Regional Central America Focal Point ECHO (The European Commission's Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations) and UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster

Result of Service UNDRR and DP ECHO activities implemented successfully in the respective sub region, with coordination and collaboration with relevant actors as well as finalizing the MOU EU LAC (Memorandum of understanding European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean) negotiation and support implementation.

Work Location Home based

Expected duration 18 months

Duties and Responsibilities Background

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

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 catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community.

Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations of the European Commission (DG ECHO)

The European Commission's Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) has been providing assistance to the Latin America and Caribbean region since 1994 in fulfillment of its humanitarian mandate to save and preserve lives in order to reduce disaster risk conditions and contribute to increasing the resilience of individuals, communities and countries in the region.

During this time, DG ECHO, through its Disaster Preparedness budget line, formerly known as DIPECHO, has invested more than €321 million in 34 countries in the region through more than 631 projects, reaching 30 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the participation and involvement of a wide range of organizations and partners. Disaster preparedness projects supported by DG ECHO are aligned with the objectives defined by the countries in the region (whether national or regional) and reinforce the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

ECHO DP Program (formerly DIPECHO)

Since 2011, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and DG ECHO have joined forces in 14 actions financially supported by ECHO (an investment of €7,818,367) carried out in Central America (4 actions), South America (5 actions), the Caribbean (4 actions) and a regional support activity in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Duties and Responsibilities

The position needs to be based in Central America with strong preference to Guatemala.

The selected candidate will work directly with UNDRR’s regional office for the Americas and the Caribbean and will report to the selected Programme Management Officer.

This consultancy is two-pronged: on the one hand, to support DP ECHO, while at the same time to support EW4All (Early Warning For All) initiative as well as other activities at national level to support the country approach of UNDRR.

With regards to DP ECHO Focal Point, duties and responsibilities will be carried out simultaneously within the framework of the Regional Project approved by the European Commission's Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) through its Disaster Preparedness Program (DP ECHO) and under the subregion's ECHO DP Action Plan, as stipulated in the Humanitarian Implementation Plan in force, as well as in the framework for the EW4All initiative.

With regards to functions as Focal Point to DP ECHO, the selected candidate will facilitate good coordination, articulation, dialogue and continuous communication with: DP ECHO partners in Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular in the Central American sub-region, intergovernmental disaster risk management (DRM) organizations (CEPREDENAC (Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de los Desastres en América Central y República Dominicana), RMAGIR (Reunión de Ministros y Altas Autoridades de Gestión Integral de Riesgos de Desastres), CAPRADE (Comité Andino para la Prevención y Atención de Desastres), CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency)), national DRM authorities, local government authorities and the respective seismology, volcanology, meteorology and hydrology institutions, among other implementing partners, counterparts and beneficiaries of the UNDRR project and within the framework of the DP ECHO Central America Action Plan.

The liaison work will be carried out within the framework of the Regional Project approved by the European Commission's Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) through its Disaster Preparedness Programme (DP ECHO) and under the sub-region's ECHO DP Central America Action Plan, as stipulated in the Humanitarian Implementation Plan in force.

- Coordination of activities and actions under the action, in close coordination with ECHO representatives, ECHO DP partners and national authorities as focal points to UNDRR and Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM).

- Coordination and dialogue with the Coordination Centre for Disaster Prevention in Central America and the Dominican Republic (CEPREDENAC), the different national risk management offices in Central America (i.e. CONRED (Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres), COPECO (Coordinación Permanente de Contingencias), Protección Civil El Salvador, SINAPRED (Sistema Nacional para la Prevención, Migración y Atención de Desastres), CNE (Comisión Nacional de Emergencias) and SINAPROC (Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil)) as well as with the respective seismology, volcanology, meteorology and hydrology institutions (e.g. INSIVUMEH (Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanología, Meteorologia e Hidrología de Guatemala), CENAOS (Centro de Estudios Atmosféricos, Ocanográficos y Sísmicos), INETER (Instituto Nicaraguense de Estudios Territoriales), etc.).

