International consultant for facilitation of After-Action Review (AAR) and development of a roadmap for an integrated early warning system in Ethiopia

Organization: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

Location: Home-based, Ethiopia

 Deadline: 1 Sep 2022

Job Description

Background:

The Disaster Risk Management Strategic Program and Investment Framework (DRM-SPIF) emphasizes that effective preparedness in the country can be achieved, among others, through a strengthened early warning system (EWS). The DRM policy clearly states that the DRM system of the country in general, and the EWS in particular, have to be multi-hazard, multi-sectoral, decentralized, and community-centered. Furthermore, the policy envisages the EWS to be functionally linked to the woreda disaster risk profile and other relevant information sources, including central statistics (CSA) data, to enable communities and government machinery at all levels to initiate timely, effective, and adequate early actions/mitigation measures.

Since the famine of 1974, the country has put in place one of the oldest early warning systems in Africa, and much has been done in improving the system. Accordingly, the government in collaboration with its humanitarian and development partners has launched various programs and initiatives to improve the EWS. Some of those initiatives included the improvement of the regular early warning monitoring tool and its associated guidelines, the establishment of national incident management (NIMS), and various early warning and early action (EWEA) pilot projects.

To address the pitfalls, the National Early Warning Technical Committee (NEW-TC) involving the government and non-government partners has discussed how to achieve the vision to modernize and digitalize the existing EWS and make it serve its purposes. As a step forward, the technical committee agreed to organize a multi-stakeholder After Action Review (AAR) workshop to review the current EWS operationalization in Ethiopia and develop a framework of the roadmap for the improvement of national EWS (NEWS). The skeleton of the roadmap with clear strategies, key actions for improvement, and milestones is expected to show the pathway for improvement of existing EWs.

The workshop will bring together about 50 diverse groups of participants involved in EWS design, implementation, and use. The workshop is expected to bring together participants representing national, regional, and local government sectors, community groups, UN agencies, NGOs, key donors, and relevant research organizations.

The workshop will use a mix of interactive presentations and discussions with appropriate methodology and tools. Diverse facilitation methods should be designed to encourage information, experience, and knowledge sharing among participants to achieve a common goal of developing a roadmap for improved national EWSs.

Purpose and Objectives:

The purposes of the assignment are to:

i) Create a common understanding among key actors on the existing EWSs, achievements, gaps, and challenges, draw lessons, and set the way forwards for improvement.

ii) Develop and build consensus on a framework of a roadmap to modernize and digitalize the existing early warning and ensure its effectiveness as a structured, harmonized, multi-hazard, multi-sectoral and community-centered EWS at the national level.

The assignment has two interlinked objectives:

1. To support the NEW-TC in the conceptualization and design of the sessions, methodology, and tools for the discussion and facilitation of the AAR.

2. To develop a roadmap that would help EDRMC and its partner organizations to improve the government-led multi-hazard and multi-sectoral EWSs based on what has been achieved so far by government and non-government actors in the country.

Expected Outputs:

• A refined AAR workshop plan with clear objectives, agenda, expected outcomes, methodology and tools for discussion, and draft framework of the roadmap.

• Facilitated a multi-stakeholder’s workshop for the review and development of roadmap for integrated national EWSs.

• After workshop reflections with NEW-TC and EDRMC.

• Technical resources and inputs for the AAR workshop report with follow-up actions and recommendations.

• A roadmap for improved multi-hazard, multi-sectoral and automated EWS in Ethiopia.

Responsibilities and Tasks:

Before the workshop

1. Review relevant documents, and existing EWSs in Ethiopia and build an understanding of what works well, the weakness, identify areas for future improvements and prepare draft framework of the roadmap.

2. Support the NEW-TC in conceptualization, design, and preparation of the workshop, setting the appropriate flow of agenda, tools, and methods of facilitation and alignment with expected outcomes.

3. Technical advice in development of group discussion guides and lead teams of co-facilitators assigned from the technical committee.

During the workshop

1. Provide overall facilitation of the workshop and specific sessions to achieve the workshop objectives.

2. Employ an appropriate mix of tools and approaches to facilitation and ensure effective participation from very diverse backgrounds and interests and create a smooth learning environment for all.

3. Bring in experience, and best practices from other countries with successful EWS into the discussions and support the participants to integrate into the roadmap development.

4. Draw key learning, achievements, best practices, gaps, and challenges through various presentations as well as plenary discussions.

5. Support the participants to identify improvement actions for the priority issues and agree on the framework of the roadmap.

After the Workshop

1. Lead the after-workshop reflection meeting with the NEW-TC and EDRMC, analysis of the key findings, outcomes, gaps, unaddressed issues, and finalization of the roadmap framework.

2. Provide technical inputs for the draft AAR report with key actions and recommendations.

3. Develop a roadmap for improvement of integrated EWSs in Ethiopia, and provide professional advice on the next steps.

Working Principles:

In performing the duties and responsibilities above, the Consultant will be supervised by the Program Lead, Mainstreaming and Recovery based at ADPC Head Office and work in close coordination with Program Manager based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The consultant will work closely with the EDRMC, NEW-TC, and a national consultant for this assignment.

Qualifications:

The consultants should have the following qualification and experience:

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in Disaster Risk Management, Engineering, Humanitarian Response Planning, or any other related fields is required. Experience in the horn of Africa region is preferable.

• At least 15 years of proven experience in disaster risk management, developing and mapping capacity building programs including conducting programmatic assessment, After Action Reviews, and evaluations. Pro

• Proven experience in emergency response management, particularly EWS, emergency operations center (EOC), incident command system, emergency response planning, and application of specific technical information in these fields.

• Well-conversant with the state-of-the-art knowledge of EWSs, current global development and best practices including impact-based forecasting.

• Experience both at strategic and operational levels in the field of early warning.

• High level experience in design and facilitation of the multi-stakeholder workshop with diverse backgrounds and interest groups.

• Proven experience in policy review and program strategy roadmap development that involves the coordination of government and non-government actors.

• Previous experience in working with national governments, humanitarian NGOs or international organizations in similar programs.

• Excellent command of English, both in written and spoken and ability to prepare high quality reports.

Duty Station:

This is a home-based assignment. The travel to Ethiopia is required for AAR preparation, workshop facilitation and reflection meeting with the NEW-TC.

Duration:

The assignment will be commenced from 10 September until 31 December 2022. This is an output-based consultancy.

Itinerary:

In case the official mission outside the duty station is required, the consultant will be entitled to international and domestic flights, visa fee, local travel, daily subsistence allowance, accommodation, and other related travel costs as per ADPC financial policy.