Anticipatory Action Coordinator

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established in 1935 and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian organizations in Ethiopia. ERCS provides services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through the provision of emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services. ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. Currently the ERCS has a structure consisting of Currently the Society has 14 regional branches, 40 zonal branches, 180 woreda branches, and 5,871 Kebele Red Cross Committees.

ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs relating to food security, climate change adaptation, livelihood diversification, and institutional capacity building interventions, with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. ERCS works in partnership with the Ethiopian Government, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), partnering National Societies, members, volunteers and the communities we serve.

I. Details of the vacant position

Work Unit: Disaster Preparedness and Response Department

Reports to: Disaster Preparedness Division Manager

II. Job Summary

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) is implementing the SCALA Project, financed by the German Red Cross (GRC). The project focuses on anticipatory action and locally led adaptation to address weather-related risks. The project aims to strengthen Early Warning and Early Action (EWEA) systems and promote community-driven climate adaptation strategies. Implementation is carried out in close collaboration and coordination with relevant government and non-government stakeholders in the region, particularly:

• Benishangul-Gumuz Regional Disaster Risk Management Office
• Meteorological Office
• Water Office
• Health Office
• Natural Resource Management Office
• Agricultural Office
• Social Affairs Office

The project places communities at the center of all interventions to ensure local ownership, sustainability, and resilience. The Locally Led Adaptation & Anticipatory Action Coordinator will be responsible for:

• Strengthening early warning and anticipatory action mechanisms in the project target areas for weather-related risks.
• Supporting communities to design and implement locally led adaptation initiatives.
• Facilitating risk-informed decision-making and improving forecast-based early action.
• Establishing and strengthening coordination mechanisms with key government and humanitarian stakeholders.

III. Specific Duties and Responsibilities

3.1. Early Warning & Anticipatory Action

• Develop and operationalize early warning triggers for multi-hazard risks.
• Support the localization of Early Action Protocols (EAPs) at regional and community levels.
• Facilitate data-driven decision-making by integrating hydro-meteorological information into forecast-based financing and anticipatory action systems.
• Provide technical support for the simulation, activation, and revision of early action plans.

3.2. Community-Led Adaptation & Risk Reduction

• Conduct community-based climate risk assessments to guide locally led adaptation planning.
• Strengthen community capacity to implement anticipatory actions using participatory approaches.
• Support the integration of indigenous knowledge with scientific forecasting for effective risk reduction.

3.33. Coordination & Capacity Building

• Strengthen, and establish where necessary, anticipatory action technical working groups at regional and woreda levels.
• Organize and provide training for ERCS branch staff, volunteers, and communities on early warning interpretation and risk-informed early action.
• Foster multi-stakeholder collaboration with government agencies, meteorological institutions, and humanitarian actors.

3.4. Reporting, Monitoring, Evaluation, Documentation, and Knowledge Sharing

• Assess and document the effectiveness of early warning systems and anticipatory actions.
• Explore and promote innovative risk communication approaches for timely community alerts.
• Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation systems are in place in line with agreed M&E frameworks, and that implementation progress is regularly tracked and reported using standard reporting templates.
• Contribute to national and global knowledge-sharing platforms on anticipatory action and climate resilience.

3.5 Reporting & Supervision

• The Anticipatory Action Coordinator will report to ERCS Emergency Preparedness Manager and will work closely with ERCS technical teams and key partners, including the German Red Cross (GRC), Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC), and relevant regional meteorological and hydrology institutions.

IV. Education and Work Experience:

• Second/First Degree in Hydrometeorology, Agro-meteorology, Disaster Risk Management, Environmental Science, Climate Science, or a related field, and 7/9 years of relevant experience in early warning, forecasting, or anticipatory action projects respectively
• At least 3–5 years of relevant experience in early warning systems, anticipatory action, and disaster risk reduction.
• Strong technical expertise in hydro-meteorological forecasting, risk assessment, and contingency planning.
• Proven experience in coordination and partnership-building with government and humanitarian actors.
• Experience in community-led climate adaptation and participatory disaster risk reduction is a strong asset.
• Fluency in Amharic and English is mandatory. and other local languages is advantages