1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Yemen continues to face one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, exacerbated by conflict, economic collapse, and recurrent natural hazards. Taiz and Hodeidah governorates are particularly vulnerable to multiple hazards, including floods, droughts, disease outbreaks, cyclones, and conflict-related shocks. The affected populations face compounded vulnerabilities due to damaged infrastructure, limited early warning systems, and weakened coping mechanisms.
Action Against Hunger is committed to strengthening anticipatory action mechanisms that enable communities and humanitarian actors to take early action before predictable crises escalate. Drawing from international best practices, including the Forecast-based Action (FbA) methodology and Simplified Early Action Protocol approaches, ACF aims to develop contextualised Early Action Protocols that establish clear triggers and predetermined actions to mitigate the impact of identified hazards on vulnerable populations.
An ongoing detailed mapping assessment of existing Early Warning Systems (EWS) in Taiz and Hodeidah is being conducted to understand the functionality, gaps, and reliability of current mechanisms. The findings from this assessment will be critical inputs for the EAP development process.

2. OBJECTIVE

To develop comprehensive, multi-hazard Early Action Protocols for Taiz and Hodeidah governorates that integrate community feedback, government actions, leverage existing early warning systems, and enable timely anticipatory action to reduce humanitarian impacts on vulnerable populations.

3. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To review the existing multi-Hazards assessment conducted in Yemen targeting Taiz and Hudaidah governorates, which prioritises hazards based on frequency, impact and predictability.
• Conduct a complementary assessment, if needed, based on the review results, to enable a complete analysis and support the anticipation of early actions and the design of appropriate triggers
• Integrate findings from the ongoing detailed mapping assessment of the existing Early Warning
  Systems (EWS) and their functionality.
• Define the communication channels for the EWS to ensure access to the most exposed communities to the potential hazards.
• Engage communities and local stakeholders through participatory approaches to incorporate contextual knowledge, indigenous early warning indicators, and feedback into protocol design.
• Develop hazard-specific trigger mechanisms based on predefined thresholds using available forecasts, monitoring data, and early warning information.
• Design a tiered activation system with clearly defined early actions mapped to each trigger level (e.g., readiness, pre-positioning, early action).
• Define roles, responsibilities, decision-making authority, and activation mechanisms for the EAP.
• Establish monitoring, verification, and learning frameworks, including After-Action Review protocols.
• Propose financing mechanisms, budget allocations, and resource pre-positioning strategies for anticipatory action.

4. METHODOLOGY

The consultant/team will employ a participatory, evidence-based approach grounded in recognised anticipatory action methodologies. The methodology will include:

• Comprehensive desk review of relevant documentation, including risk assessments, ongoing EWS mapping assessment, humanitarian response plans, historical hazard data, climate projections, and existing contingency plans.
• Close integration and analysis of the ongoing detailed mapping assessment of EWS functionality in Taiz and Hodeidah governorates.
• Conduct field visits to priority areas in Taiz and Hodeidah governorates for data collection and stakeholder consultations, ensuring coordination with key line ministries in Aden as well as the relevant authorities in Hodeidah and Taiz. All coordination and field engagement will be carried out in close collaboration with ACF and its consortium partners.
• Key informant interviews with ACF staff (HQ and field), implementing partners, local authorities, meteorological services, UN agencies, cluster coordinators, and technical experts.
• Participatory community consultations using focus group discussions, community risk mapping exercises, seasonal calendars, and hazard timeline development.
• Analysis of forecasting sources and historical trigger validation using past hazard events.
• Multi-stakeholder validation workshops to review draft protocols and gather feedback.
• Coordination with relevant humanitarian coordination mechanisms (clusters, working groups, anticipatory action platforms).
• Adherence to humanitarian principles, Do No Harm approaches, and conflict-sensitive programming given Yemen's context.

5. REQUIRED EXPERTISE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:

• Advanced degree in disaster risk reduction, emergency management, climate adaptation, humanitarian studies, or related field.
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive experience in anticipatory action, forecast-based financing, early warning systems, or emergency preparedness in humanitarian contexts.
• Proven experience developing Early Action Protocols, Forecast-based Financing plans, or similar anticipatory action frameworks (at least 3 completed EAPs or equivalent).
• Deep understanding of multi-hazard risk analysis, forecasting systems, and trigger development methodologies.
• Experience working in Yemen or similar complex emergency and fragile contexts (conflict-affected, limited infrastructure, access constraints).
• Strong expertise in participatory assessment methodologies and community-based risk assessment tools.
• Familiarity with international anticipatory action frameworks (FbF methodology, Simplified EAP approach, Anticipatory Action Pilot, etc.).
• Excellent analytical, report writing, and presentation skills in English and Arabic.
• Strong facilitation skills and proven ability to engage diverse stakeholders (communities, authorities, UN agencies, donors).

Highly Desirable:

• Working knowledge of Arabic or demonstrated ability to work effectively through interpreters.
• Direct familiarity with anticipatory financing mechanisms (Forecast-based Action by the DREF, CERF Anticipatory Action, START Network, OCHA CBPFs).
• Technical expertise in climate risk analysis, hydrometeorological forecasting, or epidemiological surveillance systems.
• In-depth understanding of the Yemen humanitarian context, operational constraints, and humanitarian architecture.
• Previous collaboration or familiarity with Action Against Hunger's programs and operational approach.
• Experience integrating Protection, Gender, and Inclusion considerations into anticipatory action programming.

6. INDICATIVE TIMELINE

Indicative 10-12 weeks timeline - to be refined based on consultant availability, field conditions, and security considerations.