Disaster Resilience Specialist

Location: Philippines
Employment Type: Full-time, Regular
Work Arrangement: Field-based, with travel as needed

The Disaster Resilience Specialist provides technical expertise in disaster risk reduction and management while helping shape Compassion Philippines’ disaster and climate resilience agenda.

A key part of this role is working in partnership with local churches. You will collaborate with church leaders and partners, government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and other stakeholders to develop practical, context-specific approaches that strengthen resilience and support children, youth, caregivers, and communities affected by disasters.

This is an opportunity for a disaster resilience professional with strong expertise, sound judgment, and a genuine heart for serving local churches and communities.

What you will do

• Lead the development and implementation of a disaster and climate resilience strategy aligned with Compassion Philippines’ national strategy.
• Serve as a key Disaster Risk Reduction focal point, providing technical guidance, coordination, accountability, and knowledge sharing across the organization.
• Provide technical oversight for disaster preparedness, prevention, response, recovery, and rehabilitation initiatives.
• Work closely with local churches and community partners to strengthen disaster resilience and develop locally appropriate approaches.
• Support disaster response and recovery efforts in affected communities, working closely with field and program teams, monitoring and evaluation teams, and other internal and external partners.
• Build the capacity of staff, church partners, and communities in disaster risk reduction, emergency response, resource mobilization, and resilience programming.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with government agencies, humanitarian organizations, civil society groups, churches, and other relevant networks.
• Analyze disaster and climate risks and translate complex information into clear, practical recommendations that support preparedness, good judgment, and appropriate action.
• Stay current with emerging trends, good practices, policies, and approaches in disaster risk management, climate resilience, and emergency management in the Philippines and globally.
• Support resource mobilization by identifying funding needs and opportunities to respond to the needs of disaster-affected children, youth, caregivers, and communities.
• Work with monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning teams to strengthen monitoring, reporting, learning, and evidence of impact.
• Coordinate disaster-related communications with organizational leadership, security, management, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Provide technical advice to management on disaster preparedness, prevention, response, recovery, and rehabilitation.
• Facilitate the development and strengthening of the National Office business continuity strategy.
• Promote environmental stewardship and creation care as part of disaster and climate resilience efforts.
• Foster collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement across disaster resilience initiatives.

What you bring

Education

• A Master’s degree in Disaster and Risk Management, Development Studies, Economics, Emergency Management, or a related field is preferred but not required.
• Relevant professional experience may be considered in combination with education.

Experience

• At least 5 years of field experience developing and directly managing disaster risk reduction, emergency response, recovery, rehabilitation, or reconstruction initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing or providing technical oversight for disaster response, recovery, rehabilitation, or resilience programs.
• Strong understanding of Disaster Risk Management and the Philippine disaster and climate context.
• Experience working with government agencies, humanitarian organizations, civil society, churches, or other strategic partners is highly desirable.
• Experience in emergency management at regional or national level is an advantage.

Skills and competencies

• Strong technical knowledge of disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation.
• Ability to analyze complex information, assess risks, and make sound recommendations and decisions.
• Ability to translate technical disaster and climate information into practical strategies and actions.
• Strong coordination, facilitation, networking, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple teams and organizations.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to communicate during crisis situations with clarity, calmness, and good judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to build the capacity of others and facilitate learning.
• Established networks with relevant local and international organizations in disaster risk reduction and resilience are an advantage.
• Training or certification in Incident Command Systems (ICS) or related emergency management systems is an advantage.
• Demonstrated commitment to environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and community-based approaches.

This is a field-based role

Disaster resilience work is dynamic and requires the ability to be present where support is needed. This role involves field engagement with churches, communities, government agencies, and partners, as well as travel to areas affected by or at risk of disasters.

We welcome qualified applicants from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The role requires flexibility to travel to Manila and other locations when needed, particularly for strategy development, coordination, training, and collaboration with national stakeholders.

As disaster situations arise, the Specialist may be called upon to provide technical guidance, coordination, or support. While this is not a constant emergency-response role, readiness and flexibility are important aspects of working in disaster resilience.

What We Value

We value professionals who are people-centered, collaborative, adaptable, accountable, and committed to serving others. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong personal character, a commitment to Compassion’s mission and values, and the ability to work with professionalism, humility, integrity, and a Christ-centered perspective.

Why join us?

Help shape Compassion Philippines’ disaster and climate resilience strategy while partnering with local churches and communities to strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery.

If you bring strong disaster resilience expertise, sound judgment, and a heart for serving others, this is an opportunity to make a lasting difference.

Bring your expertise to strengthen resilience, partner with local churches, and help communities prepare for what’s ahead.