Disaster inventory team leader consultant

Background

The Disaster-Risk Poverty Analysis project in the Arab region will provide focused support to the development of national disaster databases by piloting in selected countries. The development of national disaster databases represents a low-cost, high impact strategy for visualizing risk patterns and trends and their relationship to development factors such as poverty. As such, it can act as a crucial first step towards developing institutional and national capacities for risk information management systems. Data from the disaster loss databases will be overlaid with poverty datasets/ development indices to reach conclusions on risk-poverty trends in the region and enhance national capacities to address risk reduction challenges in the context of poverty reduction strategies.

Existing global disaster databases (for example, EMDAT, NatCat and Sigma) provide useful information on large scale intensive losses but do not capture a large proportion of losses to housing, local infrastructure and livelihoods that are associated with frequently occurring extensively distributed but low intensity losses. Since the 1990s, in Asia and Latin America, nationally-owned disaster loss databases built using the data collected and validated by national and sub-national agencies have proved useful to analyze disaster trends and impacts, allowing policy makers and planners to make informed decisions. No Arab country currently possesses such as database. Making disaster data available is a first step towards assessing trends in disaster and climatic risks with implications for poverty reduction and achievement of development goals in the Arab states region.

Duties and Responsibilities

- Establish national linkages of the ‘Disaster Inventories’ tool – DesInventar with other similar methodologies, government institutions/counterparts and other relevant organizations
- Support the collection of past disaster impact data from a range of information sources for the past 30 years utilizing the DesInventar methodology for the past 30 years
- Undertake field missions as required to governorates, cities administration, etc.. to collect local data and validate information on disasters’ history
- Validate the data and ensure its proper entry into the DesInventar system
- Liaise with UNISDR on the technical aspects of the database development and seek guidance where required
- Explore the potential for the technical expansion of DesInventar to be used as a tool for national ‘post – disaster’ assessments
- Institutionalize DesInventar (country specific applications) within partner government agencies
- Coordinate efforts and activities of national UN Volunteers during the data collection, validation and entry exercise.
- Provide guidance to national UNVs and national actors on data sources, data quality and the disaster inventory methodology as required.
- Analyze disaster trends via the DesInventar methodology and subsequently share them with policy and decision makers, under the guidance of the host institution, UNDP and UNISDR
- Support the adaptation of the DesInventar methodology into country specific context

Competencies

- Flexibility to work with people with different values and ability to appreciate cultural differences;
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc);
- Excellent inter-personal and communication skills;
- Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks related to Results Management, including screening and collecting of programme/ projects documentation, preparation of reports, filing, provision of information
- Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time;
- An excellent team worker;
- Capacity to articulate clear performance goals, standards and responsibilities;
- Formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
- Presents oral information clearly and persuasively;
- Capacity to use Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource;
- Self-motivated and demonstrates a capacity to pursue personal development & learning;
- Focuses on results and responds positively to feedback;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Education
- University degree in a discipline relevant to Information Technology or environmental Science, or disaster management and/or development studies.

Experience
- Three years experience in a humanitarian or development field in information or knowledge management.
- Working knowledge and familiarity with information systems, databases in support of disaster risk management, development issues, emergency preparedness or other related area is an asset.

Language skills
- Arabic as native speaker, fluency in oral and written English will be an asset

Computer skills
- Working knowledge of Databases, SQL for one or more of the following databases: SQL Server, Oracle, MS Access, Prostgres or MySQL, Minimal proficient in HTML, JavaScript, and some experience with Photoshop or similar would be a plus.
- Proficient in Windows (XP or 2003).