Result of Service
The main result of this project is a conducting multi-hazard, prospective and
probabilistic risk assessment at national level for Sudan & Somalia, on which
losses caused by different hazards are quantified in different types of
exposure. The second part of the project includes strengthening NMHEWS
infrastructure capacity for effective delivery of services.
Work Location
Home Based
Expected duration
12 Months
Duties and Responsibilities
Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system
for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies
among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional
organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries.
Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction has over 100 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva,
Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, the United Nations Office
for Disaster Risk Reduction guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress
in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and
catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk
working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and
stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians
and the science and technology community.
This consultancy position is home based. The consultant will work directly
under the Deputy Chief of Regional Office of UNDRR Regional Office for Arab
States (ROAS) and in close coordination with the Programme Management Officer-
Risk Knowledge and Analysis.
Duties and Responsibilities
Rationale decision making in disaster risk management and reduction require a
robust quantification of losses and impacts, preferably using prospective
approaches. For this, probabilistic risk assessments provide a comprehensive
framework on which, making use of data for historical events in the domain
under study, a characterization of future disaster occurrence is performed to
estimate the losses for events that although have not yet happened, are
feasible to do so. Even if probabilistic risk assessments will not provide all
the required actions for a comprehensive Disaster Risk Management (DRM)
strategy, they do provide valuable information that, if well understood (i.e.
their advantages and their limitations), can assist decision makers in doing
rationale choices, as for instance comparing multiple mitigation activities to
choose the optimal one, design financial protection instruments and generate
information for the draft of emergency plans. Models by themselves never make
decisions but can inform and support them. Most probabilistic risk assessments
in the pasts have been developed considering only one hazard, or by
considering multiple but assuming complete independence between the events.
Since many countries are exposed to hazards of different types and origins,
adopting a multi-hazard approach is needed, besides adopting to a systemic
overview of disaster risk on which different sectors, their interactions,
disruptions, and consequences beyond the direct losses are considered.
Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Chief of UNDRR ROAS and in close
coordination with the Programme Management Officer- Risk Knowledge & Analysis,
the Consultant will coordinate the implementation of the project in both Sudan
and Somalia.
More specifically, the Consultant will carry out the following duties:
1. Coordinate all project-related activities and monitor progress as per the
project action plans to ensure that activities are implemented in an effective
and timely manner.
2. Coordinate, maintain and initiate effective dialogue with the key
counterparts and stakeholders at the national level that are involved in the
project implementation.
3. Develop a project plan for conducting a multi-hazard and multi-dimensional
probabilistic risk assessment in Sudan & Somalia.
4. Coordinate with all the consultants involved in PRA process for hazards
including floods, droughts and earthquakes, besides the consultants involved
in the development of a national exposure database and all involved in the
implementation of the project.
5. Technical oversight of methodology development for all 03 hazards,
ensuring compatibility for all long-term uses of hazard models and maps
(forecasting and early warning, risk and vulnerability mapping, emergency
response planning and management etc.)
6. The Project Manager will also coordinate and develop a workplan for
technical expert/ firm for implementing MHEWS in Somalia by strengthening
NMHEWC's infrastructure capacity for effective delivery of services (which
includes coordination for development of observation network, developing
integrated data center, improvement of IT system & delivering multi hazard
services).
7. Regular technical and progress reporting to UNDRR ROAS.
8. Integration of the multi-hazard risk assessment results within a systemic
risk overview in line with the GRAF approach.
9. Cascading analysis for a critical earthquake scenario and a critical flood
scenario
10. Develop the overall technical capacity development plan for hazard
modelling, mapping, MHEWS and assessment for Government of Sudan & Somalia.
The following deliverables are expected:
1. Overall separate project plan for the multi-hazard and multi-dimensional
probabilistic risk assessment for Sudan & Somalia, indicating the schedule of
works and responsibilities of the team members and project plan Multi hazard
early warning system in Somalia
2. Monthly progress reports on the progress, challenges and/or solutions of
the development of the project in Sudan & Somalia
3. Technical report with the details of the quality control and assurance
procedures followed for each of the components of the risk assessment.
4. Final report integrating the results of the multi-hazard risk assessment
developed for Sudan & Somalia and consideration of a systemic risk overview
through scenario analysis in different sectors.
5. Final report for early warning system for Somalia also to be developed.
6. Presentations and any required training material for the dissemination and
socialization of the results for MHRA and MHEWS with local institutions and
specialists in Sudan & Somalia.
Qualifications/special skills
Academic Qualifications:
* Doctorate or Equivalent degree in geophysics or environmental sciences, Climatology, Civil engineering or related field is required.
Experience:
* At least 10 years of experience in conducting risk assessments and multi-hazard mapping using geographic information systems (GIS) is required.
* Proven experience in leading a team for implementing risk assessment is required.
* Experience in analytical research is required.
* Experience of working in Arab region and/or knowledge of the region's context is desirable.
Language :
* Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required
* Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT
PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED
NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.