Scope of Work
USAID Fragile Waters

 

Position

Vanuatu Country Coordinator (Small Island Developing States Buy-in)

Period of Performance On/About (From – To)

October 1, 2024 (dependent upon USAID approval)

September 30, 2025

Maximum Level of Effort

390 Days

Base of Operations

Vanuatu

position reports to

SIDS Activity Director

Project Background:

USAID Fragile Waters, a five-year global mechanism (2023-2028) and task order (TO) under the USAID WADI II IDIQ, uses locally-led approaches to increase water security in fragile contexts, working across the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus, through a combination of technical assistance, grants, and analysis. Water security encompasses water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), as well as water resources used for ecosystems, livelihoods, and industry. USAID Fragile Waters is implemented by DAI Global LLC (DAI) and two subcontractors, Mercy Corps and the World Resources Institute (WRI). Within fragile contexts, USAID Fragile Waters has four objectives:

Objective 1.      Conduct on-demand and timely analyses to inform water security programming

Objective 2.      Support capacity strengthening for local organizations to implement water security programming

Objective 3:      Provide direct assistance to support evolving water security needs

Objective 4.      Advance learning for water security programming

 

USAID/REFS, Center for Resilience in Washington, DC, has now requested USAID Fragile Waters to undertake a field support activity under Objective 3 in support of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The SIDS activity will develop and pilot Anticipatory Action Models (AAMs) in Vanuatu that can be used to prevent or reduce negative impact before precipitating events fully unfold. 

Position Description:

The Vanuatu Country Coordinator will provide day-to-day management of the activity in Vanuatu, working under the direction of the Activity Director. They will establish and maintain relationships with local stakeholders and facilitate the development of Preparedness Partnerships (Partnerships). They will manage coordination with relevant Government of Vanuatu agencies and coordinate with other development partners and the project implementation teams. They will work closely with the Activity Director and the Partnerships to develop and pilot AAMs. The Country Coordinator will also contribute to project deliverables and knowledge products, as well as organize and facilitate workshops. 

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Under direction of the Activity Director, and with support of local partners and STTA, they will play a lead role in the development and implementation of Anticipatory Action Models, including:

·        Facilitate stakeholder design of overall AAM guiding framework, tailoring of the framework to Vanuatu, and embedding it within the existing DRR system

·        Help identify relevant climate and disaster information to inform model triggers

·        Enhance decentralized capacity of local communities to take anticipatory actions to reduce disaster risks

·        Help define and validate community level risks and associated thresholds to inform the type, location, layering, and timing of risk reduction actions.

·        Engage partner communities to define social, economic, and ecological triggers and associated data and normalized scores to monitor.

·        Facilitate definition of cascading actions to reduce risks once a threshold is triggered.

·        Help identify and develop response activities including national level policy tools and Standard Operating Procedures

·        Pilot the AAMs through socializing the purpose, facilitating establishment of local anticipatory action committees. incorporating indigenous and local best practices, participatory identification of vulnerabilities triggers and actions, and determination of roles.

·        Help identify domestic and international financing sources to support the adoption of AAMs, and to scale up the program to additional communities and disseminate the model to PICs. 

They will also:

·        Provide day to day oversight and direction to the work of local partners

·        With the Activity Lead, develop and submit project products and deliverables including work plans, EMMPs, monitoring plans, and guidance and training materials.

·        Help develop and participate in learning events.

 

Qualifications:

 

Bachelors degree in natural resources management, geography, sustainable development, climate change, or related field + 7 years of experience on development-partner funded projects in the field of disaster risk reduction, water resources management, climate change adaptation, food security (or related subfield) demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility, or 5 years of experience with relevant graduate degree Experience working with/for National Advisory Board (NAB), National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), Malvatumauri Council, Vanuatu Association of NGOs (VANGO), Vanuatu Climate Action Network (VICAN) Strong familiarity of rural settings in Vanuatu and experience working at the community level, preferably beyond Efate and Espiritu Santo Knowledge of Gender Equity, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) issues in Vanuatu Demonstrated ability to communicate inclusively with stakeholders at the community level in Vanuatu Sensitivity to local cultural and linguistic variations across Vanuatu Excellent writing skills in English and demonstrated experience in providing inputs to reporting processes Back Share Apply Now