Flood Risk Management Expert (Consultant)

City/location:

Bangkok

Organization:

A. About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

ADPC is an autonomous international organization with a vision to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by working with governments, development partners, international organizations, NGOs, civil society, private sector, media, and other key stakeholders.

Established in 1986 as a technical capacity-building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experiences from all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC is a competent regional resource center and has seven thematic departments: ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, and Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, and Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the departments, ADPC works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees.

ADPC Strategy 2020 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change, and regional cooperation. For details, please refer to ADPC website.

B. Background

The program "Strengthening ECCAS Capacities in Disaster Risk Management and Climate change," implemented by the World Bank and funded through the European Union's ACP-EU Disaster Risk Management Program, managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), represents a strategic effort to enhance the institutional capacities of Economic Commission of Central Africa (ECCAS) and its Member States in advancing Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) within the region.

The foundation of this program rests on the achievements of the first phase under the EU-funded ACP Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Program, which operated from 2014 to 2021. During this period, substantial progress was made in fostering regional collaboration, enhancing coordination, and improving communication and information-sharing mechanisms within ECCAS Commission. Key accomplishments included the development of the state of play and regional framework for the improvement of the hydrological and meteorological services and early warning systems of Central Africa, the organization of two HYDROMET regional Forum, the development of a regional gender-sensitive DRM Plan of Action and a regional hazards/vulnerability and risks assessment database with transboundary and urban hazards developed.

C. About the Project

Building on these successes, ECCAS is ready to further its commitment by embarking on the second phase of the program. A significant aspect of this program is its alignment with the Sendai Framework and Paris Agreement, ensuring that the activities contribute toward increasing the capacity of ECCAS and its Member States to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and promote climate resilience. ADPC, Preparedness International (PPI), and the Pan-African Institute for Development – Central Africa (IPD-AC) bring complementary expertise and decades of experience in disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA), making them uniquely positioned to lead the ECCAS assignment.

This project will focus on expanding tools and knowledge in flood management and disaster prevention, including the development of a regional assessment of building codes and recommendations to improve urban resilience, supporting the development of operation procedures for the Regional Center for Research and Training on DRM/CCA and disaster preparedness and response. Such enhancements align with the global shift from a response-oriented approach to disaster management towards a more proactive disaster risk management model, which aims to reduce risk and losses more effectively.

D. Statement of Intent

The Flood Risk Management Expert (consultant) will assist the project team with the execution of tasks related to assessment and priorities for a regional flood and stormwater management program to inform the dialogue with ECCAS Member States and development partners. The consultant will also attend the project review meeting with ECCAS, the World Bank, and project partners and prepare the meeting summary.

Note:

It is not the intent of this Terms of Reference to cover every aspect of the position requirements but rather to highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities.

E. Duties and Responsibilities

Development of the inception report outlining the methodology, work plan, and key deliverables for the above-mentioned activity.
Communicate with ECCAS Member States relevant partners, river basin organizations, and hydrometeorological services to obtain necessary project date and information
Coordinate with project partners, Preparedness International (PPI), and IPD-AC, to integrate complementary expertise into the assessment process.
Conduct a comprehensive review of ECCAS’s water policy, river basin organizations’ activities, and Hydromet services to assess existing flood risk management frameworks.
Identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening flood and stormwater management within ECCAS Member States.
Analyze best practices and regional experiences in flood risk management, integrating global and regional disaster resilience strategies.
Draft an initial version of a regional program and action plan for flood and stormwater management, incorporating technical, institutional, and policy recommendations.
Ensure that proposed strategies are aligned with ECCAS's objectives of climate-resilient development, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and regional integration.
Organize and facilitate a virtual regional consultation/validation workshop to gather feedback from ECCAS Member States, development partners, and technical experts.
Prepare the final version of the regional program and action plan, incorporating recommendations from consultations and technical reviews.

F. Qualifications

Advanced degree in Water Resources Management, Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Disaster Risk Management, or a related field. A PhD in the water sector discipline will be preferred.
Minimum 4 years of experience in flood risk management and water resources management at national and regional levels.
Knowledge of climate resilience, hydromet services, river basin management, and flood mitigation strategies.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders across multiple countries.
Prior experience working with regional organizations, development banks, or international agencies is preferred.

G. Deliverables and Payment Plan

(as mentioned in the ToR)

H. Reporting Relationships

The Consultant will report to the Director, RGF who is also the Team Lead of this project. We encourage diversity in our workplace and support an inclusive work environment.