PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Specialist will lead and provide technical support for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of DRR activities in Kandahar and Helmand provinces. The position aims to strengthen community resilience to hazards by supporting risk-informed planning, preparedness, mitigation, early warning, and community-based disaster risk management in line with COAR policies and project objectives.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Primary Responsibilities
• Plan, coordinate, and implement project DRR activities in accordance with approved work plans, budgets, timelines, project objectives, and UNDP standards and require-ments.
• Support community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives, including risk aware-ness, preparedness planning, mitigation measures, and resilience-building activities.
• Conduct field visits and provide technical guidance to project teams and communi-ties to ensure quality implementation and timely resolution of challenges.
• Conduct training sessions for community members in target districts on Early Warn-ing Systems (EWS), including hazard awareness, early warning messages, communi-cation channels, and appropriate actions to take before, during, and after emergen-cies.
2. Technical Support and Expertise
• Provide technical support for the installation, configuration, testing, and operational-ization of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) equipment and tools in the four target districts, in accordance with UNDP technical standards, specifications, and guidance.
• Coordinate with relevant technical stakeholders to ensure the proper installation, functionality, testing, and handover of MHEWS equipment, and support community members in its safe operation, basic maintenance, and use for timely early warning dissemination.
• Conduct or support hazard, vulnerability, capacity, and disaster-risk assessments in coordination with UNDP and relevant stakeholders; identify at-risk communities and priority needs.
• Support the development and implementation of community disaster risk manage-ment plans, preparedness measures, and locally appropriate risk-reduction actions, in line with project objectives.
• Contribute to early warning and early action activities, including community aware-ness, dissemination of warning information, and coordination of preparedness ac-tions.
3. Coordination and Collaboration
• Coordinate with relevant provincial and district authorities, including disaster man-agement and sectoral departments, as well as community leaders and local structures.
• Ensure effective coordination with the project donor at field, district, and provincial levels, maintain regular communication on implementation progress and operational challenges, and align project activities with agreed implementation arrangements.
• Maintain effective collaboration with COAR program, MEAL, finance, logistics, and other relevant teams to support integrated implementation and ensure compliance with UNDP project requirements.
• Engage NGOs, humanitarian actors, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders to promote information sharing, avoid duplication, and strengthen coor-dinated DRR action.
4. Monitoring and Reporting
• Collect, verify, and maintain accurate field data, activity records, benefi-ciary/community information, and supporting documentation in accordance with COAR procedures and donor reporting requirements.
• Monitor activity progress against approved plans and indicators; identify implemen-tation gaps, risks, lessons learned, and recommendations for improvement, and communicate significant issues to the line manager.
• Prepare timely and accurate field updates, activity reports, assessment findings, suc-cess stories, and other reports required by the line manager and in accordance with UNDP reporting requirements.
5. Adherence to Policies
• Comply with COAR policies, procedures, staff code of conduct, and all applicable project and donor requirements.
• Uphold safeguarding, child protection (where applicable), Prevention of Sexual Ex-ploitation and Abuse (PSEA), protection, inclusion, and do-no-harm principles in all activities.
• Ensure respectful, safe, and inclusive engagement with communities; maintain con-fidentiality and promptly report safeguarding concerns or suspected misconduct through approved channels.
6. Other Duties
• Support capacity-building sessions, community meetings, awareness campaigns, drills, and other activities relevant to the project’s DRR objectives.
• Ensure that project resources, MHEWS equipment, and materials are used responsi-bly, and that relevant installation, operation, maintenance, and handover records are properly maintained in accordance with project requirements and UNDP guidance.
• Perform other reasonable, job-related duties assigned by the line manager in line with the position’s responsibilities and project scope.
