UNDP Jobs - 104971- (Re-Advertisement) Formulation of National Drought

(Re-Advertisement) Formulation of National Drought Contingency Plan, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Water Safety Planning

Location :

Majuro

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

10-Mar-2022

Application Deadline :

03-Mar-22 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 Months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

6 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

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nation’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build better lives. The UNDP is on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is a small island developing state (SIDS) in the Pacific. The nation is a large-ocean state, with a total land area of only 182 square km, spread across over 2 million square km of ocean. There 77 communities on 24 inhabited atolls and islands, which are mostly remote and lie merely 2 m above sea level on average. There are no rivers, streams or lakes in RMI and the number of small surface ponds is very limited and are thus highly vulnerable to drought.

This adaptation project “Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) in the Marshall Islands” has the objective to address expected impacts of climate change on water security on the people of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI). It was developed by the GoRMI, with the assistance of the UNDP as implementing partner, and is co-financed by GoRMI and the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

The key project outcomes are to increase water availability on the outer atolls and islands to close the water supply-demand gap, and to enhance the ability of RMI to prepare and respond to climate change induced drought events.

These will be achieved through investing in:

• Water Security - Improving household and community rainwater harvesting and storage structures to increase resilience of water supply in 77 rural communities in the outer islands and atolls accounting for approximately 28% of RMI’s population, including 7,630 (49%) women, currently at risk.

• Water Resilience - Securing groundwater resources from contamination due to inundation caused by wave overtopping of seawater.

• Water Governance - Strengthening the technical capacities of national and subnational institutions and key stakeholders to integrate climate change risks into water governance processes so that management of climate change risks are coordinated, effective, participatory, equitable, and sustained over the long-term when risks are expected to worsen.

The project aligns with GoRMI’s key climate change policies and strategies and has been developed through extensive consultation with government, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and the beneficiary communities. It is being executed by the UNDP, in close partnership with the GoRMI, with responsibility for implementation a Project Management Unit (PMU) based in Majuro, RMI and Suva, Fiji.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The consultancy shall develop:

• A national drought contingency plan

• A national water safety plan

• Standard operating procedures for drought response

• A community level water safety plan framework and implementation guide

• Training workshop/s for the arrangements and procedures

• Recommendations for future activities including technology investments.

The development of these products shall take into cognisance and align with:

• National Strategic Plan

• Vision 2020

• National Water and Sanitation Policy

• RMI National Disaster Risk Management Arrangements

• Rapid Water Governance assessment summary (part of 2016 Feasibility Study)

• Majuro Water Safety Plan 2009

• RMI National Drought Plan 2018 - draft

• ACWA Project Documentation

• UNDP Water Governance Guidelines

• WHO Water Safety Plan guidelines, and any other available resources and literature

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultancy will be for a total of 61 Working days over a 6-month period with the indicative duration and timeline of the deliverables (assuming a 1 st March start date) is:

Deliverable and output Duration in days Due Date (2022)

1. Work Plan and methodology 5 5 March

2. National drought contingency plan 20 15 May

3. National water safety plan 7 15 April

4. SOP for drought response 15 1 July

5. Community water safety plan framework 5 15 June

6. Training workshop/s - national response 3 (2+1) 15 July

- community level 3 (2+1) 22 July

7. Report/recommendations for the future 3 15 August

Approval of all consultancy products will encompass endorsement by the Working Group while the approving authority will be the UNDP.

The key principles to be applied when developing to above outputs should include:

• Proactive drought preparedness and response thus limiting reactive/recovery interventions

• Practical and implementable solutions suitable for the RMI context

• Standard operating procedures to focus on warning/preparation phase but allowing for emergency response and recovery when necessary.

• Critical information needs and flows to be integrated into management systems

• Plans and procedures to be concise and convenient to implement

• Focus on major executive actions and systems

• Enhancement women and youth’s leadership

Competencies

• Technical skills in water governance, institutional development, water management, drought preparedness planning, water safety planning, collaborative management;

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;

• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;

• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;

• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;

• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;

• Comprehensive knowledge of institutional structuring and development of procedural arrangements;

• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research and communication;

• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;

• Excellent presentation, facilitation and training skills.

• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;

• Positive, constructive attitude to work;

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Development, Social Science or Management or any other relevant field.

Experience

• At least 7 years relevant work experience in institutional, governance, organisational, management, disaster preparedness arrangements.

• Preferably international practice in applying the UNDP Water Governance Frameworks and the World Health Organisation Water Safety Plans.

• Practical experience of the development and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in a collaborative context.

• Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) experience is necessary.

• Local knowledge of the Republic of Marshall Islands institutional arrangements is desirable.

Language requirements

• Fluency in spoken and written English language is required;

• Knowledge of Marshallese would be an asset