Technical specialist: disaster risk reduction and recovery

Background

UNDP Indonesia's mission is to be an agent for change in the human and social development of Indonesia. The aim is to be a bridge between Indonesia and all donors as well as a trusted partner to all stakeholders. UNDP works in four key areas of development: democratic governance, regional development and poverty reduction, conflict prevention and recovery, and environment and climate change. Besides the four priority areas, UNDP Indonesia is also engaged in crosscutting initiatives such as HIV/AIDS and gender equality.

Organizational context

This post will report directly to the head of Crisis Prevention and Recovery unit in providing direct technical support to both disaster risk reduction cluster and recovery clusters for on-going initiatives within the following context:

Indonesia’s disaster risk:
Indonesia is the fifth most populated country in the world with almost 250 million people living on the 17,000 islands of its far-flung, naturally and biologically rich archipelago. The cultural and ethnic diversity of Indonesia’s people is extensive by any world standard. Most of its people, almost half of which live in its quickly growing urban areas, are vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters that are all too common and frequent. A part of the “Ring of Fire”, Indonesia has 128 active volcanoes. The country is vulnerable to a high level of seismic activity much of which is generated just offshore under the sea along Indonesia’s southern coast bringing the added risk of tsunamis. Much of the country is susceptible to drought caused by El Nino/La Nina (ENSO), resulting in crop failure and uncontrolled bush and forest fires made worse by extensive logging. Indonesia has over 5,000 rivers, 30% of which pass through high-density population centers regularly causing floods - the most commonly recurring natural hazard in Indonesia. Climate change can only make things worse.

Disaster risk reduction initiatives in Indonesia:
Traditionally in Indonesia, reducing a community’s exposure to disaster risks was a normal part of everyday thinking, reflected in the design of buildings, land use planning or family/community decisions about building a house, Mosque or expanding a village. In the shift to modern development processes, this practice was lost. Over the last several years, the Government of Indonesia (GOI) has taken some extremely important steps to reintegrate the practice of making disaster risk reduction a routine part of contemporary governance decision-making and development planning/implementation. These new initiatives are starting to form the foundation required to encourage communities to invest in their own safety by reducing risks of disaster damage.

This began in 2007 with the passing of the new National Disaster Management Law now being put into practice. Since then, national government annual work plans have each included substantial budgets for pre-disaster management programmes. The law also caused the establishment in 2008 of a new National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) as a cabinet-level coordinating ministry. The GOI also initiated an inter-governmental, public/private dialogue to put in place a National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction (NAP-DRR) based on the GOI adopted UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Hyogo Framework for Action on Disaster Risk Reduction (HFA-DRR). Inspired by the NAP-DRR, Indonesia’s provincial governments have leapt ahead of local governments in many other parts of the world by initiating and beginning to implement their own Local Action Plans for Disaster Risk Reduction (LAP-DRR) and establishing their own government led DRR stakeholder platforms (forums) based on ISDR guidelines. Most recently, BNPB has established the foundations of its planned disaster risk management information system called the Indonesian Disaster Data and Information (DIBI) (see http:// dibi.bnpb.go.id)

UNDP’s disaster risk reduction role:
UNDP has supported GOI disaster management initiatives since the late 1980’s starting with an initial focus on preparedness planning that led to a gradually growing emphasis on disaster risk reduction. After the 2004 tsunami and earthquake, UNDP Indonesia’s newly established Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit (CPRU) played substantial and significant roles supporting GOI led recovery programmes in both Aceh and Yogjakarta. CPRU has grown to a staff of about 40 with a portfolio of about 10 national and provincial level projects. Since the tsunami, UNDP/RCB worked through CPRU to support the GOI establish national tsunami early warning systems including development of preliminary provincial level SOPs.

With UNDP Indonesia and UNDP/BCPR (Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery) support, the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) has been executing the GOI’s flagship, five-year disaster risk reduction programme called “Safer Communities Through Disaster Risk Reduction in Development” (SC-DRR) since September 2007. It’s first three outputs support national and local government initiatives to 1) put DRR policy, legal and regulatory frameworks in place, 2) strengthen the DRR institutional environment and 3) build DRR public awareness. SC-DRR’s fourth output addresses the project’s most important set of government led activities - demonstrating and putting in place a range practices to reduce disaster risks in Indonesia.

