Technical Advisor

£39,100-46,000 pa

Permanent

Full Time

Hybrid (London & Remote) with occasional international travel

The job of a Save the Children’s UK Technical Advisor – Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing is innovative and rewarding.

• Do you have an interest in, and understanding of, the challenges in applying scientific data in decision making in humanitarian settings?
• Do you have experience in developing or testing hazard models and forecasting models with skills in statistical analysis, cat modelling and/or actuarial skills?
• Are you a creative thinker, passionate about improving the humanitarian system?
• Are you motivated by our vision of creating a world where every child doesn’t just survive, but thrives, and can go on to change the world?

If the answers to these questions are yes, we would love to hear from you!

About Us

We are Save the Children (SCUK). Together, we fight for children every single day so that they can make their mark on the world and build a better future. We stand side by side with children in the toughest places to be a child. We do whatever it takes to make sure they survive, get protection when they’re in danger, and have the chance to learn.

The Start Network is made up of more than 50 aid agencies, of which Save the Children is one, working across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to national NGOs. The aim of the Start Network is to deliver more effective emergency aid, harnessing the power and knowledge of the network to make faster and better decisions to help people affected by crises. It advocates for radical change to the system so that the world can better deal with the humanitarian challenges of today and in the future

The Start Platform maintains a strong relationship with SCUK as the grant custodian of many of the Start Network’s programmes. The Start Anticipation and Risk Financing Team is a newly formed team which builds off the work of two former teams over the last 3-years. It is managed within Save the Children’s Humanitarian Team but sits with the wider Start Programmes team (SCUK dedicated grant custodian team) and works closely with colleagues in the Start Platform.

Job Purpose

As the Technical Advisor for the Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing (CARF) team you will support the development of the Start Network Anticipation and Risk Financing work through the development, testing and provision of scientific hazard data, models which are used to monitor risks and trigger financing and early humanitarian action.

You will also work on quantitative risk financing tools, utilising statistical approaches supporting the development of the Start Financing Facility. The role will support the Technical Lead role through analytical processes, report writing, designing and implementing innovative operational systems to monitor and quantify risk, set thresholds and manage uncertainty.

You will work with stakeholders of the Start Network including, global risk pools, scientists and academics, Risk modelling companies and insurers, humanitarian donors and UN counterparts, as well as front line humanitarian agencies on the ground in our pilot countries.

Main Accountabilities

The Technical Advisor – Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing Team’s duties will include:

• Lead on tasks related to the development, identification and analysis of scientific risk data, statistical modelling and operational decision making within anticipation and risk finance systems and draw consultations on the utilisation of different data sets, decision-making approaches and tools to manage financial risks.
• Be responsible for leading on tendering for analytical services to build out models and data tools.
• Work with Technical Lead and other key CARF team members to develop the Start Ready mechanics and technical designs.
• Work with the Country Support Manager and Technical Lead to help Start Network members at country level to identify their risk information needs, including connecting them to local and international risk information providers where available.
• Support the advancement of the technical learning framework, developing materials tools and techniques for building quality country DRF systems.
• Support the Technical Lead with overall system design recommendation reports and the development of technical system build plans.
• Undertake and review sensitivity, skill and robustness testing of models used for anticipation and disaster risk finance and/or work with scientific organisations to complete these tests
• Work to present scientific findings, including the risk models themselves, in ways that are understandable and useful to humanitarians
• Build and maintain technical relationships with key stakeholders to the technical risk finance and anticipation work at the Start Network
• Support the Technical lead in technical write up reports, guidelines and tool development. Act as deputy to Technical Lead

Person Profile

Experience and Qualifications

• Academic qualification in natural hazard/climate science or mathematics and data and statistical analytics
• Experience in developing or testing hazard models and forecasting models
• Experience of skill, sensitivity and robustness testing of models and data sets.
• Strong English writing skills and report writing and experience of translating scientific concepts into simple everyday language
• Demonstrable experience of collaboration, including forging and maintaining effective new relationships and partnerships, often across organisational boundaries

Abilities

• Ability to think innovatively and develop new ways of doing things
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate ideas clearly to non-technical people
• Ability to work in fast-paced, uncertain environment start up culture

Aptitude

• Statistical Analysis, Cat modelling or actuarial skills
• Interest and understanding of some of the challenges in the application of scientific data in decision making in humanitarian efforts
• A demonstrable commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion and their practical application and integration in the work environment
• A commitment to Save the Children UK’s aims and core values of accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity, and integrity

Please note we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and interviews will be scheduled as applications are received. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

This role can be based internationally outside the UK provided it is in a country with an SC office from which you would be able to and have the right to work – the salary will be based on local pay structures if not based in the UK.

Remote Working:

The majority of SCUK employees are currently working remotely within the UK in line with UK Government guidance. Commencing July 2021 we will transition to flexible and hybrid ways of working (i.e. a mixture of remote/home and office-based working) as social distancing restrictions ease.

We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview**.**

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

Save the Children UK is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work both external and internal. We strive to be an inclusive employer and particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions, and from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.