Jordan: Coordinator - Technical Advisor

Nov 4, 2019 | Expertise France
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The General Directorate for Civil Defense (GDCD), established in 1959, lies under the jurisdiction of Jordan Ministry of Interior. With 26 960 officials, GDCD operates at the operational level and is in charge of providing assistance in terms of civil protection and emergencies.

Following the 2018 tragic Dead Sea flash floods, the Jordanian authorities underlined the necessity to reinforce the GDCD, in relation with other stakeholders (NCSCM, etc.) in the following areas:

  • Disaster management,
  • Command and control in case of crises,
  • Adaptation to climate change (e.g. flash floods),
  • Sharing of experience from European and neighboring countries in terms of risk reduction (risk assessment etc.).

The proposed project falls within the Sawa Initiative launched by Agence Française de Développement in 2016 (under the Peace and Resilience Fund allocated among Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan), which aims at facing the challenges created by the Syrian and Iraqi crises. The project’s general objective is to reinforce the GDCD’s capacities in terms of disaster management. It is therefore structured along 2 axes : (i) institutional capacity building for risk management through work on risk assessment, especially climate risks (flash floods etc.), the contingency plans in response to these risks and the training capacities of GDCD under the coordination of Expertise France, and (ii) the reinforcement of operational capacities through the purchase of equipment and vehicles (component of the project implemented directly by the GDCD).

Mafraq is one of the governorates, with Irbid and Amman, which has welcomed the most Syrian refugees, in and outside the refugee camp of Zaatari. Because of its vulnerability, its growing population (local and refugee) and, as a result, of the growing demand for GDCD interventions, Mafraq Governorate has been chosen as a pilot zone for this project.

The project will begin with a diagnostic phase based on the review and analysis of the existing operational arrangements and strategic documents developed by the GDCD and other disaster risk management (DRM) stakeholders in order to acknowledge the existing means in terms of risk evaluation, prevention, preparation, and response to disasters.

The project’s contribution to capacity-building will be divided into three components:

  • Supporting the establishment of mechanisms for risk assessment and mapping,
  • Supporting the design and the implementation of a methodology for contingency plans (from local level to community level),
  • Facilitate high-level training sessions for instructors, on a) risk assessment, b) contingency planning, and c) operational training for GDCD instructors.

Job description

In close collaboration with the GDCD, other DRM stakeholders and the beneficiaries, the coordinator - technical advisor will ensure the implementation of the project’s activities and its supervision, which entails:

  • Deepening the project’ strategic and operational orientation and refining its action plan,
  • Developing trusting personal and institutional relations,
  • Supporting the Jordanian General Directorate for Civil Defense in the framework of the project’s objectives
  • Ensuring coordination among the different stakeholders,
  • Representing the project before the different partners,
  • Conducting the diagnostic phase related to the projects’ components (risk assessment and mapping, methodology of contingency plans and training needs) and ensuring technical support of the project in collaboration with the various civil protection authorities,
  • Identifying and mobilizing suitable short-term expertise,
  • Supporting and supervising the short-term experts,
  • Ensuring the organization of activities and the achievement of the specific objectives defined by each component,
  • Overseeing, in collaboration with Expertise France, the successful implementation of activities, their reporting, and communication on the project,
  • Reporting to the contracting authority and the project team, and contributing to the monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

Qualifications and skills:

Eligibility

  • Master’s degree in Human science and more particularly geography, crisis management, defense, strategy /international management or political science,
  • Operational and organizational proficiency in civil protection challenges related to crisis and disasters management (risk assessment, contingency plans, mechanisms, decision-making, firemen structure, equipment, infrastructure, etc.),
  • Familiar with the specific challenges linked to civil security in the MENA region,
  • Knowledge of the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction (adopted by the UN),
  • Experience in risk assessment through GIS, use of computers.
  • Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multicultural environments,
  • Ability to moderate training sessions, seminars, and oversee simulation exercises,
  • Excellent organizational and oversight skills,
  • Competencies in terms of communication and interaction with diverse stakeholders (preferably in terms of multilateral cooperation),
  • Demonstrated ability in producing reports and working in liaison with the headquarter,
  • Excellent leadership skills,
  • Fluency in English and French. Fluency in Arabic will be an asset.

Professional experience

  • At least 10 years of working experience in the field of civil protection/security (crisis management and emergency response, risk prediction and prevention, domestic and industrial, mentoring and training of specialists, etc.),
  • At least one significant experience preferred in the command of civil protection regiments and operational management in the French or European civil protection/security,
  • At least one significant experience in international cooperation projects involving different actors (State, NGOs, civil society, defense/police/civil protection, embassies, universities, United Nations, European Union, etc.)
  • Experience preferred working within a regional or international institution (e.g. EU, UN),
  • Experience in team management,
  • Experience and/or intervention in MENA region preferred

Other information:

  • Mission area: based in Amman, Jordan, within the GDCD
  • Duration : 24 months
  • Starting date : January 2020

How to apply:

All applications must include the following:

  • CV/Resume
  • Cover letter
  • Relevant references
  • Applications must be sent to Expertise France at recrutement_prar@expertisefrance.fr, using the following object: « PC JORD_ExRes ».

If you do not receive a response within 1 month of the deadline, please consider that your application has not been shortlisted.

Candidates interested by this opportunity are welcome to submit their application as soon as possible since Expertise France reserves the right to conduct pre-screenings before the deadline.