SME Resilience Consultant - Strengthening the disaster resilience of SMEs p

at  United Nations

Result of Service
Enhance the disaster resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Barcelona by developing tailored business continuity plans (BCPs), conducting landscape studies, facilitating workshops, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to integrate disaster risk reduction strategies into the practices of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Work Location
Home-based
Expected duration
01/11/24-30/04/25
Duties and Responsibilities
Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 150 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses, and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyses action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. This consultancy is focused on enhancing the resilience of small and medium-sized businesses in Barcelona by strengthening their business continuity plans. The consultancy is home based. The consultant will report to the Programme Management Officer (private sector focal point) of UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Brussels, and work in close collaboration with the Programme Management Officer of the project at UNDRR headquarters in Geneva. The selected person will be responsible for providing technical support to enhance Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and resilience in SMEs. Responsibilities include developing tools, collecting information from primary and secondary sources, conducting desk research on the implementation of Business Continuity plans in SMEs, preparing and conducting workshops, dataset analysis, and other techniques to provide essential input for project development. Additionally, the selected person will provide logistical support for organizing meetings, high-level sessions, and other activities. Duties and Responsibilities First 6 months (1) Project Planning and Coordination - Develop a detailed work plan outlining all phases of the project, ensuring alignment with timelines and objectives. - Liaise with the UNDRR Regional Office project focal point under the overall project coordination of the UNDRR Geneva programme officer. (2) Landscape Study Development and Conduct - Identify and ensure relevant participating businesses in consultation with UNDRR Regional Office project focal point, UNDRR, and local project partners, including ARISE Network, chamber of commerce, business associations, and/or Making Cities Resilient or local authority focal point(s) in line with the project - Adapt and prepare local instrument(s) for collecting data necessary for landscape studies of SMEs in Barcelona, including women-owned businesses, based on UNDRR guidance and established. - Collaborate with stakeholders to review instruments and identify participants, targeting a minimum of 100 SMEs for inclusion in the studies, with an aim for 300 plus. - Conduct the landscape study in Barcelona, ensuring thorough data collection and analysis to inform local risk understanding among SMEs. - Compile and analyze information gathered from the landscape studies, preparing a detailed report with findings and actionable recommendations for consideration in the development of novel BCPs. (3) Peer-to-Peer Workshop Facilitation - Organize and facilitate one peer-to-peer workshop in Barcelona, aimed at generating actionable recommendations to enhance disaster risk reduction (DRR) for SMEs. - Identify and engage relevant representatives from business associations, government, and SMEs to share experiences and enhance their understanding of risks and DRR strategies. - Coordinate communication and engagement with local stakeholders to ensure effective participation. - Create and prepare necessary materials and resources for the workshop to facilitate effective discussions. - Lead discussions during the workshop, fostering an environment conducive to knowledge sharing and collaboration. - Document workshop proceedings and prepare a comprehensive report summarizing conclusions and recommendations. - Develop materials based on workshop outcomes to disseminate findings and insights to a broader audience in consultation with UNDRR Geneva project programme officer and UNDRR Communications. (4) BCP Workshop - Organize and facilitate one workshop to share landscape findings and identify interventions for integrating DRR into SME business management practices. - Develop workshop content that includes tools for creating and enhancing Business Continuity Plans (BCPs), focusing on at least three priority economic sectors. - Identify and convene participants for the workshops, ensuring a minimum of 50 attendees per session. - Select and train six trainers to support the implementation of BCPs among participating SMEs, enhancing their capacity for resilience. - Prepare reports summarizing workshop outcomes, participant feedback, and recommendations for future actions. (5) Business Continuity Plans Development - Customize tools for developing Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) to align with key economic sectors and national regulatory frameworks. - Find and partner with at least 25 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to collaborate on BCP development and obtain commitment letters from these businesses to formalize partnerships.
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business management, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, environmental science, engineering, or finance is required. A minimum of two years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience working in sustainable development issues with the private sector is required. Experience with the Barcelona SME landscape is desirable. Experience with stakeholder engagement and collaboration with business associations, government, and SMEs is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English and Spanish is required for this consultancy. Working knowledge of Catalan is desirable.
Additional Information
Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.
No Fee

Please refer the Job description for details