Disaster Risk Management Operations Consultant, Washington DC

We improve lives

The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.

About this position

The IDB’s Disaster Risk Management Unit (DRM Unit), established in 2025 within the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector (CSD), supports countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in strengthening resilience to natural hazards and shifting from reactive emergency response toward proactive risk reduction and preparedness. The Unit leads the Bank’s disaster risk management (DRM) agenda, including the Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management (AP-DRM) and the Ready and Resilient Americas (RRA) initiative, and supports technical cooperation and lending operations across the region.

We are looking for a Disaster Risk Management Consultant to join the DRM Unit and support its growing portfolio of strategic initiatives and operations. Working closely with team leaders and members, you will contribute to technical cooperation and lending operations, knowledge generation, policy dialogue, and capacity-building activities to strengthen the quality and impact of the Bank’s DRM efforts.

Drawing on relevant international experience and lessons learned in disaster risk management, you will contribute to areas such as early warning systems, risk-informed governance, community-based disaster risk reduction, disaster risk finance, resilient reconstruction, engineering and nature-based solutions, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. You will also support knowledge exchange and the application of innovative approaches to strengthen disaster resilience across Latin America and the Caribbean

What you’ll do

The consultant primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Providing technical and operational assistance for the implementation of the Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management (AP-DRM) 2026–2030, and the regional initiative \"Ready and Resilient Americas.\" This includes contributing to the development of annual work plans and priority investment areas under these frameworks, supporting the alignment of projects with strategic objectives, assisting in the definition of results indicators, and monitoring implementation progress. The consultant will also support the preparation of technical materials - such as reports, presentations, and technical notes - and contribute to the organization of knowledge-sharing events and internal cross-sectoral coordination meetings, as well as technical dialogue with member countries. In addition, the consultant will assist with the periodic update of DRM indicators and contribute to the maintenance and content development of the Bank’s DRM knowledge platform, including the RiskMonitor website. The consultant will also support analytical studies and knowledge generation related to the application of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to disaster risk management.
• Providing technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of project teams in the preparation, implementation, and supervision of DRM specific loan and technical cooperation (TC) projects. This support may include (i) conducting risk analyses, and (ii) risk reduction (structural engineering, including the NbS); (iii) disaster preparedness, including early warning systems. The consultant will also support the strategic use of TC funding instruments - such as the Japan Trust Fund - to complement and leverage loan operations, where applicable.
• Providing technical assistance to mainstream DRM across sectors - through close coordination with DRM Unit team members, the consultant will support sector specialists and country programming teams in incorporating DRM considerations into regular IDB operations. Specific activities may include supporting the incorporation of DRM in country strategies and annual programming documents, organizing DRM training workshops, events and meetings for other divisions, and assisting in the design of sector-specific loans that incorporate DRM elements. These capacity-building efforts will be carried out, where appropriate, in collaboration with the Bank’s Knowledge and Learning Division (KIC).
• Enhancing collaboration with international development partners to strengthen member countries’ DRM implementation capacities. This includes providing technical assistance to promote coordinated actions, reduce duplication, and mobilize resources that help countries protect development investments. Specific activities may involve identifying and implementing priority collaborative efforts—such as training and technical assistance—with partners like JICA and other donors. This may also include supporting outreach efforts with JICA and other donors to maintain relationships, share relevant results, and identify opportunities for future collaboration.

  What you'll need

• Education: Master’s degree or equivalent in disciplines related to disaster risk management such as engineering, geology, urban planning and/or administration, rural development, natural resource management, economic sciences, information technology or another relevant field is required.
• Experience: 5 years of relevant professional experience in planning, implementation, finance and/or administration of disaster risk management projects or another relevant field. Practical experience in at least some of the following areas is required: risk identification, risk reduction, risk-informed governance, post-disaster recovery processes and emergency response. Such experience must have been acquired through professional practice in Japan.
• Languages: Fluency in Japanese and English is required. Knowledge of Spanish desirable.
• Key Skills: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work with multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.

  Requirements

  Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48-member countries .

  Consanguinity: You have no family members (up to fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) working at the IDB, IDB Invest, or IDB Lab.

  Type of contract and duration

  International consultant Full-Time, 24 months (up to 48 months, subject to eligibility).

  What we offer

  The IDB group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee’s life. These benefits include:

• A competitive compensation packages.
• Leaves and vacations: 2 days per month of contract + gender- neutral parental leave.
• Health Insurance: the IDB Group provides a monthly allowance for the purchase of health insurance.
• Savings plan: ​​​​​​​The IDB Group cares about your future, depending on the length of the contract, you will receive a monthly savings plan allowance.
• We offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your family when it applies.
• On-site position with the occasional flexibility of teleworking.
• Development support: We offer learning opportunities to boost your professional profile such as seminars, 1:1 professional counseling, and much more.
• Health and wellbeing: Access to our Health Services Center which provides preventive care and health education for all employees.
• Other office amenities (as available): Lactation Room, Daycare Center, Gym, Bike Racks, Parking, spouse career support, and others

  Our culture

  At the IDB, we work so everyone brings their best and authentic selves to work while finding their purpose. Our people consistently strive for excellence, and we recognize and celebrate the impact of their contributions.

  In our efforts to drive innovation, we intentionally include all voices, cultivate a sense of belonging and champion fairness. We welcome individuals from underrepresented groups to join us and share their unique perspectives.

  We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job interview process. If you require an accommodation to complete this application, please email us at View email address on us.fitly.work.