Consultant, Technical Support for Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Pillar 4 – Preparedness to Respond to Warnings

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organisation established by and comprised of its 191-member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The Federation is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat is led by the IFRC Secretary General and provides the central capacity of the International Federation to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination, and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the RCRC Movement; influential representation with global level partners; and expanding engagement with partners. The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized under three divisions, including National Society Development and Operations Coordination (NSDOC). The NSDOC Division is in turn organised in three Departments, each of them led by a Director. The Disasters, Climate and Crises (Prevention, Response & Recovery) Department consists of four teams, including the Climate, Environment and Resilience unit. In turn, the CER unit consists of three teams: DRR and Resilience, Climate and Environment, and Urban.

The consultancy sits within IFRC’s DRR and Resilience team.

Background

Early warning systems (EWS) are key elements of disaster risk reduction, resilience building and climate change adaptation. Inclusive and multi-hazard EWS are one of the most effective ways to save lives and livelihoods in advance of a climate- or non-climate hazard. Countries with limited early warning coverage have disaster mortality that is eight times higher than countries with substantial to comprehensive coverage.[1] Yet only half of the countries worldwide report being equipped with the capability to alert their citizens about impending hazardous weather conditions. Coverage is less than 50% in Less Developed Countries and only one-third among Small Island Developing States. We must collaborate through partnerships to ensure everyone on Earth is protected by early warning systems tailored to their needs.

[1] Global status of multi-hazard warning systems, UNDRR 2022

Job Purpose

(…Continued from Organizational Context)

The UN Secretary General in 2022 launched the Early Warning for All (EW4All) initiative, aimed at providing global EWS coverage by 2027. The EW4All initiative is built on four pillars of an effective Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS): 1) disaster risk knowledge; 2) observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting; 3) warning dissemination and communication; 4) preparedness and response to warnings. The EW4All initiative is co-led by UNDRR and WMO (who also lead Pillars 1 and 2, respectively) with two additional pillar leads: ITU for Pillar 3 and IFRC for Pillar 4. The initiative seeks to scale up action and collaboration and enhance alignment and coherence across existing efforts.

Thanks to national leadership and pillar partner support, to date 27 countries have held their national EW4All consultations, demonstrating their commitment to fulfil the goal of universal MHEWS coverage by 2027 (with nine more planned this year). These have led to efforts to analyse gaps and develop national roadmaps to address the gaps, which countries and their partners can use for scaled-up and coordinated action and resource mobilization across the four pillars. As of September 2024, 10 national EW4All roadmaps had been finalized.

The global pillar leads have identified priority areas to fast-track and accelerate early warning and early action:

• Strengthen interpillar programming: Ensure coordinated efforts across all EWS pillars from national to community levels to ensure end-to-end, last mile programming results.
• Scaled-up technical support: Provide guidance to countries beyond the initial 30 cohorts seeking to strengthen their EWS.
• From catalytic financial support to sustainable EW systems: Support countries in accessing long-term financing for end-to-end early warning systems.
• Greater accountability: Enhance the monitoring, reporting and tracking of country-level Early Warning System capacities contributing to the initiative, as well as other global processes under the Sendai Framework, UNFCC, SDGs, and beyond.
• Accelerate country-level implementation: Demonstrate tangible progress to maintain political buy-in and enhance engagement.
• Emphasize learning: Build a comprehensive repository of insights through case studies, reports, and interactive platforms.
• Harness AI and innovation: Continue finding new ways to innovate and bring AI technologies to countries, including through the AI Working Group on EW4All.

Job Purpose

In the context of IFRC’s role in leading Pillar 4 (Preparedness to respond to warnings) of the EW4All initiative, this consultancy aims to provide expert technical advice and support in the development and review of Pillar 4 related research, documents, tools, guidance and training/workshops.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide technical support in the development and review of global-level Pillar 4 related documents, reports, tools, guidance and training material.
• Provide technical support for the preparation and facilitation of Pillar 4 related trainings, workshops, simulations and/or events, as needed.
• Review and provide technical feedback on country or regional level Pillar 4 products, as needed.
• Other Pillar 4 related tasks may be mutually agreed between IFRC and the consultant.

Timeframe and days

The consultancy is expected to last approximately 50 days in the period October-December 2024, depending on the needs of IFRC. Funding permitting, the consultancy will be extended into 2025.

Management of consultancy

Overall, the consultant will report to the IFRC Pillar 4 Lead (Global DRR and Resilience Lead) and Senior Advisor for EW4All, ensuring close coordination as needed with the IFRC Coordinator for Anticipatory Action and/or EWEA Project Coordinator.

Working modalities

The consultant will raise any important issues to IFRC for decision (e.g. in terms of any proposed changes in the focus of the assignment or deliverables, the expected duration, end of assignment etc).

A recurrent meeting will be set up with the consultant to discuss progress, plans and challenges and for any strategic decisions to be taken. The consultant will also be expected to share progress updates in a proactive and timely manner outside of these meetings.

Any communication by the consultant with National Societies will copy relevant IFRC colleagues, including from the IFRC country/cluster delegation and regional office.

Duty station and travel 

This assignment is home-based, and travel may be possible if needed and as agreed with the supervisor.

IFRC shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Individual Consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel that is not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between IFRC and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Education

Required

• University degree in disaster risk reduction/management, climate change, sustainable development or other related area or equivalent experience.

Experience

Required

• At least 5 years of experience in disaster risk management, early warning systems and/or anticipatory action.
• Experience with the facilitation of workshops, trainings and/or simulations, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Preferred

• Experience with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Fluency in written and spoken English. 
• Excellent communication skills, including an ability to write clearly and concisely.
• Proactive self-starter that can work with minimal oversight.
• Highly organized and respective of deadlines.

Preferred

• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish and/or French.
• Familiarity with international standards and best practices in anticipatory action and disaster risk management.

Competencies, Values and Comments

Application Instructions

• Please submit your application in English only.
• Please include the following in your application:
  • Cover letter, no more than 2 pages, detailing:
    • How the applicant meets the qualifications and experience requirements; and
    • Estimated budget, including professional fees and all expenses.
  • CV including names of 3 references.
  • Two examples of reports recently completed in which you were the primary or sole author/researcher.