Switzerland: Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Action and Anticipatory Action Specialist

Feb 20, 2022 | United Nations Population Fund
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The Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Action (EWEA) and Anticipatory Action Specialist (CC DRR EWEA and AA Specialist) is located in the Inter-agency and External Coordination Unit (IECU), Humanitarian Office, Geneva. S/He reports directly to the Head of Unit. The incumbent supports the Fund’s initiatives in global advocacy and partnership, representing UNFPA in interagency humanitarian mechanisms and advancing institutional coordination efforts.

How you can make a difference:

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action Placed women’s rights, empowerment and health at the centre of development efforts. It also affirmed the rights to sexual and reproductive health and the rights to live free of sexual and other forms of gender-based violence apply to all people at all times, including populations affected by or recovering from emergencies. Multiple international agreements and conventions, special sessions of the General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions reaffirm these rights and reaffirm the central role of women in peace-building efforts and post-conflict reconstruction. Implementing UNFPA mandate in emergency settings helps to ensure these rights are met, and decreases the risk of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, HIV infection, unwanted pregnancy, sexual violence and exploitation and other forms of reproductive health-related conditions.

Climate change, natural disasters, conflicts and public health emergencies are posing multiple escalating threats along with other emerging threats to the achievement of three transformative results and vision of human centered sustainable development outlined in the ICPD Programme of Action. Climate change and conflicts are a multiplier of existing health vulnerabilities as well as posing a key risk factor in increased prevalence and severity of gender-based violence and harmful practices. This is as a result of increased forced displacement, impeded access to safe water and sanitation, food insecurity, decreased access to livelihoods and impacts on access to health care and basic social services such as education. Low resilience and low adaptive capacity to address challenges and impact of climate change and other emerging threats might jeopardize progress to achieve the transformative results.

Given the need to better programming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change, also taking into account the Agenda 2030 and SDGs, and the Sendai Framework, implementation of the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Plans,  the World Humanitarian Summit’s Grand Bargain and the New Way of Working commitments, emphasizing leadership, coordination among partners across the nexus, the Adviser will support the Funds initiatives in global advocacy, engagement and partnership in the DRR Global Platform and Mid-term review of the Sendai Framework, CADRI partnership, IASC on DRR and Climate Change, Early Warning, Early Action and Readiness, Anticipatory Action and other fora on Climate Change. The Specialist will also play an important role to advance and operationalize UNFPA’s value prepositions on Climate Change and related outputs in the Strategic Plan for 2022-25 in close collaboration with other business units within the Funds.

Main Tasks & Responsibilities

  • Lead UNFPA’s engagement in interagency fora related to Climate Change (CC), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Early Warning, Early Action and Readiness (EWEAR), and Anticipatory Action (AA) to advance UNFPA’s positioning and leverage with clear value propositions, in collaboration with the relevant business units;
  • Lead UNFPA’s sessions for the Global Platform on DRR and support to the Mid-term Review of the Sendai Framework preparation with a focus on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA);
  • Lead UNFPA engagement on CO26 preparation and follow up;
  • Seek new partnerships with other agencies providing support to the CC, DRR, EWEAR, AA, CCA;
  • Lead and implement UNFPA’s key priorities per UNFPA’s Strategic Plan on Climate Change and DRR within IASC result groups and task teams and other forums for DRR and climate change, advocating for the inter alia integration of SRH, GBV and gender and youth concerns;
  • Facilitate implementation of the nexus approach and resilience building in advancing the UNFPA’s engagement in CC, DRR, EWEAR, AA, and CAA;
  • Prepare pertinent technical documentation and analysis on CC, DRR, EWEAR, AA and CAA and document global best practices and lessons learnt on UNFPA engagement on DRR and Climate Change Adaptation;
  • Support the implementation of advocacy strategies to improve awareness of SRH, gender, youth and GBV concerns in CC, DRR, EWEAR, AA and CAA among donors and media;
  • Represent UNFPA in Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI) partnership and other climate change partnerships;
  • Provide technical support for high-level documentation for internal and external use, including inputs on CC, DRR, EWEAR, AA and CAA to annual reports and Executive Board documentations;
  • Provide technical support for strategic engagement and partnership on Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA);
  • Support Resource Mobilization efforts, including development of proposals on CC, DRR, EWEAR, AA and CAA.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree in relevant areas such as environment, climate change, combined with experience in disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency responses; specialized areas of study in DRR and Climate Change is an asset.

Knowledge and Experience:

  • 7 years’ relevant experience working in humanitarian environments and emergency response and providing advisory and technical support in the area of Climate Change, crisis response, disaster risk reduction, resilience building, anticipatory action, early warning system, UN coordination and in supporting UN inter-agency processes;
  • Relevant work experience focused on developing countries in development and humanitarian cooperation in disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and mitigation, environment and post-disaster needs assessment;
  • Good understanding of multi-sectoral climate change impacts, climate risk assessments, and adaptation solutions required;
  • Familiarity with the concept and practice of risk-informed programming, disaster risk management, climate change action and post-disaster needs assessment;
  • Expertise in capacity building, developing tools and providing training;
  • Familiar with children's rights and gender in the context of disaster risk and climate change adaptation and mitigation and/or natural resources management;
  • Familiarity with IASC and other humanitarian coordination mechanisms, guiding principles and standards as well as the UN Humanitarian Reform process;
  • Knowledge of the ICPD and other global conferences, the 2030 agenda and Climate Change Conference;
  • Extensive experience in country and sub-national level inter-agency coordination preferred;
  • Hands-on experience in the operational aspects of the HPC at country level is a distinctive asset;
  • Strong analytical, writing and communication skills;
  • Solid interpersonal and communication skills.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

UNFPA Work Environment

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.

Compensation and Benefits

This position offers an attractive remuneration package commensurate with the level of the post.   The package includes a competitive net salary plus cost of living adjustment, housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.

Disclaimer

WARNING TO APPLICANTS: UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. Should you feel that you have received a fraudulent notice, letter or offer that makes use of the name or logo of UNFPA, you may submit a report through the UNFPA fraud hotline https://web2.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

Notice to applicants: In accordance with the rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, are required to renounce such status upon their appointment.  Exceptions to this rule are very limited and can be made only for: (a) stateless persons; (b) newly appointed staff members who have applied for citizenship by naturalization, when such citizenship will be granted imminently; (c) acting staff members in the General Service and related categories with permanent residency status, on promotion to the Professional category; (d) staff members appointed under a temporary appointment. Please understand that UNFPA is not in a position to provide advice on or assistance in applying for any citizenship.

How to apply:

UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.

Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit System of UNFPA at http://www.unfpa.org/employment.

Please print out the Guide for your reference during the registration and application process.

Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process.  UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.