Deadline: 19 October 2015
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is currently seeking applications from the eligible applicants for the post of Risk Assessment Officer based in Geneva, Switzerland.
UNOPS mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Key Job Responsibilities
The Risk Assessment Officer will perform the following functions-
- Participates in the design, development, updating and evaluation of the global disaster risk model coordinated by UNISDR secretariat with a range of scientific and technical partners.
- Supports the process of capacity building for the implementation of National Probabilistic Risk Profiles, with especial focus but not limited to CAPRA methodology for Probabilistic Risk Assessments, and initially centered on African countries.
- Works closely and collaboratively with UNISDR Regional Offices and UN Country Programmes to strengthen the support provided to the development of national, sector and local level risk assessments for governments and other national entities.
- Recommends appropriate methods, tools, data sources and implementing partners and ensures collaboration with Regional Offices on country specific issues of risk and regularly updates the Regional Offices on outreach at national and local level risk assessments’.
- Organizes and provides substantive support to scientific and technical meetings on risk analysis and assessment, including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, and drafting minutes and reports of proceedings.
- Supports policy research and development on key disaster risk reduction issues, challenges and opportunities for the UNISDR secretariat; assesses issues and trends on the basis of published literature and evidence; drafts substantive policy advice and briefs; makes presentations to conferences, workshops, seminars and training events.
- Provides substantive guidance and support to the communications and outreach work of UNISDR.
- Provides support to resource mobilization activities, in support of the key processes of the Risk Knowledge Section in particular and of UNISDR secretariat in general, with bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations and others, and for cost-sharing arrangements with partners, to support programme execution and implementation.
- Assists the preparation of strategic and programme plans and budgets; prepares programme and project documents; ensures that activities are monitored and evaluated and that progress reports and prepared in a timely fashion.
- Perform other duties as required by the Head of the Risk Knowledge Section.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must have-
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Natural or Applied Science, Geography, Economics or a field relevant to disaster risk assessment.
- A first-level university degree in combination with at least two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in disaster risk modeling and assessment
- Fluency in English (both oral and written) is essential and in another working language of the UN Secretariat desirable.
- Knowledge of a third UN official language is an advantage.
- In depth knowledge of risk modeling and assessment, as demonstrated through publications.
- Experience with implementing risk assessments with national government or with a relevant technical assistance project in at least one developing region.
- Understanding of the international policy framework and institutional architecture of disaster risk reduction.
- Wide network of disaster risk reduction researchers and practitioners, particularly in the risk assessment field.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through online process.
For more information, please visit UNOPS.