UNDP Indonesia is also supporting the provincial government of Aceh through the Governor’s Office, to implement its disaster risk reduction programme called “Making Aceh Safer Through Disaster Risk Reduction in Development” (DRR-A) which takes a comprehensive approach to making DRR a normal part of Aceh’s governance processes and its development planning and implementation. CPRU designed the DRR components of two new governance programmes for Aceh and Nias Island that will be coordinated with the implementation of the DRR-A. All provincial projects are integrated with SC-DRR activities.

Most recently, UNDP/BCPR assigned ADPC (Asian Disaster Preparedness Center) to work through UNDP Indonesia to implement the “Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project” (CRM-TASP) project to prepare a national climate risk assessment along with broad recommendations on actions the GOI can take to reduce climate related risks. The project will also assess the climate risks of Aceh and Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) provinces. UNDP/BCPR is also supporting an assessment of the extent to which climate change considerations are built into UNDP Indonesia’s portfolio of projects.

Building on UNDP/BCPR’s support to BNPB’s Department of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DoRR) on the development of Indonesia’s Post Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNA) process, UNDP Indonesia is now supporting BNPB/DoRR to execute a new project called “Disaster Risk Reduction Based Rehabilitation and Reconstruction” (DR4). The project is designed to put a range of basic recovery planning guidelines, tools, and practices in place that have disaster risk reduction principles built into them.

UNDP has also worked in partnership with OCHA, UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF and other agencies since early 2007 to design, develop and receive approval by the UNCT in December 2008 of the “UN Joint Strategic Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction” (UN JSP-DRR). The project formally establishes the UN TWG-DRR (initially established in 2005), in the RC/HC office as a cross-agency disaster risk reduction coordination body.

UN country team disaster risk reduction role:
With support from UN Agencies including UNDP, broad overarching links are being established through a range of long-term coordination bodies through which national and local DRR project activities can be linked and programmatic gaps or needs better identified. These include
-the GOI led National DRR Platform (forum) that is now being established by BNPB and its planning/coordination tool the NAP-DRR (see above) that will serve as the GOI’s mechanism for measuring progress towards integrating DRR into governance and development throughout Indonesia,
-the emerging government led Provincial DRR Platforms (forums) and their corresponding LAP-DRR mechanisms,
-the DRR Convergence Group of multi-lateral, bi-lateral and INGO agencies established in 2005 and its on-line coordination mechanism (see www.un.or.id/untwg/3w/index.asp),
-a new Convergence Group initiated by national NGOs with secretariat support from Indonesia’s DRR professional association, the Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (MBPI) and the UN TWG-DRR and
-establishment of the UN TWG-DRR as a cross-agency coordination forum under the “UN Joint Strategic Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction” (UN JSP-DRR).

Duties and responsibilities

Key result areas:

The main emphasis of the DRRA in Indonesia will be the achievement of the following key result areas, updated and re-prioritized for 2010 as follows:
1. Technical support, quality assurance, deepening/expansion and/or review and identification of needed remedial actions for existing programmes (SC-DRR, DRR-A, DR4 & JSP-DRR)
2. DRR policy/practice development and knowledge management initiatives drawing on (and/or contributing to) UNDP RCB and BCPR/DRT corporate knowledge/expertise
3. Coordination and mainstreaming of DRR including climate risk management (CRM) programmes within UNDP and in partnership with other UN Agencies, IFIs and development partners
4. New programme development and related resource mobilization

