Disaster Risk Reduction Officer (SC-8)

Programme & Policy

Overview

Lead disaster risk reduction initiatives and coordinate with local stakeholders.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (Masters) in development planning/disaster risk reduction/climate change adaptation.
• Minimum of 3 years post-graduate professional experience in an international organization.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language.
• Fluency in local language/s.
• Strong proven experience in stakeholder coordination at national/sub-national level.

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

BACKGROUND

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. In Sri Lanka. a lower-middle-income country, WFP is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in tandem with sister UN Agencies and the government, and in particular, SDG 2, Zero Hunger.

Despite sound health indicators in Sri Lanka, in comparison to its South Asian neighbours, maternal, new born and child malnutrition continue to pose major challenges for the country, which is characterized by a high level of acute malnutrition, mild to moderate level of chronic malnutrition and widespread micronutrient deficiencies. Further compounding the issue is the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, as the country undergoes a dramatic nutritional transition influenced by economic growth, urbanization and shifts in the quality and quantity of diets.

A WFP five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2018-2022) was developed in consultation with the Government and other stakeholders and informed by contextual, gender and gap analyses, and recommendations from the 2017 National Strategic Review of Food Security and Nutrition towards Zero Hunger. It supports Sri Lanka’s national development vision with four major Strategic Outcomes:.

➢ Strategic outcome 1: Crisis-affected people have access to food all year round; ➢ Strategic outcome 2: School-age children in food-insecure areas have access to food all year round; ➢ Strategic outcome 3: Children under 5, adolescent girls and women of reproductive age have improved nutrition by 2025; and ➢ Strategic outcome 4: Vulnerable communities and smallholder farmers have strengthened livelihoods and resilience to shocks and stresses all year round.

Sri Lanka has made considerable progress to strengthen early warning, disaster risk reduction and emergency planning, to advance the national commitments outlined under the Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. WFP will be supporting the government to strengthen a risk sensitive planning project at the sub[-national level in close collaboration with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), Programme Management Unit of WFP of the Ministry of Finance, Public Administrative agencies and other relevant key stakeholders with the aim of reducing underlying vulnerabilities through an integrated risk-sensitive planning approach. WFP is seeking a qualified and experienced candidate for the position of a Disaster Risk Reduction Officer to undertake project planning and implementation in line with WFP’s Country Strategic Plan. The national officer will work with respective government agencies and with local level agencies to implement coordinated risk reduction plans for targeted areas.

JOB PURPOSE

The national Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Resilience, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), and Social Protection. The successful applicant will work with the technical guidance from the EPR Activity Manager and coordinate with the EPR team at WFP. The DRR Officer will work extensively with government officials at DMC and officials and communities at the subnational levels. The position will be based in the Country Office located in Colombo.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Plan and implement subnational disaster risk reduction project activities of WFP Sri Lanka with close coordination with the EPR Activity Manager and DRM Officer, in conformity with national objectives stipulated under the National Disaster Management Plan and its key priorities.
• Work with technical specialists in the planning, administration, agriculture, irrigation and landuse sectors to devise appropriate strategies for the implementation of local disaster risk reduction measures.
• Meaningfully engage community-based stakeholders, including civil society and communities into risk-sensitive planning processes.
• Ensure programme design advances WFP’s Gender Equality strategy with gender analysis and technical assistance on gender responsive DRR strategies and embeds nutrition-sensitive approaches.
• Support and/or manage field teams for effective implementation in targeted areas with key locallevel stakeholders. Provide technical support and backstopping to Programme Associates who are based in the field.
• Undertake budget management and periodical project reviews especially at sub-national level together with field staff and government agencies.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects effective results.
• Lead on the development of quality narrative reports, proposals, and communication materials to highlights strategies, activity implementation and results, and lessons learnt.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree (Masters) in development planning/ disaster risk reduction/climate change adaptation (specific focus to agriculture and irrigation is desirable) with a minimum of 3 years post-graduate professional experience in an international organization of a first degree (Bachelors) with 5 years of post-graduate professional experience in an international organization

Language:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language.
• Fluency in local language/s.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Postgraduate progressively responsible relevant professional experience (Masters qualification with 3 years or Bachelor’s degree with 5 years) at an international organization in the areas of development, climate risk management, and sub-national planning or related fields. Strong proven experience in stakeholder coordination at national/sub-national level and the implementation of gender-responsive disaster risk reduction programming.

KNOWLEDGE

• Strong knowledge or professional qualifications in disaster risk reduction and risk sensitive planning, data analysis and visualization.
• Strong understanding of information analysis, monitoring and evaluation and reporting.
• Knowledge & skills in project management.
• Knowledge in developing technical documents in the area of disaster management and development.
• Proven ability and work relationship to communicate effectively with government, humanitarian partners and other stakeholders.

COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork • Excellent written and oral communication skills • Government relationship and networking

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
• Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
• Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
• Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
• Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The initial contract will be for a period of nine months

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Friday, 25 February 2022

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Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: wfp.org