Department head – Department of Safer Development Planning and Implementation / Senior disaster risk reduction mainstreaming specialist

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) welcomes applications from qualified professionals with experience in development programs especially mainstreaming or integrating disaster risk reduction into development program to strengthen its professional team attached to Safer Development Planning and Implementation Department. Please indicate the professional affiliation and Position Title in the cover letter clearly.

Department: Safer Development Planning and Implementation (SPDI)

Program: Result 3.1.1: Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development

Background & Rationale

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) was established in 1986 to support the advancement of safer communities and sustainable development, through implementing programs that reduce the impact of disasters upon countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC is governed by its Board of Trustees and annually convenes the Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC) that brings together National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) from 26 countries of the Asian region. In 1999, ADPC was constituted as an independent non-profit foundation under Thai law, with its headquarters in Bangkok. For more information, please visit www.adpc.net. In 2011, on completion of 25 years, ADPC in consultation with member countries and development partners developed the Strategy to guide its support to the countries over the next decade. The ADPC Strategy 2020, aims at focusing the involvement of ADPC on key issues in the region in relation to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, based on its long years of experience and comparative advantage. The implementation of the ADPC Strategy 2020 is being pursued through a programmatic approach on three core areas, namely Science, Systems and Applications for disaster risk reduction, with each of the three programmes having well defined Outcomes and Result Areas. At the same time in 2011, ADPC also went through an internal restructuring to organize itself in six thematic departments, with each having a niche focus and working together to contribute towards the overall outcomes of ADPC Strategy 2020.

One of the thematic departments is Safer Development Planning and Implementation (SDPI). The focus of this department is to enhance mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in development planning processes. The work programme of the department is based on the ongoing RCC Program on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development, which is underway since 2004. The Program is currently in its third phase (2012-2015) and falls under the Core Programme 3: Applications and focuses on issues related to mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in socio-economic development planning processes, physical planning, investment programming and sectoral development. A key area of the program is to demonstrate actions on mainstreaming and building capacity through training courses. The Program is implemented in synergy with other ongoing regional initiatives on advocacy, knowledge management and capacity building for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into development.

The Department Head will be responsible for advancing mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development and to ensure its linkages with other Core Programs of ADPC. The position will head the Thematic Department of Safer Development Planning and Implementation and be in-charge of managing a team of professionals from various backgrounds. The incumbent will be responsible for advancing mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development and provide leadership and guidance to the Safer Development Planning and Implementation team.

Responsibilities:

- Provide strategic direction, leadership and technical resource related inputs to management of all projects under the SDPI department.
- Programmatic and financial management of ongoing projects under the department and overall management of the SDPI Department
- Mobilizing resources required for achieving the Results of Core Programme 3
- Conceptualizing new project ideas, developing proposals and exploring partnerships to advance the mainstreaming DRR into development.
- Monitoring and Evaluation of implementation and deliverables to assure quality and achievement of outcomes stated in ADPC Strategy 2020
- Reporting progress against results of ADPC Strategy 2020, to ADPC Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, Donor partners and countries
- Preparing annual work plans for the department, preparations of programmatic and financial statements
- Provide technical resource inputs to implementation of other Result Areas of ADPC Strategy 2020
- Build, manage and sustain partnerships with global, regional and national partners including donors

Required Qualifications and Specification

- Masters degree (or equivalent or a higher level) in development studies or related fields such as economics, sociology, urban planning, rural development;
- Having at least 10 years practical experience in development sector (especially working with Governments at various levels) and with a good understanding of issues such as poverty reduction, socio-economic planning, public finance and investment programming, land use planning etc.
- Past working experience in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and/or mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development would be an added advantage;
- Ability to ‘think out of box’, understand, link and articulate various aspects of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation with the broader physical and socio-economic development agenda;
- Strong analytical skills as well skills in writing and documentation is a necessity;
- Fluency in both spoken and written English is a necessity;
- Ability to lead a team, respect the importance of other disciplines and knack to learn from and contribute to various disciplines
- Willing to frequently travel in the region;
- Energetic and willing to exercise the ‘grey matter’ beyond limits