Hydromet Expert - IGAD/ICPAC (Consultant)

Please apply here (https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=148731&Lang=en-US )

Work Location: Nairobi, Kenya

 

Work Location

Nairobi, Kenya

Expected duration

Start as soon as possible until 14 October 2021 with a possibility of extension up to 24 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Context

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 disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations. Led by the Special representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), UNDRR has around 100 staff located in its HQ in Geneva, Switzerland, and 5 regional offices and other field presences.

Specifically, UNDRR coordinates international efforts in disaster risk reduction and guides, monitors and reports on its implementation, particularly through follow-up and review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Advocates to create global awareness of disaster risk reduction benefits and empower people to reduce their vulnerability to hazards; for greater investments in disaster risk reduction to protect people's lives and assets, for increased and informed participation of men and women in reducing disaster risk; and informs and connects people by providing practical services and tools such as Prevention Web, publications on good practices, and by leading the preparation of the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction and the organization of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Background

In March 2015, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030 was adopted by the UN General Assembly. In alignment with the SFDRR, the African Union (AU) member states developed a new Programme of Action (PoA) for the implementation of the SFDRR in Africa. In addition to the seven global targets of the Sendai Framework, the PoA has an additional 5 targets. The PoA aims to achieve “substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.”

Early Warning Systems (EWS), which ensure people are prepared and ready to act in the event of a disaster, are one of the most effective measures that government can undertake to achieve substantial reduction of disaster losses. In that light, the PoA, as stipulated in the SFDRR, targets to substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030, and increase the number of countries with, and periodically testing, risk-informed preparedness plans, and, response, and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction mechanisms. However, achieving these targets would require establishment of agile and interactive early warning systems at all levels to facilitate mitigation, response and recovery to increasing frequency and intensity of natural hazards.

A regional and continental response has to be enhanced to proactively support member states in mitigating impacts of natural hazards and in event of a disaster. Observing from the recent disasters on the continent, hazards such as droughts, floods, tropical storms and cyclones, pests and epidemics have constantly affected more than one country simultaneously. Even where such hazards occur locally, the severity in which these events have manifested could easily overwhelm localized response. Many countries face multiple disasters at the same time. In eastern Africa, many countries experienced desert locust invasion, floods and COVID-19 simultaneously. The confluence of COVID-19 with other natural hazards further compounded vulnerabilities of member states. It is yet to be understood whether high fatalities as a result of floods in Kenya and Rwanda in the past months could have occurred in absence of COVID-19 context. Furthermore, the Africa’s inaugural report on Disaster Risk Reduction observes increased vulnerability and lower coping mechanisms in fragile contexts, in countries affected by conflicts and civil wars. The interacting nature of hazards require systemic and integrated actions that transcend borders and sectors.

Hence, in October 2018, the DRR Ministerial Conference organized on the margins of the Africa-Arab platform for disaster risk reduction, in its ministerial declaration (Tunis Declaration) ‘encourages African States to strengthen their early warning systems, including multi-hazard and impact based early warning with priority on hydrological and meteorological systems and the delivery of services in understandable manner to end-users for enhanced preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction’. The Tunis Declaration was further endorsed by AU Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Environment Water and Environment (AU STC-ARDWE) during its 3rd Ordinary Session on 25 October 2019. The STC-ARDWE further calls upon the African Union Commission to establish a continental multi-hazards early warning and preparedness system for natural hazards. The AU Executive Council further endorsed the STC-ARDWE’s call for establishment of Multi Hazard EWS in its ordinary Session in January 2020.

In light with the AU decisions captioned above, UNDRR collaborated with the AU Commission and other partners to mobilize resources for the establishment of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS).

Consequently, the Government of Italy financed UNDRR to support the establishment of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) at continental level and pilot RECs under the project entitled “Establishment of the impact-based early warning for early action and trans-boundary risk management function of the African Union”. The initiative aims at building the capacity of the African Union Commission, African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD), Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Member States to effectively collect, exchange and analyse Risk information relevant to impact based Early Warning Systems (EWS) for Early Action and Trans-boundary Risk Management.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Hydromet Expert will work under the overall supervision of the Deputy Chief, UNDRR Regional Office for Africa and will liaise with the Coordinator of IGAD Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Unit in collaboration with the Senior EWS and Disaster Operations Experts and has to also closely coordinate their work with the CIMA Coordinator at the AUC.

The consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:

• Support IGAD/ICPAC Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Unit to develop data exchange policy

• Design IGAD/ICPAC situation room

• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for exchanging information with AUC Situation room and other centres

• Install myDEWETRA Data Server in IGAD/ICPAC for the operation exchange of information and ensure testing of the system

• Provide input to AUC situation room for EWS and situation reports

• Customize continental legal framework to IGAD/ICPAC context

• Prepare situational reports/updates

Objective of the assignment:

Facilitate the establishment of a continental impact based EWS for Early Action and Transboundary Risk Management through:

• The improvement of risk understanding

• Establishment of a situation room at the AU premises, and capacitation of other situation rooms at ACMAD, RECs and Member States through a common web-based platform and Standard Operating Procedures.

Deliverables:

1. Inception report

2. Detailed implementation plan

3. Project reports/briefs

4. Development of data exchange policy

5. Provision of input to AUC situation room for EWS and situation reports/updates

6. Design of IGAD/ICPAC situation room centre

7. Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for exchanging information with AUC Situation room and other centres

8. Installation of myDEWETRA Data Server in IGAD/ICPAC for the operation exchange of information, testing of the system

9. Customized continental legal framework to IGAD/ICPAC context

10. Final Report

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental engineering, physics, environmental science, hydrology, geography or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience: Five (5) years of experience in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) field with experience in hydrological modelling is required. Experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), data manipulation and analysis, and proven knowledge of hydrological modelling and operational hydrology is required.

Experience in working in Africa at the regional or national level on Disaster Risk Reduction/Management (DRR/M) is desirable.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Additional Information

Travel is applicable in Africa and Europe

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.