Senior Consultant for Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Sendai Framework (SF) for the Arab Region

Result of Service The expected deliverables are:

Monthly progress reports on MTR SF process in the Arab region.

The Ultimate Result of Service:

Generation of the findings of the retrospective aspect of the MTR SF, as well as the recommendations that guide the prospective aspects of the review.

Work Location Home Based

Expected duration From 1 January to 31 October 2022

SPECIAL NOTICE:

As per UN policy, Consultants and Individual Contractors may not apply for or be appointed to any position in the Professional or above categories and for positions at the FS-6 and FS-7 levels in the Field Service category within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. This restriction does not apply to associate experts (Junior Professional Officers) appointed under the Staff Rules.

Duties and Responsibilities Organizational Setting and Reporting

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), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has over 100 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction 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 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.

This consultancy position is located in the UNDRR Regional Office for Arab States. The consultant will work directly under the Deputy Chief of Office in Cairo.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Arab States and direct supervision of the Deputy Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Arab States, and in close liaison with the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of Sendai Framework (SF)’s Senior Coordinator and Programme Officer in the Director's Office (DO), the Senior Mid-Term Review of Sendai Framework (MTR SF) Consultant for the Arab Region will support the development and roll-out of structured consultations and reviews at regional, national and local levels, led/facilitated/moderated by UN Member States, UN System partners and/or Stakeholders. The outcomes of the consultations and review will generate the findings of the retrospective aspect of the MTR SF, as well as the recommendations that guide the prospective aspects of the review.

Informed by inter alia the Concept Note of the MTR SF, and additional guidance provided, the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

1. Prepare a work plan with provisional timelines for the Member State, Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO), stakeholder roll-out of the MTR SF, identifying pre-existing meetings, events or processes in which MTR SF consultations and review can take place, including but not restricted to the Regional Forums for Sustainable Development (SD), Global Platform (GP)22, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), High-Level Dialogue on Financing, MTR of the Water Decade, SAMOA Pathway, etc. 2. Literature review – in conjunction with the Global MTR SF Literature Review Consultant, review recent regional assessment reports, country-specific status reports, outcomes of regional events (especially recent Regional Platform), and other relevant reports and studies on the Sendai Framework, as well as risk reduction within sustainable development. The Literature Review undertaken at global level will also feed into this exercise. 3. Identify, engage and prepare MTR SF focal point organizations and persons/facilitators for regional/national/ local consultations and review – to be identified from among existing counterparts (DRR / (DRR / Sendai Focal Point) and stakeholders, and/or focal points/facilitators (e.g. UN Resident Coordinator/UN Country Team, Development Coordination Office, UNDP Resident Representative, Inter-Governmental Organizations; Common Country Assessment/Analysis, UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, Voluntary National Reviews) from other global stock-taking exercises and/or sustainable development planning processes. 4. For each consultation and review exercise (at regional, national and/or local scales), consult with collaborating partners (where relevant) and on the basis of the Guidance provided by UNDRR, establish the methodology for retrospective review and prospective recommendations (e.g. scope [beyond the core questions]; [selected] aspects of the SF; context shifts; thematic focus/foci; context specificities; integrated risk understanding and management in other decision-making, agendas, sectors, domains etc.), and modality (e.g. public sector / stakeholder / multi-stakeholder consultations; group/focus- group/one-on-one; in-person/virtual; surveys; pre-consultation surveys; unique organizational/entity level review; expert group meetings etc.). 5. Support development of additional strategic or guiding questions (beyond the core questions developed by UNDRR) where relevant and subject to regional / national / local contexts or thematic foci. 6. Where relevant, support the consultation and review process led by governments, stakeholders or others in at least five Arab countries. 7. Ensure the capture / collection / recording of in-depth content through consultations, surveys and reports (including Voluntary National Reports - as recommended by the UN Secretary-General (SG)in the 2021 SG's Report on DRR), describing inter alia: progress, achievements, challenges, new and emerging issues, changes in context, recommendations for prioritized, accelerated and integrated collaboration and action in the period 2023-2030, as well as nascent elements for international arrangements for risk-informed sustainable development post-2030. 8. Under the leadership of the Supervisor, support: a. Consolidation and standardized presentation of MTR SF content received, including regional aggregated reporting where relevant; b. Analysis of content, identifying and presenting common elements and recommendations. 9. Editing, uploading and updating of content to the MTR SF knowledge hub. 10. Develop a regional synthesis report (of maximum 40 pages, excluding appendices) representing key outcomes of MTR SF consultations conducted to date by regional IGOs, national (and local) governments, stakeholders, including the following suggested elements (to be delivered by 30 September 2022): ‐ Executive Summary ‐ Overview of reviews and consultations ‐ Progress, achievements, challenges, new/emerging issues, context shifts ‐ Recommendations for prioritized, accelerated and integrated action to 2030, and nascent post-2030 ideas.

Qualifications/special skills Skills: - Excellent analytical and writing skills with track record of research experience are required. - Highly developed analytical skills are required; - Good communication and coordination skills with multiple stakeholders are required. - Knowledge of disaster risk reduction, climate change and sustainable development policies and strategies in the Arab region is required. - Proven knowledge and understanding of institutional, reporting, and legislative frameworks for disaster risk management or related fields in respective regions is required. - Knowledge of MS Office, Excel, Power Point, Adobe Reader.

Academic Qualifications: - Advanced University degree in social science, public administration, disaster risk reduction, risk management, environmental sciences, urban planning, sustainability, sustainability transitions, geopolitics, economics, finance, or other relevant discipline is required. - A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: - At least seven years of proven professional experience in the areas of disaster risk reduction, sustainable development, environmental management, climate change, public governance or financing, economic development or combination thereof are required. - Prior experience in engaging governments / stakeholders and facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations (in-person and virtual) and relationship management is required. - Expertise in research / review and analysis, and the preparation and production of reports is required.

Language: - Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic is required. - Fluency in written and spoken French is an advantage.

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.