Regional Climate and Anticipatory Modeling Specialist
Action Against Hunger (Action contre la Faim)
Quick Take
Build and operationalize climate models and early-warning trigger systems that translate weather data into life-saving humanitarian decisions across the Horn of Africa.
Advanced postgraduate qualification in climate/hydrology/meteorology, 7+ years of hands-on modelling experience, and expertise in drought/flood forecasting and anticipatory action frameworks.
High-impact technical leadership in humanitarian climate science, competitive salary (KES 350–550k/mo), and embedded partnership with IGAD and ICPAC across four countries.
Job Description
Action Against Hunger is seeking a highly skilled Regional Climate and Anticipatory Modeling Specialist to serve as the consortium's foremost technical authority on climate science, hydrometeorological modelling, environmental risk analysis, and anticipatory-action trigger development across the Greater Horn of Africa. This role sits at the intersection of cutting-edge climate science and life-saving humanitarian decision-making, making it one of the most impactful technical positions in the region.
Reporting to the Regional Consortium Coordinator, the Specialist will translate complex climate intelligence from ICPAC, national meteorological agencies, and global modelling platforms into operational trigger matrices, Early Action Protocols (EAPs), contingency plans, and preparedness decisions covering Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and South Sudan. The role is embedded within a DG ECHO-funded Regional Disaster Preparedness Program implemented in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC).
- Lead the development, calibration, and validation of multi-hazard climate and hydrometeorological models supporting anticipatory action across Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and South Sudan.
- Analyze and integrate global, regional, and national climate datasets including ERA5, MERRA-2, CHIRPS, NDVI, MODIS, IRI, ECMWF, GFS, and ICPAC seasonal forecasts.
- Apply drought, flood, heat, and climate-projection models — including SPI, SPEI, HBV, SWAT, and VIC — to generate decision-ready risk information for pastoral, agricultural, urban, and cross-border contexts.
- Assess shared river-basin risks and transboundary hydrometeorological dynamics to strengthen cross-border early warning and anticipatory trigger systems.
- Lead climate-informed malnutrition predictive modelling in South Sudan under the FAO-led DG ECHO consortium, linking climatic indicators to food security and nutrition outcomes.
- Develop, refine, and operationalize trigger matrices and Early Action Protocols in alignment with consortium partners and national disaster management agencies.
- Oversee the integration of DG ECHO Minimum Environmental Requirements (MER) throughout program design and delivery cycles.
- Provide technical capacity building to national meteorological services, IGAD member states, and consortium partners on climate modelling and anticipatory action frameworks.
- Represent Action Against Hunger in regional technical working groups, ICPAC forums, and inter-agency climate-humanitarian coordination platforms.
- Produce high-quality technical reports, bulletins, and decision-support tools tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences including field teams and donors.
- Hold a postgraduate degree in climate science, hydrology, meteorology, environmental science, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrate at least 7 years of hands-on experience applying hydrometeorological and climate modelling tools (HBV, SWAT, VIC, SPI, SPEI) in operational humanitarian or development contexts.
- Proven ability to process and interpret large-scale remote sensing and reanalysis datasets (ERA5, CHIRPS, MODIS, MERRA-2) using tools such as Python, R, GIS platforms, or similar.
- Demonstrated experience designing or operationalizing anticipatory action trigger frameworks and Early Action Protocols in fragile or climate-vulnerable settings.
- Track record of translating complex climate science outputs into actionable recommendations for non-specialist humanitarian audiences including programme managers and policymakers.
- Experience working with or alongside IGAD, ICPAC, WMO, FAO, or similar regional/global climate-humanitarian architecture is a strong asset.
- Ability to navigate multi-stakeholder consortium environments and coordinate effectively across diverse institutional cultures.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; knowledge of Somali, Amharic, or French is an added advantage.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently across the Horn of Africa including to fragile and insecure operating environments.
Action Against Hunger offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience and aligned with INGO sector benchmarks for senior technical roles in the Horn of Africa. The estimated monthly gross salary range is KES 350,000 – KES 550,000, subject to the organization's internal salary scales and the candidate's qualifications. Additional benefits include medical cover, R&R entitlements, and a hazard/security allowance where applicable for field travel to high-risk locations.
