Climate Change Specialist (Anticipatory Action)

The Climate Change Specialist (Anticipatory Action) is responsible for designing, operationalizing, and strengthening climate risk management, multi-hazards early warning systems, and pre-disaster humanitarian action plans in Sudan. The role involves working closely with FAO technical teams, government authorities, and other stakeholders to build climate resilience in the agricultural sector and support anticipatory actions.

Responsibilities

• Define localized, scientifically sound climate and weather thresholds (triggers) tailored to Sudan’s erratic climatic zones
• Adapt standard Anticipatory Action (AA) triggers to fit the complex reality of concurrent conflict and climate shocks
• Partner closely with the Sudan Meteorological Authority (SMA) and National Council for Civil Defense (NCCD) actors to maintain, analyze, and translate hydrometeorological data into operational multi-hazards early warning bulletins
• Support the integration of impact-based climate forecasting into the local humanitarian response mechanism
• Design standard operating procedures (SOPs) for pre-disaster assistance, such as shock-responsive agriculture support, emergency livestock interventions, and water management protocols
• Coordinate with logistics mechanisms to ensure pre-positioned stocks can be deployed immediately upon trigger activation
• Convene and lead technical working groups connecting local authorities, national NGOs, community committees, and international actors
• Ensure AA frameworks are inclusive, conflict-sensitive, and locally led to match the decentralized needs of host communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
• Design and deliver training workshops for state and national disaster management offices/ staff on climate resilience and early action
• Track the impact of anticipatory pilots, document lessons learned and scale up effective approaches

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Climatology, Meteorology, Environmental Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Agriculture, Natural Resources Management, Geography, or a related field
• At least seven years’ experience in the Sudan agriculture, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction or humanitarian/agricultural development sectors
• Working knowledge of English
• National of Sudan or resident of the country with a valid work permit
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in designing, implementing, or operationalizing early warning and anticipatory action frameworks (translating forecasts into pre-agreed humanitarian and development/ resilient actions)
• Previous experience working with national/sub-national governments, UN agencies, or international NGOs, particularly in climate-vulnerable or fragile contexts
• Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge on climate change adaptation, early warning systems, and anticipatory actions in Sudan
• Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge on agriculture, natural resources management
• Extent of experience in designing or implementing Early Action Protocols (EAPs), establishing impact-based forecasting systems, or defining climate trigger thresholds (e.g., Composite Drought Index, El Niño monitoring)
• Extent of knowledge and experiences in working with various stakeholders in Sudan including UN, Government, International Development Organizations, Donors, NGOs, private sector, academics, and others
• A track record of working directly with national disaster risk management authorities, ministries of agriculture, or hydrometeorological departments
• Experience integrating AA mechanisms into national laws and frameworks (like NAPs or NDCs) is highly valued
• Familiarity with risk mapping, climate-data visualization (using Python/R or GIS tools)

Skills

• Climate Change Adaptation
• Disaster Risk Reduction
• Early Warning Systems
• Anticipatory Action Frameworks
• Climate Risk Management
• Agricultural Development
• Natural Resource Management
• Early action protocols
• Impact-Based Forecasting
• Climate Trigger Thresholds
• Composite Drought Index
• El Niño Monitoring
• Risk Mapping
• Climate Data Visualization
• Python
• GIS Tools
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Working with National Governments
• UN Agency Collaboration

Languages

English