organize and prepare written reports, such as background papers, analyses, studies and reports on consultative and other meetings and conferences on DRM/DRR organized by the IGAD.

• Assist the disaster units to manage sub-regional monitoring of disaster reduction interventions at country level and to prepare reports on progress in implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and the IGAD DRM policy, as well as the Africa Programme of Action.

• Undertake any other functions, duties as maybe required by the Executive Secretary of the IGAD and the head of the related disaster risk management unit of the IGAD (in coordination with the Regional Coordinator of the UNISDR regional office for Africa).

Results expected:

1. Strengthened cooperation between IGAD and UNISDR for institutional cooperation

2. Development of a Plan of action and guidance for implementation of IGAD DRM Strategy and including pastoralist policy within the context of DRM/DRR.

3. Support to national DRM institutions and counterparts to harmonize DRR/DRM and other relevant policies

4. Major IGAD regional and thematic and sectoral programmes have a DRR component, i.e. advance mainstreaming DRR/DRM in relevant sectoral polices

5. Monitoring of progress in implementation of IGAD DRM and other relevant policies, HFA and Africa Plan of Action in IGAD member states carried out and monitoring system established

6. Substantive monthly progress report (A4, MS Word format in English)

Competencies:

Professionalism: Ability to respond to changing requirements and assignments given. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks.

Planning and Organizing: Effective organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and to plan, co-ordinate and monitor own work plan.

Communication: Good communication speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Demonstrates openness in sharing information with others and keeping people informed.

Qualifications

Education: Advanced university degree (Masters Degree or equivalent) in development studies, social sciences, environmental sciences, engineering or other related fields. A first level university degree with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Work experience: Minimum three years of work experience in disaster risk reduction, project management or related fields. Knowledge of the IGAD region is an added advantage.

Languages: Fluency in spoken and written English is required; knowledge of French will be an advantage.

United Nations Core Values: Integrity - Professionalism - Respect for diversity