Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Officer at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Job Description

Scope of work

Responsibilities

• The Disaster Risk Reduction & Resilience Officer is based in Nairobi to provide day-to-day support to targeted countries in Africa, and to assist the project team and UNDP COs in the implementation of agreed interventions of the project, in accordance with the project document and the contribution agreement with the European Commission. The DRR & Resilience Officer will be responsible for supporting the design and delivery of technical assistance and capacity development activities at both regional and country-level under the following Outputs:
• Provided integrated solutions for risk-informed development planning and budgeting in Western Africa, Central Africa, and Eastern Africa;
• Increased risk awareness of communities and local stakeholders to take action that reduces risk in Western Africa, Central Africa and Eastern Africa;
• Strengthened post-disaster recovery capacities in all ACP regions.

Technical support to COs and regional team for implementation of the project activities: 

• Provide technical inputs for the design, development, and implementation of agreed project’s activities at country and regional level;
• Lead project implementation in at least 2 targeted countries and provide technical support to the others;
• Participate in field missions to countries in support of project implementation and monitoring;
• Assist the Project Manager and the Regional Specialist in mobilizing goods and services to support project activities, including drafting TORs and works/product requirements and specifications;
• Contribute to or facilitate regular implementation meetings with COs;
• Provide regular updates on the project implementation to the project team and DRT Africa and in particular, identify challenges, needs or gaps and suggest solutions to overcome them.

Knowledge Management

• Contribute to the compilation, analysis, reporting and codifying of project’s results and lessons learned from country offices, foster cross-country learning and collaboration;
• Identify and contribute to the facilitation of South-South exchanges and experiences sharing where valuable;
• Provide inputs to country offices (COs) with requests for information on best practices and experiences on disaster risk reduction and recovery together with partners and expert institutions;
• Encourage and support targeted COs to capture good practices through blogs, videos, photo essays etc. and promote on social media and other regional channels;
• Ensure project communication is in accordance with the visibility rules and communication standards of EU and UNDP.

Partnership And Resource Mobilization

• Participate in coordination meetings and contribute to the strong collaboration and coordination with the partners’ project and in particular with EU, UNDRR and OACPS;
• Together with the project manager, the DRT Africa Team Leader and the regional specialist, identify opportunities and contribute to the development and nurturing of partnerships with the regional economic communities in Africa, the African Union Commission, donors and stakeholders key for the project;
• Support the DRT’s engagement in partnership through reporting and developing briefing notes and background information when required;
• Support resource mobilization efforts through technical support to the development of concept notes and proposals and contribute to resource mobilization.

Actively Participate In Implementation Of Urban Resilience Actions

• In addition to these key responsibilities and at the request of the DRT Africa Team Leader, the DRR & Resilience Officer will support the DRT Africa and the Resilience Hub in key activities related to urban resilience.
• Considering the strong interconnection between the “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance and Recovery Capacities” project and urban resilience thematic area, these additional duties will be performed in coordination and collaboration with the project team, building on the project’s results and achievements in Africa.

The following key cross-cutting duties have been identified:

• Provide technical support in designing and developing urban resilience programmes and activities;
• Support the organization and/or ensure strong participation of UNDP’s DRT Africa and Resilience Hub for Africa in high level events on urban resilience;
• Provide support in compiling research, documenting and analyzing urban resilience issues in Africa in the purpose of providing evidence for project and programme development, and positioning UNDP’s key role in that thematic area;
• Strengthen existing and develop new partnership with AUC, RECs, UN agencies, donors and other strategic stakeholders;
• Identify opportunities and support resource mobilization through the participation to the development of concept notes and proposals.

Communications And Visibility

• Work with the Regional Coordinator for Africa and the Project Manager to identify opportunities and support communications and visibility activities;
• Coordinate with partners on the development of joint communication products across the thematic areas of focus;
• Facilitate development of publications of key reports/products on disaster risk reduction;
• Facilitate engagement with key stakeholders, including mapping of emerging priorities and key events.

Institutional Arrangement

• The DRR & Resilience Officer works under the direct supervision of the Brussels-based Project Manager for the UNDP- UNDRR “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance and Recovery Capacities” Project, with secondary reporting to the DRT Regional DRR Team Leader based in Nairobi. On a day-to-day basis, the DRR & Resilience Officer will work closely with the Regional Specialist leading the project implementation in Nairobi.

Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Partnerships Management

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding;
• Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements;
• Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives.
• Communication
• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• 2030 Agenda: Planet 

Required Skills And Experience

Minimum Education Requirements:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Urban Studies and Planning, Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, Disaster Management, or a relevant related field of studies is required or; 
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in a relevant field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum Years Of Relevant Work Experience

• Minimum two years (with master’s degree ) or four years (with Bachelor’s degree ) of professional experience, in fields of Disaster Risk Reduction, resilience-building or climate change adaptation, including in supporting policy and programme advice in the areas of disaster risk reduction, resilience building and recovery, urban risk management, urban planning or urban development in different development contexts is required.

Required Skills

• Proven track record, knowledge and experience in the field of disaster risk reduction, urban resilience and recovery;
• Knowledge/Experience of urban development and management, urban risk reduction, disaster risk reduction and climate change concepts, frameworks and principles.
• Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the competencies section:
• Experience in either, public sectors (national or multilateral, including UN), or private sectors (academia, non- governmental sector, corporate). Experience with the workings of the UN, European Union institutions and the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States is an asset;
• Coordination experience working with intergovernmental organizations, governments, development partners, and international organizations (will be an asset);
• Experience in supporting programme design, coordination, implementation and project management processes;
• Experience in working in fast-paced environments including in international/multi-country settings;
• Knowledge and experience in working with multiple stakeholder involving AU, RECs, Member States, and Development Partners such as the UN systems and other development organizations;
• Experience in office management and administration would be a strong added advantage;
• Strong writing, negotiating and communication skills and ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners (public, private, academic, civil society, business community leaders);
• Minimum 6 months of experience working in Africa on urban risk reduction and/or climate change adaptation and/or recovery in an urban context;
• Proven Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge;
• Proven Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.