Senior Specialist – Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) Programme Management Unit At Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

Background:

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a multi-stakeholder global partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and academic and knowledge institutions. It aims to address the challenges of building resilience into infrastructure systems and development associated with it. The vision, mission, goal, and objectives of the CDRI are explicitly linked to the post-2015 development agendas. The Coalition will also contribute to the resilience of the global infrastructure systems in an increasingly interconnected world. The outcome of such collaboration would be aimed at building resilient economies and resilient people through cross-sector commitments at all levels towards adaptation and resilience with concrete outcomes that will bring resilience action to global scale.

CDRI will support countries to upgrade their systems for ensuring disaster and climate resilience of existing and future infrastructure. It seeks to rapidly expand the development of and retrofit resilient infrastructure to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) objectives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity, and decent work. CDRI envisions enabling measurable reduction in infrastructure losses from disasters including extreme climate events.

The Government of India has established a Society in New Delhi to act as the Secretariat of CDRI. The Secretariat functions under the direction of the international Governing Council and implements the programs of CDRI. This position is being advertised for staff positions on Fixed Term Contract of three (3) years.

CDRI launched Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) at the World Leaders Summit at COP26- its first and largest international programme to provide technical support on multifaceted issues posed by infrastructure systems and promote disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure assets in SIDS. As part of the IRIS Programme Management Unit (PMU), CDRI intends to hire a Senior Specialist to support the IRIS Programme Lead at the CDRI Secretariat. This position is being advertised as a staff position on Fixed Term Contract of three years.

Objective of this position:

CDRI is looking for an experienced professional for the position of Senior Specialist (IRIS Programme Management Unit) to work under the supervision of the IRIS Programme Lead. The incumbent will conceptualize, budget, implement and monitor programme activities (technical assistance, capacity strengthening, knowledge creation and exchange, advocacy) with an emphasis on quality and risk management.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Create and maintain detailed activity plans for the programme.
• Lead the preparation, consolidation and monitoring of the programme’s multi-year budget, annual budget, cash flow forecast and expenditure forecast in line with agreed activity plans.
• Plan, host and document team progress meetings according to the programme’s activity plan.
• Maintain and update selected sub-plans, including (but not limited to):

Quality management plan

Risk management plan

Resourcing plan (human resources, procurement).

• Manage supplier contracts to ensure timeliness and quality of outputs (consultants, service providers).
• Contribute to monthly/quarterly/annual reporting.
• Support the Programme Lead in stakeholder management and overall programme coordination.

Skills set:

Essential:

• Analytical and strategic planning skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities.
• Ability to manage multi-year complex projects.
• Ability to manage multi-site projects (preferably international).
• Participatory planning skills, including the ability to collect and integrate input from various departments and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written with the capacity to operate in a culturally and professionally diverse environment.
• Programmatic budgeting skills for complex multi-year budgets and donors and demonstrated ability to manage donor funds.
• Contract management skills.
• Result-oriented and with ability to contribute new and innovative ideas and function efficiently in fast changing and evolving contexts.

Desirable:

• Risk planning and management skills.
• Quality planning and management skills.
• Report writing skills.
• Knowledge of disaster risk reduction and climate change concepts and frameworks and familiarity with international frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Experience of working with governments, international organisations and alliances on multi country initiatives.

Key Competencies

Technical and Analytical Skill

• Meticulous
• Timeliness
• Analytical & Problem Solving

Delivering Results

• Dependability
• Managing people & process
• Innovation & Resourcefulness

Engaging & Partnering (Interpersonal / Teamwork)

• Stakeholder Management
• Working Collaboratively
• Appreciate and encourage different culture context

Leadership

• Ability to see Big Picture
• Decision Making
• Inspires motivates & empowers others
• Team Management

Communication

• Willingness to listen and express dissenting views.
• Ability to clearly convey ideas and information.

Qualifications:

Post-Graduate qualification in programme or project management, engineering, international development, urban/environmental/infrastructure planning, climate studies, disaster management, business administration or other relevant fields. PhD in any of the above given areas will be given additional weightage.

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in programme or project management in international development, infrastructure, capacity strengthening, climate action, disaster resilience or closely related fields.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English, both oral and written.
• Proficiency in International (UN) languages other than English will be an asset.