State Consultant - Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)

About the Organization:

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) is an autonomous international organization established for scientific, educational, developmental, and humanitarian purposes with a vision of safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific. Established in 1986 as a technical capacity-building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences, envisioning safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction. Being an autonomous international organization governed by the Board of Trustees. It supports sustainable solutions for disaster risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas, with 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) effectively.

Job Description:

The State Consultant in Kerala, under the overall guidance of the Program Lead (INSPIRE India) and in close coordination with the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) and the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), will be responsible for the effective coordination, implementation, and monitoring of INSPIRE program activities in the state. The Consultant will play a central role in strengthening local disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience planning by supporting the operationalization of data-driven tools and risk-informed governance processes at the grassroots level.

The Consultant will have key responsibilities that include coordinating the development of a Damage and Loss Assessment Tool and its web-based application, supporting the revision and restructuring of methodologies and tools for Local Disaster Management Plans (LDMPs), and facilitating training and consultation processes with local governments. This will involve conducting a Training Needs Assessment, organizing national- and state-level consultations, convening small-group workshops to develop modules, and coordinating the documentation and dissemination of Kerala’s experiences.

Job Responsibilities:

Technical Implementation and Coordination

• Coordinate the design and development of the Damage and Loss Assessment Tool, ensuring its transition into a functional and user-friendly web application.

• Support the revision and restructuring of methodologies and tools for Local Disaster Management Plans (LDMPs), incorporating lessons from the 2018 floods, the Rebuild Kerala Initiative, and recent SOPs and tools.

• Facilitate a Training Needs Assessment for local governments to identify capacity gaps and tailor learning interventions.

• Organize and coordinate workshops and consultations under the guidance of KSDMA and KILA, including:

• A two-day national workshop to share experiences of local DM planning,

• A one-day national consultation on methodologies and tools for localized DM plans,

• At least two state-level consultations with departments, local governments, DDMAs, and relevant agencies,

• At least five small-group workshops for the preparation of training modules.

• Coordinate the documentation of experiences and lessons learned from LDMP processes and support the preparation of printed and digital knowledge products.

• Oversee the design, development, and roll-out of the LDMP web application to strengthen planning capacities at the local government level.

• Ensure that all technical activities in Kerala are aligned with INSPIRE’s broader work plan and with state and national disaster management frameworks.

Program Management and Monitoring

• Ensure timely implementation of program activities in Kerala as per approved work plan and budget.

• Coordinate closely with KILA, KSDMA, and ADPC to plan, implement, and monitor activities under the program.

• Monitor progress against agreed deliverables and provide regular technical and financial reports.

• Organize and support logistical and technical planning for state-level consultations, training workshops, and learning events.

• Liaise with consultants, trainers, and other technical experts engaged in the state for program activities.

Knowledge Management and Reporting

• Capture and document lessons, challenges, and success stories from Kerala to feed into the national and regional knowledge-sharing platform of INSPIRE.

• Contribute to development of case studies, learning briefs, and process documentation reflecting Kerala’s experiences under INSPIRE.

• Submit quarterly technical and financial progress reports to ADPC, aligned with the program's M&E framework.

• Participate in knowledge-sharing events and facilitate the exchange of best practices across states and regions.

• Responsible for monitoring the performance targets against the agreed M&E plans and work plans and report the progress on time.

Education Qualification/Required Skills & Experience:

• Master’s degree or higher in Disaster Management, Emergency Management, Social Science, Development Studies, Business Administration, or related disciplines with substantial experience in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in DRR, institutional strengthening, or capacity development in India.

• Proven track record of working with state governments or training institutions in India, especially in Kerala.

• Demonstrated experience in facilitating decentralized planning processes and capacity-building programs.

• Capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyze, and synthesize complex and technical information into user-friendly formats and products.

• Familiarity and experience working with international donor-funded (e.g. BMGF, USAID, UN, WB, etc.) programs

• Proven experience in working with multiple donors, familiarity with donor requirements, donor reporting, and progress reports submission

• Excellent communication, coordination, and report writing skills in English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluent (reading, writing, speaking) Malayalam and English. Mandatory.

• Experience in hazard mapping or GIS-based planning tools.

• Understanding of Kerala’s disaster profile, institutions, and governance systems.

• Self-motivated, proactive, and takes initiative.

• Demonstrated ability to plan and organize work and time independently.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, team-oriented work style, and experience in working in a multicultural environment.

• Strong desire to learn, undertake new challenges, must be a creative problem-solver and must have self-confidence, willingness to work hard, good sense of humor but with seriousness about the quality and excellence of work.

Interested candidates can submit the completed ADPC application form (downloadable from www.adpc.net), resume, and copy of degrees/certificate(s) together with a cover letter to procurement@adpc.net.