Urban Governance Expert (Consultant)

Purpose and Objectives:

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) is an autonomous international organization with a vision to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by working with governments, development partners, international organizations, NGOs, civil society, private sector, media, and other key stakeholders. Established in 1986 as a technical capacity building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas. For details, please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/.

ADPC is implementing a Regional Program titled “Urban Resilience to Climate Extremes in Southeast Asia” (URCE) in Viet Nam in partnership with the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) provides financial support for the URCE program. The main aim of the program is to strengthen resilience of urban systems and urban communities to the current and future climate extremes. The program is implemented in two cities of Viet Nam, namely, My Tho City (Tien Giang province) and Nam Dinh City (Nam Dinh Province).

The program has five outcomes, namely Improved multi-hazard early warning systems and risk knowledge (Outcome 1), Strengthened urban community readiness and local preparedness (Outcome 2), Improved urban sectoral preparedness and emergency response (Outcome 3), Strengthened urban risk governance systems for dealing with emerging climate extremes and emergencies (Outcome 4) and Improved knowledge and awareness on building urban climate resilience for extremes in Asia and the Pacific (Outcome 5). This five-year program has started its implementation in November 2018 and spans up until December 2023.

ADPC will hire a Consultant based in Hanoi, Viet Nam to provide resource inputs for the implementation of activities under Output 4.1 of Outcome 4: “Strengthened urban governance systems for dealing with emerging climate extremes and emergencies”.

Expected Outputs:

The consultant will be expected to submit the deliverables as per the schedule given in the Annex I.

Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Consult relevant stakeholders (National and City level) through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) for collecting data, information etc. to understand the current context, gaps and challenges;
• Study & review relevant legislations (laws, acts, etc.) and executive documents (Policies, Strategies etc.)/ data/ information on urban governance in Viet Nam;
• Analyze the above and identify the present status, gaps and needs associated with the urban governance functions falling under the Disaster Management Cycle (Pre-Disaster, Response, Post-disaster);
• Make recommendations for strengthening existing urban governance tools & functions of each of the two target cities to manage climate risks and to be risk sensitive;
• Prepare a comprehensive report for each of the two Target Cities in English and its Vietnamese translation strengthening their existing urban governance tools & functions for enhancing urban climate resilience with proposals on potential remedies for same;
• Make presentations on findings/ achievements and facilitate same at relevant sessions of workshops/ workgroups under this Program as and when required;
• Perform any other relevant tasks that may be requested by the Director, Urban Resilience Department and the Outcome Lead in order to achieve successful completion of Consultant’s responsibilities and tasks.

Working Principles:

The Consultant will report to the Director of Urban Resilience (URR) Department director of ADPC and work under the guidance and supervision of the Outcome Lead/ and other specialists staff involved in the implementation of activities.

Qualifications:

Education –

• A master’s degree in Urban/Public Governance, Public Affairs & Policy, Sociology, Urban Planning or Physical Planning.
• A PhD degree in a relevant field will be an added advantage.

Practical Experience & knowledge –

• Minimum of 10-year practical experience in the field of governance;
• Experience in working with international organizations;
• Comprehensive knowledge on the following thematic areas are required:
• Urban Governance;
• Climate and disaster risk management;
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Competencies –

• Critical and creative thinking in discovering new/ alternative ideas and options;
• Strategic thinking in arriving at potential remedies to gaps and needs;
• Team spirit;
• Excellent inter-personal, facilitation and communication skills (both oral and written – in Vietnamese as well as English) in order to effectively liaise with the stakeholders;
• Ability to work independently and manage priorities.

Language proficiency –

• Proficiency in Vietnamese language and English language, shall be required.

Duty Station: Hanoi, Viet Nam

Duration: 01 February 2023 to 31 May 2023

Itinerary: The Consultant will follow the ADPC travel policies and receive Daily Subsistence Allowance (per diem and accommodation as applicable) per ADPC rates during official missions. Travel itinerary will be approved by the Director of URR Department of ADPC.

Conditions of Payment:

Payment will be made as per the payment schedule agreed by the ADPC and the Consultant.

All payments will be credited to the bank account given by the Consultant.