Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant for Southern Iraq - Terms of Reference (ToR) Overview

Project title: Strengthening National and Local Early Warning Systems (EWS) and Community Resilience to Natural Hazards in Iraq Summary of project (max 300 words):

1. Background of the project

a) Project Overview

This project aims to improve disaster risk preparedness and reduce the exposure and vulnerability of communities living in at-risk areas of southern Iraq, particularly in the Thi- Qar and Muthana Governorates.

It is structured around three complementary components that, together, address the causes and consequences of climate-related risks.

The first component focuses on monitoring climate-induced population displacement. The action strengthens systems for monitoring livelihood losses, migration pressures, and early signs of displacement in communities affected by droughts, and sandstorms. By improving institutional understanding of emerging risks and identifying potential critical areas, this monitoring enables authorities and partners to anticipate urgent assistance needs to prevent forced displacement.

The second component strengthens the institutional capacities of national and local authorities, as well as first responders. Through training, coordinated planning, and improved data-sharing mechanisms, the project enhances the capacity of institutions to interpret early warning information, activate proactive measures, and implement effective response protocols. This improved institutional preparedness enables authorities to guide and support communities more effectively during recurring climate shocks.

The third component aims to improve the preparedness of populations most affected by climate vulnerabilities. This involves combining community-level disaster risk reduction measures with support for climate-resilient livelihoods for farmers, livestock herders, and women whose incomes depend on climate-sensitive activities, while also conducting targeted awareness-raising activities. In this context, preparedness encompasses emergency planning, capacity building, and disaster response protocols, which differ from proactive measures and early warning systems. Proactive measures activate pre-agreed actions, such as livestock support or water management interventions, before risks fully materialize. Early warning systems, on the other hand, ensure that communities and authorities receive timely and actionable alerts in the event of droughts, heat waves, desertification, and sandstorms.

Together, these efforts help reduce livelihood losses, limit harmful adaptation strategies, and mitigate migration pressures.

To support the implementation of the second component in Muthana, T earfund is seeking a Disaster Risk

Reduction Consultant.

b) Project Partners

The project is implemented by:

Tearfund DRR Consultant ToR 2/9●

Tearfund Iraq: A leading organization with significant experience in humanitarian response and environmental and economic sustainability projects in Iraq, coordinating implementation and

ensuring strategic alignment while implementing activities under Result 2: Enhanced capacity of governmental institutions in Thiqar and Muthana to lead disaster preparedness and response to natural disasters, including strengthened operational capacities of first responders.

The project is also in consortium with Action Against Hunger and Aid Gate Organization.

c) Project Logical Hierarchy

Overall Goal:

To improve disaster risk preparedness, reducing exposure and vulnerability of communities via evidence-based information products and increased coordination in hazard-prone areas in central and south of Iraq

Outcome (Result) 1:

Strengthen the Iraqi government’s capacity to manage disaster impacts and develop robust Early warning and anticipatory actions by enhancing the national climate early warning system with a climate monitoring dashboard and an anticipatory model

Outcome (Result) 2:

Enhanced capacity of governmental institutions in Thi-Qar and Muthana to lead disaster preparedness and response to natural disasters, including strengthened operational capacities of first responders.

Outcome (Result) 3:

Enhanced preparedness and resilience of exposed and vulnerable communities to natural hazards through improved resource management, strengthened adaptation capacities, and implementation of nature-based solutions

2. Goal and Objectives of the DRR Consultant

The DRR Consultant will be responsible for providing technical leadership to strengthen institutional disaster preparedness systems within the project’s second component in Muthana (ACF is responsible for the same component in Thi Qar). This includes designing and facilitating structured capacity-building processes for national and sub-national stakeholders, with a focus on translating early warning information and risk analysis into practical preparedness actions. The consultant will develop tailored training curricula and facilitate a full-day inception workshop as well as a series of follow-up trainings, ensuring that relevant authorities and first responders are equipped with the knowledge and tools to anticipate, plan for, and respond to climate-related hazards in a coordinated and effective manner.

