Early Warning System Early Action Lead ( Internal Only)

Location: Based in Kathmandu with regular visits to field offices and areas of presence

Duration: 1 December 2024 to 31 December 2025 (with possibility of extension)

Reports to: Consortium Manager

Introduction

People in Need (PIN) is a non-governmental, non-profit, international organization founded in the Czech 1992. PIN arrived in Nepal as part of a humanitarian response to the April 25, 2015 earthquake. Since its inception in Nepal, PIN has had a strong role in designing and facilitating systemic solutions advocating for and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations affected by disasters including person categories who live in geographically remote areas of the country, historically marginalized ethnic groups, and those marginalized because of their age and/or gender identity. Currently, PIN Nepal is implementing programmes under three strategic pillars 1) Emergency response and recovery, 2) Climate resilience, and 3) Civil society and inclusive governance. PIN Nepal team works in and promotes strong partnerships with civil society, Government of Nepal, academia, private sector and other key stakeholders in Nepal. Together with them, PIN Nepal has become one of the pioneer organizations advancing programmes such as landslide disaster preparedness and anticipatory action, climate and flood resilient housing, durable local solutions, climate change modelling for more inclusive and efficient local decision-making, girls and inclusive education, waste management and circular economy approaches. PIN is strongly committed for safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, including persons with disabilities, in line with its safeguarding framework and child protection policy.

About the Project- “SARATHI”

SARATHI has been designed to support and contribute to the overarching early action and climate resilience aims of BEK’s Resilience, Adaptation and Inclusion in Nepal (RAIN) programme. Project – SARATHI is aimed to bring significant value and sustainable scale up to RAIN programme especially in reaching the most vulnerable and marginalised communities at risk of multi hazards in Madhesh, Lumbini and Karnali provinces by 2029. To achieve this, SARATHI will use evidence-based approaches to tailor implementation for building resilience in a systemic way, centred around localisation, inclusion and leveraging fiscal resources to contribute to adaptation across differing contexts in the targeted provinces. SARATHI’s two intermediate outcomes will focus on 1) enhancing community resilience, 2) strengthening sub-national governmental systems in early warning (EW), early action (EA) and adaptation. SARATHI supports the attainment of NDRRMA’s strategic goals to strengthen Early Action, develop multi-hazard EWS and catalyse research and innovation to develop EA plans as per National Disaster Risk Financing Strategy (2020), DRR Policy (2018) and National Strategic Plan for Action (2018-2030).

SARATHI is built around equal and long-term existing partnerships between eligible international-national-local organizations, who bring the requisite knowledge, skills and comparative advantage. Besides, the consortium will partner with, and empower 121 CBOs who represent the most marginalised groups in 15 LGs across 3 provinces. Through trainings and sub-grants, they will actively co-design and participate in EWS, EA and adaptation in their localities. The CBOs, together with national thematic sub-leads and leads, will empower and hold accountable the subnational Local and Provincial Governments (LG, PG), together with the RAIN TA and other stakeholders, with an emphasis on ‘unlocking fiscal resources’ for EW, EA and adaptation.

Furthermore, SARATHI is centred around using science, technology, innovation and evidence of best practice to inform multi-hazard anticipatory action interventions. The consortium, including technical partner, will build on its extensive experience of the RAIN sub-themes and what works and what doesn’t in Nepal, to establish and/or strengthen multi-hazard EWS at the sub-national level, increase access of vulnerable and marginalised groups to risk communication through forecasting, using data management for inclusive and focused EA and adaptation, and supporting coordination across all spheres of government. The learning produced from these interventions will feed into the development of DRR and AA policy frameworks. The consortium will work closely at LG and PG levels with RAIN Technical Assistance (TA), Strategic Learning Unit (SLU) and other RAIN partners to influence government to endorse relevant disaster resilience and adaptation polices and allocate fiscal resources, so that they address gender inequalities, marginalisation and work with socially excluded groups. The consortium aims to directly target 987,299 people, and indirectly benefit 3,478,805 more.

