Climate Resilience - DRR and Resilient Settlement Planning Consultant
About the Employer
Job Description
I. POSITION INFORMATION
Post Title: Climate Resilience, DRR and Resilient Settlement Planning Consultant
Duty Stations: Nuwara Eliya, with flexibility to work remotely as required.
Type of Contract: Lump-sum contract, aligned with the LICA-8 level based on the agreed deliverables and outputs.
Number of Positions: 1
Supervisor: National Project Manager
Contract Duration: 30 days, ending 31 October 2026
Date of Advertisement: 15 August 2026
Date of Closing: 04 September 2026
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development. UN-Habitat Sri Lanka supports the Government of Sri Lanka and other partners in achieving resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in settlements and communities.
UN-Habitat operates in several provinces of Sri Lanka, providing technical support and leadership in the area of climate resilience, DRR and resilient settlements. Since its establishment in 1978, UN-Habitat has been closely working with the Government of Sri Lanka and implementing programmes and projects that contribute to sustainable urban development and disaster resilience including CBDRM (community-based disaster risk management) and related initiatives.
UN-Habitat Sri Lanka, in partnership with government line agencies and local authorities, works to strengthen capacity and deliver practical solutions for climate resilience, risk reduction and sustainable urban development. The consultant will be based in Sri Lanka and will support UN-Habitat’s work under the project/ programme in the country, including travel to field offices as required.
FUNCTIONS/KEY RESULTS EXPECTED
Under the direct supervision of the National Project Manager, the Consultant will support UN-Habitat in Sri Lanka and travel to project sites as required. The consultant will contribute to the design, implementation and monitoring of climate resilience and DRR related activities in selected districts and provinces in Sri Lanka.
- Systematic review and updating of guidelines, standards and standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to climate resilience, DRR and resilient settlements.
- Development of local climate resilience and DRR action plans that integrate DRR, climate resilience and sustainable development objectives.
- Preparation of training materials and delivery of capacity-building activities for local authorities and community groups.
- Support to the design and implementation of community-based DRR and climate resilience initiatives, including pilot projects and knowledge products.
- Preparation of policy briefs, technical notes and other knowledge products to inform decision making at local and national levels.
- Coordination with government agencies and partners to align outputs with national strategies and international frameworks (e.g., Sendai Framework, CBDRM).
These functions will contribute to the overall objectives of UN-Habitat Sri Lanka program and the Local Resilience Strategy.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Review and update Guidelines, Standards and SOPs, and support the development and dissemination of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
2. Develop guidelines and tools for CBDRM and climate resilience that can be applied at district and local levels, including training materials for government staff and communities.
3. Contribute to the development of district and provincial level resilience plans, integrating climate resilience measures into local development plans and infrastructure projects.
4. Provide technical support to government partners and communities in implementing DRR and climate resilience activities, and facilitate knowledge sharing across districts.
5. Document best practices, lessons learned and contribute to knowledge management products for replication and scale-up.
6. Prepare progress reports and briefs for UN-Habitat and partners, and participate in coordination meetings as required.
Cross-cutting Tasks
• Work closely with technical teams and project partners to ensure coherence of CBDRM and climate resilience components within the project cycle.
• Support the preparation of technical notes and presentations for internal and external audiences.
Deliverables and Timeline
- Deliverable 1: Inception Report – within 1 week of contract start date.
- Deliverable 2: Gap analysis and updated guidelines – within 3 weeks.
- Deliverable 3: Local resilience plan components – by Week 6.
- Deliverable 4: Final Local Resilience Plan and Assignment Completion Report – by end of contract.
Travel: The consultant will be based in Sri Lanka and will travel as required to implement activities with UN-Habitat Colombo and other field offices.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Disaster Risk Management, Urban/Regional Planning, Climate Change Adaptation, Civil/Environmental Engineering or a related field.
Work Experience
- Minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or a minimum of 2 years with a Master’s degree, in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, urban planning or related field.
- Experience in developing local level resilience or DRR plans, preferably in Sri Lanka or a similar environment.
- Familiarity with the Sendai Framework, CBDRM approaches and disaster risk management guidelines and tools.
- Experience working with government technical institutions and partners; ability to coordinate with line agencies and communities.
Languages
Proficiency in English is required for reporting and coordination purposes. Knowledge of local languages (Sinhala and Tamil) and experience in project operations in Sri Lanka are highly desirable.
Competencies and Skills Required
- Strong analytical and technical writing skills related to disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and local planning.
- Experience in facilitation and coordination with government agencies and community groups.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work independently and with minimum supervision.
- Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with GIS tools would be an asset.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and to respond to changing priorities.
Remuneration
In compliance with UNOPS/UN-Habitat policy and related guidelines for Lump-sum contracts.
How to Apply
Only Sri Lankan Nationals meeting the essential qualifications of this position are invited to apply by submitting the following documents to the email address provided by UN-Habitat Sri Lanka:
- Letter of Interest clearly indicating the result expected from this assignment
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) and National Personnel History Form P11 (P11) attached and available in http://www.un.org.lk/jobs/p11.doc
- Your email subject should be “Application for the Post of Climate Resilience, DRR and Resilient Settlement Planning Consultant”
Failure to comply with the above requirements will result in rejection of the application.
Note: Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The United Nations reserves the right to fill or not fill the post, and the right to appoint at a level different from the requirement if necessary.
