Urban Infrastructure Expert (Consultant)

Purpose and Objectives:

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. For details, please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/.

ADPC is implementing a Regional Program titled “Urban Resilience to Climate Extremes in Southeast Asia” (URCE) in Viet Nam in partnership with the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) provides financial support for the URCE program. The main aim of the program is to strengthen resilience of urban systems and urban communities to the current and future climate extremes. The program is implemented in two cities of Viet Nam, namely, My Tho City (Tien Giang province) and Nam Dinh City (Nam Dinh Province).

The program has five outcomes, namely Improved multi-hazard early warning systems and risk knowledge (Outcome 1), Strengthened urban community readiness and local preparedness (Outcome 2), Improved urban sectoral preparedness and emergency response (Outcome 3), Strengthened urban risk governance systems for dealing with emerging climate extremes and emergencies (Outcome 4) and Improved knowledge and awareness on building urban climate resilience for extremes in Asia and the Pacific (Outcome 5). This five-year program has started its implementation in November 2018 and spans up until December 2023.

ADPC will hire a Technical Consultant based in Hanoi, Viet Nam to provide resource inputs for the implementation of activities under Output 4.3 of Outcome 4: “Contextualized guidance materials on urban infrastructure planning developed and training to stakeholders provided. The main focus of this output will be on critical infrastructure that are required by My Tho and Nam Dinh cities (target cities) in order to improve resilience against climate extreme events.

The consultant is expected to:

• Study the present status of risk-sensitive urban infrastructure planning initiatives being adapted in the two cities and identify the gaps and needs;
• Review the master plans of the target cities and identify at least five types of critical infrastructure, which are vulnerable to future climate risks based on the risk assessments conducted in two cities under (Outcome 1).

(ADPC will provide the consultant with the risk assessment results)

• Make recommendations on strengthening the said critical infrastructure to be risk sensitive;
• Conduct training for relevant stakeholders (national/ city level) on city-specific urban risk-sensitive infrastructure planning;
• Provide overall guidance in the development of city-specific Guidance Documents on urban risk-sensitive infrastructure planning.

Expected Outputs:

The Consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:

D1) Report on the present status, the gaps and needs of risk-sensitive urban infrastructure planning initiatives in My Tho and Nam Dinh cities (target cities) (In English & Vietnamese)

Tentative date of submission: 1st Draft: 15 June 2023. Finalized Report: 30 June 2023

D2) At least five types of critical infrastructure that are vulnerable to future climate risks based on the risk assessments conducted in two cities under (Outcome 1) (In English & Vietnamese)

Tentative date of submission: 15 July 2023.

D3) Report on recommendations on strengthening the said critical infrastructure to be risk sensitive (In English & Vietnamese)

Tentative date of submission: 1st Draft: 15 August 2023. Finalized Report: 31 August 2023

D4) Draft Training Module on risk-sensitive urban infrastructure planning. (In English & Vietnamese)

Tentative date of submission: 15 September 2023

D5) Report: Inputs on risk-sensitive Urban Infrastructure Planning for the preparation of city-specific Guidance Documents (In English & Vietnamese).

Tentative date of submission: 30 September 2023

Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Review the master plans of the target cities and identify at least five types of critical infrastructure, which are vulnerable to future climate risks based on the risk assessments conducted in two cities under (Outcome 1).

(ADPC will provide the consultant with the risk assessment results)

• Conduct consultations with relevant stakeholders (National and City level) through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) for collecting data, information etc. to understand the current context, gaps and challenges;
• Review relevant policies on infrastructure planning;
• Analyze the above and identify the present status, gaps and needs associated with risk sensitive infrastructure planning;
• Make recommendations on strengthening the critical infrastructure to be risk sensitive;
• Prepare training modules and conduct training sessions for relevant stakeholders (national/ city level);
• Make presentations on findings/ achievements and facilitate same at relevant sessions of workshops/ workgroups under this Program as and when required;
• Provide overall guidance in the development of city-specific Guidance Documents on risk-sensitive infrastructure planning;
• Prepare reports in both Vietnamese and English language
• Perform any other relevant tasks that may be requested by the Director, Urban Resilience Department and the Outcome Lead in order to achieve successful completion of the Consultant’s responsibilities and tasks.

Working Principles:

The Consultant will report to the Director, Urban Resilience (URR) Department of ADPC and work under the guidance and supervision of the Outcome Lead/ and other specialist staff involved in the implementation of activities.

Qualifications:

Education:

• A master’s degree related to Civil Engineering/ Architecture / Urban Management or similar fields. A PhD degree in a relevant field would be an added advantage.

Practical experience & technical knowledge:

• Minimum of 10-year practical experience in the field of urban infrastructure planning and maintenance.
• Comprehensive knowledge of risk-sensitive infrastructure planning.

Competencies:

• Critical and creative thinking in discovering new/ alternative ideas and options;
• Strategic thinking in arriving at potential remedies to gaps and needs;
• Team spirit;
• Excellent inter-personal, facilitation and communication skills (both oral and written - in Vietnamese as well as English) in order to effectively liaise with the stakeholders;
• Ability to work independently and manage priorities.

Language proficiency:

• Proficiency in Vietnamese language and English language, is required.

Duty Station: Hanoi, Viet Nam

Duration: 01 May 2023 to 30 September 2023

Itinerary: The Consultant will follow the ADPC travel policies and receive Daily Subsistence Allowance (per diem and accommodation as applicable) per ADPC rates during official missions. Travel itinerary will be approved by the Director of URR Department of ADPC.

Conditions of Payment:

Payment will be made as per the payment schedule agreed by the ADPC and the Consultant.

All payments will be credited to the bank account given by the Consultant.