Scope of Work

Under direct supervision of SARATHI Consortium Manager and technical oversight by PIN Global EWS Advisor, EWS EA Lead will oversee early warning-early action component of SARATHI project. EWS EA Lead ill provide technical guidance to PIN team and partners, as well as ensure that activities are implemented timely and to a high standard, while ensuring linkages with deliverables under inclusion, localization and SRSP workstreams. She/he/they will support partner coordination, governmental relations, and activity implementation. She/he/they will be responsible to collect lessons learned during the project implementation, closely collaborating with MEAL and Consortium Manager and partners, especially about how to translate early warning into early action. He/She/they will actively contribute to all networks, fora on early warning-early action in Nepal and worldwide while also advancing CoP thematic group on Forecast based Action and also, engaging with START fund network Nepal. She/he/they will coordinate closely with Anticipatory Action clinic at NDRRMA and meteorological and hydrological division offices of DHM. The position is responsible for guiding and overseeing the quality of implementation of provincial PIN and partner EWS & EA team. At the field level, the EWS EA Lead will provide technical guidance and supervision to CBO driven EWS-EA small grant projects.

Key Summary of Functions

• Provide technical leadership on all EWS-EA activities under SARATHI project;
• Lead the implementation of EWS-EA activities including supervising and closely collaborating with partner staff for this component; guiding and supervising EWS and EA coordinators as well as RAIN officers based at local government level;
• Together with PIN Global EWS Advisor and technical partners, provide capacity building to PIN staff, consortium partners, CBOs and relevant stakeholders on EWS-EA and develop high quality training materials and curricula;
• Lead the development of Early Action Protocols, provincial communication flow channel for multiple hazard in coordination with other technical parts, NDRRMA, DHM and provincial government;
• Lead the low-cost sensor installation, calibration of thresholds and triggers in collaboration with DHM, NDRRMA, technical partners and other relevant stakeholders;
• Oversee Resilience Measurement Framework;
• Together with PIN’s Emergency and Anticipatory Action Lead, coordinate timely with START Fund Network for technical support on multiple hazard forecasting and mobilisation of Early Action funds.
• Support all BIPAD-related activities including facilitating dialogue on localising BIPAD with key stakeholders (NDRRMA, etc.);
• Ensure correct MEAL data collection, CFRM use, and following “do no harm” principles during the implementation;
• Ensure high quality delivery of activities at the field level through frequent travel to the project areas;
• Ensure excellent representation with stakeholders, RAIN TA and SLU, continually sharing evidence from the field, from CBO’s small grant projects and from provincial engagement for advancing EWS EA in country and for policy advocacy;
• Collaborate closely with Consortium Manager and PIN’s Global EWS Adviser in developing knowledge products, internal, governmental and donor reports, together with reporting to other stakeholders/groups (technical working group, clusters).

Representation and Networking

• Represent PIN and SARATHI project professionally with external stakeholders, including government, non-governmental agencies and the donor specially in Madhesh, Karnali, and Lumbini, and especially to stakeholders in DRRM and AA;
• Ensuring quality representation in regional, national and global dialogue on Anticipatory Action and other national and international fora, technical working groups on early warning-early action;
• Ensure that PIN and SARATHI project is well represented and visible within the broader development partners’ community, among the relevant networks and stakeholders (clusters, local/provincial level), and within coordination forums and delegating this responsibility as appropriate.

Mainstreaming and Quality Management

• Technically lead and ensure quality on the forecasting, dissemination and communication flow from federal to province to the local and community capacity on early warning and early action;

• Ensure synergies within technical partners including DHM, RCCC, UKMet and downstream partners;
• Work closely with other SARATHI thematic leads such as Adaptation Lead, GEDSI Lead, SRSP Lead and Disability Inclusion Lead to ensure quality implementation across all outputs;
• Ensure that GEDSI, environmental considerations, climate change, DRR and safeguarding agendas are mainstreamed within EWS-EA related programme planning and implementation;
• Work closely with MEAL lead to ensure that EWS-EA project-based learnings and monitoring/evaluation results are regularly used and reflected in PIN’s work, and are appropriately captured in the Programme Management Dashboard;
• Ensure and strengthen EWS and EA quality focus within the project, across all cross-cutting components; 
• Together with MEAL lead and Communication & Advocacy Manager, engage in project-learning based PIN’s positioning and advocacy, development of learning papers and selection of advocacy points for SARATHI, and as per Country Strategy;
• Coordinate to ensure communication and visibility requirement are fulfilled in line with PIN Media Policy and donor requirements;
• Ensure and monitor all field staff and partners’ adherence to PIN’s policies and internal procedures, protocols, PIN’s Code of Conduct, with special attention to Safeguarding, Duty of Care;
• Standards and Procedure, Case Handling Framework, Child Protection and Do No Harm policies; immediate reporting and redress of any complaints and issues based on its severity.

