The World Meteorological Organization has announced a new home-based consultancy opportunity for a specialist in drought management and climate extremes to support the development of a comprehensive knowledge product on flash droughts.

The consultancy, referenced as SSA-2026-SS-SSCD-2, will be implemented under WMO’s Sectoral Services Department and aims to improve scientific understanding, operational guidance, and policy responses related to one of the fastest-growing climate hazards affecting communities worldwide.

Applications are open until 28 June 2026.

Growing Global Concern Over Flash Droughts

Flash droughts are increasingly being recognized as a major climate risk due to their rapid onset and severe impacts. Unlike conventional droughts, which often develop gradually over several months or years, flash droughts can emerge and intensify within days or weeks.

This rapid development creates significant challenges for:

Early warning systems
Disaster preparedness planning
Agricultural management
Water resource management
Humanitarian response mechanisms
Climate adaptation policies

As climate variability increases, governments, meteorological agencies, and development organizations are seeking improved tools and guidance to better anticipate and respond to these rapidly evolving events.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The consultancy will be undertaken in close collaboration with WMO’s Expert Team on Drought (ET-DRG) and the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP).

The selected consultant will conduct an extensive review of the current state of science on flash droughts and develop practical guidance for stakeholders involved in monitoring, forecasting, early warning, drought management, and policy development.

The assignment also supports broader objectives under the United Nations Early Warnings for All initiative, which seeks to expand access to effective early warning systems worldwide.

Key Areas of Research and Analysis

The consultant will be expected to investigate a broad range of issues related to flash droughts and their increasing significance within climate risk management frameworks.

Core areas of focus include:

Existing scientific definitions of flash droughts
Global occurrence and geographic distribution
Trends in frequency and intensity
Physical drivers and environmental processes
Differences between flash droughts and conventional droughts
Monitoring and forecasting approaches
Early warning indicators and thresholds
Impacts on key economic sectors
Policy and management implications

The consultancy will help bridge scientific knowledge with practical operational applications for agencies responsible for drought preparedness and response.

Addressing Compound and Cascading Climate Risks

A major component of the assignment involves examining how flash droughts interact with other climate and weather extremes.

The consultant will assess:

Compound climate hazards
Cascading impacts across sectors
Rapid transitions between floods and droughts
Simultaneous and sequential extreme events
Amplification of existing environmental risks

This work is expected to contribute to a more integrated understanding of climate extremes and strengthen resilience-building efforts globally.

Supporting the Three Pillars of Integrated Drought Management

The consultancy will provide guidance aligned with the three pillars of the Integrated Drought Management Programme framework.

Monitoring and Forecasting

The consultant will evaluate:

Appropriate monitoring timescales
Forecasting methodologies
Sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasting capabilities
Early warning triggers and thresholds
Recommended indicators for operational use

Policy and Planning

The assignment will examine:

Differences between flash drought management and conventional drought planning
Adaptation of policy frameworks to rapid-onset hazards
Integration of flash drought considerations into national drought plans
Dynamic management approaches for evolving climate risks

Sector-Specific Guidance

Recommendations will be developed for sectors most vulnerable to flash drought impacts, including:

Agriculture
Water resources
Environmental management
Disaster risk reduction
Climate services

Expected Deliverables

The selected consultant will produce several key outputs throughout the five-month assignment.

These include:

Draft Knowledge Product Outline

Development of a detailed framework
Identification of relevant case studies

Draft Flash Drought Knowledge Product

Submission for expert review
Public consultation through the IDMP partner network

Case Study Documentation

Compilation of practical examples from different regions
Review by drought experts and stakeholders

Final Knowledge Product

Integration of stakeholder feedback
Publication-ready guidance document
Finalized case study collection

The resulting publication is expected to become an important resource for operational agencies, policymakers, and development practitioners working on drought preparedness and climate resilience.

Qualifications and Experience Required

WMO is seeking a highly experienced specialist with advanced expertise in drought science and climate extremes.

Applicants must possess:

A Master’s degree or PhD in Meteorology, Applied Meteorology, Climatology, Hydrology, Environmental Science, Agricultural Sciences, or a related field

Professional experience requirements include:

At least 10 years of experience in drought management or related environmental fields
Proven expertise in flash droughts and rapid-onset climate hazards
Experience in drought monitoring and forecasting systems
Knowledge of early warning frameworks
Experience producing technical guidance documents and knowledge products
Familiarity with international organizations and policy-oriented research

Skills and Competencies

The successful consultant should demonstrate:

Strong analytical and research skills
Excellent technical writing capabilities
Understanding of drought adaptation and resilience strategies
Knowledge of climate risk management frameworks
Ability to translate scientific findings into practical guidance

Excellent written and spoken English is required, while knowledge of additional WMO official languages is considered an advantage.

Consultancy Duration and Conditions

The consultancy will be undertaken remotely and involves:

Duration: 30 working days
Implementation period: Five months
Compensation level: Payband C

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the official WMO e-recruitment platform. Applications submitted by email or post will not be considered.

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to complete written assessments and interviews as part of the recruitment process.

Advancing Global Drought Preparedness

The consultancy represents an important opportunity to contribute to global efforts aimed at strengthening drought resilience and climate preparedness. By generating practical guidance on flash drought monitoring, forecasting, and management, the selected consultant will help support governments, meteorological services, humanitarian organizations, and development partners in addressing one of the fastest-emerging climate risks of the modern era.

Applications close on 28 June 2026.

VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.