Vacancy: ISC Project Manager Hazards and Disaster Risk

📍 Location: Paris, France
🖋 Deadline for applications: 3 July 2023
✅ Desired start date: September 2023
📅 Duration: This is a full-time temporary position of 18 months (contrat à durée déterminée – CDD)

About the ISC

The ISC is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together over 220 international scientific unions and associations as well as national and regional scientific organizations including academies and research councils. Through our Members, the Council is unique in its capacity to integrate scientific excellence and science-policy expertise from all fields of science and all regions of the world.  

The vision of the ISC is science as a global public good. The mission of the ISC is to act as the global voice for science. As part of that mission, the ISC: 

• Speaks for the value of all science and evidence-informed decision-making; 
• Stimulates and supports international scientific research and scholarship on major issues of global concern; 
• Articulates scientific knowledge on such issues in the public domain; 
• Promotes the continued and equal advancement of scientific rigour, creativity and relevance in all parts of the world; 
• Defends the free and responsible practice of science. 

Read more on the ISC through our introductory brochure.

The role

The ISC is hiring a project manager for the second phase of the Hazard Definition and Classification project, co-led with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

In May 2019, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) jointly established a Technical Working Group (TWG) to identify the full scope of hazards relevant to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction as a basis for countries and other actors to review and strengthen their risk reduction policies and operational risk management practices. This entailed the development of technical recommendations regarding the scope and definitions of hazards related to the Sendai Framework.  

The first results of this effort were presented in the UNDRR-ISC Hazard Definition and Classification Review – Technical Report, in July 2020.  A key recommendation from the Review was the need to engage with the scientific and international community to foster greater alignment and consistency of the hazard definitions through the development of hazard information profiles (HIPs).  The next step of these efforts resulted in the UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles: Supplement to UNDRR-ISC Hazard Definition & Classification Review – Technical Report, published in October 2021, which presents the first comprehensive attempt at compiling existing information and available definitions on each of the hazards in a concise and structured format, involving 100 authors and more than 130 external reviewers across 100 organisations.  

The development of the profiles involved a wide range of scientific experts from:  

• United Nations agencies and scientific networks,
• International scientific unions, other international scientific organisations and NGOs,  
• universities, education and training bodies and research institutes,  
• government scientific agencies and intergovernmental organisations, and 
• the private sector. 

Acknowledging that our understanding of hazards is continually evolving, the HIPs require regular updating to maintain contemporary and effective relevance in the disaster risk landscape. A light-touch review and update of the Hazard Information Profiles is being initiated for completion by end of 2024. 

The ISC is looking for a project manager to work with the Head of the Global Policy Unit and the Chair of the project to support the design and implementation of this second phase. The project manager will be expected to: 

• Support the Chair and the co-facilitators (UNDRR and ISC) in the design of the project method and outputs; 
• Undertake extensive desk research for existing hazard definitions, terminology, classifications; 
• Coordinate regular meetings of the multi-stakeholder steering group, and hazard cluster working groups; 
• Coordinate inputs from partners and subject matters experts into the update and review of the HIPs; 
• Support the drafting of the revised HIPs; 
• Maintain a dashboard of the HIPs and experts involved; 
• Compile regular project update and communication; 
• Support any other DRR-related work of the ISC as needed. 

Qualifications and knowledge

• A Masters or PhD in a relevant science discipline; 
• Experience in managing multi-dimensional projects; 
• Knowledge of relevant intergovernmental partner organizations and processes, including UN organisations and conventions; 
• Ability to work within a complex, international, interdisciplinary and multicultural environment; 
• A full command of written and spoken English. Working knowledge of French and knowledge of other languages will be considered an advantage.  

Skills

• A good understanding of the role and potential of data and information in disaster risk reduction; 
• Strong interest in deepening our understanding of hazards and risk across disciplines and sectors; 
• Ability to work autonomously and across multiple cultural and organisational contexts; 
• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances. 

Duration and location

This is a full-time temporary position of 18 months (contrat à durée déterminée – CDD) and the desired start date is September 2023. The incumbent is expected to reside in the Paris area, benefiting from the ISC’s teleworking policy.  

Remuneration

The salary will be dependent on the experience and qualifications of the candidate.

Deadline

Applications close on 3 July 2023.

How to apply

Please complete the application online form below. Applicants are requested to address the job description, qualifications, knowledge and skills requirements in a cover letter and a curriculum vitae with the name and contact details of two referees. Candidates from developing countries are encouraged to apply. 

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Stay up to date with our newsletters

Email *

NEXT

Email *

Name *

First

Last

Organization

Job title

Area(s) of work

• Science
• Policy, government
• Business, industry
• Community
• Indigenous
• Student
• Media
• Other

Which newsletter(s) would you like to receive? *

• ISC MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
• Centre for Science Futures
• Science for Disaster Risk Reduction
• Science at the UN community updates
• Open science round-up
• ISC Job Alerts
• Regional updates: Latin America and the Caribbean
• Regional updates: Africa
• Regional updates: Asia Pacific
• Early and Mid-Career Researchers

Checkboxes *

• You have my consent to email me

Subscribe