Project Manager (Bangkok) at Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

A. About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

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 established 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 local community levels. ADPC aims at supporting governments, strengthen institutions, and build 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. ADPC vision is ‘safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction.’ It works with governments, development partners, international organizations, NGOs, civil society, the private sector, media, and other key stakeholders. In addition to its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, ADPC currently has offices/representation in 11 countries in the region.

Over the years, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across science, system, and applications. It supports sustainable solutions for disaster risk reduction across a broad range of specialized areas. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise, it has experience at all levels of engagement typically required for effective disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. ADPC has organized its operations into seven thematic departments, namely Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, and Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, Strategic Planning Departments, and the ADPC Academy. In addition to the specialized thematic departments, ADPC addresses three cross-cutting themes through permanent working committees: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change, and regional cooperation as an integral part of the comprehensive disaster risk management process. ADPC, through its programs, support the implementation of national, regional and global frameworks including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR), the Paris Agreement for Climate Change, the New Urban Agenda, the recommendations and priorities of World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), etc. For details of ADPC and its work, please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/.

B. Background

The Preparedness for Response and Recovery Department of ADPC focuses on enhancing the preparedness, response management capacities of governments, response organizations, volunteers, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, communities, and other traditional and non-traditional actors of the Disaster Risk Management Ecosystem. It also strives to strengthen the capacity of institutions and at-risk communities for faster and efficient disaster recovery. The department works with the above-stated actors to ensure that the regional, national, sub-national, and local disaster preparedness, response, and recovery frameworks and implementation plans are in place, well before disaster strikes.

The humanitarian and disaster risk management landscape of the Asia Pacific region has become more complex over the past few decades. It is critical that disaster preparedness, emergency response, and recovery become more efficient to keep pace with the rapidly evolving context of emergencies and extreme events and meet the needs of millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance and recovery. Successful recovery following a disaster is challenging as it occurs in an urgent and chaotic environment – often involving many government and non-government actors. ADPC recognizes that preparedness for response and recovery planning is important, guided by essential aspects of accountability, compliance, equality, inclusion, and clarity of roles and responsibilities.

The Preparedness for Response and Recovery (PRR) Department is looking for a qualified candidate for the position of Project Manager to be based in Bangkok, Thailand.

C. Statement of Intent:

The Project Manager, under the overall guidance and supervision of the Director, PRR Department, will work closely with Program Leads/Managers and country program teams, consultants, interns, and partners under programs being administered by the PRR Department of ADPC. The Project Manager is responsible for managing the program activities through meticulous planning, technical supervision, and follow-up with country program teams, as well as program monitoring and evaluation, to ensure timely delivery of program activities and reporting.

Note: It is not the intent of this Position Description to cover every aspect of the position requirements, rather highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibility.

D. Key Responsibilities

Program Management and Coordination:

● Manage the program implementation with country project teams, consultants, interns, and partners for timely execution of program activities according to the agreed work plans;

● Prepare annual, quarterly, and monthly work plans for the assigned programs, in consultation with the project teams and partners;

● Provide strategic and resource inputs on the program activities to ensure lasting impacts;

● Develop/ technical review and resource inputs on program documents, training materials, e-learning courses and tools;

● Be a resource person for training and represent ADPC as and when needed;

● Develop regular progress reports;

● Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Program Leads and the Director, PRR.**

Finance and Administrative Coordination:

● Develop SoWs, ToRs, MoUs, Implementation Agreements, and other related administrative documents for the consultants, sub-awardees, and partnerships and ensure quality and timely deliverable;

● Prepare project and activity budgets following the overall budgets of the programs;

● Financial management of the program, including monitoring of project budgets and reporting of monthly financial statements and reconciliation.

Information and Knowledge Management:

● Provide technical and resource inputs in the design, development, planning of south-south learning, and knowledge sharing events under the programs;

● Technical inputs in the design, production, and dissemination of knowledge products such as process documents, fact sheets, brochures, project overviews, multimedia products (audios and videos), success stories/ impact stories, and other related materials.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

● Work closely with M&E Lead and program team to ensure all information and data/statistics are collected, updated, maintained, and shared through regular progress reports, program performance monitoring sheets, and donor reporting including the development of data collection tools and templates;

● Monitor the performance targets against the agreed M&E plans and work plans and report the progress in a timely manner.

Cross-Programs Support and Coordination:

● Establish and promote synergies and support with other flagship programs of PRR;

● Amplify cross-learning and lessons learned with other programs of PRR;

● Enhance and promote program-related learning with other thematic and operational departments within and beyond ADPC.

E. Qualifications

Education:

● Master’s degree in Disaster Management, Environmental Science, Social Science, Engineering, Development Study, Natural Resource Management, or related disciplines with substantial experience in the Asia-Pacific region. Ph.D. in a related field would be an added advantage.

Work Experience:

● At least 6 years of proven experience in proposal writing, project management, planning, implementation, coordination, capacity building, and advocacy in Disaster Management or a related field of which 2 years at similar capacity with an international organization is required;

● Proven experience in disaster preparedness and emergency response management such as mainstreaming disaster risk management into the sectoral planning process, community-based disaster risk management, end-to-end early warning system development, emergency operation center management, scenario-based contingency planning, incident command system development, application of specific technical information and data into training and capacity building programs. Experience in COVID-19 response will be an added advantage;

● Proven ability to develop manuals, guidelines, case studies, training modules, and deliver training;

● Familiarity and experience of working with the National and Sub-National Governments in the field of Disaster Management or Climate Change. Experience in integrating disaster management in sectoral planning will be an added advantage;

● Knowledge of working ethics of national and sub-national government agencies, International NGOs, National NGOs, private organizations, and international organizations would prove to be an added advantage;

● Substantial experience in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of disaster preparedness and response programs.

Personal Qualities:

● Self-motivated, pro-active, 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 multi-cultural 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.

Languages:

● English is the working language of ADPC. For the post advertised, fluency in English, both oral and written, is required. Knowledge of another language is an advantage.

General Requirements:

● Operate within all ADPC Guidelines & Procedures/ Policies;

● Operate within specific program needs.

F. Reporting Relationship

In performing the duties and responsibilities indicated above, the Project Manager will be under the overall guidance of the Director, Preparedness for Response and Recovery Department of ADPC.

G. Contract Duration

The contract duration will be for two (2) years initially with a possibility of extension based on the performance and technical requirements of the position.

H. Selection Method

A staff member will be selected in accordance with ADPC’s recruitment and/or capacity assessment process.