In addition, the consultant will play a central role in supporting the development of two hazard-specific Disaster Readiness Protocols (DRPs) for Muthana Governorate. Building on the findings of the HEVC assessment, they will contribute to methodological refinement, support participatory planning workshops with government counterparts, and lead the technical drafting of the DRPs in close coordination with relevant ministries and stakeholders. The consultant will also develop training materials to operationalise Tearfund DRR Consultant ToR 3/9the final DRPs, ensuring that institutional actors are able to apply them in practice and strengthen long-term disaster preparedness and response capacity.

3. DRR Consultant Specific Responsibilities and Scope of Work

Specifically, the DRR consultant will be responsible for the following from September 2026 – August 2027 over an estimated 50 working days*:

Output 2.1: Enhance capacity of governmental institutions in Muthana to lead disaster preparedness and response to natural disasters, including strengthened operational capacities of first responders

Develop a ToR for the workshop (October 2026)

Develop full curriculum for a full-day workshop (November-December 2026)

Develop curriculum for 9 half-day follow-up trainings (November-December 2027)

Output 2.2: Development of comprehensive Disaster Preparedness and Response Protocols for the Main identified Hazards by Hazard–Exposure–Vulnerability–Capacity (HEVC) Assessments in each governorates

Review methodology and tools for the HEVC assessment (September-October 2026)

Participate in Workshop with local authorities and government institutions engaged under

2.1 (January 2027)

Data collection, review findings and support finalisation of the HEVC assessment

(February-March 2027)

Development of two protocols (April-May 2027)

Create methodology for a full-day workshop to develop a Disaster Preparedness Plan

(April-May 2027)

Attend workshop (July 2027)

With support from ministry representatives, create Disaster Preparedness Plans for two hazards (August 2027)

Output 2.3: Operationalization and piloting of the Disaster Response Protocols through Emergency Response Simulations

Develop a ToR for the workshop (July 2027)

Create methodology and materials for trainings on the two Disaster Preparedness Plans

(August 2027)

*The scope of work may be subject to change and be extended beyond August 2027. Expected/suggested day allocation should be provided as part of the budget.

4. Stakeholders and Coordination

The DRR Consultant will be expected to work in close coordination with a range of national and sub-national stakeholders to ensure that all deliverables are contextually grounded and institutionally owned. This includes regular engagement with relevant line ministries, governorate and district-level authorities in Muthana Governorate, disaster management and civil protection actors, and designated first responders involved in preparedness and emergency coordination. The consultant will also liaise closely with community representatives and local structures as appropriate to ensure that DRP content reflects operational realities at the field level. In addition, the consultant will work in close collaboration with the Tearfund DRR Consultant ToR 4/9project team and technical advisors, ensuring alignment with HEVC assessment findings, project standards, and broader programming on climate resilience and disaster risk reduction. For Result 2 the consultant may also be required to coordinate with ACF to ensure outputs implemented in Muthana align to those of the same being implemented in Thi Qar under ACF .

5. Ethics

The consultant will be expected to adhere to T earfund’s code of conduct at all times.

6. Deliverables and Outputs

Deliverable Specification/Expectations

Output 2.1:

Enhance capacity of governmental institutions in Muthana Develop a ToR and full curriculum for a full-day workshop (3 working days) Ensure that the T oR and curriculum for the full day workshop is participatory, technically sound, and introduces all relevant DRR topics to regional governmental staff in an appropriate way. Ensure that there is both the technical material and the materials for day-of workshop / training developed. Support Tearfund staff to train the facilitator on the training materials.

Develop curriculum for 9 half-day follow-up trainings (10 working days) Ensure that the curriculum for the nine half day training sessions is participatory, technically sound, and builds on the training that had been done in the initial workshop. Ensure that there is both the technical material and the materials for day-of workshop / training developed. Support T earfund staff to train the facilitator on the training materials.

