Early Warning and Anticipatory Action Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. The position is located in the FAO Representation in Islamabad, Pakistan, with frequent field missions.

Reporting Lines

The Early Warning and Anticipatory Action Specialist reports to the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Pakistan, under the overall guidance of the Deputy FAOR and the Assistant FAOR Programme. He/she will work in close collaboration with the programme, technical teams, MEAL, administration, operations, and finance and communication teams and in consultation with the relevant technical units in FAO Pakistan, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), and Anticipatory Team in FAO Headquarters.

Technical Focus

Lead and coordinate the FAO work on early warning, anticipatory action, disaster risk management/disaster risk reduction, resilience and emergency response.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide technical support for planning, implementation and operationalization for the “Increasing capacities and scale for anticipatory action including through social protection systems pilot programmatic partnership” project funded by DG-ECHO; • Analyse historical disaster impacts, existing vulnerabilities and disaster risk information to identify priority Anticipatory Action needs to protect agriculture, food security, and related livelihoods from the effect of extreme climatic events; • Provide technical support for strengthening of existing early warning systems through production, dissemination and use of climate data, weather forecasts, climate/agro-meteorological advisories, early warnings, and trigger mechanisms for AA against climate-induced natural disasters; • support country office’s efforts to institutionalize AA with government partners, including through the meetings of the national technical working group on AA; • Support development and roll out of multi-hazard anticipatory action protocols and standard operating procedures, including precise roles and responsibilities for risk monitoring and early action implementation; • Support the operationalization of anticipatory action at country level by conducting field missions, advising on appropriate actions and operational arrangements for implementation of the AA protocols, including organization of the simulation exercises, and timely review of the AA in case of activation; • Support building partnerships on multi-hazard early warning as well as anticipatory action implementation on the ground among relevant government agencies, national and international non-governmental organizations, UN, and other partner agencies; • Support capacity building on Early Warnings and Anticipatory Actions of various stakeholders and partners. • Contribute to country office work on disaster risk management/reduction (DRM/DRR), climate change adaptation, emergency response and resilience building; • Ensure FAO’s engagement with government, UN, cluster/sector, NGO and donor partners at the appropriate level to ensure the best preparation and implementation of emergency and resilience activities; • Carry out other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as requested by FAO Representative;

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, meteorology, disaster management, or related fields; • Five years of relevant experience in the management, implementation of early warning early actions, disaster risk management/reduction, resilience, climate change adaptation, emergency response; • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of another FAO language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian). For PSA, working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in early warning and early action, disaster risk management/reduction (DRM/DRR), climate risk reduction, climate change, crisis prevention resilience and emergency response in agriculture and food security sector; • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions. • Extent and relevance of experience in effective timely and quality implementation of the interventions at the field level; • Strong foundation in programme formulation, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and budget management ; • Extent and relevance of experience in liaising with government stakeholders, national and international, partners, international donor organizations, humanitarian and development partners.

Selection Criteria

Candidates will be assessed against the requirements listed above.