Climate Resilience Technical Adviser

Job Description

Our vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. We believe that no-one should have to live in fear that they won’t have a home to sleep in or enough food to feed their children. For over 50 years we have been working with the world’s poorest people towards this goal.

Today we are a team of over 4,400 highly skilled and dedicated professionals from 50 countries who share an exceptional depth and diversity of experience. We want committed, values driven staff to join our Dublin or UK team and are currently looking for a Climate Resilience Adviser to be part of our Strategy, Advocacy and Learning department within HQ.

We are committed to providing our staff with the skills needed to excel in their jobs. Concern offers in-house management and leadership courses and tailored organisation-wide learning opportunities both in-person and online. All employees are required to undertake training in equality, diversity and inclusion; the Code of Conduct; and safeguarding, along with any other training required for the role.

Our culture is values driven and friendly. A global engagement survey conducted in 2022, responded to by 3,577 of our staff, showed that 89% of our staff would happily recommend Concern as a great place to work and 94% are proud to tell people that they work for Concern. We are currently working a hybrid model (50% remote working) and offer flexi time.

The job: Climate Resilience Technical Adviser

If you join us, this is what you will be doing:

• Provide technical support on climate resilience in four countries implementing the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZCRA) programme, namely Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi and Pakistan.
• In coordination with country programme staff, synthesize, document, and disseminate lessons learned from Concern climate programming focusing on ZCRA thematic areas: early warning systems/anticipatory action, nature-based solutions, climate governance, heatwaves and urban climate programming.
• Collaborate and work closely with other Concern staff to contribute to delivering on Concern’s global approach to climate and environment – environment strategy. This would include close collaboration with the ZCRA Programme Coordinator, ZCRA Climate Resilience Advocacy and Knowledge Adviser, ZCRA M&E Adviser, DRR Adviser, Organisational Climate & Environment Adviser, Livelihoods Advisers, and WASH Advisers.
• Collaborate and work closely with Alliance global partners and country teams to contribute to delivering on Alliance Climate Resilience programme.

Country Programme Support

• Support the technical quality of programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Alliance climate resilience programmes particularly in relation to the following thematic areas: early warning systems/anticipatory action, nature-based solutions, climate governance, heatwaves and urban climate programming.
• Build the technical capacity of Concern country teams and local NGO partner staff through formal training, webinars, remote mentoring, and production and sharing of key technical resources.
• Develop technical tools, guidance and strategy in line with international best practice for staff use to improve programme quality.
• Support the country teams in implementing relevant climate resilience related tools, guidance and strategies.
• Support the country teams on designing and implementing approaches to systems change within the thematic areas listed above.
• Provide technical input into climate related proposals and programme implementation, especially climate risk preparedness and planning, including climate early warning systems/anticipatory action.

Learning

• Facilitate cross-country learning among Concern staff and ZCRA partners.
• Synthesize and document practical evidence and learning from our programmes; identify ways to apply it in a timely fashion to improve policy and practice within and beyond Concern.
• Provide technical input and review of key learning and knowledge products as required as part of the ZCRA programme and Zurich Foundation.
• Monitor, analyse and share relevant technical best practice within key climate resilience topics.
• Collaborate with country teams and other Concern Strategy Advocacy & Learning (SAL) functions to document learning on approaches to systems change to promote more sustainable and scalable climate solutions especially in relation to climate risk preparedness and planning including early warning systems/anticipatory action.
• Work with the country teams to effectively use evidence and research produced by Concern and the ZCRA to improve climate & nature based solutions programming.

Representation & Collaboration

• Collaborate across offices and directorates to strengthen Concern’s approach to climate adaptation including active input to Concern’s Community of Practice on Climate Resilience.
• Contribute to the implementation of Concern’s Environment Strategy and develop further Concern’s thinking and practice on climate change adaption and resilience.
• Based on engagement with country teams and in collaboration with Concern advocacy and technical staff as well as ZCRA global team, provide input on specific climate advocacy and policy analysis to ensure evidence from country programming is effectively utilised.
• Become an active member or lead of one of more of ZCRA thematic groups: early warning systems/anticipatory action, nature-based solutions, climate governance, heatwaves and urban climate programming.
• Uphold and promote Concern’s values, including our workplace equality, diversity and inclusion values.

Essential:

• 3-5 years professional experience of managing climate change adaptation programming including one of more of the following areas of expertise: anticipatory action/forecast based action, climate risk management including heatwaves, nature-based solutions, natural resource management, climate adaption in urban area.
• 3-5 years of relevant overseas experience working in humanitarian or development environments and providing advisory and technical support in the area of Climate Change, disaster risk reduction, resilience building, anticipatory action, and early warning systems.
• Relevant work experience focused on developing countries in development and humanitarian cooperation in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Good understanding of multi-sectoral climate change impacts, climate risk assessments, and adaptation solutions required.
• Familiarity with the concept and practice of risk-informed programming, disaster risk management, climate change action and post-disaster needs assessment;
• Expertise in capacity building, developing tools and providing training.
• Third level qualification in climate change, environmental studies or other relevant field.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of current developments and best practice climate change adaption and climate resilience programming in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
• Experience in providing technical input to proposals.
• Experience developing training materials and providing training;
• Excellent facilitation skills;
• Proven experience of collaborating in diverse NGO / academic partnerships to ensure clear communication and delivery of shared objectives;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Strong team player with the ability to identify, support and pursue shared objectives;
• Sound judgement with a proven track record in managing multiple responsibilities and meeting tight deadlines.

You will report to the Head of Technical Assistance in the Strategy, Advocacy and Learning (SAL) unit; and work directly with staff from the Concern ZCRA global & country teams and other ZCRA partners & the Zurich Foundation.

The salary is from €54,500 to €62,286 (band 5) and is a two year fixed term contract.