Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Specialist

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking an innovative and multi-skilled individual to develop a scaling, financing, and investment hub strategy.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting Jordan’s “Climate-Refugee Nexus Initiative,” launched by King Abdullah II at COP27. This initiative is part of a broader package of solutions linked to the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace.

The 3–5-year JAHEZ (READY) project, delivered by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the UK Met Office, aims to build resilience for both refugees and their host communities. It focuses on climate change adaptation and anticipatory action, piloting solutions to mitigate the effects of extreme heat, drought, flooding, groundwater depletion, and agricultural land degradation. Through a combination of nature-based solutions (NbS) and disaster risk reduction measures, the project seeks to rehabilitate watersheds, improve agricultural productivity, and protect vulnerable populations.

IWMI is looking to hire a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Specialist to support the JAHEZ project initiative in Jordan. The goal is to enhance the resilience of refugee and host communities to climate change and disaster-related risks. The Specialist will conduct a landscape analysis and provide strategic recommendations for improving local disaster risk management and climate adaptation strategies. This will include a focus on community-based approaches and integrating early warning systems (EWS) with social protection mechanisms. The role will involve collaboration with national and local stakeholders, including governmental agencies, NGOs and community groups.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Policy and Strategy Review:

Analyze current Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) policies and strategies at national and local levels, identifying gaps in their implementation.

Evaluate local-level DRR and CCA policies and their integration into community resilience initiatives.

Conduct a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) review to ensure DRR and CCA strategies are implemented inclusively and equitably.

B. Stakeholder Mapping and Coordination:

Identify and map key stakeholders at the national and local levels involved in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) planning and Early Warning Systems (EWS) implementation.

Evaluate the capacity, roles, and responsibilities of stakeholders, including government bodies, local municipalities, NGOs, and community organizations.

Conduct interviews and facilitate focus group discussions to gain insights into stakeholders’ capacities and identify gaps in implementing DRR and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) strategies.

C. Social Protection Mechanism Mapping:

Map existing social protection mechanisms available to refugee and host communities in Jordan, with an emphasis on their capacity to integrate impact-based forecasts for anticipatory actions.

Propose strategies to enhance the use of climate and weather information for triggering early disaster responses.

D. Systems Analysis (MSD Framework):

Utilize the Market Systems Development (MSD) analysis framework to map the ideal Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) system for Jordan.

Apply the “Who Does Who Pays” matrix to evaluate the roles, responsibilities, and financial contributions of various actors involved in DRR and CCA implementation.

E. Field Research and Community Engagement:

Data Collection: Gather data from key stakeholders and community representatives in the three demonstration sites: Irbid, Ramtha, and Azraq.

Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate workshops and focus group discussions with stakeholders to validate findings and share recommendations.

F. Feasibility and Gap Analysis:

Evaluate the feasibility of current Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) systems, identifying key challenges, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.

Offer practical recommendations to enhance local resilience, including strategies for funding mechanisms, policy improvements, and capacity-building efforts.

G. Reporting and Final Outputs:

Develop a comprehensive report that includes:

Detailed Analysis: A comprehensive analysis of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) policies, tools, and practices.

Stakeholder Mapping: A stakeholder map and capacity analysis of DRR and Early Warning System (EWS) actors.

Social Protection Mapping: A mapping of social protection mechanisms, with recommendations for anticipatory actions.

Feasibility and Integration Recommendations: A feasibility analysis, along with recommendations for improving the integration of climate and weather forecasts into social protection systems.

Best Practices Summary: A summary of best practices, gaps, and opportunities for strengthening community resilience.

H. Final Validation and Presentation:

Present findings and recommendations at a roundtable workshop, engaging stakeholders to validate the study results and prioritize interventions for enhancing local DRR and CCA approaches.

I. Support the review and development of community vulnerability assessment tools and community engagement approaches.

J. Design and facilitate training materials for local implementing partners on community vulnerability assessments and community based DRR and adaptation approaches.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

A Master’s degree or higher in Environmental Science, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, or a related field.

KNOWLEDGE & EXPEREINCE:

Essential:

At the minimum 5–7 years of experience in disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), and resilience building, preferably in refugee and host community settings.

Proven experience in conducting policy and strategy analysis, stakeholder mapping, and systems analysis.

Experience in integrating social protection mechanisms and anticipatory actions into DRR/CCA planning.

Familiarity with the Jordanian context, including key DRR and CCA actors and systems.

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Good interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity. 

Ability to work in a team and excellent organizational skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities under strict deadlines with minimal supervision.

Mix of quantitative survey skills and qualitative data collection and analysis methods.

Strong analytical and numerical data analysis skills.

Willingness to travel nationally or regionally at semi-regular intervals or for extended durations (up to 10% of time).  

Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with experience conducting interviews, focus groups, and workshops.

Ability to write clear, concise reports with actionable recommendations.

Knowledge of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) frameworks.

LANGUAGE PROFICINECY:

Fluent command of spoken and written English and Arabic.  

Source: https://apply.workable.com/international-water-management-institute/j/0865A90158/