Result of Service

The research should result in a set of comprehensive indicators, thresholds and triggers for drought that can be used by SADC member states and partners to activate anticipatory action for drought.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background: Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 150 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is characterized by its diverse climate patterns, varying from semi-arid to sub-humid zones. This climatic variability, coupled with the region’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture, makes it highly vulnerable to droughts. Droughts in the SADC region have severe impacts, not only disrupting agricultural productivity but also straining water resources, energy supply, and ultimately, food security. During severe drought events, the capacity of communities to sustain livelihoods is significantly weakened, often resulting in long-term socio-economic consequences, such as increased poverty, food insecurity, and migration. The occurrence, frequency and intensity of droughts in the region are influenced by a complex interplay of both large-scale climate drivers and Sub seasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) variations such as those resulting from the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) can significantly influence precipitation patterns, temperature fluctuations, soil moisture levels, and atmospheric circulation. Notably, phenomena such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) play a critical role in modulating rainfall patterns across SADC countries. During an El Niño event, for example, countries in the southern parts of the region often experience below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures, which exacerbates the drought risk. On the other hand, a positive phase of the IOD tends to reduce moisture availability, further amplifying drought conditions. The erratic nature of these drivers, combined with their interactions, presents a formidable challenge for predicting drought onset, duration, and intensity. To address these challenges, this research seeks to review existing drought indicators and indices used in the development of Anticipatory Action (AA) triggers, such as the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Soil Moisture Index (SMI), and vegetation-based indices (Vegetation Condition Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, etc.) These indices, while useful, often have varying applicability and limitations depending on the agro-ecological context, making it difficult to establish a standardized drought trigger system for the region. By conducting a detailed analysis of these indicators and their effectiveness, the project aims to address current gaps in drought monitoring and response frameworks. One of the key outputs will be a set of recommendations for a harmonized drought threshold and trigger system that can be adopted across SADC countries. Such a system would enable the region to have a unified approach to drought management, facilitating coordinated early actions and resource mobilization. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer- UNDRR ROA, and will be home based.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in climate science, meteorology, atmospheric science or other relevant fields is required. A first-level university degree in any of these fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree At least 8 years of Experience climate science early warning systems and Impact Based Forecasting is required Experience with GIS and Climate data analysis tools including Python, R, MATLAB, etc. is required Experience working with SADC Climate Centre, SADC Member States, NMHSs, NDMAs, and organizations engaged in anticipatory action such as FAO, WFP, IFRC, or Start Network is required Experience in conducting regional assessments and providing recommendations on drought disaster risk reduction and resilience is required

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English is required.

Additional Information

Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.