Mission and objectivesUNDP is the UNโs global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges. In Bhutan, over the last 50 years, UNDP has been supporting the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) to attain its national priorities. In 2024, UNDP started implementation of the Country Programme Document 2024-2028, aligning to the countryโs 13th Five-Year Plan.
ContextBhutan is highly vulnerable to climate-induced and natural disasters such as earthquakes, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), flash floods, and landslides. These hazards pose significant threats to lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, and Bhutanโs development trajectory. The countryโs mountainous terrain, fragile ecosystems, and increasing urbanizationโparticularly in seismic-prone areas like Thimphu, Punakha, and Wangduephodrangโfurther compound its exposure to disaster risks. In response to the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-induced disasters, the Royal Government of Bhutan, in collaboration with UN agencies has launched the UN Joint Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) titled โNational Resilience Programme: De-risking Bhutanโs Development Pathways.โ This initiative is a strategic effort to strengthen Bhutanโs national and local capacities to anticipate, absorb, adapt to, and prevent shocks, while promoting inclusive and risk-informed development. It is fully aligned with Bhutanโs 13th Five-Year Plan, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2024โ2028), and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. This programme opens up significant opportunities for disaster resource mobilization by providing a structured platform for integrating DRR into national development planning. It supports the mobilization of both technical and financial resources to build resilience across sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education. Complementing this national initiative is the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF)โformally known as the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD)โunder the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. The LDF represents a landmark in global climate finance, designed to support developing countries like Bhutan that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. It provides financial assistance for both economic and non-economic losses resulting from extreme weather events and slow-onset processes such as glacial retreat and ecosystem degradation. The Disaster Resilience Programme Development Specialist will play a pivotal role in supporting UNDP Bhutan to: โข Develop and strengthen DRR project pipelines that are responsive to Bhutanโs evolving risk landscape and aligned with national priorities. โข Support Resource Mobilization by identifying funding opportunities, drafting proposals, and engaging with donors and partners. โข Support Country Office in building strategic partnerships with government agencies, UN entities, financial institutions, and civil society to scale up anticipatory and inclusive DRR efforts. โข Support the implementation of the UN Joint Programme on DRR, including its focus on risk governance, early warning systems, inclusive preparedness, and risk-informed development. โข Integrate cross-cutting themes such as gender equality, disability inclusion, and youth engagement into DRR programming and pipeline development. This role is critical to ensuring that Bhutanโs development gains are safeguarded against disaster risks and that the countryโs transition from LDC status is supported by resilient systems and institutions. The Specialist will also contribute to positioning UNDP Bhutan as a key partner in resilience-building and climate adaptation financing.
Task Descriptionโข Lead the development of new project pipelines on disaster risk reduction and resilience, aligned with Bhutanโs 13th FYP (Five Year Plan) and UNDP CPD (Country Programme Document) 2024โ2028. โข Support resource mobilization efforts by drafting concept notes, proposals, and donor briefs. โข Coordinate with government counterparts, UN agencies, and development partners to identify funding opportunities and co-financing mechanisms. โข Provide technical inputs to the implementation of the UN Joint Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction. โข Conduct risk and resilience assessments to inform pipeline development and investment planning. โข Support knowledge management, reporting, and documentation of lessons learned and best practices. โข Contribute to the integration of gender, disability inclusion, and youth engagement in DRR programming. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Representative and direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, and in close coordination with the Governance and Environment Portfolio Managers, the Disaster Resilience Programme Development Specialist will: โข Lead the design and development of new project pipelines focused on disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience building, and risk-informed development, aligned with Bhutanโs 13th Five-Year Plan, UNDP CPD 2024โ2028, and the UN Joint Programme on DRR. โข Identify and pursue resource mobilization opportunities by drafting concept notes, proposals, and donor engagement materials targeting bilateral, multilateral, and vertical climate and disaster finance sources. โข Support the implementation of the UN Joint Programme on DRR, including coordination with UN agencies, government counterparts, and development partners. โข Provide technical inputs to strengthen risk governance, early warning systems, and inclusive preparedness and response mechanisms, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, youth, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. โข Facilitate stakeholder consultations and partnership-building efforts with government, civil society, academia, and private sector actors to advance anticipatory and inclusive DRR. โข Contribute to the development of knowledge products, policy briefs, and advocacy materials to promote risk-informed development and resilience financing. โข Support the integration of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social protection into DRR programming and pipeline design. โข Monitor global DRR and climate resilience trends and funding windows to inform strategic positioning of UNDP Bhutan. โข Collates and extracts lessons learned and good practice from existing disaster and climate risk governance programmes to inform UNDP policy positions, strategies, methodologies, and knowledge products. โข Supports regular analysis of UNDPโs programme portfolio on disaster and climate risk governance. Results/expected outputs: โข DRR Pipeline and Proposal Portfolio Developed o A portfolio of disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience-building, and Loss and Damage project concepts and proposals is developed, aligned with Bhutanโs national priorities (13th Five-Year Plan, UNDP CPD 2024โ2028) and global frameworks such as the Sendai Framework and SDGs. o At least three new funding proposals are submitted to donors or financing mechanisms during the assignment period. โข Implementation Support to UN Joint Programme on DRR Strengthened o Technical inputs are provided to support the implementation of the UN Joint Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction and Loss and Damage, including contributions to risk governance, early warning systems, and inclusive preparedness components. o Coordination and engagement with UN agencies, government counterparts, and stakeholders are facilitated to ensure effective delivery of programme outcomes. โข Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy Enhanced o Strategic partnerships are established or deepened with key stakeholders, including government agencies, UN entities, donors, civil society, and academia. o Knowledge products, policy briefs, and advocacy materials are developed to support decision-making and promote investment in DRR and resilience financing. โข Supports UNDPโs engagement in and contribution to major global conferences and events with respect to disaster and climate risk governance o Coordinate and perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned in the specific thematic area, and verify that knowledge sharing and content management are in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools. o Maintains updates on UNDP SharePoint and UNDP website spaces on disaster and climate risk governance โข Inclusive and Evidence-Based DRR Programming Advanced o Evidence of increased integration of gender, disability, and youth considerations in DRR programming and pipeline development is documented. o Regular reporting and documentation of lessons learned and best practices are shared with UNDP and partners to inform future programming and resource mobilization efforts.
Competencies and valuesโข Systems Thinking โข Strategy โข Resource Mobilization โข Creativity โข Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Creation โข Adaptability and Resilience โข Effective Communication
Living conditions and remarksBhutan is a lower-middle-income country, landlocked between China and India, with an estimated population of 770,0002. A Human Development Index of 0.666 (2021) places it in the medium human development category, ranked 127 out of 189 countries. Rapid economic growth, averaging 7.5 per cent per annum was experienced since the 1980s. Between 2010 and 2021, the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita increased by 22.3 per cent to USD 11,3005. Poverty rates reduced sharply from 23 per cent in 2007 to 8 per cent in 20176, with 12.4 per cent recorded in 2022. Significant gains in human development, poverty reduction and living standards have been guided by Bhutanโs gross national happiness philosophy of balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability, inclusive social progress and cultural vibrancy, underpinned by good governance. Despite the positive momentum, socio-economic vulnerability remains, primarily due to difficult geographical conditions, narrow economic base, dependency on limited international market for trade, and increased emigration of productive population in recent years. Bhutan is a relatively stable and peaceful country. The capital, Thimphu, is located at an elevation of 2,334 meters where the summers are warm, and winters are chilly. The Bhutanese currency Ngultrum is pegged with the Indian Rupees and one USD is equivalent to 82 Ngultrums approximately. In the capital, rented flats range from Nu.7000-17,000 (96 to 250 USD) while furnished apartments cost around 300 to 700 USD. Public transportation including taxis are cheap starting from 0.3 USD to 5 USD. Groceries and other food items would amount to around 300 dollars a month. Bhutan provides free basic health and education and as per Article 9 of the Constitution of Bhutan, access to universal basic health services is free to all individuals living in the country. The countryโs national language is Dzongkha but the local populace is comfortable in using English which makes day to day conversations easy. Entitlements of International UN Volunteer include Entry Lump Sum Allowance (USD4,000); Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) (USD2,734.93*), Entitlement Travel for UN Volunteer and eligible dependents (Authorized in writing by UNV HQ): Flight tickets (entry on duty & repatriation); Insurance Coverage (Comprehensive health, life, and malicious acts insurance); Annual Leave of 2.5 days per month; Access to UNVโs learning and career development resources; and Exit Lump Sum Allowance (USD225 per month served) payable upon successful completion of the assignment. For further information on the full entitlements, please refer to the Unified Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers (COS) at app.unv.org/explore *VLA will be specified when the Offer of UN Volunteer assignment is issued.