Leadership & Fundraising

• Based on the requirement of SAARATHI Programme Manager and HOP, work closely with PIN Pillar 1&2 teams to provide contextual and strategic direction for Country Programme's strategic frameworks and plan where needed
• Support PIN Nepal’s team in the fundraising for climate change, DRR and early action under Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 initiatives;

• Ensure that the team understands governmental programmes, plans and strategies relevant for EWS and EA both on provincial and local levels, and ensure that PIN’s work, proposals and programmatic design are in line with it;
• Ensure aligning with SDGs (and UN agenda);
• Support and lead, as per requirement, on writing proposals in cooperation with country team, IFU and KLD advisors.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social science/work, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, rural development, economic development or relevant field, with at least 5 years of demonstrated work experience or Bachelor’s degree with 7 years of work experience with an I/NGO in the area of disaster risk reduction, early warning;
• Strong track record on designing and leading multi-hazard EWS and EA initiatives in Nepal, engagement with regional and global EWS programmes is an advantage;
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders in DRRM and AA sector, especially with local, district, provincial and federal level actors;
• Commitment to systems strengthening approaches, proven track record in adaptive management and facilitation approach for EWS and EA in Nepal;
• Experience in field-based understanding of vulnerabilities, exposure and risk in the multi hazard context of Nepal;
• Research experience (designing surveys, collecting data, writing reports on EWS and EA) is an advantage;
• Sound knowledge of existing climate resilience frameworks;
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating diverse teams and maintaining strong relationships with the project team, partners and local stakeholders;
• Outstanding communications and networking skills; with strong command in Nepali and English languages- written and spoken.

Benefits

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS AND BENEFITS

• Salaries are according to People in Need Salary Scale. Candidates will be informed about the salaries in the beginning of the recruitment process
• Health insurance for both in-patient and out-patient care with maximum benefit limit of NPR 500,000.00 per year per person (Including dependents)
• Accident insurance for all injuries during work time NPR 3,000,000 per year (For Staff only)
• Compensation leave for working overtime when requested by the Line Manager
• Maternity, Paternity and mourning leave as per the labour law
• Communication or internet allowance on monthly basis (Reimbursable)
• Capacity Building program, both internal and external trainings - Induction training, internal online opportunities, such as access to e-learning platform and live webinars
• International environments with opportunities to learn from other country programs and HQ office in Prague
• Per diem for working outside of the duty town depending on the location. Full reimbursement of accommodation and transportation during business trips (as per the organization’s policy)
• Friendly and fair environment in small collective structure where everyone knows each other
• Work hours are from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday with 30 mins break for lunch

How to Apply

Submit an updated CV and Motivation letter before the deadline of November 18 2024. Please note, that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and should a suitable candidate be found before the official closing date, the advertisement might be withdrawn before the deadline thus early submissions are strongly encouraged. No phone calls will be entertained. PIN promotes equal opportunities. Women, Dalits, Minorities (ethnic, sexual & gender), Janajati, persons with disability are strongly encouraged to apply! People in Need is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity, and financial misconduct, and is committed to promoting the welfare of children and adults with whom People in Need is involved. People in Need expects all staff to perform job duties and responsibilities following the People in Need code of conduct and key policies (available at: https://www.peopleinneed.net/key-policies-4142gp). People in Need Staff will undertake the appropriate level of training.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Note- If you need reasonable accommodation (especially for people with disability) to proceed with our recruitment process, please mention so in the cover letter.