Output 2.2:

Development of comprehensive Disaster Preparedness and Response Protocols for the Main identified Hazards by Hazard–Exposure–Vulnerability–Capacity (HEVC) Assessments in each governorates Design and review methodology and tools for the HEVC assessment (2 working days July 2026)

The consultant will design and review the HEVC assessment methodology, tools, and data collection instruments to ensure they are fit for purpose for DRR planning and DRP development. This includes assessing whether the tools adequately capture hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity dimensions relevant to institutional preparedness and response planning. The consultant is expected to provide concise, actionable recommendations to strengthen analytical rigor and ensure alignment with the requirements of Disaster Readiness Protocol development.

Review findings and support finalisation of the HEVC assessment (4 working days January

The consultant will review draft HEVC findings to ensure they are technically sound, clearly structured, and directly applicable to DRP design and institutional planning. This includes validating whether key hazards, risk drivers, and capacity gaps are sufficiently evidenced and translated into operational recommendations.

Tearfund DRR Consultant ToR 5/9/ February 2027) The consultant will provide inputs to strengthen clarity, usability, and relevance for government counterparts and DRR stakeholders. Create methodology for a full-day workshop to develop a Disaster Preparedness Plan (2 working days February / March 2027)

The consultant will design a structured and participatory methodology for a full-day DRP development workshop, ensuring it facilitates practical decision-making around hazard prioritisation, roles, triggers, and coordination mechanisms. The methodology should include clear session plans, facilitation guides, and tools that enable government and stakeholder engagement in a structured and results-oriented manner. It should also ensure that outputs from the HEVC assessment are effectively integrated into workshop discussions. Attend workshop (1 working day March)

The consultant will attend and actively participate in the DRP development workshop, supporting structured discussions and ensuring that technical inputs are appropriately captured and translated into actionable content. They will support the facilitator to guide participants through key decision points, including hazard prioritisation and definition of institutional roles and response actions. The consultant will also ensure that workshop outputs are documented in a way that directly feeds into DRP drafting. With support from ministry representatives, create Disaster Preparedness Plans for two hazards (22 working days April – June 2027)

The consultant will lead the technical drafting of two hazard-specific Disaster Preparedness Plans in close collaboration with relevant ministry representatives and stakeholders. This will include defining triggers, roles and responsibilities, coordination mechanisms, communication protocols, and response actions before, during, and after disaster events. The consultant is expected to ensure that the DRPs are operational, context-specific, and fully aligned with institutional capacities and local implementation realities.

Output 2.3:

Operationalization and piloting of the Disaster Response Protocols through Emergency Response Simulations Create trainings on the two Disaster Preparedness Plans (6 working days August / September 2027)

The consultant will develop a practical training package to operationalise the two Disaster Preparedness Plans, including facilitator guides, participant materials, and structured session plans. The content should translate DRP procedures into clear, actionable steps, with a focus on roles, triggers, coordination mechanisms, and response actions. The training should strengthen institutional capacity to apply the DRPs in real situations, using simple, practice-oriented approaches where relevant. Materials should be designed for usability and replication by project staff and government counterparts for future trainings.

Everything created by the DRR consultant is legally owned by Tearfund.

7. Timetable/schedule

The DRR Consultant will be engaged for an estimated total of 50 working days between September 2026 and August 2027, structured around key phases of the HEVC assessment and Disaster Readiness Protocol (DRP) development process. Initial inputs will take place from September to December 2026, focusing on reviewing and designing HEVC methodologies and tools and developing training curricula for institutional capacity strengthening. This will be followed by a second phase in early 2027 (January–March), during which the consultant will review HEVC findings, refine workshop methodologies, and support preparatory work for DRP development.

The most intensive period of engagement will occur between April and August 2027, when the consultant will support the participatory DRP development workshop and lead the technical drafting of two hazard-specific DRPs in close coordination with ministry representatives and stakeholders. A final phase will take place in August 2027, focusing on the development of training materials to operationalise the approved DRPs. The consultant is expected to work flexibly across these periods, aligning deliverables with project milestones and ensuring close coordination with the project team and relevant government counterparts throughout the assignment.

