Senior disaster risk management specialist

Background

Given the rise in frequency and impact of natural disasters, the focus of the international community is shifting from emergency response and post disaster funding to disaster risk prevention and preparedness. This focus is highlighted in the Millennium Declaration, which includes increasing “collective efforts to reduce the number and effects of natural and man-made disasters” as a Millennium Development Goal. Within this context, the World Bank is promoting proactive and strategic approaches for managing natural disaster risk. The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) team of the World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is promoting the development of disaster risk strategy to support decision makers in disaster risk management. The MENA team is also incorporating research, training and methodologies related to the effects of climate change, including existing variability and climate extremes as well as anticipated effects of changing climate norms.

Disasters are already a critical development issue in the MENA region. The share of Natural disaster assistance in MENA follows the Bank-wide trends, with an increase of approximately 6 percent in the mid 1980s to an average of 14 percent in the period from 1999 to 2003. The available data demonstrate that the MENA region is experiencing an increase in natural disasters (earthquakes and floods are the most often recorded rapid onset causes). A recent World Bank study on global natural disaster risk found that seven of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region are at high risk to natural hazards. This means that at least 30% of GDP and 30% of the population in these countries are located or live in areas at risk to natural hazards.

Countries in the MENA region often have a centralized institutional setup, and an ex-post disaster management approach, with limited attention to preventive or mitigation measures. Their current focus is on managing the disasters, not on managing the risk.

There is a need to bring the importance of disaster risk management to the attention of policy makers in the region. Better knowledge and new techniques have increased the scope for cost-efficient investments in disaster prevention and contingency planning, and good experiences from other regions have illustrated how disaster risk management (DRM) can be implemented in practice.

In October 2010, the Fourth Islamic Conference of Environment Ministers adopted an Islamic Strategy for DRR/DRM, and urged member to take appropriate measures to implement the strategy and requested the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in cooperation with the World Bank/GFDRR to develop an executive work-plan for the strategy.

This Islamic Ministerial Conference requested also the World Bank/GFDRR to contribute to and cooperate in building capacities, designing tailored training programs, devising appropriate action programs to increase awareness on emergency services work, and coordinating the development of relevant guidelines.

In the context of the regional DRM work, the second meeting of the Governing Board of the RCDRR requested the World Bank/GFDRR to develop and implement a 3-year work-plan with the aim of developing RCDRR as a “center of excellence” in DRM. The work plan will be implemented in two phases with joint financing between the Arab Academy and GFDRR as follows: (i) Phase I (one year): Gaining capacity for operating and delivering the main programs and building partnerships; an (ii) Phase II (Two years): Operationalize all programs.

Duties and accountabilities 

An experienced and seasoned professional in the field of environmental sciences and disaster risk management, is needed to lead and expand the regional and sub-regional cooperation activities in MNA as wells as cooperation with MNA countries at national level. The Sr DRM Specialists will report to the MENA Regional Coordinator for DRM.

The Sr. DRM Specialist will lead the policy dialogues for the implementation of both the Islamic Executive workplan for DRR/DRM and the workplan to develop the Regional Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction (RCDRR) to support Arab and Islamic countries in mainstreaming DRM in development. An important aspect of this assignment would be to network and seek appropriate learning opportunities within the region for the MNA decision makers, forge partnerships with Regional institutions, integrate best practices into the dialogue amongst MNA members and Regional institutions, participation and contribution to DRM activities and programs in other countries of the region (e.g. Djibouti, Egypt, Yemen, and the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.) To implement the above, the Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist will convene a highly specialized group of technical experts in a variety of areas necessary in achieving the above mentioned activities.

Key responsibilities

• Lead dialogue with Governments on DRM related issues and assess DRM activities and actions impacts while providing high level advisory services.
• Lead dialogue with Academic Institutions, such as the Arab Academy and the Regional Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction, to build regional and national capacities in MNA to manage DRM activities.
• Lead the consultation with the GCC Countries for the development of a DRM multi country capacity building program.
• Liaise with regional organizations and its specialized agencies such as the GCC, League of Arab States, Organization of Islamic 
•Cooperation and Arab World Initiative in building links and capacity on DRM.
• In achieving the activities, the Senior Specialist will procure technical experts, negotiate contracts, and manage the contracts ensuring high quality deliverables within time and budget.
• Lead the policy dialogues for the implementation of the RCDRR work program.
• Provide support to MENA DRM Teams working in other countries of the region, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia to develop new business lines.

Selection criteria 

• Masters degree in Engineering, Environmental Science or related field.
• At least eight years of experience in environment related issues including experience in DRR/DRM at national and MENA regional levels
• Good knowledge of the institutions and governance issues related to disaster risk management in the MENA region. Specific elements include: Institutional Assessment; Reconstruction Policy and Planning; International Cooperation; Legislative Framework; Institutional Capacity Building; Transparency and Accountability.
• Proven experience in working on DRR with international development agencies.
• Knowledge of Post Disaster Needs Assessment
• Fluency in both spoken and written English and Arabic is essential.