Global Anticipatory Action Specialist

Role Overview

This role provides technical leadership for anticipatory action (AA) across East Africa and the Great Lakes, overseeing projects that link early warning data with pre-planned humanitarian responses. Day to day, you will coordinate with country-based teams to design displacement-specific AA mechanisms, develop trigger models using local and global data, and help the organisation deliver assistance faster and more efficiently. Your work directly reduces the gap between forecast and action, making humanitarian aid more dignified and sustainable while reinforcing DRC’s position as a leader in AA for conflict-affected settings.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary technical focal point for all AA activities in assigned countries, coordinating project delivery and ensuring alignment across the regional portfolio.
• Manage grants and projects for regional AA initiatives, including those funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and DG ECHO, and support country offices with compliance and reporting.
• Help institutionalise AA for displacement within national and local government structures, including integrating AA into contingency plans, national roadmaps and government-led action plans.
• Participate in internal and external technical working groups and partner forums to create operational synergies and scale coordinated AA efforts.
• Support country teams in developing conflict and protection analyses, community-level contingency plans, trigger mechanisms and activation protocols for AA projects.
• Contribute to programmatic guidance, capacity-strengthening tools and policy recommendations on AA for both climate and conflict hazards.
• Collaborate with DRC’s Innovation, Data and Analysis team to use displacement forecasting models, capture evidence and lessons learned, and formulate recommendations for the wider humanitarian sector.
• Support business development by working with country teams to draft proposals and engage prospective donors, and assist the global advocacy team in policy engagement to expand uptake of AA.

Requirements & Qualifications

• At least five years of experience in a senior technical role overseeing anticipatory action, early action, or rapid response programming in conflict settings. Equivalent experience in rapid conflict analysis, peacebuilding in emergencies, or adapting emergency interventions in conflict is also considered.
• Proven hands-on experience directly implementing AA projects, including trigger development, activation and community engagement.
• Solid understanding of conflict, protection and emergency programming in displacement contexts.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 35% of the time and operate in physically demanding environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills, flexibility and an innovative approach to programme design.
• Experience with AA specifically for conflict-induced displacement is highly desirable.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, building close working relationships with diverse colleagues.
• Familiarity with using analytics in humanitarian programming and response.
• Experience in peacebuilding, preparedness, emergency or resilience-building programming.
• University degree in Peace, Conflict, Security, Development Studies, War Studies, Political Science, Data Science, Environmental Science or a related field.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is a rare opportunity to shape the growing field of anticipatory action for displacement in some of the world’s most fragile settings. You will work at the intersection of data, policy and field operations, influencing how the humanitarian system responds to both climate shocks and conflict triggers. DRC is a recognised thought leader in this area, and the role offers direct engagement with governments, donors and inter-agency consortia – making your contributions visible across the sector.