National Urban Resilience Expert

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System. It serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a continuous spectrum of in-depth local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UN Guiding Principles) is widely recognized as the most authoritative, normative framework guiding efforts to reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of business operations on human rights. Experts have described it as the single most important innovation in promoting sustainable business practices in the last 25 years – a role that is reinforced by its inclusion as one of the Means of Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda).

UNDP has operated in Ethiopia since 1981. Since then, UNDP has focused on providing Ethiopia with strategic support to build national capacity and enhance the country’s development results in the areas of poverty reduction and economic growth, democratic governance as well as climate resilient development. UNDP is currently assisting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to overcome its structural challenges as it strives to become a democratic, peaceful and prosperous middle-income country. It supports a successful transition to democratic governance, address drivers of conflict to consolidate and build peace, foster enabling conditions for expanded job creation by the private sector (especially SMEs) and accelerate the transition to a green economy resilient to climate change. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are embedded across all areas of work.

UNDP is seeking to recruit a National United Nations Volunteer (UNV) for the UNDP’s “Urban resilient futures” Project, which is jointly implemented in Hawassa City, by the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC) and Hawassa City Administration.

The overall purpose and objective of the Strengthening urban resilience to emerging disaster/climate risks is to foster heatwave and water resilience through the application of digital tech and nature-based solutions. The initiative will enable target cities to scale-up climate and disaster resilience by (i) having improved access and ability to apply disaster/climate risk analytics and resilience diagnostics, (ii) augmenting urban governance systems, (iii) strengthening capacity to implement DRR-CCA action for vulnerable socio-economic sectors e.g., water, (iv) as well as disaster preparedness, emergency management and response capabilities.

Informed by systems thinking, the Program will adopt a multi-sectoral and multi- stakeholder approach by engaging national and local governments and a diverse set of city actors including private sector, academia and community representative organizations.

The Project will seek to identify and implement catalytic resilience building action informed by a community-centric, participatory, gender-responsive and environment sensitive approach. By enhancing access to disaster and climate risk analytics, improving urban governance systems, and implementing effective disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation methods, the selected cities can safeguard vulnerable communities and economic sectors, and critical infrastructure

The National United Nations Volunteer (UNV) will work under the direct supervision of the focal point of “Resilient Urban Futures” Project in Ethiopia Country Office (CO), with secondary reporting to the Nairobi-based Regional Specialist.

The National United Nations Volunteer (UNV) will work under the direct supervision of the focal point of “Resilient Urban Futures” Project in Ethiopia Country Office (CO), with secondary reporting to the Nairobi-based Regional Specialist. will perform:

Project Management Support:

• Coordinating the day-to-day implementation of Urban resilience project.
• Provide substantive and administrative support to the preparation of country missions, meetings and other consultations.
• Contribute to the drafting, review and/or revision of the ToRs and other technical documents related to the project activities.
• Provide support on project delivery, technical policy advice, and programme support that responds to office needs related to the Project.
• Prepare various written outputs, as may be required (e.g. draft background papers, concept notes, briefing notes and talking points).
• Set up a dynamic data collection system to ensure that project results are measured regularly and propose any necessary corrections.
• Ensure the proper implementation of the project, in line with Annual Work Plan, contributing to the achievement of expected results and the impact of the project, in collaboration with the rest of the UNDP teams and in accordance with its rules and procedures.

Reporting, and Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Collect, synthesize and monitor information on the progress made in the implementation of the project
• Analyse documents and reports submitted by implementing partners and ensure that they are of good quality.
• Put in place mechanisms to ensure a good flow of information on project implementation between the national level and the regional level.
• Provide regular information/data for updating UNDP platforms.
• Provide inputs for the preparation of the project reports (including monthly, quarterly and annual reports).
• Participate in the various meetings relating to the project and take part in all relevant initiatives related to the project and implemented by the partners involved.
• Alert the national and global teams of any delays in the implementation of the project and suggest ways of reorienting the activities concerned.

Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership-building:

• Ensure effective participation and ownership of all stakeholders in the various activities at national level.
• Facilitate regular exchanges between key partners and stakeholders at the national level to inform them on the project status and seek alignment with complementary initiatives.
• Support the development of effective partnership and working relationships with UNDP partners including UN agencies, implementing partners, government institutions, bi- lateral and multi-lateral donors, CSOs and the private sector.
•Contribute to the preparation of project documents or concept notes based on the needs expressed by actors at national level, lessons learned and good practices from the Urban Resilience Project.

Learning and knowledge sharing:

• Liaise with Project Team, UNDP CO teams, UN Agencies and other partners on knowledge-sharing, through identification and synthesis of information resources,
lessons learnt and best practices.
• Capture in different formats, the good practices and lessons learnt from the implementation of the project at national level.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge products and tools.
• Contribute to the establishment of a knowledge management system and the sharing of lessons learnt in relation to project results, prepare and produce case studies as required.
• Support communications and advocacy outreach on key achievements.
• Enhance visibility of the project action in collaboration with the Country Office Communications Team.
• Make contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.