1. Ensures provision of technical support, quality assurance, deepening/expansion and/or review and identification of needed remedial actions for existing programmes (SC-DRR, DRR-A, DR4 & JSP-DRR) focusing on achievement of the following results:
-Provision of leadership, support and technical input for the design, development, and implementation of UNDP/ UN disaster reduction risk reduction programmes and projects in support of the national and local governments
-Coordinate UNDP disaster reduction efforts with the other ISDR system partners at the country level. Serve as a resource for the ISDR system in ensuring that the national government receives a coherent package of support from the System.
-Analyze the socio-economic environment, disaster-risk and institutional context to provide advisory services in the field of disaster reduction, identifying catalytic areas where disaster risk reduction can be integrated and add value to other, ongoing or planned UNDP support interventions.
-Advocate and promote awareness and understanding of the links and mutually supportive goals and objectives of disaster reduction, sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
-As appropriate, on behalf of UNDP/ UN system provide policy level advice to the host government in development of institutional, legislative and policy frameworks for disaster risk reduction.
-As needed, based on country level experience, provide inputs for the formulation of UNDP/UN system policy, guidelines and practice notes on disaster risk reduction and recovery.
-Monitor ongoing projects substantively through discussing project work plans, progress and performance; conduct evaluation missions and write TORs for consultants; propose direction and solutions in steering committee meetings, visit project sites to monitor and assess implementation; resolve problems in execution and implementation streamlining relations between national project directors, consultants and executing agencies. Seek complementarities and integration with ongoing projects in other portfolios.
-In post-disaster situations, in coordination with the Regional Disaster Reduction Advisor (and other support available from regional and global level) advise the Country Office on recovery issues including: utilization of emergency grants; post-disaster assessments; formulation of early recovery frameworks/programmes; reorientation, as appropriate, of existing CO programmes to meet recovery needs; and planning for longer term recovery.

2. Ensure new programme development and related resource mobilization
-Identify and follow up on potential opportunities for resource mobilization in support of existing and new disaster risk reduction programmes including support from bilateral development partners, IFIs, other UN Agencies (i.e. ESCAP or ISDR) as well as cost sharing by the host government. As needed, advise and assist the Country Office on preparation of project proposals for submission to BCPR Project Appraisal Committee (BPAC) for resource allocation.

3. Provision of coordination and mainstreaming of DRR including climate risk management (CRM) programmes within UNDP and in partnership with other UN Agencies, IFIs and development partners focusing on achievement of the following results:
-To provide support for the partnerships with different stakeholders such as Government agencies, donors, NGOs, CBOs, private enterprises, UN Agencies, International Financial Institutions etc.
-Facilitate advocacy efforts related to mainstreaming disaster reduction into UNDP/UN system supported development initiatives in the country.
-Identify specific needs and demands of the country programmes in different technical areas – i.e. risk identification, urban risk management, pre-disaster recovery planning – and help build partnerships at the national, regional or global levels to meet those needs. Where possible, serve as a broker in harnessing regional and global support through BCPR to respond to such needs.

4. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the results.

5. DRR policy/practice development and knowledge management initiatives drawing on (and/or contributing to) UNDP RCB and BCPR/DRT corporate knowledge/expertise
-Distil lessons learned and good practices and share them with the CO, the UNCT, UNDP/BCPR, UNDP/RCB, the CPR Network and the wider disaster reduction community of practice.
-Mentor UNDP/UN system staff members and/or project personnel working on disaster reduction issues
-Coordination of development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
-Establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks.
-Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Impact of results

The expected impact from the above key result is enhanced capacities of the government and communities in Indonesia to reduce the risk of, recover from, and be resilient to, natural disasters.

Competencies

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

Functional competencies:
Knowledge management and learning
-Promotes knowledge management and recovery in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
-Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
-In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues
-Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
-Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP

Development and operational effectiveness:
-Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
-Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policy development
-Ability to formulate and ensure effective contract management
-Good knowledge of the CAP C and ACP policies and procedures
-Good ICT skills, knowledge of Atlas
-Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change
-Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations

Management and leadership:
-Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
-Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
-Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills
-Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
-Demonstrates ability to design and develop programme in a complex institutional arrangement.
-Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills
-Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
-Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills

Prince training and certification, RMG

Required skills and experience

Education:
Masters in development studies or related subjects.

Experience:
-Minimum of 7 (seven) years professional experience, with extensive background in contracting, administration and project management.
-Substantial professional experience with the United Nations, with extensive knowledge of UN procedures, rules and policies.
-Substantial and varied experience resolving issues surrounding partnerships between different forms of development stakeholders, for example UN agencies, NGOs, CBOs, private enterprise, donors, international financial institutions etc.
-Substantial experience in the daily activities and procedures of UN country offices as well as UN Projects.
-Experience in South East Asia and/or in post disaster or post conflict countries an advantage.
-Computer skills (specifically word, internet, excel, power point).
-Proven ability to organize oneself and others.
-Solid cross cultural and interpersonal skills.

Language requirements:
Excellence in english required with particular emphasis on proven high level written skills.
-Fluency in Bahasa Indonesia is an advantage.