Apply Now! Consultant – WMO Climate Risks & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) East Africa & Malawi (2025)
Apply Now! Consultant – WMO Climate Risks & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) East Africa & Malawi (2025)
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) invites qualified and experienced professionals to apply for the position of Consultant – Climate Risks & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) for East Africa and Malawi. This consultancy provides a unique opportunity to contribute directly to strengthening climate resilience, advancing early warning systems, and supporting vulnerable communities across Eastern and Southern Africa.
This 100-day consultancy, implemented over 8 months, focuses on gender-inclusive climate services, impact-based forecasting, socio-economic assessment, and multi-stakeholder coordination. The selected consultant will play an important role in helping countries enhance their capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate-related hazards.
1. Introduction: Strengthening Climate Resilience in Eastern & Southern Africa
Climate change continues to intensify the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events—floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, severe storms, and heatwaves. Countries across East Africa and Malawi remain disproportionately affected, often lacking the tools and systems necessary to protect lives, livelihoods, and development progress.
This consultancy sits at the Center of the WMO’s mandate: to support Member States by strengthening climate risk information, enhancing early warning-early action, and promoting inclusive, equitable climate services.
Through the Climate Risk & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative, WMO works with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), DRM institutions, and regional partners to improve forecasting, promote anticipatory action, and ensure weather and climate information is accessible for all—including women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
This position therefore offers the opportunity to work directly with WMO regional teams, national governments, implementing partners, and technical experts to build resilient infrastructure and equitable climate preparedness systems across the region.
2. Vacancy Summary
Vacancy Notice Number: SSA-2025-PDMU-DPO 6
Position: Consultant – Climate Risks & Early Warning Systems (CREWS), East Africa & Malawi
Duty Station: Home-based (with travel to project countries)
Duration: Approximately 100 working days within 8 months
Organizational Unit: Sub-Regional Office for Eastern & Southern Africa (ESA)
Application Deadline: 7 December 2025
Appointment Type: Consultancy (depending on departmental needs)
Pay Band: C or D (based on experience and skills)
WMO values diversity and encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and qualified individuals from all backgrounds.
3. About WMO and the CREWS Initiative
The World Meteorological Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to international cooperation in weather, climate, water, and related environmental issues. It supports Member States to strengthen climate resilience, enhance forecasting systems, and build sustainable early warning capacities.
The Climate Risk & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative is a global mechanism designed to save lives and livelihoods through improved multi-hazard early warning systems. CREWS focuses on assisting Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with targeted investments and technical assistance.
In East Africa and Malawi, CREWS supports:
- Impact-based forecasting
- Hazard monitoring and analysis
- Gender-responsive climate services
- Community-based early warning and early action
- Strengthened regional collaboration
- Socio-economic evaluation of weather and climate investments
The consultant will directly contribute to these workstreams, helping to scale resilience across the region.
4. Scope of Work and Consultant Responsibilities
The consultant will report to the Project Officer (Member Services & Development Department) and receive guidance from the WMO Representative for Eastern & Southern Africa, the Head of PDMU, and the Technical Coordination Group (TCG).
Responsibilities are grouped into four core functional areas:
A. Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI)
Climate risks affect people differently depending on gender, age, disability, socio-economic status, and geographic location. The consultant will strengthen the integration of gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches across all CREWS workstreams.
Key tasks include:
- Supporting the integration of gender-responsive methodologies throughout the early warning–early action chain.
- Reviewing national and regional Gender Action Plans and ensuring these plans inform CREWS project activities.
- Providing technical support for gender-focused workshops, capacity-building sessions, and awareness campaigns.
- Ensuring that early warning products and services remain accessible, inclusive, and user-centered.
This work will help ensure that climate information empowers all segments of society, not only those with privilege or access.
B. Socio-Economic Cost–Benefit Analysis
Understanding the socio-economic value of climate services is critical for investment planning, resource mobilization, and long-term sustainability.
The consultant will:
- Support cost–benefit assessments of weather and climate services across target countries.
- Contribute to the development of socio-economic indicators for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks.
- Produce analytical inputs for national and regional reports.
- Ensure findings are translated into clear recommendations for policymakers and donors.
These analyses help demonstrate the tangible impact of improved forecasting on saving lives, reducing losses, and supporting development outcomes.
C. Support for Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) & Early Action
Impact-Based Forecasting is a cornerstone of modern early warning systems. Rather than focusing solely on meteorological parameters, IBF integrates hazard data with exposure, vulnerability, and risk information.
The consultant will:
- Support development and operationalization of IBF and multi-hazard early warning services (IBFWS).
- Assist NMHSs in linking hazard forecasts with impact data to enhance anticipatory action workflows.
- Facilitate coordinated early action mechanisms between NMHSs, disaster management institutions, humanitarian agencies, and local authorities.
- Document lessons learned, best practices, and recommendations for regional scaling.
- Produce technical briefs and case studies to support capacity development.
This component strengthens the region’s ability to move from “forecasting the weather” to forecasting the impacts, enabling earlier, more effective action.
D. Stakeholder Coordination, Partner Engagement & Reporting
Robust coordination is essential for impactful climate-resilience programming.
The consultant will:
- Support the organization of project meetings, technical working groups, and regional consultations.
- Develop coordination briefs, progress summaries, and technical updates.
- Review annual and semi-annual project reports and M&E documentation.
- Provide analytical inputs across GESI, IBF, socio-economic assessments, and stakeholder engagement.
- Strengthen relationships with government stakeholders, NMHSs, disaster management agencies, WMO-designated centers, and regional partners.
- Ensure effective communication between national authorities, donors, and implementing entities.
This workstream supports CREWS’ mission of building well-coordinated, multi-sectoral early warning systems across the region.
5. Deliverables
The consultant is expected to produce the following:
- Report on mainstreaming Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) into Early Warning Systems (EWS)
- Socio-Economic Cost–Benefit Analysis Report
- Report on Implementation of IBFWS in Project Countries
- Stakeholder Engagement & Coordination Report
- Annual Project Status Reports
All deliverables must meet WMO’s technical and quality standards.
6. Required Qualifications
Education
- University degree in meteorology, climate science, disaster risk reduction (DRR), social sciences, economics, communications, or related fields.
- An advanced degree is preferred.
Experience
Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in:
- Impact-based forecasting
- Gender and social inclusion in climate/DRR
- Socio-economic impact analysis
- Stakeholder coordination, especially within early warning and DRR contexts
- Working with NMHSs, DRM agencies, or WMO-designated centers
- Experience in Eastern and Southern Africa is an asset
Other Requirements
- Willingness to travel regionally and internationally
- Strong ability to coordinate across institutions
- Excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills
- Ability to work independently in a remote setting
7. Diversity, Inclusion & Ethical Conduct
WMO champions an inclusive workforce. Applications are encouraged from:
- Women
- Persons with disabilities
- Individuals from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds
WMO maintains zero tolerance for sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates undergo relevant background checks.
8. How to Apply
Interested candidates should apply online via the official WMO e-recruitment platform:
APPLY ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE.
✔ Submit one complete application (do not apply through multiple channels).
✔ Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
✔ Shortlisted applicants may undergo written tests and/or interviews.
YOU CAN CHECK OTHER OPPORTUNITIES HERE!
9. Why This Consultancy Matters
This role is more than a technical assignment—it is a commitment to transforming how communities anticipate and respond to climate risks. Your expertise will help strengthen systems that safeguard lives, protect vulnerable populations, and reduce disaster impacts in some of the world’s most climate-sensitive regions.
If you are passionate about climate resilience, inclusive development, and strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems, this consultancy offers an opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting contribution.
