Regional Liaison Officer – UNISDR Regional Project in South America / Oficial Regional para EIRD América del Sur

Job Opening number : 15-United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat-42885-Consultant

Extended - previous closing date: 10 May 2015

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

In Spanish:

Propósito de la consultoría:
Servicios profesionales de consultoría como Asesor(a) Regional (América del Sur) para la coordinación de actividades y acciones contempladas en el proyecto, en estrecha coordinación con la Presidencia Pro Tempore y los representantes nacionales ante el Grupo de Trabajo de Alto Nivel para la Gestión Integral del Riesgo de Desastres (GTAN-GRD UNASUR), con las autoridades nacionales puntos focales ante UNISDR, el Marco de Acción de Hyogo (MAH) y el recientemente adoptado Marco de Sendai para la Reducción del Riesgo de Desastres 2015-2030 (MS-RRD) y con los socios DIPECHO en la región.

El presente trabajo debe facilitar una buena coordinación, articulación, diálogo y comunicación continua con: la Presidencia Pro Tempore y los representantes nacionales del Grupo de Trabajo de Alto Nivel para la Gestión Integral del Riesgo de Desastres (GTAN-GRD UNASUR), las respectivas autoridades regionales y nacionales y los puntos focales ante la UNISDR y el MAH /MS-RRD; personal de DG-ECHO; Oficiales Nacionales y socios DIPECHO en la región; asociaciones regionales y nacionales de gobiernos locales y autoridades de los gobiernos locales; entre otros socios implementadores y sectoriales, contrapartes y beneficiarios del proyecto UNISDR en el marco del Plan de Acción DIPECHO.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Promote the articulation and integration of actions among UNISDR’s South American project and the processes for implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and the recently adopted Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 within DRR and sustainable development related policies, plans, programmes and/or strategies among the UNASUR Member States.
• Provide overall substantive support to UNASUR’s High-Level Working Group for Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management as well as to the region’s national disaster risk management (DRM) systems and focal point agencies, in line with the HFA and the recently adopted Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. In particular, provide support to the updating of their Work Plan and for the development of a South American regional DRR strategy that reflect the objectives and priorities of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction as well as the regional and the national priorities of UNASUR member states, to be validated by member states’ representatives and subject to approval by personnel of UNISDR Americas.
• Support awareness-raising, dissemination and implementation of the HFA and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, in adherence to the regional and national priorities of UNASUR Member States, among key actors throughout the region such as with UNASUR’s High-Level Working Group for Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management as well as CAN/CAPRADE and MERCOSUR/REHU. Similarly, provide technical support for strengthening the capacities within UNASUR’s DRM High-Level Working Group as well as among the region’s national DRM systems and other sectoral actors and counterparts, including UN Country Teams, DIPECHO partners, local governments, representatives of the private sector, civil society, academia and others.
• Support the development of a Protocol for South-South Cooperation as it relates to DRR among UNASUR Member States.
• Provide substantive support, in coordination with UNISDR Americas, to the coordination and articulation of activities, actions, consultative processes and dialogue to be developed among DIPECHO partners and counterparts at the national and regional levels in South America.
• Lead the development of a document on the achievements surrounding the articulation and implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Work Plan of UNASUR’s High-Level DRM Working Group as well as the regional priorities in South America and of each of the region’s countries.
• Coordinate and facilitate the development of a Regional Profile surrounding the tendencies and characteristics relating to DRR in South America, to be based upon the previous Regional and Country Documents, the national HFA progress reviews and other key information sources.
• Together with personnel of UNISDR Americas, maintain an up-to-date contact directory for the proper implementation of regional initiatives and consultations.
• Carry out monitoring and support missions as necessary among the region’s countries, as per mutual agreement between UNISDR Americas and ECHO South America.
• Provide substantive support to the Making Cities Resilient Campaign, including support to the development and/or implementation of action plans, progress reviews, exchanges among local governments, participate in events and workshops, capacity-development, awareness-raising and outreach.
• Support activities aligned with DRR in the region, such as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, participate in conferences and workshops, provide presentations and written inputs, strengthen advocacy and outreach, as well as others in coordination with UNISDR Americas, national DRM authorities and ECHO.
• Other tasks as relevant at the request of UNISDR’s Head of the Regional Office for the Americas and the project coordinator for South America.

Result Of Service
Substantive support provided to UNASUR's High-Level DRM Working Group and national DRM systems and focal points in line with the regional and national DRR priorities for the dissemination and implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR's regional South American project and the 2015-2016 DIPECHO Action Plan resulting in strengthened processes, policies, plans and programmes at the local, national and regional levels.

Qualifications/Special Skills
Academic Qualifications: Advanced University degree in international development studies, political or social sciences, humanities or related field. A first level university degree with a combination of relevant academic qualifications and experience may be accepted.

Experience: A minimum of at least 7 years of progressive work experience in project coordination, intergovernmental processes, disaster risk reduction and/or related fields.

Knowledge of UNISDR, DIPECHO actions, intergovernmental and DRR processes and platforms at the national and regional levels

Excellent analytical and communications skills

Language: Fluency in Spanish (speaking and writing skills). Working knowledge of English is a plus.

United Nations Considerations
The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

As per UN policy, Consultants and Individual Contractors may not apply for or be appointed to any position in the Professional or above categories and for positions at the FS-6 and FS-7 levels in the Field Service category within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. This restriction does not apply to associate experts(Junior Professional Officers) appointed under the Staff Rules.

No Fee
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