- Ensure more consistent engagement with in-country partners and enable partnerships that increase sustainability, replicability and long-term impact of UNDRR and DG ECHO actions, including follow-up by United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs).

- Coordinate, together with UNDRR ROAC (Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean) and ECHO staff, DP ECHO South America, Central America and Caribbean activities, processes and actions to be carried out in the respective sub-region and countries and of project actions and complementary disaster preparedness actions, with the corresponding national authorities and partners.

- Act as liaison officer with the resident coordinator, humanitarian country team, United Nations country team, and members of the humanitarian clusters for DRR integration activities in humanitarian action.

- Promote and facilitate, in coordination with UNDRR staff, consultations on the Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM) follow-up mechanism, with the participation of key sectoral actors and local and national levels.

- Facilitate efforts and initiatives with regards to providing political and technical support in the face of the likely probability of a medium to strong El Niño Phenomenon in 2023 and 2024, including multisectoral and multilevel multicountry coordination mechanisms and dialogues.

- Promote the dissemination of information related to the International Day for Disaster Reduction (13 October), support the implementation of activities and collect information on what has been done in the country.

- Carry out support and/or monitoring missions to DP ECHO projects in the country, according to mutual agreements between UNDRR ROAMC and ECHO, if necessary.

- Keep UNDRR ROAC and ECHO staff abreast of activities, progress, obstacles and challenges.

- Organize regular project coordination meetings between DG ECHO, UNDRR, partners and authorities of national disaster risk management systems, and other relevant authorities not limited to DRM, take notes of these and prepare meetings’ minutes and summary reports, distributing them to relevant partners, DG ECHO and UNDRR.

- Document best practices, lessons learned and challenges identified from DP ECHO budget line funded projects in the respective sub-regions.

- Maintain liaison and coordination with the ECHO DP Regional Project Manager regarding country level processes and coordination with relevant national authorities, UNDRR, DP ECHO national partners in country and ECHO regarding country level processes.

- Prepare an annual and final narrative report describing, according to the formats required by ECHO, the results and activities of the project, which will be approved by the UNDRR and integrated into the APPEL system.

- In coordination with the Officers of other countries in the region, prepare a summary of the development, updating and/or application and dissemination of tools and products of the project within the framework of ECHO's regional objectives.

- Others as mutually agreed by the UNDRR Project Coordinator and/or Manager and other personnel of UNDRR ROAC.

The following reports shall be prepared:

- Monthly progress reports as per the Annual Work Plan.

- Sub-regional component of the midterm and final narrative report describing, according to the formats required by ECHO, the results and activities of the project, subject to approval by UNDRR.

- Others as required by UNDRR and/or ECHO, as mutually agreed with the Project Manager, SFM and External Relations Officers and the UNDRR ROAC Head of Office in his/her role as Project Coordinator.

Technical support for this position will be provided by UNDRR ROAC. UNDRR technical support to countries focuses on a better understanding of risk that provides a solid foundation for integrated planning, financing and monitoring. It will be multi-stakeholder in nature and will respect the core principles of ensuring inclusive engagement of all of society leaving no one behind.

Qualifications/special skills Bachelor's degree in disaster risk reduction, meteorology, climate change or other related areas is required. At least 3 years of experience in issues related to disaster risk management or reduction, and climate change or sustainable development is required. Experience managing or coordinating national projects, preferably of an inter-institutional nature, both in the public sector and with international cooperation is required; especially experience of working with ECHO DP Projects is considered important. Experience with information management systems, analysis and synthesis of information and in the drafting and presentation of documents with the participation of multidisciplinary teams is desirable. Work experience in organizing and facilitating workshops or meetings, and with intergovernmental mechanisms, DRR Platforms, tools and working mechanisms related to DRR and DP ECHO is desirable. Work experience in multisectoral or multicountry contexts in the Americas and the Caribbean is a valuable asset, as well as familiarity with national accounts for Sendai Framework, SDGs or similar monitoring and reporting, particularly with regards to indicators of the Sendai Framework’s target G.

Languages Fluency in Spanish is required. Working knowledge of English or any other UN language is desirable.

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.