UNDP Jobs - 47467- Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant, SADC

Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant, SADC

Location :

Gaborone, BOTSWANA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

24-Jul-2014

Application Deadline :

03-Jul-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Six months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Six 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

Southern Africa is prone to a variety of natural hazards and related disasters like drought, floods, cyclones, fires, earthquakes, landslides, livestock diseases, pest infestations and epidemics (HIV/AIDS, malaria, etc.), increasing urbanisation, trans-boundary risks, etc. Climate change is expected to further increase hydro-meteorological hazards in the sub-region. The high levels of poverty, increased exposure to hazards, cross-border influx, weak social protection policies and relatively weak institutional capacity, food insecurity, etc. undermine DRR measures in the SADC sub-region. The majority (9 out of 15) of SADC countries fall within the low HDI category, with Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and DRC falling below the sub-Saharan Africa HDI of 0.475.

Against this background of increasing disasters and vulnerabilities, issues of disaster risk re-duction are seen within the SADC Secretariat as priority actions towards regional economic development, integration, peace and security. In this regard, a DRR strategy was drafted in 2001 to enhance the DRR coordination at the sub-regional level. The Strategy was revised and approved as the SADC Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategic Plan 2006–2010. The SADC DRR strategy is aligned to the region’s development frameworks and vision of sustainable development and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Programme (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (SIPO). Through the establishment of the SADC DRR Unit in 2009, the SADC Secretariat set Disaster Risk Reduction as a core priority. In the Same vein, a Regional DRR Platform was established in 2010 in order to better coordinated DRR interventions in its Member States.

Even though, good progress has been made over the past few years to address DRR related issues in SADC, there are still many challenges. The UNDP Capacity assessment conducted in 2012 highlighted disaster risk reduction mainstreaming into regional and national development plans, policies and programmes are a key challenge for the Southern Africa region.

In order to support the SADC Secretariat to address this main gap, UNDP, through its Crisis Prevention and Recovery regional project “Enhanced Regional Capacities in Africa for Preventing and Recovering from Crises Caused by Natural Disasters and Conflicts” has been initiating some activities with the Secretariat. The main objective of the UNDP project is to strengthen Regional Economic Commissions’ (RECs) capacities on disaster risk reduction and conflict prevention. Following a comprehensive DRR and CCA capacity assessment conducted at the SADC Secretariat in 2012, a workshop on DRR mainstreaming into regional and sector divisions programmes has been undertaken in 2013 with all SADC Sector Departments to enhance their capacity on this matter. UNDP also supported SADC to organise the 2013 DRR regional Platform to develop a Regional Plan of Action on DRR Mainstreaming in Southern Africa and also adopt SADC’s position on the Post-HFA framework.

Through this consultancy, UNDP will provide technical support to the SADC Secretariat and its Member States on Disaster Risk Reduction in general and mainstreaming DRR into regional and national development policies, programmes and plans.

The specifics objectives of this consultancy are the following:

Enhance Human and technical capacity of the SADC DRR Unit;
Support the SADC DRR Unit on the implementation of the Regional DRR Mainstreaming Plan of Action;
Strengthen inter-sectoral coordination between the various departments and Units of the SADC Secretariat on DRR related issues;
Provide adequate technical support on DRR mainstreaming to SADC Member States.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the DRR Regional Advisor at the UNDP Regional Service Centre and the guidance of the Head of SADC Disaster Management Unit, the consultant shall provide overall technical support to the implementation of the SADC Plan of Action on DRR Mainstreaming into regional and national development programmes.

The consultant is expected to perform the following:

Support development, coordination and harmonization of national practices and capacities on DRR Mainstreaming in SADC member states.

Develop guidelines and methodologies on Mainstreaming DRR into SADC sectoral pro-grammes focusing on Agriculture, Health, Infrastructure and Water Resources.

Support the SADC Secretariat to roll-out of the Mainstreaming Adaptation and Disaster Re-duction in Development (MADRID) Initiative in Southern Africa.

Facilitate and support exchange of good practices on DRR mainstreaming between SADC Member States.

Support the SADC Secretariat to mobilise and engage the Private Sector to support the im-plementation of the regional DRR Mainstreaming Plan of Action.
Capacity development activities on DRR Mainstreaming undertaken through internal trainings on DRR Mainstreaming into development programmes with various SADC Departments and Units.

Key SADC sectoral policies and programmes revised and/or updated for the inclusion of DRR activities.

Sector specific DRR Mainstreaming guidelines and methodologies developed to support the implementation of the SADC DRR Mainstreaming Plan of Action both at Regional and national levels.

The SADC DRR Mainstreaming Plan of Action implemented in at least five (5) countries of the region with strong collaboration with the private sector and Society Organisations. A lead role to be played by Ministry of Finance and Planning.

Substantive monthly progress report (A4, MS Word format in English by 20th of every month) to be submitted to the Head of the SADC DRR Unit with a copy to UNDP DRR Regional Advisor describing specific achievements within this assignment.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Professionalism:

Strong background, knowledge and understanding of the concepts, principles and approaches to disaster risk reduction and its mainstreaming into regional and national development programmes.

Managing:

Effective project management skills and ability to lead a project to completion.

Client Orientation:

Ability to identify and analyse clients’ needs and develop appropriate services to meet business requirements.

Communications:

Strong communication (spoken and written) skills.

Planning and Organizing:

Ability to organize, plan and implement work assignments, juggle competing demands and work under pressure of frequent and tight deadlines.

Teamwork:

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in disaster risk management, development, geography, natural resources management, public policy or related fields.

Experience:

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in programme/project implementation on disaster risk reduction, policy and pro-grammes formulation, disaster recovery or related fields.

Languages:

Fluency in English (Oral and written) is required.