Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Support the planning and implementation of DRR activities and initiatives for FAO Ghana, specifically:
o    Lead the development of a National DRR strategy (including detailed Action plan) for Ghana, including but not limited to: draft work plan, conduct situation analysis, draft the strategy, and conduct consultations with all relevant actors.
o    Support the technical planning and implementation of Early Warning and Anticipatory Action components of the projects “Strengthening Resilience of Vulnerable Communities in Northern Ghana Through Climate-Resilience” (GCP/GHA/043/NOR) and “ Increasing climate resilience and improving farmers livelihoods in Ghana’s Upper East region” (OSRO/GHA/042/CAN).
•    Support the technical design and enhancement of national Early Warning and Anticipatory Action mechanisms and contribute to technical consultations with stakeholders and within FAO technical and policy process.
•    Conduct Early Warning and Anticipatory Action assessments and analysis, coordinates in-country early warning alerts and further coordination with partners.
•    Contribute to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g. project profiles, full-fledged documents, analyses, as well
as ad-hoc reports related to FAO Ghana work on DRR (inc. EW and AA)
•    Contribute to consultative and other meetings, conferences, including proposals for agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
•    Provide advice on the development of national policies, strategies, protocols and guidelines on DRR (inc. EW and AA) 
•    Participates in capacity building activities, such as trainings, workshops and seminars, and makes presentations on DRR (inc. EW and AA) as required.
•    Supports and participates in field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties.
•    In close collaboration with FAO Ghana Team members, identifies and promotes partnerships within and beyond the
UN family.
•    At the request of the supervisor, represents FAO in platforms and advocate for FAO’s mandate, interventions and technical
leadership.
•    Perform any other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced University Degree in disaster risk reduction, environmental science, agriculture, (agro-)meteorology, natural resource management, or a related field.
•    Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, agriculture and/or program management.
•    National of Ghana
•    Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work 
•    Expertise in Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills
•    Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement and facilitation
•    Strong understanding of international Disaster Risk Reduction Frameworks and Ghana’s context of Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning
•    Solid experience, knowledge, and understanding of concepts, principles, and approaches in Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning.
•    Ability to plan, organize and develop clear goals 
•    Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective partnerships
•    Familiarity with UN administrative, operational and financial procedures is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/  
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/ 
•  Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.