UNDP Jobs - 49735- Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist

Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist

Location :

Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

26-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

one (1) year renewable

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Madagascar is a large island, which lies in the southwest Indian Ocean, with a population of 21.32 million, and a GDP (2011) of 9.912 billion USD and it is classified as a low income country according to the World Bank. The country is characterized by a tropical climate with two distinct seasons: (1) the rainy season or summer from November to April, with the highest rainfall during December and January; and (2) the winter or dry season, from May to October, with the lowest rainfall in September and October. In the south-west, the climate is semi-desert and the region is prone to drought. In the east coast region, the climate is tropical and humid, and is subject to tropical cyclones.

The country regularly faces four major natural hazards, namely cyclones/tropical storms, floods, droughts, and locust invasions. Madagascar is also one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, especially due to increasing extremes in weather events in recent years. Cyclones are re¬portedly more frequent and violent than in the past. For example, in March 2010, Cyclone Hubert seriously affected agricultural production, destroying 61,000 hectares of agricultural land, and in February 2011, Cyclone Bizinga hit the north-east of the Island, in addition to Cyclones Giovanna in 2012 and Haruna in 2013 as mentioned above. In addition, locusts regularly destroy crops, especially in the south-west. The country’s vulnerability to natural hazards induced disasters is extreme: the country has wit¬nessed 46 natural disasters over the past 35 years, cumulatively affecting over 11 million people and causing damage estimated at USD 1 billion.

UNDP has been sustaining the Government in setting up an institutional framework for DRR and developing national and local capacities over the past ten years. At the national level, UNDP has supported the continuous updating of the national contingency plan, the operationalization of CERVO “Centre d’Etudes et de Réflexion, de Veille et d’Orientation” and the process of revision of the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management (“ Stratégie Nationale de Gestion des Risques et des Catastrophes – SNGRC”). UNDP is also supporting the implementation of the DRR national action plan, developed on the basis of a capacity evaluation conducted in 2012 under the inter-agency initiative CADRI (Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative) and that helped identifying current gaps and needs. At the local level, UNDP has provided support to establish more than 100 local DRR committees, which developed local plans to help to mitigate the consequences of cyclones, floods and droughts.

However, the capacity of governmental agencies such the “Bureau National de Gestion des Risques et Catastrophes (BNGRC)”, and its regional structures remain weak, given the magnitude of disaster events the country is continuously facing and the legislative framework for DRR that has a mere response focus. DRR planning is reflected in Madagascar’s official policy on decentralization, under which 177 local authorities at risk have drawn up their own DRR plans. Yet, the decentralized structures lack funds and tools to effectively implement disaster preparedness and risk reduction.

Amongst the key DRR challenges the country faces, there is weak coordination of stakeholders and their initiatives. The responsibilities and leadership for DRM at the national level are not yet clearly defined. The level of political commitment for DRR is low resulting in human and financial resource gaps. Particularly, the productive sectors exposed to natural hazards need to better mitigate risks, which make mainstreaming of DRR into development sectors a priority. Communities are in urgent need of better-targeted risk awareness and sensitization as the entry points for more comprehensive community based disaster preparedness and risk management measures. This includes the strengthening of early warning systems at all levels. There are considerable capacity gaps in implementing the national building standards. Also, capacities for recovery are not yet in place and there is need to strengthen such aspect at both national and local level. The linkages between Climate Risk Management (CRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) are not sufficiently explored, and yet they are very relevant in the context of Madagascar.
To help the country address these challenges, the CO is recruiting a Disaster Risk Reduction Advisor who will work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative Program and the authority of the Resident Representative.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

Support to the DRR and recovery’s programme implementation;
Communication and Knowledge Management;
Policies advisory and guidelines.

Programmes:

Provide leadership and technical inputs for the design, development, and implementation of UNDP disaster risk reduction and recovery initiatives in support of the national government;
Provide technical advice and strategic guidance to the national government in strengthening the existing institutional system for DRR and recovery;
Provide technical support to national government and line ministries on the mainstreaming of DRR in national and sectorial development policies;
Provide technical support to the formulation of initiatives for capacity building in pre-disaster recovery planning (preparedness for recovery) and in managing post-disaster recovery processes of national and local authorities;
In post-disaster situations, in coordination with the Regional Disaster Reduction Advisor (and other support available from regional/global level), advise the Country Office on recovery issues - including: utilization of emergency grants; post-disaster assessments; formulation of recovery frameworks/ programmes; preparing and planning for longer-term recovery and reorientation, as appropriate, of existing CO programs;
Ensures mainstreaming of cross-cutting UNDP’s priorities recovery programmes, in particular disaster risk reduction, environment, gender, human rights;
Contribute substantively to the work of the UN working group on Early Recovery that UNDP is coordinating;
Analyze the socio-economic environment, disaster-risk and institutional context to provide advisory services in the field of disaster risk reduction and recovery, identifying catalytic areas where disaster risk reduction can be integrated and add value to other, ongoing or planned UNDP support interventions;
Coordinate and ensures alignment of UNDP’s disaster risk reduction and recovery efforts with partners at the country level – government agencies, UN agencies, the World Bank, national and international NGOs, academic and technical institutions – capitalizing on synergies where possible;
Identify and follow up on potential opportunities for resource mobilization in support of disaster risk reduction and recovery programmes. This may include support from bilateral development partners, the international financial institutions, as well as cost-sharing with the host government;
Monitor ongoing projects substantively through discussing project work plans, progress and performance; conduct evaluation missions and write TORs for consultants; propose direction and solutions in steering committee meetings, visit project sites to monitor and assess implementation; resolve problems in execution and implementation streamlining relations between national project directors, consultants and executing agencies. Seek complementarities and integration with ongoing projects in other portfolios.

Knowledge management:

Distil lessons learned and good practices and share them with the CO, the UNCT, the CPR Network and the wider disaster reduction community of practice;
Participate in regional and global practice development meetings on disaster risk reduction and recovery;
Mentor UNDP staff members and/or project personnel working on disaster reduction and recovery issues.

Policy:

Advocate, promote awareness and understanding of disaster reduction and recovery as well as of the links and mutually supportive goals of sustainable development;
Provide policy level advice to the host government in development of institutional, legislative and policy frameworks for disaster risk reduction and recovery management;
As needed, based on country level experience, provide inputs for the formulation of UNDP/ UN system policy, guidelines and practice notes on disaster risk reduction and recovery;
Facilitate advocacy efforts related to mainstreaming disaster reduction into UNDP supported development initiatives in the country.

Impact of Results:

DRR mainstreamed in National development strategies, UNDAF, CPD and CPAP;
The national institutional systems strengthened for DRR and recovery;
Lessons learnt and best practices shared through various knowledge networks.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Integrity and fairness:

Embodies UN values and promotes the well-being of all individuals regardless of gender, religion, race, nationality, or age.

Cultural sensitivity and adaptability:

Communicates effectively.

Strong corporate commitment:

Works to achieve the goals of UNDP as a whole making significant contributions to corporate priorities or initiatives led by other UNDP offices and bureaus.

Functional Competencies:

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

Ability to establish and maintain contacts with senior-level officials of the host government required;
Ability to build strong relationships with external actors – cultivate productive relationships with donors, partners and other important institutions and individuals;
Excellent interpersonal skills are essential part of the job. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, for effective advocacy and influence on policy makers;
Excellent analytical skills;
Ability to formulate, implement and ensure the monitoring and the evaluation of projects / programs of development and resources mobilization.

Management and Leadership:

Ability to anticipate and understand client needs, formulate clear strategic plans, prioritize interventions, and allocate resources according to priorities;
Ability to develop innovative solutions - encourages and contributes creative solutions to address challenging situations;
Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
Ability to advocate and provide timely policy advice;
Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development and applies newly acquired skills;
Resourcefulness, initiative, and maturity of judgment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in social sciences or discipline relevant to disaster reduction with ideally internationally recognized contributions to the theory and practice of disaster reduction.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years of increasingly responsible experience in planning and managing programmes and relevant advocacy initiatives in disaster reduction, emergency response and post-disaster recovery;
Good degree of technical knowledge of disaster risk reduction, ability to quickly analyze and understand the country context, build partnerships, develop innovative solutions and mobilize regional and global knowledge to meet the specific country needs;
Application of theoretical knowledge in the design, management and evaluation of complex, multi-disciplinary capacity building programmes involving national governments, civil society and international organisations;
Demonstrated abilities and contributions to policy and guideline formulation, resource mobilisation, team building, team leadership and management, preferably in a capacity related to the UN system;
Experience in establishing inter-organisational networks and partnerships at the operational level.
Knowledge of the country and related DRR profile/context, including the political, economic and social dimensions will be considered as an advantage.

Language:

Fluency in French essential;
Proficiency in English necessary.