Consultant - Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Programme at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Programme

Job Number: 522013
Locations: Abuja
Work Type : Consultancy

Background

• The Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme (WSSSRP) III and the Water Supply and Sanitation Components of the Niger Delta Support Programme (NDSP) are part of the overall efforts in the consolidation of the ongoing reforms in the WASH Sector. These projects are implemented under the Joint Management Agreement between the European Union and UNICEF, within the framework of FGN-led reforms in the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector. These projects cover 23 LGAs across 8 States, namely; Adamawa, Ekiti and Plateau (WSSSRP III), and, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers (NDSP) States of Nigeria.
• WASH services are critical to communities and save lives in both routine and emergency situations. Natural hazards can compromise WASH infrastructures and service delivery and this interruption of WASH services can impact negatively on the number of affected people directly and even beyond the area of direct impact. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate resilient interventions are necessary to protect WASH investments and should therefore be integrated into regular WASH development programming, rather than viewed as a separate or additional entity.
• The sustainability of WASH service delivery has been challenged severally by the devastating floods across the country with a very gruesome effect in 2012, where some of the facilities were completely submerged in the flood. Key lessons learnt include capacity building of community members to know how to protect their WASH facilities from hazards/risks and to bring them back to a functional level; also, to build the resilience of families and communities to withstand the adverse effect of disaster.
• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Resilience associated with Climate Change Adaptation (CAA) has been incorporated in each project design.  Activities to build competence for disaster management, DRR and resilience, have been incorporated in the 2 projects (NDSP and WSSSRP III). This involves; ensuring that the responsible institutions and structures at all levels have the requisite capacity to ensure preparedness for any disaster; and delivering WASH response services in a sustainable and acceptable manner.
• An initial assessment was carried out in 2018, upon which the draft DRR/CCA training modules were developed. A selection of project LGA staff were then trained in DRR using the draft developed models as a pre-test. In addition, a DRR Action Plan was developed.
• This consultancy is therefore a continuation of the first to provide technical support to the RUWASSAs and LGA WASH Departments to implement DRR and Resilience Action Plans which will be integrated into Community WASH Action plans.
• The Consultant will also work with the concerned ministries at the federal level to validate the draft training package and use it to build capacities of WSSSRP III and NDSP supported RUWASSA and LGA WASH Department in DRR and CCA.
• In line with the above objectives, the Consultant will work with the Federal and State partners, and in coordination with UNICEF Field Offices (Akure, Bauchi and Rivers) covering the above 8 states to carry out the following tasks.

Major Tasks

• Finalize and adapt the draft WASH DRR training modules through a national stakeholders consultative meeting.
• Develop national DRR guidelines based on the experiences and lessons from the reports and documentation of the first consultancy.
• Conduct a 3-day Step-down training of WASH/DRR for local level operatives, including WASHCOMs and Local Area Mechanics (LAMs) at the LGA level.
• Support communities through a step-down approach to develop and implement DRR Community Action Plans
• Design, pre-test and finalize social behaviour change communication (SBCC) tools to address problems identified in the DRR report of the first consultancy.
• Disseminate the SBCC tools with selected identified target audience at the LGA and community levels.
• Organize a 2-day WASH-DRR media chat – press, radio, TV stations
• Review state and LGA WASH communication plans to incorporate DRR issues
• Conduct a 3-day capacity building and TOT training workshop on the conduct of Risk Identification, Monitoring and Assessment (RIMA) for selected trainers from SEMA, RUWASSA, relevant state MDAs, NGOS, CBOs

Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required

• Advanced university degree or equivalent experience in Environmental Public Health, Disaster Risk Management, Civil Engineering, Programme Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Geology, Hydrogeology, Sanitation Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning or other related field.
• Experience working with government agencies, local authorities, international organizations, NGOs and communities in the field of water, sanitation and participatory approaches in health and hygiene promotion.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience overseas including at least 2 years in the WASH sector under a humanitarian context, mainly in the DRR and Resilience;
• Good skills in training and supporting WASH partners and developing DRR Guidelines and plan
• Fluency in English (verbal and written). A good written and spoken skill in the language of the humanitarian operation and knowledge of another UN language is an asset.
• Capacity to provide short training/support to WASH partners

Application Closing Date
14th May, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
• UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.