Anticipatory Action Specialist

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace and prosperity. WFP operates globally, providing food assistance and addressing the impacts of conflict, disasters, and climate change. The organization values diversity, inclusion, and invests in its employees' professional development, offering a dynamic and impactful career.

Job Purpose

The Anticipatory Action Specialist will provide crucial technical and coordination support to enhance anticipatory action and climate risk management systems across the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). This role involves supporting the application of climate and hazard risk analysis, forecasting, and financing mechanisms to enable timely, risk-informed actions ahead of predictable shocks like cyclones and floods. The specialist will work with governments and partners to design and operationalize integrated systems, linking early warning information with national delivery platforms such as social protection and cash assistance. Key responsibilities include developing risk analysis tools, contributing to regional frameworks, coordinating with meteorological and disaster management agencies, and strengthening the integration of climate risk management into national policies. This roving position requires frequent travel within the Pacific region to safeguard livelihoods and minimize disaster impacts.

Responsibilities

The Anticipatory Action and Climate Risk Management Specialist will play a crucial role in strengthening anticipatory action and climate risk management systems across the Pacific. This involves providing technical and coordination support to governments and partners, enabling them to act proactively ahead of predictable hazards. Key responsibilities include designing and operationalizing integrated climate risk management strategies, leveraging early warning information and national delivery mechanisms for timely cash and emergency assistance. The specialist will lead the development and application of climate and hazard risk analysis, forecasting, and financing shock-responsive delivery mechanisms to enhance risk-informed decision-making. This includes strengthening linkages between climate risk management, early warning systems, disaster risk financing, and scalable delivery systems. Coordination with meteorological services, disaster management agencies, and regional partners is essential to improve risk analysis, forecasting capabilities, and preparedness planning. The role also involves integrating climate risk management and anticipatory action into national policies and programs, supporting shock-responsive social protection systems, and ensuring community feedback informs program design. The specialist will also conduct simulation exercises, assessments, and provide training to build capacity in these critical areas, requiring frequent travel within the Pacific region.

Work Experience

Requires at least five years of progressive experience in climate and disaster risk management, anticipatory action, disaster risk financing, resilience programming, or social protection. Must have demonstrated experience designing or operationalizing programs in areas like anticipatory action, climate risk management, shock-responsive social protection, or cash-based interventions. Proven experience working with government systems on climate/hazard risk analysis, vulnerability assessments, forecasting, policy development, system strengthening, or program implementation is also necessary.

Skills

Climate Risk Management, Anticipatory Action, Disaster Risk Financing, Shock-Responsive Social Protection, Climate and Hazard Risk Analysis, Early Warning Systems, Forecasting, Policy Development, Stakeholder Engagement, Programme Implementation, Cash-Based Interventions, Resilience Programming, Impact-Based Forecasting, Risk Modelling, Trigger Methodologies, Food Security Analysis, Vulnerability Assessments, Climate Information Services, Social and SBCC

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