Background

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is an urgent and significant development issue in Ghana. Recognizing the importance of strengthening DRR capacities in achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction in Ghana, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and UNDP will implement the Community Resilience through Early Warning (CREW) Project to build capacities within the country to reduce disaster risk by putting in place an integrated early warning system that is both scientific and people-centered. Supported by the Government of Norway, the project is designed in a way that it aligns with the Hyogo Framework of Action and the Ghana Plan of Action for DRR and climate change adaptation (CCA), and leads to tangible results in both the national and community levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Technical services in areas related to early warning system, disaster risk reduction, GIS and mapping, community-based capacity building, climate change adaptation;
• Building strategic partnerships;
• Networking;
• Substantive technical innovation;
• Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

• Works with Technical Advisor and International Technical Specialist to mobilize technical inputs to the project;
• Conceptualize and drafts Terms of Reference for technical consultancies;
• Writing and/or reviewing reports;
• Undertake in-house research, if necessary;
  
• Reviews reports from consultants;   
  
• Ensures that the project is managed and implemented in accordance with UNDP rules and regulation.

• Develop partnership with and promote networking with institutions implementing similar projects;
• Network with universities and research institutions to gather their inputs to the project.  

Competencies

Communicating information and ideas:

• Communicating clearly and effectively. Seeking to understand the ideas of others;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication;
  
• Creating an environment for open communication. Inspiring and persuading others.

Ethics and values:

• Taking actions that are congruent with what he/she says;
  
• Reliably delivering on promises and honoring commitments made;
  
• Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN/UNDP in actions and decisions;
• Demonstrating an appreciation of differences in values and learning from cultural diversity;
  
• Moves from demonstrating sensitivity to encouraging full participation, to leveraging diversity.
  

• Taking responsibility for self-learning and development;
  
• Actively seeking learning and career development opportunities;
  
• Promoting organizational learning and knowledge management;
  
• Building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

• Understanding, building and using formal/ informal systems and contacts in a complex organizational and global environment to obtain results;
  
• Moves from an ability to use organizational services to assist others, to applying corporate thinking and applying judgment, to building support and finally, demonstrating political acumen.

• Managing moods, responding effectively to stress, situations of ambiguity or crisis;
• Managing relationships with others to achieve mutual benefits;
• Building an emotionally intelligent organization.

Working in teams:

• Working effectively with colleagues in ways that allow the achievement of shared objectives;
• Building teams both within existing organizational structures and outside of them;
  
• Creating team spirit and unity of purpose across the business unit. 

Building strategic partnerships:

• Establishing, maintaining, and utilizing a broad network of contacts;
• Building partnerships and strategic alliances;
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and other development partners.

• Understanding and meeting or exceeding client needs;.
  
• Anticipating and addressing client needs and concerns;
• Developing innovative approaches to meeting client needs;
  
• Ensuring overall provision of quality services to clients.

• Demonstrating and applying professional and/or technical expertise/knowledge of the post or discipline;
  
• Focusing on the knowledge and skill areas necessary to effectively perform the functions of the post;
• Identifying and seeking to expand knowledge and improve work processes.

• Supporting UNDP’s advocacy by developing innovative and creative approaches to the provision of technical expertise;
• Moves from research to analysis to developing innovative and creative approach to conceptual leadership and championing conceptual innovation.

Creating visibility for UNDP/supporting UNDP’s capacity to advocate:

• Ensuring that UNDP has the visibility and corporate image it requires as the key development actor;
• Design and implementation of management systems;
  
• Ensuring that UNDPhas the internal management systems it requires as the key development actor. 
  

• Enhance existing processes or products;
• Developing original and innovative ideas and approaches;
• Integration in a multi-disciplinary environment.    
  

• Monitoring and promoting practices, procedures and systems that support accountability and results-based management, while also influencing change in the organizational culture;
• Results-based programme development and management;
• Effectively managing core and non-core resources to achieve UN development results.

Required Skills and Experience