DRR / EWS Specialist (Subject to donor approval)

About REHA:

Resilience, Environment, and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) is a national NGO registered with the Afghan Ministry of Economy, specializing in environmental protection, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and cross-cutting areas such as agriculture, livelihood support, and humanitarian assistance. REHA employs a balanced approach, combining “hard” interventions (e.g., infrastructure, resource management) with “soft” interventions (e.g., capacity building, advocacy) to address the needs of communities affected by climate and humanitarian crises.

REHA’s unique strengths include designing and implementing advocacy campaigns, conducting capacity-building training, performing risk and vulnerability assessments, developing policies, and raising awareness. These efforts are complemented by physical interventions and community empowerment and development initiatives aimed at building resilience against natural and man-made disasters, emergencies, and climate change impacts.

With over 20 years of expertise, REHA’s team excels in climate change governance, disaster risk management, and environmental protection, supported by strong capabilities in program management, organizational strengthening, and financial and operational oversight.

About the Project:

Project Name: Community-Based Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS)
REHA proposes a 12-month project under UNDP’s Afghanistan Community Resilience Programme to establish two inclusive, community-based Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in Bala Murghab and Qadis districts of Badghis Province. The project will strengthen local capacity to anticipate, communicate and respond to floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides and other hazards through risk assessments, localized warning protocols, practical monitoring tools, preparedness plans and simulation drills. It will train 40 community representatives, including at least 30 percent women, and reach 400 people through awareness and drills. By linking community systems with district and provincial institutions, the project will reduce disaster risks, protect lives and livelihoods, and strengthen long-term community resilience.

Position Summary:

Subject to donor approval, the two DRR / EWS Specialists will lead the technical design, establishment and operationalization of the Community-Based Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in Bala Murghab and Qadis districts of Badghis Province. They will conduct and support multi-hazard risk assessments, develop localized warning thresholds and communication protocols, introduce practical monitoring tools, prepare community preparedness and response plans, train community representatives and facilitate simulation drills. The positions will report to the Team Lead / Project Manager and coordinate closely with communities, district and provincial institutions and relevant technical stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

1.        Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment and System Design

·       Lead participatory multi-hazard risk, vulnerability and capacity assessments for floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides and other locally relevant hazards in the target districts.

·       Map hazard-prone locations, exposed people and assets, existing information sources, communication channels, response capacities and institutional linkages.

·       Design two inclusive community-based MHEWS with clear roles, escalation pathways, warning levels and operational arrangements suited to local conditions.

2.       Monitoring, Warning Protocols and Communication

·       Develop practical community monitoring tools, observation procedures, warning thresholds, data recording formats and verification arrangements for priority hazards.

·       Prepare localized warning messages, communication protocols, dissemination chains and last-mile communication methods accessible to women, men, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups.

·       Support testing, installation, safe use, maintenance and handover of agreed monitoring and communication tools and ensure communities can operate them correctly.

3.       Preparedness Planning, Training and Drills

·       Develop or update community preparedness and emergency response plans, evacuation arrangements, safe routes, assembly points and responsibilities linked to warning levels.

·       Design and deliver practical training for 40 community representatives, including at least 30 percent women, on DRR, EWS operations, monitoring, warning dissemination and emergency response.

·       Plan, facilitate and evaluate simulation drills and awareness activities reaching at least 400 people, documenting gaps and corrective actions.

4.       Coordination, Capacity Building and Sustainability

·       Coordinate technical work with UNDP, ANDMA, Badghis provincial authorities, Bala Murghab and Qadis district authorities, relevant departments and community structures.

·       Strengthen linkages between community monitoring and warning arrangements and district and provincial information, coordination and response mechanisms.

·       Coach community focal points and local institutions on routine testing, maintenance, recordkeeping, updating contact lists and sustaining the MHEWS after project completion.

5.       Monitoring, Documentation and Reporting

·       Monitor functionality, timeliness, reach, inclusion and community understanding of the warning systems and recommend improvements based on evidence and feedback.

·       Maintain technical records, maps, monitoring data, training and drill documentation, photos, attendance sheets, lessons learned and corrective action logs.

·       Prepare regular technical progress reports and contribute to project monitoring, donor reporting, knowledge products and handover documentation.

Key Deliverables:

·       Participatory multi-hazard risk, vulnerability and capacity assessments and risk maps completed for the target communities.

·       Technical designs, warning levels, localized protocols, communication chains and practical monitoring tools completed for two community-based MHEWS.

·       Community preparedness and response plans, evacuation arrangements and simulation drill packages developed, tested and improved.

·       Forty community representatives trained, including at least 30 percent women, and awareness and drills delivered to at least 400 people.

·       Functional testing, maintenance, institutional linkage, technical reporting and system handover documentation completed.

·       Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in Hydrometeorology, Disaster Risk Reduction, Water Resource Management or another relevant technical discipline.

·       At least 5-7 years of experience in organizational development, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, community-based early warning systems, emergency response planning, human resource development or capacity building.

·       Seven or more years of directly relevant experience is strongly preferred.

·       Demonstrated technical experience in hazard and risk assessment, community-based EWS design, warning protocols, preparedness planning, training and simulation drills.

·       Relevant experience in the assigned province and demonstrated experience implementing UNDP- or other UN agency-funded projects; more than 5 years of such experience is preferred.

·       Strong facilitation, analytical, technical writing, coordination, data collection, mapping and field documentation skills.

·       Professional proficiency in English, Dari and Pashto is required.

• CV must be under 1MB; no certificates attached.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply via: https://forms.gle/aZnszdLd15g2JuJk7

REHA is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equality, transparency, environmental protection, and zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, corruption, and misconduct.

Submission Email: https://forms.gle/aZnszdLd15g2JuJk7