National Risk Information consultant

Result of Service Decision-makers are better able to use risk assessments to make decisions when the foundation of evidence is comprehensive, connected to their context and presented in a format that meets their needs. In this process, decision makers data and risk information reflecting prevailing hazards, details of exposure, and vulnerability and resulting direct risks and estimations of knock-on effects will be gathered in target countries.

This consultancy is expected to contribute to this by compiling data and methods.

Work Location Home based (Trinidad and Tobago)

Expected duration Six (6) months

Duties and Responsibilities 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 disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in socio-economic and humanitarian fields. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNDRR has around 100 staff located in its HQ in Geneva, Switzerland, and 5 regional offices and other field presences. Specifically, UNDRR coordinates international efforts in disaster risk reduction, and guides, monitors and reports on the progress of the implementation of the international strategy for disaster reduction, now the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015-2030; campaigns to create global awareness of disaster risk reduction benefits and empower people to reduce their vulnerability to hazards; advocates for greater investments in disaster risk reduction to protect people's lives and assets, and for increased and informed participation of men and women of all stakeholder groups in reducing disaster risk; and informs and connects people by providing practical services and tools such as Prevention Web, publications on good practices, and by leading the preparation of the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction and the organization of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The adoption of The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction created new requirements and new opportunities for those involved in building resilience to the shocks to which societies are exposed and articulated the need for improved understanding of risk in all its dimensions. In response to this challenge, UNDRR was called upon by experts to establish a process to co-design and develop the Rix Ecchange Platform (RiX), to inform decision-making and teh design of Early Warnign Sytems (EWS).

The goal of RiX is to improve risk information for more resilient development decision making across sectors and scales. It aims to increase resilient investment by governments and the private sector to accelerate achievement of the Sendai Framework targets, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for:

1. Preparing a preliminary list of risk information that they will seek to collect in collaboration with other UNDRR consultants working on the same project. This list will include an assessment of the legal provisions related to the data, approach strategies and what requirements might easily be met to access the information. These assessments are expected to vary by country and within countries.

2. Compile information from the above list, including specifications. As much as possible, all information should be disaggregated to the maximum degree possible. By sex, age, disability status, economic, geographic/administrative, etc.

a. Hazards information (national and sub-national scale) b. Exposure of people and assets (grey and green) c. Vulnerabilities (social and physical) d. Structural information like administrative boundaries, topographic maps, satellite data, hydro-met data, macro-economic data and human development indicators disaggregated sub-nationally if possible.

3. In collaboration with UNDRR staff and other consultants, consolidate, harmonize and prepare available risk information into common formats.

4. Collect meta-data about applicable information management systems in use in target countries (software, models, storage, sharing, information management strategies, etc.)

5. Support to Methodology Development Consultant and coordination with relevant UNDRR Regional Offices.

6. From the collected data, list the data that could be used as an impact data for ensuring the transition from traditional EWS to IBF (Impact Based Forecasting).

The consultants shall:

• Assess legal provisions concerning the use of data and maps for government institutions. What sources are public (e.g. census data for population exposure), what sources are restricted/secret, what data are released on requests for specific purposes, copyright?

• Compile a list of existing and desirable data and information including specifications about:

o Hazards information (at national and sub-national scale) o Exposure of persons and assets o Social and physical vulnerabilities o Structural information like administrative boundaries, topographic maps, satellite data, hydro-met data, macro-economic data and human development indicators disaggregated sub nationally if possible.

• Collect a set of existing basic data and maps (GIS (Geographic Information System) ready files) and other information like relevant studies. This work will be facilitated by UNDRR’s Regional Offices and national counterparts including the United Nations Country Teams and UNDRR Focal Points.

• Survey government and research institutions for existing, relevant GIS software and computer models. Prepare a list with operated GIS and models. Compile a list of potential recommended additional software for filling the existing gaps.

Within the framework of the CREWS (The Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems)Caribbean project implementation, the national institutions in charge of disaster risk management and emergency response have expressed the need to strengthen/build their information management systems and governance processes, that allow them to centralize data, understand risk (hazards, exposure, vulnerabilities and capacities) and move towards more effective mechanisms and tools to reduce the impact of multiple hazards potentially triggering disasters.

As a platform to centralize and make information available, UNDRR proposed to develop Risk Information Exchange (RiX) platforms, as a base for data and information for Impact Based Forecasting. Later on, the platform will seek to harmonize risk information against multiple hazards to improve risk analysis in the context of climate change, compound hazards and systemic risks. The technical team of the CREWS project consider that the conceptual and technological model under which this platform is developed allows it to be easily implemented in the initial phase of the transition to IBF (ensuring that information on exposure and vulnerability is centralized at NDMOs (National Disaster Management Offices)).

Qualifications/special skills Master's degree in risk analysis, risk management, international relations, statistics, risk modelling (including hazard, vulnerability and exposure), financial management, economics, industrial engineering and/or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. - A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience in information management, statistics, risk modelling, development, adaptation and/or resilience is required. - Experience in information analysis for decision is required. - Experience in data conversion, management of quantitative and qualitative data systems, integration and projection, and/or mapping/GIS software is required. - Experience with quantitative risk assessment, disaster risk metrics, or Sustainable Development Goal research is an advantage. - Familiarity with government knowledge management resources (sector, macro, sub-national) is an advantage.

Languages Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Additional Information *FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. UNDRR values diversity among its staff. We welcome applications from qualified women, men, and people with disabilities.

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.