Job Description

Senior Specialist – Programmes

Organization

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

Job posting date

Location

New Delhi, India

Grade and No. of positions

Senior Specialist (2)

Salary and Benefits

Competitive

Contract

Fixed Term Contract (3 years), extendable for up to another 3 years, Full-Time, National/International Hire.

Applications Closing date

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to early submissions during the shortlisting and selection process. The position will remain open until it is filled.

About CDRI

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programs, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.

Mission

“To support countries to upgrade their systems to ensure disaster and climate resilience of existing and future infrastructure.”

Impact (that CDRI aims to achieve)

By 2050, over US$10 trillion of new and existing infrastructure investments and services are resilient to natural hazards and climate change through enhanced capacity, informed policy, planning, and management, leading to improved quality of environment, livelihood, and life of over 3 billion people.

CDRI Mandate & Value Proposition

CDRI has been envisioned and established as a global network to advance the agenda, support coordinated action among stakeholders, and focus on bringing voices from vulnerable geographies and populations to international policy forums. Internationally agreed-upon goals in the SFDRR, the SDGs, and the Paris Climate Agreement provide the foundational framework that guides the Coalition’s vision and mission.

As a global partnership, the Coalition aims to ensure that the investments of its members and partners are aligned and well-coordinated in support of the shared ambition of disaster and climate resilience of new and existing infrastructure. The two unique yet interconnected roles that CDRI shoulders in this direction are:

• A Strong Coalition Driving Collaborative DRI Action: In 2025, CDRI stands as a partnership of 46 national governments and seven international organizations. The Coalition enjoys robust political support, which propels its efforts to advance the interests of its members and partners.
• A Solution-Focused Centre of Excellence for DRI: As a Centre of Excellence for DRI, the Coalition strengthens the individual and collective capacities of its members and partners by aggregating and sharing knowledge, brokering need-based partnerships, and strengthening capacities through collaborative learning and action.

Strategic Work Plan 2023-2026

CDRI’s Strategic Work Plan 2023-26 describes the broad contours of its priority actions and planned initiatives in the next four years. The Strategic Work Plan sets out a clear direction for the Coalition to pursue a transformational agenda for DRI in response to a changing risk landscape and evolving on-ground realities of its members. In the next four years, the Coalition will continue to leverage the expertise of its Member Countries and partners to develop context-specific, innovative solutions for resilient infrastructure towards the achievement of national priorities and global commitments of its members.

With the strategic work plan for 2023 – 2026, CDRI has set out the following strategic outcomes.

Strategic Outcome 1: A strong Coalition that has the membership, resources, and global leadership to drive global, national, regional, and local DRI action.

Strategic Outcome 2: Global DRI research, Coalition-led peer engagement, and CDRI-curated and generated knowledge promote risk-informed policy and practice.

Strategic Outcome 3: Enhanced capacities of government, private enterprises, and communities to implement post-disaster recovery and DRI action at scale.

CDRI Headquarters (Secretariat)

The CDRI headquarters is established in New Delhi, India, to act as the Secretariat of the Coalition. The Secretariat functions under the direction of the International Governing Council and the Executive Committee to implement the programmes of CDRI.

Position

The position is open to candidates of all nationalities.

All nationals demonstrating 10 years of international work experience in at least 5 countries across 2 UN geographic regions (from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and Oceania) would be considered for international positions (international hire).

