Adviser – National Flood Response and Flood Risk Management

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments. 

2. The Platform has prioritised gender equality, disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji (GoF) agencies. 

3. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance, and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management.

Program Overview

The Fiji Climate Adaptation Program (FCAP) is Australia’s first bilateral climate program in Fiji, an FJD 35 million investment (2026-2029). The program responds to Fiji’s escalating climate threats, particularly floods and cyclones, that threaten lives, livelihoods and infrastructure. FCAP will partner with GoF (led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways (MoAW) and civil society organisations (CSO)s to implement climate resilience activities  

The objective of FCAP is to reduce flood risk and strengthen resilience to flooding through improved water governance, land management, livelihoods and early warning systems.  

FCAP will deliver the following outcomes: 

Strengthened governance & early warning systems to reduce flood risk and mitigate impacts  

• Strengthened governance & early warning systems to reduce flood risk and mitigate impacts  
• Support for national/sub-national governance, legal frameworks and planning systems to improve water resource management.  
• Flood early warning systems and community flood risk plans.  
• Delivered via technical assistance, capacity building, knowledge exchange and flood warning infrastructure.  

Community-level climate resilience activities to reduce flood risk and mitigate impacts  

• Grants for practical adaptation in priority catchments.  
• Activities include nature-based solutions, climate-smart agriculture and ecosystem conservation.

Assignment Background: 

Fiji is highly vulnerable to significant flooding incidents. Increasingly frequent extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change have intensified flood risks (river flooding and flash flooding). These hazards, in turn, increase the likelihood of secondary impacts including landslides, debris flow, and waterborne diseases.  

To enhance preparedness for flood responses, Fiji’s National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDRMO) is planning to develop National Flood Response and National Flood Risk Management Plans. These plans aim to serve as a guiding document for NDRMO, the Divisional Offices, and stakeholders to manage flooding risks, as well as prepare for and respond to flood incidents, ensuring swift, coordinated, and effective responses that minimise impacts.

Position Summary: 

The incumbent will work closely with Fiji NDRMO, Fiji Meteorological Services, and the Fiji Response Cluster lead to develop the National Flood Response Plan and National Flood Risk Management Plan. The development of the plans will include desk reviews, interviews, focus group discussions, analysis, draft development, and activity reporting.  

The objective of the consultant is to support the NDRMO in the following:

1. Facilitate consultations with stakeholders.
2. Develop a National Flood Response Plan.
3. Develop a National Flood Risk Management Plan. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Conduct an initial interview with NDRMO, Fiji Meteorological Service, Department of Water and Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways
• Confirm and develop the scope for a desk study with NDRMO and conduct the desk study.  
• Develop an Inception Report detailing scope, stakeholders, methodology, tools and workplan.
• Work with the NDRMO Geographic Information System (GIS) team to understand flooding scenarios in Fiji.
• Conduct first round of consultations (interviews and focus group discussions with stakeholders).
• Develop the first draft of the Flood Response Plan and Flood Risk Management Plan, including resourcing required to implement the Plans effectively.
• Conduct second round of consultations (interviews and focus group discussions with stakeholders).
• Develop the final draft of the Flood Response Plan and Flood Risk Management Plan.
• Present the final draft of the Flood Response Plan and the Flood Risk Management Plan to NDRMO and submit to the NDRMO for endorsement by the National Disaster Risk Management Council.
• Develop an Activity Report, detailing the development process and stakeholders, and recommendations and lessons learnt.
• Present the Activity report to NDRMO to inform the development of future response plans.
• Consider opportunities for providing training and mentoring to NDRMO staff relate to flood risk management and response.  

Integration of Cross-Cutting themes:

Ensure:

• Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion principles are effectively and appropriately integrated in a meaningful and practical way in the Response Plan and Risk Management Plan.
• Climate change is factored into the Response Plan and Risk Management Plan.
• The roles of key government stakeholders at the national and subnational levels are identified in the response plan.
• Support NDRMO’s leadership and draw on their expertise during the development process of the Plan.  
• Develop approaches to effectively socialise the Plans with NDRMO staff. 

Key Deliverables:  

• Desk Study.  
• Inception Report.
• Flood scenario mapping.
• Flood Risk Management Plan, including initial draft and subsequent revisions with the Final Report submitted to the NDRMO for endorsement by the National Disaster Risk Management Council.
• Flood Response Plan, including initial draft and subsequent revisions with the Final Report submitted to the NDRMO for endorsement by the National Disaster Risk Management Council.
• Final Activity Report. 

Key Working Relationships: 

Reporting lines:

• Directly reporting to: Manager Risk Management and Research at the NDRMO 
• Indirectly reporting to: FPSP FCAP Mobilisation Lead / Interim Team Leader

Working closely with:  

• Fiji NDRMO, Fiji Meteorological Services, and the Fiji Response Cluster
• Manager of Emergency Planning and Coordination (EPC)
• Manager for Risk Management and Research (RMR)

Selection Criteria: 

Qualifications

Essential

• University Degree in relevant fields such as disaster management, emergency management, climate change adaptation, public safety, public health, environmental science, engineering, and social science.

Desired

• Degree or research experience related to approaches for response and contingency planning.

Core competencies

• Knowledge of approaches to disaster risk management.
• Understanding of emergency response systems (Response Cluster, Incident Management System).  
• Understanding of Fiji Disaster Risk Management Context.
• Demonstrated cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills.

Skills

• Hazard and risk assessment.
• Scenario development.
• Stakeholder coordination.
• Response Planning and writing skills.
• Fluency in written and oral English.

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Disaster Risk Management with flood risk and response experience.  
• Disaster response or operations.
• Emergency planning and preparedness.
• Working with emergency operations centre, first responder and local government

How to Apply: