Consultant for Making Synergy for stakeholder engagement initiatives

Result of Service - Successful cross promotion of Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030), the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) and the Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) initiative for making a synergy among them. - Successful facilitation of active engagement of two Japanese cities with the MCR and/or SFVC, including organization of one city-to-city learning event between a Japanese city and a MCR participating city in other countries, which contributes to sharing their good practices and expertise by cities in Japan to support other MCR participating cities to enhance their understanding and capacity enhancement of local disaster risk and the development /operationalization of risk-informed local plans as set forth in target "e" of the Sendai Framework. - Successful publishing of voluntary commitments by ARISE and MCR related stakeholders in Japan and in Asia to share their initiatives and achievements at the SFVC online platform - By promoting these three UNDRR initiatives (MCR 2030, ARISE, and SFVC) together in the region including Japan, synergy will be created among these three initiatives and will be highlighting good practices from these participating entities effectively.

Work Location remote

Expected duration 76 Days during 12 months between 15 September 2023 – 15 August 2024

Duties and Responsibilities UNDRR Background: Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyses action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has different stakeholder engagement initiatives, such as Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030), the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) and the Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) initiative. It is critical to cross promote these relevant initiatives together and create synergy among them.

MCR2030 background: UNDRR and its partners launched Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) as a unique global initiative for improving local urban resilience by connecting cities with partners who can provide them with tools and services to build their capacity to understand their risks, plan against them and implement those plans. MCR2030 seeks to build on the success of the MCR 2010-20 campaign, during which six cities (Kobe, Nagaoka, Saijo, Sendai Tagajo) in Japan joined the campaign.

Operated since 2021, MCR2030 is a unique cross-stakeholder initiative for improving local resilience through advocacy, sharing knowledge and experiences, establishing mutually reinforcing city-to-city learning networks, injecting technical expertise, connecting multiple layers of government, and building partnerships. MCR2030 delivers a clear 3-stage roadmap to urban resilience and enhance a better access for cities to knowledge and tools through MCR2030 dashboard. Joining MCR2030, Japan, as a leading country in building disaster-resilient societies, can share its innovative ideas to other MCR2030 cities. MCR2030 will work with cities in Japan on their journeys to reduce risk, build resilience, as well as proceed city-to-city learning with other MCR2030 cities.

UNDRR Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) serves as the regional secretariat for MCR2030 in Asia-Pacific.

ARISE background: ARISE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, is a network of private sector entities led by UNDRR. ARISE was started by UNDRR in 2015 to support the private sector to become a key partner in reducing disaster risk. It has grown to over 400 members and over 29 networks across the world. ARISE has three national networks in Asia (Japan, India and the Philippines). In particular, ARISE Japan is one of the longest standing ARISE national network and one of the leading examples by demonstrating various good practices by private sector.

SFVC background: The Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) online platform serves to incentivize stakeholders to inform the public about their work, to provide a vehicle for sharing commitments and initiatives and for motivation toward the implementation of the Sendai Framework. In turn, UNDRR can monitor and take stock of the progress and to identify trends and gaps. The SFVC online platform is a useful tool to know who is doing what and where for the implementation of the Sendai Framework, which could foster potential collaboration among stakeholders. Good practices and achievements will be highlighted through the online platform. While these existing initiatives are making progress respectively, there is still potential to cross promote these different initiatives and create synergies among them to maximize the impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

ROAP is seeking to hire a consultant who can support coordination and outreach activities by Kobe Office in relation to cross promotion of Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030), the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) and the Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) initiative.

While these ongoing initiatives are advancing individually, there is an opportunity to collectively promote them in tandem, fostering synergies that can increase their impact. Therefore, the purpose of this consultancy’s activity is to cross promote these three initiatives together and create synergy among them. Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of the UNDRR Kobe Office, the consultant will assist:

1) Cross promoting MCR2030 and SFVC together by: - supporting engagement of cities in Japan with MCR2030 and SFVC, including sign up to MCR2030 initiative, supporting at least one city to join the Resilient Hub, and/or publish their initiatives and achievements as voluntary commitments on the SFVC online platform, - supporting at least one city-to-city learning event between a MCR2030 city in Japan and other MCR2030 cities, - guiding MCR participating entities based in Japan to walk through the usage of MCR2030 dashboard and/or SFVC online platform, including via webinar or virtual briefings, - through combined opportunities related to MCR and SFVC, guiding potential SFVC stakeholders in the region for the usage of the SFVC online platform and encourage them to submit their initiatives and achievements as voluntary commitments on the SFVC online platform.

2) Cross promoting ARISE and SFVC together by: - guiding ARISE members in the region to publish their initiatives and achievements as voluntary commitments (VCs) on the SFVC online platform and do necessary follow up for published VCs, - support identifying good practices by ARISE Japan members and guide them to publish their initiatives and achievements as voluntary commitments on the SFVC online platform, - through combined opportunities related to ARISE and SFVC, guiding potential private sector in Japan to join ARISE and to encourage them to submit their initiatives and achievements as voluntary commitments on the SFVC online platform - conducting a focused analysis of voluntary commitments on relevant topics/by relevant stakeholders to identify trends and gaps as requested.

Qualifications/special skills Masters degree or equivalent in social sciences, development or any other relevant field or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with a minimum of 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master degree.

At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in in DRR, sustainable development or urban issues, climate change and/or any related area of work is required.

At least one year experience working with various stakeholders working on disaster risk reduction is required.

At least one year experience with stakeholders in Japan and working on areas related to disaster risk reduction is desirable.

Skills: - Ability to conduct outreach activities and to produce and edit promotional materials is required. - Ability to communicate and coordinate with various stakeholders is required. - Knowledge of disaster risk reduction is required. - Ability to carry out a due diligence for reviewing stakeholder initiatives is an asset.

Languages Fluency in written and spoken English is required and knowledge of Japanese is desirable.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.