Job Opportunity at RIMES
Available position: Disaster Risk Management Specialist
Position Description:
The Water Resources/ Disaster Risk Management Specialist reporting to the Climate Applications Specialist is responsible for leading the design and implementation of this project in Sri Lanka. S/he is responsible for leading substantive/technical and management aspects of the project, in undertaking advocacy and explore potential partnerships with a wide-range of stakeholders.
Contract Type: Full-time
Duration: 1 year contract (could be extended upon satisfactory performance)
Starting Date: 1 November 2023
Minimum Qualifications:
Knowledge:
Master’s degree in water resources management/ hydrology/ climatology/ disaster risk management/ social sciences, international development or relevant field
Experience:
Experience of designing and implementing Disaster and Climate Risk Management/ community-based disaster risk management initiatives, particularly experience in implementing FBAs
Skills and Abilities:
English (and respective local language) proficiency in communication, presentation, and report-writing; demonstrated ability in documentation and knowledge management interventions.
Personal Qualities:
Self-motivated, good interpersonal and communication skills; flexibility; positive attitude to work with a diverse team
Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Design and deliver interventions in support of the National Framework for Climate Services:
Lead implementation of activities for streamlined Climate Services for DRM in the Pilot Areas
- Support enhancement (or formulation) of SOPs, standards, templates, guidelines and checklists for flood- and other climate-related DRR/DRM planning, emergency management and loss/damage assessment
- Coordinate design and delivery of training on flood- and other climate-impact-based forecasting for NMHS and key representatives.
- Coordinate conduct of design & development workshop on local guidelines for multi-hazard early warning messaging and dissemination to the last mile
Lead project support on decision support systems (DSS) for flood and other climate -related disaster risk management in the Pilot Areas, ensuring ownership and engagement of the disaster management offices at national and sub-national levels.
- Assess current usage of GIS-based hazard, vulnerability and risk maps and assessments for decision-making, and support activities to integrate into online databases for informing decision-making.
- Support technical teams in development and customization of necessary DSS for flood and other disasters and in integrating the HVCA data as well as damage and loss database.
- Support the technical teams in development of mobile apps for early warning and DRRM
B. Design and deliver interventions in support of the National Framework for Climate Services:Lead implementation of activities for streamlined Climate Services for DRM in the Pilot Areas
- Support enhancement (or formulation) of SOPs, standards, templates, guidelines and checklists for flood- and other climate-related DRR/DRM planning, emergency management and loss/damage assessment
- Coordinate design and delivery of training on flood- and other climate-impact-based forecasting for NMHS and key representatives.
- Coordinate conduct of design & development workshop on local guidelines for multi-hazard early warning messaging and dissemination to the last mile
Lead project support on decision support systems (DSS) for flood and other climate -related disaster risk management in the Pilot Areas, ensuring ownership and engagement of the disaster management offices at national and sub-national levels.
- Assess current usage of GIS-based hazard, vulnerability and risk maps and assessments for decision-making, and support activities to integrate into online databases for informing decision-making.
- Support technical teams in development and customization of necessary DSS for flood and other disasters and in integrating the HVCA data as well as damage and loss database.
- Support the technical teams in development of mobile apps for early warning and DRRM
C. Support establishment of End-to-End, People-Centred Multi-Hazard Early Warning: Lead design and implementation of activities for strengthening/ establishing End-to-End, People-Centred Multi-Hazard Early Warning in the Pilot Locations
- Conduct mapping and assessment of local hazards, vulnerability, capacity and resources.
- Coordinate installation of low-cost monitoring and communication equipment with engagement of local, provincial, and national stakeholders
- Lead the DRR planning efforts with participation of all relevant stakeholders and support the establishment of forecast-based early action plans (EAPs)
- Design, deliver and coordinate training, public awareness campaigns, drills and exercises.
Lead the development and implementation of roadmap for end-to-end people-centered MHEWS
- Conduct periodic early warning audits with participation of all relevant stakeholders.
- Design and implement FBA at the community level.
- Participate in design and conduct of regional lessons sharing activities.
- Further the integration of refined EAPs in the DSS, evolve and implement context-specific mechanisms for maintenance of DSS and advocacy for scaling up and replication of EAPs in other locations.
C. Design climate information services for water resources management:
- Development and operationalisation of hydrologic and hydrodynamic models
- Integration of model outputs into DSS for informed water resources management and risk reduction
D. Project Coordination, Management, Evaluation & Reporting:
- Develop and manage the activity budgets and organize consolidated financial reports Effective coordination at national, sub-national and local-levels including with all partners and stakeholders of the project
- Implement community based EWS with the focus on FBA.
- Effective management and implementation of project activities for timely delivery of quality outputs
- Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation and timely and quality reporting
- Support recruitment of project teams and mobilisation of experts as needed; provide necessary guidance and support to the project team
E. Other tasks
- Able and willing to travel to the pilot locations and undertake any other work-related travel
- Organize and/or participate in any in-country and regional project team meetings
- Support implementation of trainings on hydrological models and flood forecasting systems
- Any other relevant work necessary for the successful implementation and documentation of project-related activities and as assigned by the supervisors
Expected Outputs:
- Monthly progress reports on assigned tasks
- Project deliverables according to timeline agreed with immediate supervisors
Reporting: The W/DRM Specialist will report to the Climate Applications Specialist.
Additional Conditions:
Working week: The working week shall total 40 hours. If exigencies of the work make it necessary, the Employee may be required to work overtime, or on public holidays. The Employee shall not be entitled to overtime pay but may be granted compensatory time.
Official holidays: Entitlement is 12 public holidays in a year.
Paid annual leave: The Employee is entitled to paid annual leave 2 working days for each month of service completed. Unused annual leave days may be carried forward to the following year, up to a maximum of half the normal entitlement. Maximum number of annual leave days that may be accumulated at time of leaving is 30 days.
Paid sick leave: Paid sick leave entitlement is up to a maximum of 10 days, either in one unbroken period, or in several periods within the year. Unused sick leave days cannot be carried forward to the following year or accumulated