Background

Three events of 2015—the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, adopted at the Third World Conference on Disaster Reduction, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, and the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)—have created new windows of opportunities for mainstreaming DRR in development.

The Sendai Framework has substantially expanded the scope of DRR to include natural hazards as well as humanmade and all related environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks. It has broadened the task of mainstreaming to include the private sector, cultural heritage and tourism. It has advocated an all-of-society and whole-of-government approach for DRR. It has set seven global targets of risk reduction to be achieved by 2030 and prescribed 91 activities for DRR at all levels, clustered within four priorities for action.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that now replace the Millennium Development Goals. These goals, with 169 targets, cover every sector of development that concerns the economy, society and the environment. At least eight of the goals and their targets have elements of DRR and building resilience embedded within them. Reducing the risk of disasters across all these sectors is no longer a task of an agency responsible for DRM but of all sectors engaged in a society’s development.

The Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework on Climate Change has, for the first time ever, an article that “recognizes the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage”. The Paris Agreement has undertaken to enhance “understanding, action and support” in eight areas of DRR. These are early warning systems; emergency preparedness; slow-onset events; events that may involve irreversible and permanent loss and damage; comprehensive risk assessment and management; risk insurance facilities, climate risk pooling and other insurance solutions; non-economic losses; and resilience of communities, livelihoods and ecosystems.

Integration of risk informed development has particular importance in the ECIS region, with its unequal burden of disasters due to accumulated layers of hazards, vulnerabilities and risks. This existing complexity is further compounded by new drivers of risks, including climate change. The manner in which the region addresses the risk factors in all new investments in the public and private sectors and how it further mainstreams DRR into current and future policies, plans, programmes and projects will shape the outcome of the global development agenda over the next 10 years.

UNDP works in more than 170 countries to simultaneously reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development that leads to transformational change and brings about real improvements in people’s lives. As part of its mandate UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, under the Climate and Disasters portfolio, is implementing several regional initiatives within in the framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia Phase II in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The objective of the Uranium II project is to reduce risk of the negative impact of the uranium waste on people, livelihoods, and environment through raising awareness and supporting people-centered, gender sensitive, risk-informed solutions in legacy sites at the level of local communities in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 

Objectives of the assignment

The main objective of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to IRH CDT team with the promotion of risk informed development and forward-looking prevention through various initiatives, including Post-Disaster Needs Assessment/Covid Recovery Needs Assessment (PDNA/CRNA) and Gets Airports Ready for Disasters (GARD), as well as support of regional knowledge exchange: man-made and technological disasters under the project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia Phase II in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan”.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment

The main objective of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to IRH CDT team with the promotion of risk informed development and forward-looking prevention through various initiatives, including Post-Disaster Needs Assessment/Covid Recovery Needs Assessment (PDNA/CRNA) and Gets Airports Ready for Disasters (GARD), as well as support of regional knowledge exchange: man-made and technological disasters under the project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia Phase II in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan”.

Specific tasks are as follows:

• Drafting agenda and other substantive documents to support PDNA/CRNA, GARD initiatives, studies on critical infrastructure and DRR mainstreaming to national policies, including organization of webinars/workshops, drafting reports/minutes.
• Preparation to the project board meetings, project meetings, workshops, trainings, cross- country exchanges, under Uranium 2 and Resilience building in Fergana Valley projects.
• Provide regular review and financial analysis of project implementation to CDT team and COs, coordinate the financial flows and funds allocation, and support the implementation of the AWP by COs.
• In consultation with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan COs and under coordination of IRH drafting financial parts of project’s reports (mid- year progress, annual, financial).
• Coordination of financial reporting with other project implementing partner organizations, including EC.
• Contribution to finance related sections for pipeline CDT unit projects.
• Initiate collection and process information to update the database with financial and project status entries.
• Support the IRH team with drafting Quality Assurance and other mandatory documents for Phase II project in line with the UNDP guidelines.
• Perform other project related duties as directed by the Supervisor.

Management/organizational arrangements

The consultant will work under guidance and technical supervision of IRH CDT Team Leader. He/she will also work closely with the UNDP Country Offices and other partners.

Deliverables and preliminary payment schedule:

Competencies

Functional competencies

• Excellent communication and management skills and demonstrable capacity to work with a multi-national team and to work with government institutions.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategies and communication plans.
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities.

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum BA degree in environmental science, disaster risk reduction (DRR), economy, financial management or another relevant field.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in environment and DRR.
• Professional experience in ECIS region (Central Asia), and particularly knowledge of environment and security issues. Experience of organizing of environmental and DRR events required.

Language skills:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required for this assignment.

6. Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications, interview, and financial proposal.

The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points.

• Criteria A (relevant education) – max points: 5
• Criteria B (years of professional experience in environment and DRR area) – max points: 10
• Criteria C (professional experience in ECIS region (Central Asia) and organization of events) – max points: 5
• Criteria D (fluency in written and spoken English) – max points: 5
• Interview- max. 10 points. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for an interview.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points.

7. Application procedures

Interested candidates must include the following documents when submitting the applications (Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF attachment as the system only allows upload of one document):

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Filled P11 or CV form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc);
• Financial Proposal.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.