International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Jobs in Uganda

Job title: Consultancy vacancy with UNISDR Africa (Uganda), Kampala
Closing Date: Friday, 11 February 2011

Vacancy notice: ISDR/C/02/2011

Background:

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human, 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 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 socioeconomic and humanitarian fields.

In January 2005, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR, 18-22 January 2005, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan) took place and represents a landmark in worldwide understanding and commitment to implement a disaster risk reduction agenda. This commitment was captured in the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters adopted at the WCDR.

The Hyogo Framework is the essential guide for implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction in the coming years and it constitutes an unprecedented conceptual shift that takes account of the complexity of action in disaster risk reduction and the large variety of actors whose inputs are required in the pursuit of this objective. It provides the basic concepts and prescribes and expected outcome; details three strategic goals for disaster risk reduction and a set of five priority areas for action; and assigns tasks to stakeholders at difference operational levels to reach the expected outcome.

Priority Four of the Hyogo Framework for Action emphasizes the need to “reduce underlying risk factors” to “ensure the resilience of communities to hazards, particularly in areas prone to drought, flood, cyclones and other hazards…. It further recommends to “promoting food security as an important factor in ensuring resilience of communities to hazards.”

UNISDR is supporting the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of Action at national level through multi-stakeholder national coordination mechanisms for disaster risk reduction (National Platforms for DRR) and at sub-regional regional level through the Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), such as IGAD and EAC among others. UNISDR is further cooperating with various development partners to ensure coordinated efforts for DRR at all levels.

The UNISDR Regional Office for Africa is implementing a project entitled “Increased coordination, awareness and technical support to enhance risk management in the Greater Horn of Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya” The project is designed to target drought prone areas in the three project countries, building on existing initiatives to support state and non-state actors to integrate disaster risk reduction in development and relief efforts.

UNISDR is looking for a national consultant based in Uganda to support the implementation of the project in Uganda, who will cooperate with other consultants under this project based in Kenya, Ethiopia and the Regional Economic Commissions.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Head of the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa, the Project Coordinator and in close collaboration with the Department of Disaster Management in the Office of the Prime Minister as chair of the Uganda National Platform for DRR and the relevant country focal points of project partner organizations, the Consultant will:

# Carry out an institutional capacity needs analysis on the national coordination mechanism for DRR/National Platform for DRR
# Support capacity development of the National Platform for DRR, the Meteorological Department, District/Community Committees and implementing partners, through organization and facilitation of training workshops.
# Support National Platform for DRR activities related to the project, including design and running of a media/awareness
# Develop a comprehensive drought risk and vulnerability map in the context of a changing climate, taking in consideration existing maps from different stakeholders in cooperation with the Meteorological and hydrology Departments as well as relevant academic institutions.
# Support development of early warning bulletins and alert messages targeting districts authorities and communities in collaboration with partners, National Platform for DRR, the Meteorological and hydrology departments and the civil society (local NGOs and Red Cross).
# Support community centered early warning communication and dissemination in collaboration with key media partners, local authorities and community actors/leaders.
# Capture and consolidate field experiences and good practices (scientific and indigenous).
# Gather project information and experiences and feature it in different websites and publications to ensure visibility and coordination with partners.
# Ensure coordination among state and non-state partners for all national project activities as
appropriate.
# Support reporting tasks related to the project.
# Be responsible for planning, monitoring and reporting for activities conducted in the country.
# Organize training course if necessary as well as workshop for planning with relevant stakeholders.
# Final evaluation of the project should be shared with partners through workshop or relevant mechanisms.
# Contribute to workshop on cross borders issues and information sharing ( Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia).

Key Deliverables

1. Institutional capacity needs analysis.
2. Conduct three national training workshops on drought risk reduction and early warning (National Platform for DRR members, District/Community Committees, implementing partners).
3. Media awareness campaign on prevention and mitigation of drought disasters.
4. Drought risk and vulnerability map in the context of changing climate.
5. Early warning bulletins and alert messages.
6. Communication and dissemination plans.
7. Information on good practices on drought risk reduction gathered and published through various media.
8. Detailed Work plan as well as mid review planning workshop to address challenges which may arise.
9. Monitoring, evaluation and timely reporting

Timeframe

# Work plan including time-table developed and endorsed by National Platform for DRR and Meteorological Department: within 2 weeks after the starting date.
# Institutional capacity needs analysis carried out after 6 weeks after the starting date.
# Draft media/awareness campaign presented to national platform within 10 weeks after starting date.
# First training workshop to take place within 12 weeks after starting date.
# Draft drought risk and vulnerability map developed and presented to partners within 18 weeks after starting date.
# First batch of information/good practices on drought risk reduction gathered and published through various media within 20 weeks after starting date.
# Second training workshop to take place within 24 weeks after starting date.
# Early warning bulletins and alert messages developed and presented to partners within 30 weeks after starting date.
# Third training workshop to take place within 36 weeks after starting date.
# Information/good practices on drought risk reduction gathered and published through various media within 38 weeks after starting date.
# Support to regional consultative meetings on a bi-monthly basis.
# Final draft reporting and delivery of outputs within 38 weeks after starting dates for final comments.
# Final delivery of outputs within 40 weeks of starting date.

Competencies:

Professionalism: Ability to respond to changing requirements and assignments given. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks.
Planning and organizing: Effective organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan.
Communication: Good communication speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Demonstrates openness in sharing information with others and keeping people informed.

Qualifications:

Education: Advanced university degree (Masters Degree or equivalent) in development studies, social sciences, environmental sciences, disaster management or other related fields. A first level university degree with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Work experience:

Minimum 5 years of work experience in disaster risk reduction, project management and early warning systems. Experience in community-based disaster risk management, multi-stakeholder coordination and experience in other African countries an asset.

Languages:
Fluency in spoken and written English is required.


Contract type
Deadline for applications: 11 February 2011
Assignment start date: 1 March 2011

How to apply
Please email the following documents to the ISDR secretariat at isdr-africa@unep.org:

1. Cover letter, explaining why you consider yourself qualified and motivated for this particular assignment.
2. Completed personal history profile form ( this form can be downloaded from the UNISDR
website).

It would be appreciated your stating your full name and the ISDR vacancy notice number
(ISDR/C/02/2011) as the subject in your e-mail of application.

Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.