Ideal candidates are seasoned climate scientists or hydrometeorological specialists with a passion for translating technical rigour into humanitarian impact. You thrive in complex, multi-country consortium settings, are comfortable engaging both with satellite datasets and field teams, and understand the urgency of climate-informed early action in food-insecure contexts. Experience in the Greater Horn of Africa is highly desirable.
Do not apply if you have fewer than 5 years of applied climate modelling experience, lack hands-on familiarity with the technical tools listed, or are not prepared for regular travel to fragile and conflict-affected areas in the region.
- Visit the Action Against Hunger careers portal at www.actionagainsthunger.org/careers.
- Search for the Regional Climate and Anticipatory Modeling Specialist position.
- Submit your updated CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) clearly demonstrating how your experience aligns with the key responsibilities and required competencies.
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis — early submission is strongly encouraged.
- The closing date for applications is 27 June 2026.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment.
Requirements Breakdown
Must Have
- Postgraduate degree (MSc or PhD) in climate science, hydrology, meteorology, or environmental science
- Minimum 7 years of hands-on experience in hydrometeorological modelling and climate data analysis
- Proficiency with climate modelling tools (SPI, SPEI, HBV, SWAT, VIC) and datasets (ERA5, CHIRPS, MODIS, ECMWF)
- Demonstrated experience developing operational early-warning systems or anticipatory action trigger matrices
- Strong ability to communicate complex climate science to non-technical audiences (field teams, policymakers, donors)
Nice to Have
- Experience with transboundary water resource management or shared river-basin risk assessment
- Proven track record linking climate indicators to food security or nutrition outcomes
- Familiarity with DG ECHO funding mechanisms and Minimum Environmental Requirements (MER)
- Prior engagement with IGAD, ICPAC, or national meteorological services in East Africa
Don't meet every requirement? Tailor your CV to close the gap →
Salary Context
Above-market salary for specialized climate technical role in Nairobi, reflecting expertise and humanitarian sector seniority.
At KES 350–550k/month, this role commands a premium within Kenya's climate science and humanitarian tech sector. Senior technical specialists with 7+ years and advanced qualifications typically earn KES 300–500k; the upper range here reflects the regional scope (four countries), donor funding stability (DG ECHO), and consortium leadership expectations. Sector factors affecting pay include donor budget lines, project tenure, and scarcity of modelling expertise.
About Action Against Hunger (Action contre la Faim)
Action Against Hunger (Action contre la Faim) is a global humanitarian organization operating in over 40 countries, with deep presence across East Africa focused on food security, malnutrition prevention, and disaster preparedness. In Kenya and the Horn of Africa, they lead DG ECHO-funded regional programs in partnership with IGAD, translating climate science into anticipatory action that saves lives before crises hit. Working here means joining a mission-driven, technically rigorous organization where data directly informs life-or-death decisions.
Likely Interview Questions
- 1
Walk us through a specific climate model you've built or calibrated: what datasets did you use, what was the operational decision it informed, and how did you validate its accuracy?
- 2
Describe your experience translating technical climate science for non-technical stakeholders. Give a concrete example of a trigger matrix or EAP you developed and how it was adopted.
- 3
The Greater Horn of Africa faces simultaneous drought and flood risks across different geographies and seasons. How would you design a multi-hazard modelling approach that captures this complexity?
- 4
Tell us about your experience working across borders or with multiple government agencies. What coordination challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
- 5
DG ECHO funding and humanitarian timelines are fast-paced. Give an example of how you've delivered decision-ready climate intelligence on a tight deadline without sacrificing quality.
Application Tips
Lead with specific models and datasets: don't just list 'climate modelling'—name the tools (SWAT, VIC, SPEI) and data sources (ERA5, CHIRPS) you've actually used in operational contexts.
Quantify impact: show how your work translated into early action (e.g., 'trigger matrix used by national DRM agency to activate 50,000 beneficiary preparedness response').
