Project officer - mainstreaming DRR

Background

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) was established in 1986 to support 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. In 2011, on completion of 25 years, ADPC in consultation with member countries and development partners developed the Strategy to guide its support to the countries over the next decade. The ADPC Strategy 2020, aims at focusing the involvement of ADPC on key issues in the region in relation to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, based on its long years of experience and comparative advantage. The implementation of the ADPC Strategy 2020 is being pursued through a programmatic approach on three core areas, namely Science, Systems and Applications for disaster risk reduction, with each of the three programmes having well defined Outcomes and Result Areas. At the same time in 2011, ADPC also went through an internal restructuring to organize itself in six thematic departments, with each having a niche focus and working together to contribute towards the overall outcomes of ADPC Strategy 2020.

One of the thematic departments is Safer Development Planning and Implementation (SDPI). The focus of this department is to enhance mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in development planning processes. The work programme of the department is based on the ongoing RCC Program on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development, which is underway since 2004. The Program is currently in its third phase (2012-2015) and falls under the Result Area 3.1.1 of Core Programme 3: Applications and focuses on issues related to mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in socio-economic development planning processes, physical planning, investment programming and sectoral development. A key area of the program is to demonstrate actions on mainstreaming and building capacity through training courses. The Program is implemented in synergy with other ongoing regional initiatives on advocacy, knowledge management and capacity building for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into development.

Since 2010, the Royal Government of Bhutan (as a member of the RCC) has been involved in undertaking a Priority Implementation Partnership (PIP) to mainstream DRR in national and local development planning process in Bhutan.

The Project Officer will be a part of ADPC thematic department Safer Development Planning and Implementation and involved in supporting the Department of Disaster Management of Royal Government of Bhutan to implement the Priority Implementation Partnership (PIP) on mainstreaming DRR into national and local development planning processes.

Duties and responsibilities

Responsibilities

- Manage and provide technical support to implement the PIP in Bhutan
- Responsible for technical and financial reporting of PIP implementation in Bhutan
- Ensure smooth communication and coordination between DDM and ADPC and other partners involved in the implementation of the PIP
- Documentation of PIP implementation in Bhutan with a purpose to showcase and share lessons with other RCC member countries
- Support in developing future work related to mainstreaming DRR into development in Bhutan
- Support ADPC in coordinating other projects in Bhutan (as and when relevant)

Required qualifications and specification

- Masters degree in development studies, economics, architecture, urban planning etc.
- Having 2-3 years practical experience in development sector with a good understanding of issues on development
- Thorough understanding of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation;
- Strong analytical skills as well skills in writing and documentation is a necessity;
- Fluency in both spoken and written English is a necessity;
- Prior experience of working in Bhutan would be an advantage
- Ability to work independently with minimum supervision