About us
Practical Action is a change making organisation that works in unconventional ways. We put ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.
We do things differently, so answers that start small can grow big – bringing people together in bold collaborations, using innovation and knowledge to build futures free from poverty and help shape a world that works better for everyone.
About the role
The Climate and Resilience Expert is a specialist role that will contribute to strengthening and expanding Practical Action’s Climate and Resilience portfolio, with a primary focus on Early Warning Systems and Early Action. The postholder will play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of our EWS/EWEA work, providing high‑quality technical expertise, thought leadership and sector engagement to enhance the impact of our programmes, partnerships, and consultancy services.
This role will support the delivery of ongoing workplans for key EWS/EWEA initiatives, including maternity cover responsibilities for priority projects. Approximately 50% of the postholder’s time will focus on coordinating delivery of the EWS Thematic Lead work under the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance, ensuring continuity, effective collaboration, and high technical standards across research, programme design, partnership development, and influencing activities.
About you
The successful candidate will bring strong technical knowledge of early warning systems and early action, experience working in climate resilience in low‑ and middle‑income contexts, and the ability to collaborate effectively with global teams, partners, and external stakeholders to advance Practical Action’s mission of putting ingenious ideas to work for a world that works better for everyone.
Accountabilities
- Provide specialist expertise on Early Warning Systems, including gender‑responsive and inclusive (GESI‑EWS) approaches.
- Support and advise on the implementation of Practical Action’s EWS/EWEA strategy across countries and programmes.
- Oversee and contribute to research on multi‑hazard, wildfire, and heat early warning systems.
- Offer technical advice and capacity strengthening to country teams and partners, including on Practical Action’s Missing Voices approach.
- Deliver technical and project management support across multi-country EWS/EWEA projects and organisational initiatives.
- Co-ordinate delivery of the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZCRA) EWS workplan through research, learning, and influencing actions.
- Represent Practical Action in global networks, events, and policy forums, strengthening visibility and thought leadership on EWS/EWEA.
- Develop high‑quality content for reports, briefs, and learning products to advance organisational knowledge and influence.
- Support business development, including proposal design and partnerships to grow the EWS/EWEA portfolio.
- Manage short-term consultancies and external technical specialists.
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with academic institutions, practitioners, and technical experts.
- Contribute to strategic planning processes within the Climate & Resilience team.
PERSON PROFILE
Person Specification
- Minimum of 5 years professional experience in a related role, including significant time working in different geographical contexts globally.
- Masters degree level qualification or equivalent in a related field.
- Strong personal empathy with Practical Action’s mission, vision and values.
- Ability and willingness to travel overseas several weeks a year.
- Established professional relationships with relevant key actors/networks in the Early Warning System sector.
- Experience of developing and leading consultancy assignments, projects and teams.
Skills, Abilities and Competencies:
- In-depth knowledge of Early Warning Systems, and relevant stakeholders and funders.
- Knowledge of Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) as a priority in EWS.
- High standards of written and spoken English.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships and networks.
- Enthusiastic and results driven.
- Ability to write and speak in a language other than English would be an advantage (e.g. Spanish, French, Portuguese).
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Why join us?
The opportunity to work for an organisation that is making a positive difference to the lives of people worldwide, a friendly and supportive culture, and working with values-driven and highly engaged colleagues are just some of the reasons we think Practical Action is a great place to work.
This role will be based in the UK.
The successful applicant must have the pre-existing right to both live and work in the UK. The successful candidate will be expected to attend the Rugby office on regular occasions.
Additional information
Practical Action believes that having a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace culture based on respect will enable us to be an effective organisation. We seek to create an inclusive workplace in which people are accepted as individuals, regardless of their differences and where they feel their contribution is valued. Practical Action is an equal opportunities employer, and we encourage applications from under-represented groups.
We stay committed to cultivating an inclusive and diverse working environment and believe that people from different backgrounds or cultures give us different perspectives, and the more perspectives we have, the more successful we will be. By building a culture where everyone feels heard, respected, and valued we give everyone working with us the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks including criminal checks and terrorist financing.
Closing date for applications: 30th April 2026. Please note that should we recruit a suitable candidate before the closing date, we will close applications earlier than the specified date.
Interviews: It is anticipated that interviews will take place in the weeks commencing 11th and 18th May 2026.
If you do not hear from us within five weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.
HOW TO APPLY
If you want to work for a charity with significant people ambitions, then we would like to hear from you. For more information, please visit our careers page. To apply please submit a copy of your CV (Maximum of 3 pages) and send us a supporting statement (no longer that 2 pages) that includes the answers to the following prompts:
- Briefly describe your experience leading Early Warning System (EWS) work, including any GESI or multi‑hazard approaches.
- Give an example of how you have supported or managed climate resilience or EWS work across different countries or teams.
- Describe a time you represented your organisation externally or influenced sector thinking in climate resilience or EWS.
- Please indicate how much notice period do you need to give, or when you would reasonably be able to start.