Papua New Guinea – home to 50% of the population of the Pacific region – faces a variety of challenges due to its exposure to different natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanoes, severe weather producing excessive rain leading to flooding and landslides, drought and pandemics that all serve to limit the potential for social and economic growth and, if left unchecked and unaddressed, increase the overall vulnerability and exposure of many communities across the country.

The hazard profile of Papua New Guinea comprises frequent localized disasters affecting specific communities and regions although there have also been less frequent large-scale disasters. National and sub- national capacities for and investment in disaster risk management remain weak. There is broad variation in national, provincial, and local capacities to plan for and effectively respond to disasters. The need to strengthen co-ordination and communication between national and provincial institutions responsible for disaster planning, preparedness, response, and recovery, remains a priority.

The UNDP Country Office in Papua New Guinea is launching a new programme to support Disaster Risk Management (DRM), improving policy and legislative frameworks, strengthening DRM coordination capacities at national, sub-national and local levels, including for disaster preparedness and recovery, expanding the effective use of DRM knowledge and information, promoting the integration of DRM into development planning and budgeting and investing in community level activities to strengthen DRM capability as a contribution to enhancing resilience.

The DRM Specialist will lead the design and implementation of the UNDP Papua New Guinea Disaster Risk Management Programme, while managing the project team, providing strategic coordination and broader harmonization with other UNDP, United Nations and development partner activities that support disaster preparedness and response in Papua New Guinea.

The DRM Specialist will develop strong collaboration with the National Disaster Centre, the Department for Geohazards, the National Weather Service, Climate Change Development Authority, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, and other government partners, with an aim to focus on increasing national capacity to manage hazards, withstand the impacts, recover from, and better inform development as well as reducing risks associated with human and natural hazards to sustain development gains. The project envisages four components:

• Disaster Risk Management Governance Support:

Support the work on amendments, including incorporation of GEDSI sensitive considerations, that will allow to clarify roles and responsibilities in DRM, codify and develop ex ante DRM actions, set up a DRM structure below provincial levels and more broadly align the DRM framework with best international practice.

• Natural and Climate-related Hazard Information Management Support:

Assist the establishment of a public website providing access to existing hazard data, based on a stock take of current hazard mapping systems and ensuring that information is readily accessible.

• Institutional Support and Capacity Building to National and Sub-national Disaster Centres:

Assist national and sub-national government counterparts in capacity-building with training and technical cooperation or assistance for disaster risk management and response coordination mainly by activating local disaster committees (in provinces and/or districts), data-driven decision-making through effective information management and increasing the participation of at-risk or affected women, persons with disabilities and other under-represented persons.

• Financing Mechanisms for DRR, DRM and Recovery:

Assist the national government counterparts in developing mechanisms and stand-by funding arrangements for disaster risk reduction, disaster management, recovery and reconstruction, including through national budget, international funds such as the Loss and Damage Fund, and innovative financing instruments (e.g. insurance).

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

• Review national disaster management policies, strategies, plans, acts and guidelines, as well as relevant UN and UNDP planning frameworks (UNSDCF, UNDP CPD, UNDP CO Business Plan, etc.) to identify opportunities for UNDP’s programming support for mainstreaming disaster and climate risk management into overall development strategy.
• Maintain synergies and linkages with institutions, bilateral partners and UN Agencies’ work related to disaster management and climate change adaptation and ensure coordination with UNCT and UN agencies on DRRM programming and implementation.
• Prepare concepts and strategies per UNDP requirements for UNDP’s future engagement to reduce vulnerability of the community and the sectors from natural hazards and build livelihood recovery integrating resilience, environment, climate, risk governance, gender and inclusive growth.
• Advise UNDP on programming and collaboration opportunities with key ministries, provincial and local governments, CSOs and communities for managing disaster and climate risks, including disaster preparedness and response, seismic resilience and early recovery.
• Analysis of global, regional and local funding mechanisms in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation and support CO in mobilizing resources to implement a long-term disaster and climate risk reduction programme for PNG.
• Design of new programming framework for DRM with result framework and theory of Change in consultation with UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and national partners (including the National Disaster Center,   the Department for Geohazards, the National Weather Service, Climate Change Development Authority, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, and other government partners, with an aim to focus on increasing national capacity to manage hazards, withstand the impacts, recover from, and better inform development as well as reducing risks associated with human and natural hazards to sustain development gains.

• Provide programme implementation support, drafting ToRs for key personnel and services, assist in speedy recruitment of project personnel.
• Oversight and management of project activities, formulation of workplans for timely deliverables, drafting of quality progress reports as per expectations among others.
• Take responsibility of producing donor reports (both programmatic and financial) and assist the team in fulfilling compliance requirements.
• Work with UNDP CO resilience and environment portfolio manager, policy analyst and other members of the team and contribute to developing strategies and approaches for resilience building.
• Support the government and partners in implementation, monitoring and reporting of DRR results as per Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and for effective participation in international forums such as global and regional DRR platform meetings.
• Contribute to the preparation of annual reports (UNDP and UN system), with the focus on Disaster Risk Management and Recovery.
• Represent UNDP and act as resource person in workshops, conferences and in meetings, and the wider donor community, if required.
• Chair and be the main technical lead of the Early Recovery Sector in PNG, part of the country Humanitarian Coordination System.
• Lead the design and development of UNDP’s DRM programming in PNG.
• Ensure that implementation of activities is in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Contribute to development and implementation of appropriate M&E mechanisms.

• Based on available data, support the conceptualization, and recommend innovative approaches and solutions to achieve a fit-for-purpose revision of the 1984 National Disaster Management Act.
• In close coordination with the NDC leadership, design a support plan to implement the Center’s Corporate Priorities, including mechanisms for DRR/DRM and recovery financing.
• Work with the Government Departments and the NDC to deepen the understanding of complexity and interconnectedness of climate and disaster risks.
• Advice on evidenced- based planning and decision- making within NDC including GEDSI gender and socially inclusive risk-informed development planning and budgeting.
• Strengthen cross- practice work and encourage joint initiatives during project implementation including considerations of the environment, gender, human rights and natural resources management.
• Strengthen government ownership and promote institutionalization of DRM initiatives and sustainability.
• Support the government in reviewing or strengthening other DRM and crisis related policy initiatives.
• Advocate for implementing climate and disaster risk management policy and action plan at sub-national levels to promote risk-informed development and risk governance in line with global and regional good practices.
• Explore opportunities for cross learning with other country’s experiences within the region and outside and support UNDP programme/project team’s active engagement in learning and experience sharing events.
• Build capacities of NDC to design and maintain a comprehensive hazard and vulnerability information system and utilize climate information and impact projections to plan disaster risk reduction interventions and policies.
• Engage in policy debates and advocacy, meetings and workshops and contribute to disaster management planning for emergency preparedness, response and early recovery and earthquake resistant construction of public and private buildings.
• Provide technical input to the design of DRM systems, procedures, framework, and guidelines as needed.

• Lead the UN inter-sectoral working group on early recovery by providing strategic planning, coordination and secretarial support.
• Work closely with the UN-NDC Disaster Management Team and the UN Humanitarian Advisory Team to complement the implementation of humanitarian response and disaster preparedness plans.
• In the event of a disaster, coordinate with UNDP HQ/RBAP teams to launch the Post-Disaster Needs assessment, or other needs assessments as may be required/requested.
• Support the formulation of UNDP’s early recovery programming offer to complement the humanitarian response and strengthen the government’s capacities and response (disaster recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction).
• Contribute to the lessons learnt and After-Action Review exercises to ensure that experience and lessons are adequately documented and inform policy framework and future responses.
• Any other support required by UNDP country office management.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: DRM Coordination Officer, DRM Information Management Office.