Disaster Management Specialist (Consultant) At Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

This consultancy position is open for Indian Nationals only.

Project: Program for Strengthening Preparedness for Emergency Response and Recovery in India (PROSPER-India)

Title: Disaster Management Specialist (Consultant)

Purpose and Objectives:

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), established in 1986, is a non-profit, autonomous, regional organization, international in status and non-political in management, staffing, and operations. ADPC has been created for scientific, educational, developmental, and humanitarian purposes that work to build the resilience of people and institutions to disasters and climate change impacts in Asia and the Pacific region.

ADPC has more than 34 years of working experience in Asia along with the national and local Governments of its founding charter member countries as well as countries of the Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) on Disaster Management. ADPC works to strengthen disaster risk reduction at all levels, from regional to national, sub-national, and even to community levels. ADPC aims at supporting governments, strengthening institutions, and building capacity for mainstreaming DRR into development processes. It includes developing institutional systems, assessing disaster risks, undertaking programs for disaster risk reduction and adapting to climate change, etc. Further details on ADPC and its programs can be found at www.adpc.net.

In partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), ADPC is providing technical support to the Government of Bihar (GoB), India, in the implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities identified in the Bihar DRR Roadmap (2015-2030) in key government departments, and in strengthening emergency preparedness and management functions of the GoB for COVID-19. These efforts are primarily targeted at the Disaster Management Department (DMD), Department of Agriculture (DoA) and Department of Health (DoH), Government of Bihar to strengthening Emergency Operations Centers for Multi-Hazard Response, enhancing Early Warning Systems, facilitating DRM mainstreaming initiatives, strengthening stakeholders’ capacities for response through risk communication and awareness, and to enhanced South-South Learning & Knowledge Exchange for disaster preparedness and response.

ADPC is looking to recruit a qualified consultant as the Disaster Management Specialist to be based in Patna, Bihar State of India. The primary purpose of the assignment is to lead the implementation of activities identified under the disaster management component of the PROSPER-India grant in Bihar, India. The selected consultant will join a dynamic team of ADPC professionals based in India, while working closely with the ADPC Headquarters experts in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Disaster Management Specialist will be responsible for leading the implementation of identified activities in this SoW. The activities include the development of tools for implementation of Government guidelines by various stakeholders and support the process of strengthening Emergency Operation Centers (EOC), End-to-end Early Warning System (EWS), and capacity building & awareness raising in Bihar for various priority hazards through multiple channels.

Expected Outputs:

● Strategy document for upscaling of lightning EWS in the entire state

● Orientation for DEOC staff and DM nodal officers of districts on lightning EWS and other hazards

● Technical support as required by DMD to implement a Cell broadcasting system for lightning

● Updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/Protocols/guidelines for the EOCs by integrating the EOCs with lightning and other hazards early warning system and multi-sectoral coordination

● Orientation of SEOC/DEOC staff on EOCs functioning

● Priority training modules and training roll-out program for the Development Management Institute (DMI) at the Center of Excellence on Disaster Management (CoEDM)

● Report of Bihar DRR Roadmap implementation progress

● Technical inputs to knowledge products and good practice documents

Responsibilities and Tasks:

● Work with the Disaster Management Department to implement pilot project on Lightning Early Warning System (EWS) and upscale in Bihar;

● Conduct trainings/orientations for government staff on EOCs functioning, lightning EWS and other hazards;

● Support the process for strengthening End-to-end EWS in Bihar state;

● Lead the development of technical tools, documentation, training modules and learning materials;

● Support the progress review of Bihar DRR roadmap implementation;

● Coordinate regularly with program manager/s and other ADPC staff for implementing the project activities;

● Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Director, Preparedness for Response and Recovery Department and Program Lead.

Working Principles:

In performing the duties and responsibilities indicated above, the consultant will be supervised by the assigned Program Lead, under the overall guidance of the Director, Preparedness for Response and Recovery (PRR) Department of ADPC. The consultant will closely work with other Project/Program Managers, and Project Coordinators based in Bihar, India and Disaster Management Department, and Government partners in Bihar.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications and Specifications:

● A Master Degree in Disaster Management, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, and Natural Resource Management, or any other related fields is essential. A Ph.D. in a related field would be an added advantage.

● At least ten years of proven experience in disaster management program implementation, coordination, planning, and capacity building.

● Proven experience in disaster preparedness and emergency response management such as mainstreaming disaster risk management into the sectoral planning process, end-to-end early warning system development, emergency operation center management, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) development, etc

● Proven ability to develop quality reports, manuals, guidelines, case studies, training modules, and deliver training.

● Familiarity and at least five years of experience working with the National and State Governments in the field of Disaster Management.

● Previous experience in working with Humanitarian NGOs or international organizations in similar programs.

● Knowledge of working ethics of National or State Government agencies, International NGOs, National NGOs, the private sector, and International Organizations would prove to be an added advantage.

Preferred Qualifications:

● Self-motivated, proactive, and takes initiatives.

● Demonstrated ability to plan and organize work & time independently.

● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, team-oriented work style, and experience in working in a multicultural environment.

● Strong networking capacity and understanding of humanitarian and development nexus at local and regional levels.

● Strong desire to learn, undertake new challenges, must be creative problem-solver, and must have self-confidence, willingness to work hard, good sense of humor but with seriousness about the quality and excellence of work.

Duty Station: Disaster Management Department, Patna, Bihar State of India

Duration: October 2021 – June 2022

Itinerary:

In case the official mission outside of the duty station is required, the consultant will be entitled to domestic flight, local travel, daily subsistence allowance, accommodation, and other related travel costs as per ADPC financial policy.