Terms of Reference
Short Term Consultant (STC) – Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (DRI) Lexicon
Organization : Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
Job posting date: 09 August 2022
Location: New Delhi, CDRI Secretariat
Grade: Short term Consultant (STC)
No. of Position: 1
Salary and benefits: Rs 70,000 – 1,00,000 per month (Consolidated)
(Remuneration will be commensurate with experience and qualifications)
Contract: Fixed short-term contract for 6 months, Full-Time, National Hire
Occupational groups: Infrastructure Development, Research, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Resilience
**Last date of application:**22 August 2022
Expected joining: Immediate
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 global infrastructure systems in an increasingly interconnected world.
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 SDGs objectives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity, and decent work.
This position is being advertised for Short-term Consultant (STC) for Fixed Term Contract of six (6) months and is based at the CDRI’s Secretariat in New Delhi, India. The Secretariat functions under the direction of the international Governing Council and implements the programs of CDRI.
Objective of this position:
The Coalition is developing a ‘Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (DRI) Lexicon’ to offer a common vocabulary for stakeholders in the DRI ecosystem, facilitate effective communication and collaboration as well as provide a clear and universal definition of DRI terms to both specialists and non-specialists. It seeks to promote a better understanding on key aspects of DRI and produce an internationally recognized knowledge resource. Considering the dynamic nature of such work with new and evolving terms and concepts; a collaborative and co-creation approach has been adopted to build on existing work of the Coalition’s members and partners to minimize duplication of efforts, foster complementarity and develop a jointly owned output with their help, available for wider use. The final DRI Lexicon document will be launched at ICDRI 2023.
CDRI intends to engage a Short-term Consultant (STC) to develop case studies illustrating the key definitions and concepts identified for the DRI Lexicon. The case studies will focus on interventions for governance and policy changes, systemic changes, financing mechanisms, recovery and reconstruction, capacity-building initiatives, and wide-impact engineering changes relevant to building resilient infrastructure towards disasters and climate extreme events.
Role and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Director (Research and Knowledge Management) / Senior Specialist (Knowledge Management), the STC will support identification and development of case studies to illustrate key definitions and concepts identifed for the DRI Lexicon.
- Collate and review existing case examples of events wherein success cases of infrastructure systems demonstrating resilience (i.e. managed to withstand the impacts of disasters or recovered quickly showing a high level of resilience) or infrastructure failures triggered by disasters leading to cascading impacts have been demonstrated.
- Synthesize lessons learned and build narrative of resilience emerging from the identified case studies for key concepts and definitions identified for the DRI Lexicon.
- Undertake a systematic and crisp literature review of identified case studies for key concepts and definitions identified for the DRI Lexicon and help the core experts to integrate these in the DRI Lexicon.
- Support and assist to strategize, coordinate, and organize workshops, events, meetings and discussions for developing the DRI Lexicon.
- Provide support and liaise with the research and knowledge management team at CDRI.
- Perform other duties related to the CDRI as required.
Competencies:
Essential
- Experience and knowledge of disaster resilience, climate change, infrastructure systems, sustainable development, policy formulation, disaster management, or resilience, etc.
- Knowledge of literature review, research approaches, research methods, quantitative or qualitative methods, interpretation of results.
- Experience in conducting research in at least one in – sustainable development, policy formulation, disaster management, or resilience, etc.
- Basic understanding of research life cycle and technical skills in fields relevant for CDRI.
- Familiarity with international frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
- Ability to present information and concepts clearly, both verbally and on paper.
- Strong interpersonal and written and oral communication skills to all levels of internal and external contacts.
- Suitable computer proficiency, especially related to professional office software packages (Microsoft Office, etc.).
Desirable
- Experience in disaster risk reduction and climate change in infrastructure development is an asset.
- Past experience of developing concept notes, research proposals and conducting research on disaster and climate resilience and good working knowledge of the same is an advantage.
- Published research papers in national/international peer reviewed publications, national and international conferences.
- Acquaintance with various topical issues on infrastructure development, disaster resilient infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, climate change, etc.
- Experience in sectors related to disaster risk reduction and climate change.
- Track record of conducting and overseeing research that translates into policy and practice and producing high-quality research outputs.
- Experience of working in international organisations, in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
Qualifications:
Education Criteria
Qualifications in Urban/ Infrastructure/ Environmental Planning, Sustainable Development, Climate Studies, Disaster Risk Reduction, Disaster Management, Engineering, Architecture, or closely related fields relevant for CDRI.
Experience Criteria
- Postgraduate with 2 years of relevant experience and Graduate with 4 years of relevant experience.
- Experience at the national or international level preferably in the field of sustainable development/disaster and climate resilience/environment.
- Candidates with higher educational qualifications (i.e., PhD), specially related to research, infrastructure, disaster risk reduction and resilience may be considered in lieu of experience.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English.
How to Apply:
If you have experience of working in a similar capacity and want to make an active and lasting contribution in a global initiative spearheaded by India, please apply on the following email id career@cdri.world on or before the last date.
Application Process: Online application form will be available at https://cdri.world/career/career.php
CDRI is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with strict confidence.
CDRI has ZERO Tolerance of sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment including sexual harassment and gender / racial discrimination. Any selection therefore will be subject to satisfactory reference and background check.
How to apply
How to Apply:
If you have experience of working in a similar capacity and want to make an active and lasting contribution in a global initiative spearheaded by India, please apply on the following email id career@cdri.world on or before the last date.
Application Process: Online application form will be available at https://cdri.world/career/career.php
CDRI is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with strict confidence.