Objective of the position:

To support the creation, design, implementation, and monitoring of studies and to provide technical support relating to projects. This includes disaster response and recovery support; innovation, institutional, and community capacity-building assistance; and standards and certification. To support the creation, design, implementation, and monitoring of studies and to provide technical support relating to projects.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Support in the development of strategies for technical assistance and cooperation for the respective domain/sectoral initiative in consultation with relevant government agencies, developmental partners, and other stakeholders.
• Actively participate in the programming and network activities, capacity development, knowledge sharing, staff mentoring, and updating the latest developments and issues related to the respective domain and CDRI member countries.
• Support to identify, prepare, appraise, and document projects/technical assistance to CDRI member countries.
• Lead the monitoring, periodic review, and progress reporting of project/program implementation, compliance with workplans and budgets, and the achievement of the desired project/sector outcomes.
• Ensure quality and consistency of reports, project documents, minutes, project briefs, back-to-office reports, and communications related to projects/programmes and respective domains.
• Ensure compliance of projects with CDRI’s policies, programme and operations manuals, project administration instructions, and assistance-related documentation.
• Support in the development and delivery of the assistance project/program pipeline by utilizing the domain/sector’s knowledge and experience.
• Create and maintain detailed activity workplans, budgets for the programme, and contribute to monthly/quarterly/annual planning, budgeting, and reporting. In addition, support activities related to MEL, progress reports, etc.
• Support and contribute to planning and documenting team progress meetings according to the programme’s activity plan.
• Support in preparing and monitoring the resourcing, quality, and risk management plan, in addition to managing contracts to ensure timeliness and quality of outputs (consultants, service providers).
• Support the Lead – Programmes in stakeholder management and overall programme coordination, and perform other duties as assigned and reflected in the workplan.
• Support task force, fact-finding, and appraisal missions, including, but not limited to, review of project/program designs, liaison with government officials, data and project/program costing, and implementation arrangements.
• Provides administrative and substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., including proposing agenda topics and content, identifying and proposing participants, preparing background documents and presentations, handling logistics, etc.
• Help organize, contribute to, support, and participate in meetings, conferences, seminars, and workshops, including country missions.
• Coordinate and support other CDRI teams/programmes for management of consultants, contracts, editing and design of technical documents, inputs for website/social media and institutional development etc.
• Performs other duties related to the CDRI, as assigned.

Skills

• Expertise in one or more of the following domains: Critical Infrastructure (Power, Telecommunications, Transport).
• Experience working with organizations in the critical infrastructure sector and power, telecom, and transport.
• Experience in structuring, developing technical documents and proposals on disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure, especially with respect to respective domain areas.
• Proven experience in strategizing, developing, and implementing projects for international organizations in developing countries’ public or private sectors.
• Experience in contributing to proposals, cost estimations, scope of work, and tender documents while involving stakeholder groups.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations and to handle multiple priorities.
• Excellent research and technical writing skills in English.
• Past track record/ability to work independently, deliver timely and quality products; and Computer proficiency, especially related to project management software, office software packages (Microsoft Office), and others as relevant, in addition to experience working in data analysis, working with big data, and GIS data.
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
• Skills in project development, implementation, and management.
• Organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to multitask, and ability to perform under pressure.
• Knowledge of disaster risk reduction and climate change concepts and frameworks, and familiarity with international frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), and the Paris Agreement.
• Experience of working with governments, international organizations, and alliances on multi-city initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Master’s in architecture, engineering, infrastructure planning, transport planning/engineering, environmental sciences, applied sciences, actuarial sciences, and economics. Candidates with international education are desirable.

Experience:

• 8-10 years of experience in a relevant position at the national or international level. Specific experience in critical infrastructure sectors, resilience, and disaster risk reduction within essential sectors of infrastructure would be given additional weightage.
• Experience working in an international organization and with a diverse number of partners comprising Governments, the UN, multi-lateral systems, industry, financial institutions, and knowledge and research institutions in multi-country locations.

Reporting Line:

• The incumbent will report to the Lead Specialist or the appropriate role per the approved organizational structure.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English, both oral and written.
• Knowledge of any of the UN’s official languages will be an asset.

How to Apply:

How to Apply:

If you have experience working in a similar capacity and want to make an active and lasting contribution to a global initiative spearheaded by India, please apply through the online application form only :https://app.cdri.world/career/public/.

CDRI is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with strict confidence.

CDRI has ZERO Tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and gender / racial discrimination. Any selection, therefore, will be subject to satisfactory reference and background checks.

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