UNDP Jobs - 65105- Technical Support Services: El Nino Drought Emerge

Technical Support Services: El Nino Drought Emergency Project

Location :

Mbabane, SWAZILAND

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Apr-2016

Application Deadline :

31-Mar-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

1st April-31 December 2016 Part-time basis spread through the 8 Months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

1st April-31 December 2016 Part-time basis spread through the 8 Months

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

Swaziland is one of the countries in southern Africa that is experiencing the severe impacts of the most powerful El Niño. The El Niño has been prolonged by the concurrent impacts of climate change resulting in austere drought, prolonged dry spells, poor records of rainfall and very high temperatures resulting in a poor agricultural harvest especially for the staple crop, maize. Key sectors have been affected namely agriculture and food security, WASH, education, health and energy as well as coordination capacity to enable efficiencies.

The newly restructured National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) requires organisational support to strengthen its coordination mechanisms in particular to curb the escalating El Nino drought impacts through the implementation of the emergency/relief component of the recently approved National Emergency Response, Mitigation and Adaptation (NERMAP) as well as facilitate early recovery (ER).

In view of the need to build resilience, strengthen coordination, information management, communication, creation of awareness including developing organisational systems for NDMA, the UN System has committed to supporting the country ensure effective coordination, establishment of performance monitoring system, information management in the implementation of the NERMAP across respective sectors. The services of a Technical Consultant are sought to provide support for the development of operational management frameworks of the emergency leading to resilience early recovery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Working under the guidance of the UN Resident Coordinator and reporting through the UNDP Programme Specialist the Technical Consultant will be expected to work under the guidance of the NDMA, Director and providing expertise to the UN Resident Coordinator’s Emergency Coordinator to undertake the following tasks:

Develop the rapid assessment of current information and data management systems and appropriate strategies/systems for the national response by producing the following deliverables; Emergency Multi-sectoral Coordination Framework; and, Communication Strategy and Guidelines on national disasters including operationalization.
Develop the National Drought Early Recovery Framework with an Early Recovery Plan.
Ensure enhanced national, regional and constituency capacities for the execution and operationalizing of the early recovery strategic plan through training.
Develop innovative mechanisms for information sharing and knowledge management for documenting best practices.
Develop the UNCT Drought Recovery and Resilience Programme.

Competencies

Knowledge of institutional and policy frameworks on Swazilandas related to the project, institutional and policy issues on Disaster Risk Management, Early Recovery would be an advantage.
Ability to communicate effectively complex, technical information to the audiences at various levels.
Management ability for a team to produce with ability to produce quality outputs in a timely manner.
Negotiation, organization, coordination, skills to influence a win-win position to facilitate achievement of results. Exceptional presentation, reporting and facilitation skills to effect consensus building among the stakeholders at various levels.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree in Disaster Risk Management, climate change adaptation, agriculture economics, climate change studies, development studies, engineering or related discipline.

Experience:

Minimum 3 years of working experience in the environment of climate change adaptation and/or water sector;
Demonstrated expertise in programme/project management for results;
Extensive knowledge of climate change adaptation issues, in particular in the water sector.

Language:

Fluency in English.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.