Individual contractor

Background

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multi-disciplinary and multistakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human and economic and social losses. A range of United Nations organizations and international partners participate in cooperation with Governments and civil society organizations. The implementation of the ISDR is supported by a secretariat lead by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. The secretariat’s main functions are policy coordination, advocacy and information management, at the international and regional levels, to ensure synergy between disaster reduction strategies and those in the socio-economic and humanitarian fields.

In January 2005, the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction adopted the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. The Hyogo Framework constitutes the essential guide for implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and represents the key policy framework for reducing disaster risk and to strengthen community resilience. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, established by the UN General Assembly in 2006, is the main global forum for disaster risk reduction, and is complemented by a system of regional, thematic and national platforms, which bring together all relevant stakeholders.

Specific areas of work

Under the supervision of the Liaison Officer, the individual contractor will support the New York Liaison office in the following functions and tasks:

1. Follow the inter-agency and inter-governmental preparatory processes leading to the Rio+20 conference and identify opportunities to further advance disaster risk reduction agenda in this context.
2. Organize advocacy event(s) on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.
3. Prepare background documents, and other substantive documents, including statements, speeches, talking points and other written inputs related to disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.

Key outputs

1. Disaster risk reduction well incorporated in relevant documents and processes leading up to the Rio+20.
2. Well attended advocacy event organized in collaboration with partners, including Member States.
3. Thorough, well-reasoned written contributions on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.

Competencies

Professionalism:
- Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to sustainable development, environmental policies, climate change and disaster risk reduction in general and to the socio-economic aspects of risk arising from natural hazard systems and their management.

Planning and Organizing:
- Demonstrate effective organizational skills and ability to handle work in an efficient and timely manner.

Communication:
- Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations to staff at senior levels, both orally and in writing, in a clear, concise style.

Qualifications

Education:
- Advanced university degree advanced degree in Social Science, Environmental Science, Economics, Development Studies or related fields.
- A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:
- A minimum of five years of experience in the field of project or programme management, policy development, disaster risk reduction or related fields.

Language:
- Fluency in oral and written English.