8. Leadership and execution

The DRR Consultant will work under the overall leadership and supervision of the Project Coordinator, who will be responsible for day-to-day technical guidance, task oversight, and coordination of deliverables.

The consultant will also receive strategic support and oversight from the Programme Manager and the Programme Quality Director, ensuring alignment with organisational standards, technical quality requirements, and broader programme objectives. In addition, the consultant will be expected to collaborate closely with relevant T earfund technical and programme staff, drawing on wider organisational expertise in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and programme quality to ensure that all outputs are robust, contextually appropriate, and aligned with organisational and donor expectations.

Consultant/s Eligibility

Attribute/skill Important Desirable

Education and

Qualifications

Degree-level qualification or equivalent in relevant discipline Masters or PhD in DRR or related discipline

Skills/ability

Strong technical expertise in disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation, and disaster preparedness planning, particularly in fragile or drought-prone contexts.

Demonstrated experience in developing

Disaster Preparedness Plans, contingency planning, or similar operational emergency preparedness tools with government or humanitarian actors.

Proven ability to design and facilitate high-quality trainings, workshops, and

Previous experience working in Iraq or the wider MENA region, particularly in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, or humanitarian preparedness programming.

Familiarity with working with government disaster management structures, civil defence actors, or line ministries in fragile or conflict-affected settings.

Participatory planning processes with diverse stakeholders, including government counterparts and community representatives.

Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting risk assessments, climate data, and HEVC-type frameworks (hazard, exposure, vulnerability, capacity).

Ability to translate complex technical findings into clear, practical, and actionable guidance for institutional and non-technical audiences.

Strong coordination and interpersonal skills, with experience working across ministries, local authorities, and humanitarian or development partners.

Excellent facilitation skills, including ability to manage multi-stakeholder discussions and support consensus-building in politically and operationally sensitive contexts.

Strong writing and documentation skills, with the ability to produce high-quality technical reports, training materials, and operational protocols.

Familiarity with southern Iraq or similar arid, climate-vulnerable contexts is an asset.

Fluency in English and Arabic required

Experience integrating nature-based solutions or ecosystem-based approaches into DRR or climate adaptation programming.

Strong understanding of early warning systems and their operationalisation into preparedness and response protocols at institutional and community levels.

Experience supporting donor-funded programmes and aligning technical outputs with donor requirements and reporting frameworks.

Tearfund will NOT be responsible for providing any personnel or resources to directly conduct any field visit or agreed activity.

9. Budget and Previous Work

A detailed budget breakdown for all services needs to be submitted by the consultant, along with a CV explaining examples of previous similar work.

10. Conflict of Interest

The service provider must be impartial and independent from all aspects of management or financial

interests in the entity being monitored. During the tenancy period, the consultant should not be employed by, serve as director for, or have any financial or close business relationships with any of TF or partner’s entities being monitored. The service provider and the Third Party Monitors sub-contracted (if it applies) should declare any potential conflicts of interest which may affect or compromise their ability to conduct neutral and independent service.

Tearfund DRR Consultant ToR 8/9Such conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

Business interests in a community where a TF partner(s) is delivering a programme.

Business interests or financial gains from TF or its partners through other activities or projects where applicable.

Financial, family, political and business affiliation with an organisation with whom TF has a partnership.

In such a scenario or similar, the service provider is expected to declare the conflict of interest to the contractor who will present to T earfund Iraq Office. Declaration of conflict of interest will not be viewed negatively but will be considered in the programming of activities. Failure to declare a conflict of interest may be considered and may lead to a review of the expected deliverables from the monitor or the service provider, thus with a possible negative impact on the contract of the monitor or service provider.

10. Submission

The consultant should submit the below by the end of Monday 12 October 2026 at 23:59. All the submission need to send to Mehreen Saba via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The document should submitted:

1- Technical Proposal

2- Budget.

3- CV.

4- Any experience document.

Tender's File

6abe1128e3a8c-tf-iraq-echo-drrconsultant-tor.pdf