UNDP RECOVERY ADVISER/COORDINATOR FOR TONGA

Consultant

Overview

Lead strategic recovery efforts in Tonga post volcanic eruption and tsunami

You have:

• Master’s degree in economics, planning, development, environmental management, disaster risk management or similar.
• Minimum 10 years of work experience in disaster recovery coordination.
• Fluency in English language is required.
• Knowledge of Tongan would be an asset.

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

UNDP is recruiting an International Consultant to be based in Tonga to undertake the function of a Recovery Advisor and Coordinator in response to the massive volcanic eruption in January 2022 some 65 kilometers from the main Tongan island of Tongatapu resulted in a tsunami that affected a high proportion of the population of Tonga, impacting housing, livelihoods, infrastructure and agriculture to some degree, for around 80% of the total population. Following the tsunami, an extensive outbreak of COVID-19 led to a total lockdown of the country which, in combination with a state of emergency and a nightly curfew, severely restricted movement. Nevertheless, emergency response measures were initiated to support the immediate needs of people following which attention has turned to the provision of recovery, to restore lives and livelihoods, to build back better and to strengthen resilience as a contribution to risk-informed development.

UNDP’s recovery strategy has the objective of promoting a risk-informed recovery process focused on restoring and improving the social and economic fabric of Tonga (building back better) while establishing the basis for more resilient development with strengthened anticipatory governance capacities. UNDP has an active involvement in delivering development on the ground in Tonga through established projects and these provide the platform for its recovery support to Tonga following the volcanic eruption and tsunami. UNDP’s recovery strategy is built around the provision of more immediate, short-term inputs such as livelihoods support and restoration of social welfare services followed by more extensive recovery actions focusing on the restoration of community infrastructure and ecosystems, renovation of housing and settlements and support to governance systems. UNDP works closely with and is guided by national and local government departments, international partners, NGOs and CBOs. Its recovery strategy is for three years with an estimated budget of USD $4 million.

The situation in Tonga has been complicated by an extensive outbreak of COVID-19 which spread rapidly in the country once humanitarian assistance started to arrive. The country has spent an extensive period in lockdown as a result of COVID-19 which it is only now emerging from. Contact with communities affected by the volcano and tsunami has been very limited until recently and assessment data is now becoming available. The IC will be expected to lead UNDP’s recovery programme in Tonga, coordinating the different components and liaising closely with Government of Tonga, UNDP project areas and the Resident Coordinator’s Office among others.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Guided by UNDP’s established Recovery Strategy for Tonga and by the objectives and outcomes of UNDP’s development portfolio in Tonga, the IC will be expected to:

• Lead the sound strategic direction of the UNDP Recovery Strategy, based upon the existing and emerging recovery and development priorities of Government of Tonga, multi-stakeholder assessments of recovery needs and identification of opportunities for and cooperation with UN and other agencies and IFIs. The Recovery Strategy should be aligned and coordinated with other CO programmes and those of other UN agencies to exploit potential synergies and encompass the needs and priorities of women and other vulnerable groups producing results that can be tracked, monitored and reported on.
• Provide overall management support to the UNDP Tonga Recovery Operation and coordinate the Recovery Programme team to ensure quality delivery in the design and formulation of ongoing recovery activities, effective monitoring and evaluation and adjustment of programme priorities and the preparation and dissemination of reports on activities, outputs and outcomes, including reports to donors.
• Support strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation for the Recovery Programme with cooperation from the relevant departments of the UNDP Office for the Pacific through the ongoing development of a partnerships and resource mobilisation strategy, creation and coordination of partnerships with UN agencies, IFIs, government institutions and multi and bi-lateral donors including leadership of the multi-agency Recovery Working Group, elaborate areas of actual and potential programmatic cooperation and cost-sharing based on Tonga’s recovery needs and agency and donor briefs and priorities.
• To provide strategic advice and capacity development and facilitation of knowledge sharing, to advocate for support to the strengthening of national recovery and DRM capacity, to identify and disseminate international best practice on and lessons learned from recovery practice globally, to contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice and to support the capacity development of UNDP country office staff and other stakeholders.

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement, and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Comprehensiveness knowledge of disaster risk management and preferably its application in the Pacific Region;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, planning, development, environmental management, disaster risk management or similar.

Experience

• Minimum number of 10 years of work experience in disaster recovery coordination. Recovery project management, risk informed, development-based disaster risk management. Experience of its application in the Pacific Region is preferred.

Language requirements

• Fluency of English language is required;
• Knowledge of Tongan would be an asset.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

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