World Bank - Crisis Management Systems Expert (Consultant)

Background

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region is prone to a wide range of adverse natural events, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, droughts, strong winds, and storms. Vulnerability to disasters increased as urbanization and development led to the occupation of areas exposed to natural hazards, and is further exacerbated by climate change.

The ECA region has been promoting a proactive and strategic approach to managing disaster risk. The underlying thrust has been that both loss of life and the economic impact of disasters can be reduced by advanced planning and investments. In order to pursue this goal, the Global Practice for Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience of the World Bank has been engaging with and supporting clients in key areas of the disaster risk management (DRM) framework, concentrating on the following elements:

• disaster risk assessments at the regional and country level by analyzing the vulnerability and potential effects and impact of disasters;
• enhancing client capabilities in monitoring and forecasting of natural hazards by supporting modernization of hydro-meteorological services and creating effective operational links with emergency management authorities;
• mitigating risk through investments in flood risk protection, seismic risk retrofitting or reconstruction, improvements in building codes, and land-use planning incorporating the knowledge of disaster-prone zones;
• enhancing disaster preparedness through support to emergency response functions, emergency management coordination, emergency communication and information systems, and raising public awareness;
• catastrophe risk financing through introduction of innovative risk transfer tools, such catastrophe risk insurance;
• supporting resilient recovery, that is, recovery and reconstruction efforts that follow the principle of “build back better” rather than recreating the original risk.

Global Practice for Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience of the World Bank assists WB clients through lending (including sector investment loans), implementation support (supervision), and advisory, knowledge, technical assistance, and fee based services.

Assignment description

To work as the Crisis Management Systems Expert at the World Bank to assist the Task Team Leaders of ECA DRM team through:

• Understanding and providing rapid analysis of emergencies from natural events in ECA region;
• Providing technical guidance and inputs for establishing and/or improving crisis management systems, centers and operations, including emergency calls and dispatch systems, emergency notification and early warning systems, disaster information management systems;
• Explaining the value and importance of crisis management systems, centers and operations to government clients under the supervision of Task Team Leaders;
• Explaining the key responsibilities, institutional arrangements, functions, equipment requirement for modern crisis management systems and centers to government clients under the supervision of Task Team Leaders;
• Developing terms of references for establishment/improvements in crisis management systems, centers and operations in consultation with government clients under the supervision of Task Team Leaders, considering disaster/emergency context, key responsibilities, institutional arrangements, functions, equipment requirement, etc.;
• Providing technical guidance and support for supervision of the implementation of establishing and/or improving crisis management systems, centers and operations;
• Reviewing designs and technical specifications related to establishing and/or improving in crisis management systems;
• Reviewing technical reports of the outcomes of implementation of establishing and/or improving crisis management systems, centers and operations to verify if they are technically sound;
• Preparing reports, presentations, brochures, guidance notes, etc. related to implementation of establishing and/or improving crisis management systems, centers and operations for meetings, seminars, forums etc.; and,
• Any other relevant tasks requested by the Task Team Leaders. These forms of support could be provided remotely or be part of a visiting mission.

Consultant Qualifications and Competencies 

The consultant should have:

• Master’s degree in emergency management, ICT, or other related discipline;
• At least 8 years of professional experience or equivalent combination of education and professional experience on crisis management systems;
• Demonstrated familiarity and work experience on crisis management systems and operations; • Strong organizational, research, and oral presentation skills;
• Ability to develop and deliver multiple tasks against strict deadlines and work independently; and,
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentational skills in English. Fluency in Russian is an advantage.

Assignment Details

Starting date: ASAP

End date: June 2017 (with high possibility for multiple year engagement) 

Number of days: Minimum 30 days until June 2017. For the following fiscal years, between 90 to 150 days per fiscal year, depending on the expertise of the candidate and business portfolio of ECA DRM.

This is a remote-based consultancy. The successful candidate must be able to join missions in Central Asia.