iCARE Manager

A. About 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. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experiences from all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC is a competent regional resource center and has seven thematic departments: ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, and Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the departments, ADPC works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees.

ADPC Strategy 2020 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change and regional cooperation.

For details, please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/

B. Background

Disasters take a huge toll on the development agenda of SAR countries. Between 2000 and 2017, disasters in South Asia incurred estimated damages of US$ 149.27 billion. Public expenditure is under stress by the repeated need to reallocate capital budgets away from long term development planning and towards reconstruction activities in post-disaster environments. For example, in Bangladesh, 2007 Cyclone Sidr resulted in damages and losses of US$1.7 billion, or 2.6 per cent of GDP.

To increase resilience and achieve climate commitments, there is a need for a transformational shift towards policies and institutions that enable climate resilient investments. Investing in more resilient infrastructure is both profitable and urgent as disruptions are extremely costly for governments, households and private sector and large ongoing investments in infrastructure assets will have long-lasting repercussions as poor maintenance and natural disasters result in a vulnerable stock.

C. About CARE for South Asia Project

ADPC is implementing a five years World Bank-funded project titled “Climate Adaptation and Resilience Project for South Asia” (CARE). The project aims to create an enabling environment for climate resilience policies and investments across South Asia. This objective will be achieved through enhanced regional cooperation and knowledge exchange for climate resilience and adaptation and mainstreaming of resilience and adaptation in national policies, plans, and investments.

Post-iCARE Innovations Fund Launch, there is a need for a Manager to manage the innovations under the project. S/he will be the focal contact point with the Regional Technical Advisory Group members, Innovators, and the World Bank. The iCARE Manager is also responsible for overseeing and managing the implementation of the iCARE Innovations Fund, which aims to ignite breakthroughs for climate resilience in South Asia by promoting innovation in data analytics, decision support systems, and standards building on Tech Emerge and Climate Innovations Challenge. The iCARE Manager will also lead and coordinate the scaling up of the most promising innovations to enhance their impact and sustainability. The iCARE Manager will work closely with the iCARE team, the World Bank, the selected innovators, the government counterparts, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of the iCARE Innovations Fund.

The role of this consultant position would entail the management of grants to facilitate innovative solutions and monitoring of subsequent pilot-testing for application and scale-up across different sectors for resilience.

Accordingly, a highly qualified and experienced Manager will be required to monitor grants allocation and monitoring. S/he will be selected on a competitive basis following World Bank Procurement Regulation.

The consultant will ensure efficient and effective use of the allocated grants to the innovators with solution piloting in the South Asian region. S/he is also expected to support the grant allocation mechanism, release of the grants, and monitoring the progress of the innovators who are assigned the grant.

D. Statement of Intent

The iCARE Manager will ensure efficient and effective use of the allocated grants to the innovators. S/he is also expected to be instrumental in implementing the grant allocation mechanism, release of the grants, and monitoring the progress of the innovators who are assigned the grant for piloting solutions. S/he will seek technical advice from the ADPC’s Deputy Executive Director and conduct a technical appraisal and performance assessment of the innovators, as well as regular administration of the grant.

The position will be based in Bangkok, Thailand, and report to Project Director.

Note:

It is not the intent of this Terms of Reference to cover every aspect of the position requirements but rather to highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities.

E. Duties and Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities of the iCARE Manager are:

• Develop and implement the operational plan and budget for the iCARE Innovations Fund, ensuring that it is aligned with the CARE for South Asia project objectives, results framework, and World Bank requirements.
• Manage and supervise the grantees, providing guidance, direction, and support in all aspects of the iCARE Innovations Fund implementation.
• Lead and facilitate the identification, selection, and contracting of the selected innovators for the pilot innovations and scaling up innovations, using a transparent and competitive process.
• Monitor and support the execution of the innovation projects, ensuring that they are delivered on time, within budget, and with high quality.
• Provide technical assistance, feedback, and troubleshooting to the selected innovators, linking them with relevant experts, partners, and resources.
• Identify and document the best practices, innovations, and success stories from the innovation projects, highlighting their potential for scaling up and replication.
• Support innovators in developing and implementing a scaling-up strategy for the most promising innovations, including identifying opportunities, partners, resources, and mechanisms for expanding their reach and impact.
• Prepare and disseminate regular reports and communication materials on the progress, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned from the iCARE Innovations Fund.
• Establish and maintain effective communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, such as the RTAG, World Bank, the selected innovators, the government counterparts, civil society organizations, academia, media, etc.
• Undertaking financial and implementation appraisal of all Proposals (including budgets and log frames) and Concept Notes and making a summary to be taken up by the management of ADPC
• Checking, authorizing, and ensuring payments of all grants
• Maintaining a comprehensive database of financial and performance records
• Consolidate and synthesize the monthly technical progress reports from the selected innovators into a comprehensive report on the iCARE Innovations Fund, highlighting the key achievements, challenges, impacts, and lessons learned.
• Preparation of timely and quality technical progress reports on the status of iCARE Innovation Fund and share with PIU
• Guiding and supporting responsible parties for the implementation of their respective tasks.
• Ensure that the selected innovators complete their innovation projects according to the agreed scope, budget, timeline, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
• Review and approve the final reports submitted by the selected innovators, verifying that they comply with the iCARE Innovations Fund guidelines and standards.
• Consolidate and synthesize the final reports from the selected innovators into a comprehensive report on the iCARE Innovations Fund, highlighting the key achievements, challenges, impacts, and lessons learned.
• Share and disseminate the final report on the iCARE Innovations Fund with internal and external stakeholders
• Performing other relevant tasks as assigned by the Project Director.

F. Expected Output/s

• Prepare an operational plan and budget for iCARE Innovations Fund.
• Comprehensive monthly and final reports on the iCARE Innovations Fund, highlighting the key achievements, challenges, impacts, and lessons learned

G. Qualifications

The candidate should at least have:

• An advanced degree in project management, business administration, social sciences, or similar studies relevant to the post. Additional training and courses received in project management are an asset.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in managing grants for large donor-funded programs
• Previous experience in grants management with the World Bank is desirable.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in designing grant allocation mechanisms, monitoring grants, and evaluating outputs from the allocated grants to grant holders
• Experience in managing grants from development projects related to climate change and disaster risk reduction
• Previous experience working on innovation challenges or hackathons.

H. Reporting Relationships

The Consultant will report to the Project Director. We encourage diversity in our workplace and support an inclusive work environment. The expert’s performance will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.

I. Contract Duration

The consultant is expected to commence services initially for 11 months. The assignment might be extended depending on need and also upon satisfactory performance of the outputs envisaged in the TORs.

J. Selection Method

The consultant will be selected in accordance with ADPC’s recruitment process and in compliance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations.