Training specialist: Disaster management

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) welcomes applications from suitably qualified consultants/resource person to serve as a short term Training Specialist (Disaster Management) in the ADPC project for emergency response capacity building for the training participants of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Training Specialist will be actively involved in the DM related training (development of curriculums, modules and relevant materials, course facilitation) activities and ensure the overall quality of the training in the field of emergency response.

Background:

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), established in 1986, is a regional non-profit foundation with headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand supporting the advancement of safer communities and sustainable development, through implementing programs that reduce the impact of disasters upon countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. The primary geographical focus of ADPC’s activities is Asia with the South, South East and East Asia being the primary sub-regions. In 2005, nine countries, namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Sri Lanka signed a Charter establishing ADPC as an inter-governmental organization.

ADPC has vast experience of 26 years of working in Asia Pacific region along with the national and local Government of its charter member countries as well as countries of the Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC); a regional mechanism established by ADPC in 2000 and comprising of head of national disaster management offices of 26 countries in Asia Pacific. ADPC also shares a close partnership with sub-regional inter-government agencies, such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Secretariat for Pacific Community (previously known as SOPAC) on various DRR related themes including capacity building, strengthening institutions and systems, knowledge management and mainstreaming DRR into development. It works closely with a range of UN Agencies including UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCAP, WHO, WMO, UNISDR, UNOCHA, UN-Habitat, etc. on DRR related projects and consulting services. ADPC works with international and local NGOs, national technical and training institutions, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Further details on ADPC and Programs can be found at www.adpc.net

The primary focus of ADPC is to assist national and sub-national Governments to build capacity to respond to, prepare for and mitigate the natural disaster risk and adaptation to climate change. Accordingly ADPC is comprised of several thematically organized operational departments such as Department on Safer Development Planning and Implementation, Department on Climate Change and Climate Change Adaptation, Department on Resilient Cities and Urban Risk Management, Department on Disaster Risk Management Systems, Department of Public Health in Emergencies, Department of Disaster Risk Assessment and Monitoring, Training Services Unit. With around 100 staff from 19 countries and with professionals with expertise in development planning, engineering, architecture, agriculture, social sciences, health science climate sciences and disaster risk reduction.

ADPC has developed expertise in the management of public health emergencies in disasters through the implementation of projects, and developing and delivering training courses and workshops. The Public Health in Emergencies (PHE) Team has implemented projects and developed specific training activities to cover the whole spectrum of the potential hazards that can be anticipated in Asia and the Pacific: natural hazards, complex emergencies, technological disasters. The ADPC has begun to expand its activities outside Asia to now cover also Middle-East region. Risk management is the reference conceptual framework for developing projects of management of health in crisis situations. ADPC has signed a contract with Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) to enhance the capacity of their emergency response staff to be ready to provide emergency response to disasters both within the Kingdom and assisting in international disaster humanitarian response.

Responsibilities in relation to Disaster Management related training and capacity building of SRCA training participants:

• Develop training modules and materials to conduct training identified for the SRCA team including participants handbooks, reference reading, case studies, scenarios, group exercises and games.
• Research on new training tools, methodologies, skills and emerging fields in DM/DRR and incorporate innovative ways of training into SRCA’s training courses.
• Deliver training program /modules based on training plan.
• Facilitate the training support in identification of participants and competent session facilitators to ensure the quality of trainings.
• Ensure quality control of training activities and periodically, evaluate training effectiveness
• Design and conduct simulation exercises/drills during training. Also conduct simulation exercises to test the SRCA’s arrangements and procedures for response in order to validate the effectiveness of the plans.

Required Qualifications/ Selection Criteria:

• Post graduate qualifications in Disaster Management or related field, knowledge and experience in emergency response activities.
• A minimum of ten years experiences in conducting disaster management/emergency response related training. Preference will be given to candidate having experience in emergency response and familiar with IFRC’s emergency response mechanism.
• Skills on developing training modules and materials to conduct DM related training identified for the SRCA team. Capable to finalize training agenda, prepare and compile training documents and training aids.
• Experience of Disaster Preparedness Planning including contingency planning, Response and Recovery.
• Sufficient knowledge of Disaster Risk Communication and understanding the role of media in emergencies.
• Ability to develop and guide field simulation exercises.
• Good communications skills, written and spoken, in English language.