State disaster risk management coordinator

Background

Pakistan continues to suffer from a plethora of natural and human induced hazards that threaten to affect the lives and livelihood of its citizens; e.g. floods, earthquakes, landslides, cyclones and drought, fires, civil unrest and terrorism and transport and industrial accidents. The Climate Change and related disaster risks have added an additional dimension to the task of development planners. The nation’s ability to increase its capacity to withstand natural and human induced disasters lies in the adoption of new strategies. Adopting a proactive approach would include disaster risk reduction with regards to particular hazards. Such an approach would be
focused at benefiting the most vulnerable segments of population and it would raise the impact of national development strategy on poverty alleviation.

Under the overall umbrella of One UN Disaster Risk Management Program and in partnership with other UN agencies, the UNDP is supporting the Government of Pakistan in establishing policy, legal and institutional arrangements for disaster risk management. The purpose of UNDP support is to develop and strengthen capacities of the Government of Pakistan at national, provincial and local levels to adopt strategies for reducing threat of disasters and minimizing the impact of disaster events upon communities.

UNDP’s is closely working with the national and provincial disaster management authorities. Scope of work with the GOP includes identification of priorities, provision of technical assistance to authorities, advocacy, mobilization of donor support and support from other agencies; e.g. the UN, Media, and civil society for the governmental initiatives.

Reporting

The State Disaster Risk Management Coordinator (PDRMC) will report to the Director General SDMA, Project Support Officer One UN DRM Program and UNDP/NDMA. SDRMC will discharge the following responsibilities under the directions of the DG SDMA, who will write his bi‐annual Performance Evaluation Report, duly incorporating the comments of the Project Support Officer, One UN DRM Program.

Duties and responsibilities

Strengthening of PDMA from the DRR perspective

• Identifying mitigation measures necessary for disaster risk reduction and management, and undertake their implementation through various line departments;
•  Establish effective coordination mechanisms across Government agencies, international community and civil society for risk reduction work at the provincial and district levels;
• Monitor and introduce a culture of building requisite features of disaster mitigation and prevention in all development plans and
programmes. This could include the formulation of sector specific working groups within key line departments focusing on developing
strategies for prevention and mitigation;
• Integrate mitigation and prevention in to provincial development plans and other development strategies;
• Develop sector specific guidelines on prevention and mitigation techniques for key sectors;
• Facilitate state/regional DMAs in identification of structural and nonstructural measures based on community resources of flood
mitigation in close coordination with concerned departments.
• Build on knowledge and experiences related to mainstreaming DRM and use as material for the provision of training to government
counterparts and other stakeholders.
• Carry out advocacy, training and awareness raising activities on DRM;
• Develop CBDRM projects and seek funding for the proposed interventions;
• Implement community-based DRM Projects Action;
• Establish and strengthen local institutions for DRM at village and town levels;
• Enhance technical capacity of community organisations, masons, school teachers for DRM
• Raising awareness and public education, the understanding of hazards and vulnerabilities – on the level of risks and its implications;
• Assessment and systematic monitoring of vulnerability factors (in collaboration with the research officer), existing and required
capacities, existing and potential hazards, as well as potential exposure and risk generated by new development actions;
• Identification of disaster risk reduction options and measures, available resources, as well as potential factors or interests working
against these options;
• Negotiation with the involved stakeholders and actors or potentially affected populations, including both local level and other territorial
levels which might be implicated.
• Assist SDMA in pooling resources for establishment of Emergency Operation Center.

Coordination and DRR mainstreaming:

• Provide strategic coordination support to all partners through information provision, convening of thematic coordination forums,
meetings or orientation sessions as appropriate.
• Coordinating the relief and early recovery activities in case of a disaster and take these activities forward.
• Annual provincial project work plan submitted within 15 days of the end of the calendar year.
• Quarterly provincial progress report and annual review report within 15 days of the end of the half‐year or year respectively.
• Build the capacity of key line agencies for post disaster recovery;
• Develop a method for recovery needs assessments and recovery (and reconstruction) planning for post disaster recovery;
• Develop a database of respective capacities across government agencies for recovery;
• Provide training and sensitization to government line departments on approaches to recovery assessment, planning and implementation;
• In times of disaster, facilitate government participation across all relevant humanitarian clusters relating to relief and recovery;
• Coordinate resource mobilization efforts for relief and recovery and the tracking of donor assistance;
• Develop monitoring and evaluation systems which allow for the timely identification of corrective measures and revisions of strategies
and action plans relating to relief and recovery.

Early recovery and community restoration cluster:

• Coordinate the early recovery efforts in case of a disaster
• Support the community restoration activities at the district level and attend meetings accordingly and send reports providing data and other information from the field.

Competencies

• Good knowledge of disaster risk issues of the respective province/region.
• Application of theoretical knowledge in management of multidisciplinary programs involving government, civil society and communities at risk.
• Ability to plan and work independently.
• Excellent knowledge of multi‐disciplinary development approaches.
• Ability to negotiate with counterpart government officials and with other technical agencies.
• Good physical health and ability to travel to local areas with basic travel facilities.
• Positive attitude with a mind set of delivering development services in a most professional manner.
• Proven analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Excellent people management and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under stress situations and manage multiple tasks.

Qualifications/experience

• Preferable experience of 3‐5 years in implementing trainings and awareness raising activities on DRM.
• Preferable extensive field experience in disaster environments and an in depth knowledge of disaster management issues.
• Excellent facilitation skills and knowledge of adult learning principals.
• Preferable application of theoretical knowledge in management of multidisciplinary programs involving government, civil society communities.
• Proven analytical and writing skills.
• Experience of working with government departments and communities on issues related to disaster management will be desirable.

Language

• Proficiency in both English and Urdu is essential. Ability to speak and understand the local languages would be an added advantage.

Masters degree (i.e., minimum five years of education after high‐school/12th grade) in social sciences or administrative sciences, or equivalent. etc.

* UNDP is an equal opportunity employer. Women are encouraged to apply.