Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities: About UNDRR Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. Background and Context: The importance of DRR integration into all phases of humanitarian response, with the goal of reducing the likelihood of future disasters from similar hazards in the future, has been recognized for some time. Damage associated with climate-related hazards (e.g., flooding, severe winter or summer storms, heat waves, and events triggered by climate-related hazards) is a significant reason for which humanitarian shelter and settlements assistance is provided. In most cases, risk reduction involves solutions based in nature to reduce the future frequency or intensity of hazards or physical or social vulnerability. Considerable experience exists on DRR, but has not always been integrated in humanitarian responses. Building on UNDRR work with related to the Scaling up Disaster Risk Reduction in Humanitarian Action 2.0 checklist and associated training and guidance, and its support to humanitarian country teams with less experience in integrating DRR in humanitarian responses at the sectoral level. To this end, UNDRR has partnered with the Global Shelter Cluster to provide technical support to country clusters on how to address disaster risk in country-level cluster strategies and operational shelter cluster response. Differences in the nature of humanitarian operations in conflict and disaster setting responses will be considered in the work as these realities lead to differences in how DRR can be integrated into operational response. Tasks and Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer of UNDRR’s Interagency Cooperation Unit, leading the work on scaling up the DRR checklist in humanitarian response, the consultant will support Shelter Clusters in selected countries in the development and r oll out of guidance on integrating DRR into shelter and settlements assistance. Guided by UNDRR in consultation with the Core Group on Scaling up DRR in Humanitarian and Fragile Contexts, the Global Shelter Cluster, selected national Shelter Clusters and key partners in the humanitarian system, the consultant will: 1. Prepare and conduct two one-hour webinars on “Mainstreaming DRR in humanitarian shelter and EHI activities” for Humanitarian Partners, supporting HNRP 2025 planning processes 2. Developing a curriculum and materials for a three-hour online training on “Mainstreaming DRR in humanitarian shelter and Essential Household Items (EHI) activities through development and implementation of country. shelter cluster strategies” 3. Develop a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on risk-informed humanitarian action for cluster partners, covering both Humanitarian Needs and Response Plans (HNRP) and cluster strategy planning elements, with inputs from UNDRR, OCHA and shelter partners. 4. Providing ongoing support to the Madagascar Shelter Cluster, specifically, the national DRR Consultant and the DRR Technical Working Group (TWiG); including orienting the Consultant on the DRR mainstreaming documents and frameworks, and providing guidance for DRR TWiG activities: a. Support national consultant on scaling up DRR in humanitarian action, with focus on shelter cluster, through revision of documents and provision of technical advice and inputs to technical notes and trainings. b. Provide support to Madagascar’s Shelter Cluster Technical Working Group on DRR. c. Provide inputs to Madagascar Shelter Cluster Strategy and support the annual contingency planning exercise, with focus on DRR. d. Develop key advocacy messages for use in events and briefings, including the Africa Regional Platform for DRR. e. Participate and take notes in coordination calls. f. Support the development of case studies and lessons learned. g. Support the connection with other related initiatives, including those of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) focusing on nature-based solutions for resilience 5. Providing ongoing support to Yemen Shelter Cluster on DRR a. Review existing materials on DRR in Shelter Cluster response in Yemen. b. Review of technical documents and plans for the proposed on site mitigation activities. c. Evaluation of proposals for DRR activities at selected shelter sites and provision of recommendations to strengthen projects, considering also nature-based solutions. d. Support the planning and implementation of a community oriented short training on flood risk management (through development of curriculum and materials, based on existing guidance, including UNHCR resources and the Flood Green Guide). e. Develop a project concept note, including a case study, for supporting resource mobilisations showcasing the importance of of DRR in humanitarian Shelter Responses in Yemen. f. Develop key advocacy messages for use in events and briefings, including the Arab States Regional Platform for DRR and as basis for global level advocacy and messaging. g. Support the development of a video on the role of DRR in humanitarian shelter response in Yemen by providing technical inputs and draft messages including the importance of cluster and cross-sectoral coordination. h. Participate and take notes in coordination calls. 6. Develop guidance for shelter cluster on funding sources and instruments available to humanitarian actors, for integrating DRR and environment into operational responses, based on existing cluster-level planning tools and approaches.
Qualifications/special skills
An advanced university degree in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, disaster management, international development, geography or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with a minimum of 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. – A minimum of 10 years of demonstrated experience in the areas of disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance or a related field is required. – Experience in conducting research disaster risk reduction and humanitarian assistance prevention is required – Experience in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, including national governments, UN agencies, and other humanitarian/development agencies is desirable. – Experience in the UN system or any other similar international organization is desirable
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.