Emphasize East Africa/IGAD experience if you have it, or explain how your regional experience (West Africa, South Asia) transfers to the Horn of Africa's transboundary hydrology and pastoral systems.
Highlight non-technical communication: include examples of technical bulletins, briefings to policymakers, or capacity-building sessions—humanitarian decision-makers need clarity as much as rigor.
Showcase donor alignment: if you've worked on DG ECHO, DFID, or USAID-funded climate projects, make this explicit; it signals familiarity with compliance and reporting.
Career Path
Roles that lead here
Where this leads
Skills & Keywords
Honest Assessment
Green Flags
- Exceptional impact alignment: this role directly shapes anticipatory action that prevents humanitarian crises across four countries, not a typical desk job.
- Strong consortium and institutional backing: embedded within DG ECHO, IGAD, and ICPAC partnerships—applicant gains exposure to high-level regional climate governance and networks.
- Competitive salary with regional scope: KES 350–550k reflects seniority and reflects the humanitarian sector's recognition of technical talent scarcity.
- Clear technical leadership mandate: role explicitly positions specialist as 'foremost technical authority,' offering genuine autonomy and visibility within the region's climate-humanitarian ecosystem.
Watch Out
- Job description is incomplete—it cuts off mid-sentence at 'Demonstrate at least 7 years of hands-on experience a'—applicants should request the full posting before investing significant effort.
- No explicit mention of contract length, whether role is fixed-term or permanent, or post-project continuation risk (DG ECHO funding cycles can create uncertainty).
- Reporting structure only mentions 'Regional Consortium Coordinator' but doesn't clarify hierarchy or integration with Action Against Hunger's global climate team—clarity on mentorship and career support would help.
A Day in the Life
Your week opens Monday with a virtual meeting between ICPAC, national meteorological agencies, and consortium partners to review this season's climate outlook and recalibrate drought trigger matrices. By Wednesday, you're deep in R or Python, integrating the latest CHIRPS rainfall data with your SWAT hydrological model to update flood risk for the Juba–Shabelle transboundary basin. Thursday brings a capacity-building workshop with South Sudan's national DRM agency, walking them through how malnutrition-climate linkages feed into your predictive model. You close the week drafting a decision-support bulletin for field teams in Somalia summarizing which pastoral zones should activate water-trucking anticipatory actions in the next 6 weeks—translating model outputs into plain language and maps. Throughout, you're fielding slack messages from consortium partners seeking technical clarification and preparing slides for the monthly donor update to DG ECHO.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do I need to be a Regional Climate and Anticipatory Modeling Specialist at Action Against Hunger?
You need a postgraduate degree (MSc or PhD) in climate science, hydrology, meteorology, or environmental science, plus at least 7 years of hands-on experience with hydrometeorological modelling, climate datasets (ERA5, CHIRPS, MODIS), and modelling tools (SPI, SPEI, HBV, SWAT, VIC). Strong communication skills for translating complex climate science to non-technical audiences are equally critical.
Is the Regional Climate and Anticipatory Modeling Specialist role at Action Against Hunger remote or office-based?
The posting specifies Nairobi as the location, suggesting office-based work, though the exact working arrangement (hybrid, flexible) is not detailed in this excerpt. Contact the organization directly to clarify telework options, especially for consortium coordination calls.
How much does a Regional Climate and Anticipatory Modeling Specialist earn at Action Against Hunger?
The posted salary range is KES 350,000–550,000 per month, positioning this role in the upper-middle range for climate technical specialists in Kenya. Exact placement within the band typically depends on years of experience, specific skill depth, and prior salary.
What are the career growth opportunities for this role?
This role offers clear advancement into regional technical leadership (Regional Director, Head of Climate & Resilience) or senior policy positions within African governments or multilateral climate organizations. You'll also build high-visibility networks across IGAD and ICPAC, opening doors to consultant or think-tank roles focused on climate-humanitarian policy.
How long is the contract and what happens when DG ECHO funding ends?
The posting does not specify contract length or post-project continuation. Since DG ECHO is a time-bound funding source, applicants should ask during interview whether the role is fixed-term and what transition planning exists beyond the current project cycle.
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