Resilience Specialist

DanChurchAid (DCA) is seeking to recruit an energetic Kenyan National for the position of Resilience Specialist. The position is Nairobi based – with frequent travel to DCA and partner areas of operation in Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan – and reports to the SPREAD Consortium Project Manager based in Kenya. The role will be supported by a group of global resilience advisors. 

The Resilience Specialist will be responsible for providing technical assistance for the EU funded project titled ‘Strengthening integrated Peace, Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction for cross-border communities in the in the border region of South Omo/Ethiopia, Turkana/Kenya and Eastern Equatoria/South Sudan (SPREAD). 

Role Purpose

• Providing technical capacity-building support for the design, planning, and implementation of the project’s resilience components, in close collaboration with technical leads based with partners in Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan and DCA Country Offices. This includes identifying training needs and coordinating with relevant colleagues—such as those from DCA Country Offices (COs), implementing partners, DCA Headquarters, or, where necessary, engaging external consultants or trainers.
• Assessing technical experience and evidence from past interventions, as well as staying informed on regional initiatives and research related to resilience, to ensure integration of best practices, lessons learned, and emerging insights into project delivery. Ensuring alignment with DCA’s strategy and programmatic approaches and contributing to their refinement where evidence indicates the need for adjustment.
• Maintaining technical oversight, the Specialist will be expected to take part in relevant networking events and engage in stakeholder relationships, in alignment with the Consortium Project Manager.
• Convene and facilitate monthly meetings of the Consortium Resilience Working Group, ensuring effective coordination, follow-up on action points, and documentation of key discussions and decisions
• Identifying synergies and coordinating with other resilience actions carried out by DCA and partners as well as other initiatives and actors. Internally, this will include regular sparring and sharing learnings with resilience colleagues in HQ (Programme, Advocacy & Learning / PAL Unit) and with colleagues in relevant COs, thereby contributing to building organisational learning. Advising and supporting the Consortium Project Manager and country level resilience colleagues on strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement. 
• Producing and contributing to policy briefing papers and technical reports together with country level and partner technical leads to support decision making processes and knowledge sharing – regionally and in country.

Required Education and Experience

Education: 

• Relevant educational background (BSc, MSc) within the field of international development, resilience, environmental, social science or similar fields of expertise.

Experience:

• At least five years’ experience of working internationally in climate / resilience issues in humanitarian and development settings.
• Experience within the region, preferably from at least two of the countries in question – Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan. Experience from cross-border interventions is an added advantage.
• Strong technical skills and experience on resilience building programming. In the context of this project, resilience encompasses environmental and climate, social and economic dimensions and emphasizes communities’ leadership and involvement, market-based approaches, gender sensitive and transformative action, human rights-based and conflict sensitive approaches.
• Experience with agro-pastoral and pastoral food and livelihoods systems, integrated natural resources management (and conflict resolution related to natural resources), resilience design, agroecology and ecosystem-based adaptation approaches or similar is an advantage.

Skills and abilities:

• Strong knowledge of the political, socio-economic and environmental contexts (regional and country contexts).
• Strong understanding of risk management and disaster recovery principles.
• Ability to coordinate and engage in-country and field-based colleagues, including keeping oversight and clarity in operations, despite the differing contexts of implementation and the different (technical) points of departure of colleagues from the three countries.

Personal qualities:

• Ability to work independently, provide technical leadership and facilitate good team collaboration and learning across resilience colleagues in the three countries, and between the DCA-led and two other consortia engaged in the wider EU-funded programme.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information effectively, build capacities and engage a variety of stakeholders effectively for achievement of results.
• Ability to support and provide advice on challenging technical matters, energize colleagues and develop solutions.

The deadline for applications is 22nd August 2025.