Anticipatory Action Coordinator

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The Organisation

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established in 1935 and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian organizations in Ethiopia. ERCS provides services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services.

Currently, the Society has a robust structure consisting of 14 regional branches, 40 zonal branches, 180 woreda branches, and 5,871 Kebele Red Cross Committees. ERCS works in partnership with the Ethiopian Government, IFRC, ICRC, the German Red Cross (GRC), and other partnering National Societies to create resilient households and communities.

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Position Overview

• Work Unit: Disaster Preparedness and Response Department
• Reports to: Disaster Preparedness Division Manager
• Project: SCALA Project (Financed by the German Red Cross)
• Focus: Anticipatory Action and Locally Led Adaptation

Job Summary

The Locally Led Adaptation & Anticipatory Action Coordinator is responsible for strengthening Early Warning and Early Action (EWEA) systems to address weather-related risks. The role focuses on transforming early warning signals into actionable, community-driven climate adaptation strategies.

Implementation is carried out in coordination with regional government offices, including Disaster Risk Management, Meteorological, Water, Health, and Agricultural offices. The goal is to place communities at the center of interventions to ensure local ownership and long-term resilience.

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Specific Duties and Responsibilities

1. Early Warning & Anticipatory Action

• Develop and operationalize early warning triggers for multi-hazard risks.
• Support the localization of Early Action Protocols (EAPs) at regional and community levels.
• Integrate hydro-meteorological information into forecast-based financing and anticipatory action systems.
• Technical support for the simulation, activation, and revision of early action plans.

2. Community-Led Adaptation & Risk Reduction

• Conduct community-based climate risk assessments to guide adaptation planning.
• Strengthen community capacity to implement anticipatory actions using participatory approaches.
• Integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific forecasting for effective risk reduction.

3. Coordination & Capacity Building

• Establish and strengthen anticipatory action technical working groups at regional and woreda levels.
• Train staff, volunteers, and communities on early warning interpretation.
• Foster multi-stakeholder collaboration with government agencies and meteorological institutions.

4. Monitoring, Documentation & Knowledge Sharing

• Assess and document the effectiveness of early warning systems.
• Promote innovative risk communication approaches for timely community alerts.
• Ensure implementation progress is tracked and reported using standard M&E frameworks.
• Contribute to national and global knowledge-sharing platforms on climate resilience.

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Qualification and Work Experience

Education

• Second Degree (MA/MSc) or First Degree (BA/BSc) in Hydrometeorology, Agro-meteorology, Disaster Risk Management, Environmental Science, Climate Science, or a related field.

Experience

• 7 years (for Second Degree) or 9 years (for First Degree) of relevant experience in early warning, forecasting, or anticipatory action projects.
• Specific requirement of 3–5 years of experience focused on early warning systems and disaster risk reduction.
• Strong technical expertise in hydro-meteorological forecasting and contingency planning.
• Proven experience in partnership-building with government and humanitarian actors.

Skills & Languages

• Mandatory: Fluency in Amharic and English.
• Asset: Knowledge of other local languages.
• Core Skills: Community engagement, mobilization, and risk-informed decision-making.

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