Programme specialist (disaster risk reduction)

Background

UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) is the practice lead in UNDP and much of the UN system on the prevention of armed conflict, mitigation and prevention of natural disasters, and related recovery work. BCPR’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery Team (DRRRT) is responsible for practice development for DRRR. The goal of the Team is to provide support to UNDP country offices and UN Country Teams in their efforts to strengthen national capacities for disaster risk reduction (DRR), preparedness, recovery assessments and all related programmes and planning. The team provides high quality advice and programmatic support to UNDP country offices for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of DRRR activities.

The DRRRT draws on expertise from four groups:
1. Disaster Recovery and Preparedness;
2. Disaster Risk Reduction – both under the direct leadership of the DRRRT Coordinator;
3. The Governance and Rule of Law Group (GRoLG);
4. the Livelihoods and Economic Group (LERG) – with ‘matrixed’ responsibility to both the DRRRT Coordinator and the Conflict Prevention and Recovery Team (CPRT) Coordinator.

Under the guidance and primary supervision of the Policy Specialist within the Disaster Risk Reduction Group, the Programme Specialist supports DRRRT in the area of natural disaster risk reduction and recovery, with a particular emphasis on climate-related risks.

Duties and responsibilities

- Provides inputs on climate risk management into UNDP programmes and policies for disaster risk reduction
- Promotes knowledge networking on climate risk management, including the development of tools and guidelines, lessons learned, and best practices
- Undertakes monitoring and analysis of UNDP's global disaster risk reduction and recovery programme portfolio, including the review of programmes to obtain statistics, document results, track trends, identify risks (including urban and climate risks), and obtain evidence for early warning, strategic decision making, and resource mobilization
- Contributes to cross-practice work with the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) in the areas of climate risk management, urban risk management, capacity development for disaster reduction, and the governance aspects of disaster risk reduction

Provides inputs on climate risk management into UNDP programmes and policies for disaster risk reduction, focusing achievement of the following results:

- Provision of inputs on climate risk management into UNDP programmes and policies for DRR
- Identification of currently active development partners and private sector actors in the field of climate risk management, conduct gap analysis, identify opportunities
- Development of programme / project proposals on climate risk management
- Support to the work of DRRRT in the development of climate risk reduction strategies for country offices and governments with special emphasis on governance, institutional structures, policies and legislation

Promotes knowledge networking on climate risk management, including the development of tools and guidelines, lessons learned, and best practices, focusing on achievement of the following results:

- Support to the production of practical knowledge management products for institutional and legislative models for climate risk management and collection of data and information to draw out lessons learned from pre- and post-disaster assessments for improving institutional and legislative systems
- Development and dissemination of knowledge and advocacy products in the field of DRRR and climate risk management
- Support to the work of the Policy and Planning Division (PPD) to integrate DRRR into all relevant aspects of policy and strategy work, including a review of BCPR and BDP knowledge products

Undertakes monitoring and analysis of UNDP's global disaster risk reduction and recovery programme portfolio, focusing on achievement of the following results:

- Review of programmes to obtain statistics, document results, track trends, identify risks (including urban and climate risks), and obtain evidence for early warning, strategic decision making, and resource mobilization
- Contributes to cross-practice work with the Bureau for Development Policy in the areas of climate risk management, urban risk management, capacity development for disaster reduction, and the governance aspects of disaster risk reduction, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Liaison with the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) on all issues of common interest, but specifically on the joint work plan between BCPR and BDP and on CPR cross-practice linkages, including on issues related to climate, UNDP disaster policy, mainstreaming DRRR in development strategies and policies, governance issues, capacity assessment and gender, MDGs and other

Impact of results

The key results will have a positive impact on the work of the DRR team’s capacity to support programme countries in the development of policy in the areas of disaster and climate risk management.

Functional Competencies

Identifying and building partnerships:

-Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda
- Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UNDP’s strategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts

Developing tools and mechanisms:

- Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches
- Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms

In-depth knowledge of the Subject-matter:

- Understands more advanced aspects of disaster risk reduction as well as the fundamental concepts of climate change
- Keeps abreast of new developments in area of disaster risk reduction and seeks to develop him/herself professionally
- Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Contributing to positive outcomes for the client:

- Anticipates client needs
- Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective

Core Competencies

- Demonstrating / Safeguarding Ethics and Integrity
- Demonstrates and promotes the highest standard of integrity, impartiality, fairness and incorruptibility in all matters affecting his/her work and status
- Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
- Understands the structure and hierarchy of UN/UNDP, process flows throughout the organization, products and services, their measures of effectiveness, and perceptions of clients
- Developing & Empowering People/Coaching and Mentoring: Self-development, initiative-taking
- Takes appropriate risk in developing new or adapting existing methods and approaches to more effectively perform tasks or to solve problems in new and unique ways
- Working in Teams: Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
- Works collaboratively with colleagues inside UN/UNDP as well as its partners and other stakeholders to pursue common goals
- Communicating Information and Ideas: Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
- Delivers verbal/written information in a timely, clear, organized and easily understood manner
- Self-Management & Emotional Intelligence: Creating synergies through self-control
- Tolerates conditions of stress, uncertainty or ambiguity and continues to maintain a positive outlook and to work productively
- Negotiating & Resolving Disagreements: Managing conflict
- Remains calm, composed and patient, regardless of his/her own state of mind in the face of conflict
- Knowledge Sharing & Continuous Learning: Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others
- Demonstrates commitment to ongoing professional development and keeps abreast of new developments in his/her professional field
- Appropriate and Transparent Decision-making: Informed and transparent decision making
- Accepts responsibility and accountability for the quality of the outcome of his/her decisions

Required skills and experience

Education:

- A minimum of a Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, development/environmental studies or a discipline relevant to governance and institutional and policy analysis/development in disaster and climate risk management.

Experience:

- At least 5 years experience in implementing, planning and managing programmes and policies related to disaster and climate risk management
- Practical experience in analyzing and supporting the development/strengthening of policy and institutional structures in developing country contexts
- Sound understanding and experience of working on development issues and understanding of their relationship to DRR
- Knowledge and experience of UNDP and UN system policies and programming
- Knowledge and experience from disaster risk reduction operations

Language Requirements:

- Fluency in English, both oral and writtenis required; working knowledge of other UN official language (preferably French or Spanish) is desirable.