Afghanistan: Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) – Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Advisor

Aug 28, 2017 | Concern Worldwide
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Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and suffering in the world’s poorest countries. Concern works in partnership with the very poorest people in these countries, directly enabling them to improve their lives, as well as using our knowledge and experience to influence decisions made at a local, national and international level that can significantly reduce extreme poverty. In 2015, we positively impacted the lives of 22.5 million people.

The Strengthening Resilience of Afghanistan’s Vulnerable Communities Against Disasters (SRACAD) started in March 2015 and was expanded in 2016 under the ‘Replication Expansion and Deepening (READ)’ initiative.   Funded by DFID, SRACAD is led by a consortium of five organisations under the Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC). The vision of the programme is for Afghanistan’s vulnerable communities to be able to cope and bounce back from natural disasters and climate change. Concern’s total budget of the 4 year programme is £3.1 million.

Salary: €35,981 - €39,979
Location: Taloqan
Country: Afghanistan
Job Title: Advisor-DRR and Climate Change Adaptation
Contract Type: Unaccompanied Fixed Term International Contract
Annual Allowance: e3,000
Benefits: Accommodation and food
Closing Date: 6 September 2017

About the role:

This is a 12 month role with unaccompanied terms based in Taloqan, Taloqan City, Takhar Province, Afghanistan with frequent field visits to Badakhshan Province, Kabul and other consortium project locations in Ghor, Samagan, Sare-e-pul, Balkh and Jawzjan provinces depending on security clearances with a salary of Band 4 €35,981 - €39,979.

You will report to the Head of Concern Afghanistan’s Programme Technical Support Unit (PTSU) with a line to the Concern Strengthening the Resilience of Afghanistan’s Vulnerable Communities Against Disasters (SRACAD) - Replication, Expansion and Deepening (READ) Programme Coordinator. There is no line management in this role. You will work closely with the Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC) Manager, and the SRACAD-READ Project Managers from Afghan Aid, ActionAid, Save the Children and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

We would like you to start on 1st November 2017.

 

Your purpose:

To provide technical advice through training and on-site guidance to the Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC) member organisations in the effective implementation of Participatory Integrated Watershed Development Projects under its SRACAD-READ Programme.

This position will provide 50% time for supporting SRACAD ARC partners e.g. AfghanAid, ActionAid, Save the Children & UNEP on DRR & CCA activities and the other 50% to Concern Worldwide Afghanistan.

You will be responsible for:

In close coordination with Concern Worldwide SRACAD-READ Project Coordinator (National), the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Change Adaptation Advisor will have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Technical Assistance

  • Provide technical advice to staff of ARC member organisations, local authorities and communities on the concept and practice of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation under SRACAD-READ programme areas.
  • Provide technical input in developing key messaging on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation aimed at improving community awareness, participation and practical know-how in cooperation with ARC partners.
  • Develop tools and guidelines on adaptation assessment[1] and appropriate community driven climate change adaptation initiatives
  • Liaise with government line ministries and authorities including International and or national NGOs operating within the project area on SRACAD DRR/CCA related issues.
  • Represent Concern and or the Consortium on DRR/CCA platform at the national level where relevant.
  • Identify needs, provide support to and develop linkages with national and regional level knowledge centres/ research institutes to avail necessary technical support for effective implementation of DRR/CCA activities.

2. Donor Reporting

  • Support Concern SRACAD-READ Project coordinator in preparing annual report, interim and final narrative report as well as any updates as required by the Donor.
  • Support the Consortium Manager in preparing similar reports to the donor for the overall consortium project.

3. Capacity Building of Concern Project team and Consortium members

  • Develop appropriate needs assessment tools to determine training needs of Concern and other consortium partners to address knowledge and skills gap in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.
  • Facilitate conduct of training for Concern and consortium partners to strengthen knowledge and skills in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.
  • Improve the capacity of all ARC partner organizations through training in technical knowledge and practices on DRR and climate change adaptation.
  • Train staff on how to conduct adaptation assessment and climate change adaptation planning.

3. Gender Equality

  • Promote active involvement of women and men in DRR/CCA activities
  • Support voices of women and men to be heard and participation in decision making processes by being presented in DRR committees during climate change adaptation planning.
  • Ensure that women share the benefits DRR/CCA activities in an equitable manner

4. Other

  • Adhere fully to the commitments and rules of Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4) and Code of Conduct (CoC)
  • Concern considers responding to emergencies as a non-negotiable mandate in its work. As such all Concern employees are required to participate in any emergency preparedness and response actions as per the requirement of the situation. The Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Change Adaptation Adviser agrees to take on such added responsibilities as may be required by the management.

 

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

  • Third level qualification (Diploma/Degree) in Emergency Management, Environmental Science, Climate Change, Climate Science or Environmental Engineering
  • Proven experience in implementing DRR/CCA projects

Desirable:

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

  • Working with International NGOs
  • Knowledge of local language Dari (Farsi) is added advantage
  • Master’s degree in any of the field stated on educational qualification is an advantage
  • Working in an insecure context

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

  • Empathy with organisational Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives
  • Proven work experience in directly managing and implementing DRR/CCA projects
  • Proven skill set in providing technical guidance to staff and communities on various DRR and community driven climate change adaptation initiatives.
  • Experience in monitoring and evaluation systems and techniques
  • Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines
  • Ability to identify problems and facilitate solutions
  • Methodical and thorough
  • Knowledge of computer applications i.e. Microsoft word and excel
  • Ability to motivate and develop skills of others
  • Analytical and problem solving skills
  • Ability to work both as part of a team & independently
  • Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity (especially gender and ethnicity)
  • Tolerance and acceptance of diversity
  • Excellent communication skills in English both written and verbal
  • Flexibility and willingness to live and work in difficult conditions involving physical hardships and little comfort.

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date. CVs should be no more than 4 pages in length.  All candidates who are short-listed for a first round interview will be notified via email after the application deadline.

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.