Disaster Risk Reduction Coordinator

Location / department: Darvoz, Tajikistan with frequent travels to rural villages in Tajikistan and Afghanistan

Length of contract: 9 months

Responsible to: Programme Manager

Background

The Mission East project “Integrated Village Improvement Project: Improving Quality of Life of Border Communities of Afghanistan and Tajikistan” covers improved water, sanitation and hygiene as well as promoting disaster preparedness and response capacity of communities in both Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Overall responsibility

• Facilitate and support the implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction component in the cross-border communities of Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
• Provide technical support for community risk assessments, Village Disaster Management Board formulation, emergency response team training, simulation exercises and other key aspects of DRR.
• Build capacity of local DRR Officers to implement the DRR activities in the specified locations.

Key tasks and responsibilities

• Liaise with community representatives and government officials to ensure smooth implementation of project activities
• Conduct field work in close coordination with the DRR team and other project staff to mobilize communities and support the implementation of CRAT (risk) assessments
• Facilitate the establishment of Village Disaster Management Boards in targeted villages and the development of Village Disaster Management Plans
• Equip, mentor, and support local staff members to ensure successful implementation of project activities.
• Work with local communities and authorities to collect the information necessary on location, disaster risk, and possible impact in order to design and install appropriate outdoor Hazard Signs.
• Guide ME staff to make the assessments and appraisal exercises inclusive, ensuring participation of women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups and overseeing accessibility of products or materials
• Support in the planning and implementation of emergency response and rescue team trainings.
• Support design and implementation of simulation exercises in the targeted villages and cross border area
• Support project staff to identify activities and/or locations for disaster mitigation activities
• Support assessment, design and implementation of DRR mitigation works
• Advise and implement mainstreaming DRR approaches into the WASH component of the project; in particular making water systems less vulnerable to disasters and damage.
• Research and plan for the design and printing of training and awareness raising materials
• Identify cross-border visit and event opportunities to share experiences between the communities of Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
• Other related project duties as necessary and as agreed upon with the Programme Manager.

Necessary competencies

• Strong competency in written and spoken English
• Sound computer knowledge and skills that support the above-mentioned duty sets; knowledge of DRR related tools is a plus
• A proven ability to communicate with colleagues, work in a team, and report on achievements in clear concise terms.
• Clearly proven ability to work in conservative rural societies with a positive gender focus that enhances the full participation of women
• Self-motivated
• Able to adapt to the harsh conditions of rural communities.
• Robust data collection, analysis and presentation skills.
• Skilled on MS office; knowledge on programming related to DRR is a plus
• Good training and mentoring skills
• Good report writing skills
• Ability to conduct detailed assessment of vulnerability and risks

Qualifications required

Advanced university degree in DRR, Engineering, Geology, climate change adaptation or another relevant field.

Experience required

• Minimum of 5 years of experience facilitating and supporting DRR projects.
• Proven experience in field-based work focused on DRR projects in Tajikistan and or Afghanistan is a plus. Must have worked successfully in challenging/volatile contexts
• Experience on appraising community needs and conducting training as well as running simulations.
• Experience in developing DRR tools and implementing them
• Experienced in working with wide range of stakeholders including government officials, local leaders, and community
• Experience of DRR mitigation including mitigation works activities.