Anticipatory Action Coordinator

FAO’s Early Warning Early Action (EWEA) translates warnings into anticipatory actions to reduce the impact of disasters on vulnerable and food insecure communities. Acting early, before a disaster has actually happened, or reached its peak is critical\: it can save lives and protect livelihoods from the immediate shocks while increasing the resilience of local communities over time. FAO EWEA is a key element of FAO’s Strategic Programme 5\: ‘Increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises’. FAO’s EWEA work includes global level (risk analysis, advocacy and partnerships) as well as country activities (setting up country level Anticipatory Action systems and implementation). For more information visit www.fao.org/emergencies/fao-in-action/ewea

FAO’s EWEA programme is part of a growing number of anticipatory approaches to crises being implemented by organisations worldwide. In FAO, this initiative is supported by a number of resource partners including the EU, Germany, Belgium and Sweden.

Under the direct supervision of FAO Representative for Zimbabwe, with overall technical back-up and guidance of the EWEA team, in collaboration with the FAO’s Regional Office for Southern Africa.

To support the mainstreaming and implementation of early warning and anticipatory action at the country level.

• Analyse existing vulnerability and disaster risk information to identify risks to agriculture and food security, priority areas and livelihoods;
• Consolidate early warning information on the priority risks;
• Establish early warning triggers, i.e. the risk level thresholds beyond which financial resources should be rapidly allocated to prevent and mitigate the impact of a forecast hazard on agriculture and food security;
• Formulate crisis timelines overlaying seasonality, livelihood impacts information to identify timings for early warning and anticipatory action;
• Define protocols and standard operating procedures for linking early warning to anticipatory action, including precise roles and responsibilities for risk monitoring and early action implementation;
• Support the operational and timely implementation of anticipatory action at country level by conducting field missions, advising on appropriate actions and operational arrangements as well as accessing the Early Action Fund;
• Strengthen partnerships and inter-agency efforts on EWEA at country level. This includes fostering collaboration on early warning (e.g. common triggers, joint alerts and appeals) as well as coordinated anticipatory action implementation on the ground;
• Support efforts to institutionalize EWEA with key government partners;
• Support capacity building activities at country level, including the delivery of FAO-EWEA’s learning programme;
• Externally represent and advocate EWEA with donors, technical partners and UN Agencies;
• Support communication efforts through tailored products and different means including web, photo/video, social media, press releases and other;
• Support the impact assessments including Return on Investment (ROI) of Anticipatory Action.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

• Advanced degree in one or more of the following\: Agriculture, Early Warning and Risk analysis, Climatology, Disaster Risk Management, Agriculture Economics, Social/Political Science, Food Security analysis or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in humanitarian and agricultural/rural development sectors including work experience with national and international NGO’s, UN agencies, governments and donors;
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish, according to the country of assignment.

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Good written communication skills, including in emergency settings;
• Demonstrated ability to analyze problems, make appropriate recommendations, effective decisions, including in emergency settings;
• Strong foundation in programme formulation, planning, implementation, management and evaluation.

• FAO professional Staff member are invited to apply to be included on the emergency roster and will be selected based on an established set of criteria.
• External applicants will be assessed through a competitive selection process that will include written assessment and oral interview.