Consultant for wildfire loss and damage databases

About the role

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) seeks a consultant to develop standardized loss and damage databases focused on wildfires in Guatemala and Colombia. The consultancy will strengthen methodologies, create a cataloguing system, and produce a consolidated historical database for selected protected areas.

Key responsibilities

• Collect, validate, and consolidate wildfire event data and impacts for the two countries, following UNDRR methodological guidance and the DELTA Resilience data structure.
• Develop a standardized proposal for cataloguing and classifying wildfire events, including non‑economic losses to biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Produce a comparative analysis of existing economic damage estimation methodologies and identify opportunities for harmonisation.
• Document data gaps, methodological challenges, and provide recommendations for improving national disaster impact and loss information systems.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree in a relevant field (environmental sciences, ecology, forestry, geography, engineering, economics, disaster risk management, etc.) or equivalent experience.
• Minimum five years of experience in assessing, collecting, or analysing disaster impacts, damages, and losses, especially related to biodiversity, ecosystem services, or natural capital.
• Experience working with government institutions on disaster risk reduction or environmental management is desirable.

Required skills

• Database management
• Data collection and analysis
• Disaster impact assessment
• Economic and non‑economic environmental loss assessment