Organizational Setting

The FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean (SLC) was established in 1996 and is based in Barbados. It is headed by a Sub-Regional Representative/Coordinator and is staffed by a Multidisciplinary Team and an Administrative Unit. The FAO Caribbean Sub-Regional Office is supporting 13 member countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

FAO, together with UN, government, and regional partners, is implementing a portfolio of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Resilience projects across the Caribbean. Some of these include capacity building on and institutionalization of innovative DRM/Resilience tools; support to Agriculture Disaster Risk Management Planning; hazard-specific preparedness and response; and enhancing the availability, quality and ease-of-access to agro-meteorological data and climate risk information.

Reporting Lines

The DRM Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean, the technical supervision of the FAO Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Specialist and Emergency Focal Point, and in close coordination with the FAO SLC Programme Coordinator and the appointed government focal points.

Technical Focus 

Provide technical and operational support for the timely and effective implementation of disaster risk management and resilience-building activities in accordance with FAO rules and procedures. The focus will be on enhancing capacities across the Caribbean to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters affecting agriculture. This includes developing and institutionalizing disaster risk management strategies, supporting agriculture-specific hazard preparedness, and promoting innovative approaches to climate resilience. The goal is to reduce vulnerability, safeguard livelihoods, and ensure food security across the region.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Provide technical support for projects and initiatives across the region Disaster Risk Management and Early Warning Systems with focus on one or more of the following areas: Project/Programme Coordination, Disaster Impacts and Needs Assessment, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, Information Technology/Information Management
•    Serve as the main contact for coordinating emergency response and facilitate regular coordination meetings with government agencies, partners, and stakeholders
•    Prioritize emergency response actions based on assessments and response plans, including resource allocation, fieldwork, and logistics.
•    Use FAO-approved methods to assess impacts on crops, livestock, and fisheries, compiling data on flood and disaster impacts with information from stakeholders and the Ministry of Agriculture and assist in the creation of agriculture-specific DRM plans.
•    Collaborate with project partners to incorporate DRM (Disaster Risk Management) topics into training for resilient agricultural practices, focusing on long-term resilience.
•    Conduct disaster needs assessments and capacity evaluations for DRM in agriculture, focusing on community needs with local authorities, farmers, and fishers.
•    Compile, clean, manage, and analyze geospatial datasets related to agriculture and disaster vulnerability (climate, topography, soil, water resources).
•    Conduct pre- and post-impact GIS mapping and support GIS/RS analyses for agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and forestry.
•    Conduct training needs assessments and create programs to support skills in agricultural disaster preparedness, GIS mapping, data management, and MIS usage.
•    Analyze Ministry of Agriculture requirements based on process mapping reports to support improvements in their DRM MIS (Management Information System).
•    Assist in integrating farmer and fishers’ registries and other spatial datasets into geodatabases for enhanced data accessibility.
•    Collaborate with the Government IT team to develop, secure, and maintain a scalable DRM MIS for the Ministry of Agriculture, ensuring modern technology integration.
•    Continuously support system development and enhance MIS for effective disaster response.
•    Prepare reports on disaster assessments, response activities, and resilience-building efforts, and document lessons learned, best practices, and any other relevant data for future reference.
•    Perform any other duties as required

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University Degree in Disaster Risk Management, Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Health, Environmental Science/Natural Resource Management, Agrometeorology and Climatology, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing/Geomatics, Information technology/Data Science, Climate Change, or a related field
•    At least 5 years of relevant experience in disaster risk management, emergency response, or resilience building in the agriculture sector
•    Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Extent and relevance of experience in disaster risk management and resilience building, particularly within the agriculture or environmental sectors
•    Experience in emergency response coordination, needs assessments, and capacity-building initiatives related to climate risks and natural hazards
•    Familiarity with FAO’s approaches and tools in disaster risk reduction, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable development