Organizational context
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organisation established by and comprised of its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.
The Federation is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat is led by the IFRC Secretary General and provides the central capacity of the International Federation to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination, and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the RCRC Movement; and expanding engagement with partners. The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized in three main business groups: (i) Partnerships, including Movement and Membership; (ii) Programmes and Operations; and (iii) Management Services. The Global Innovation team is part of the Partnerships business group, sitting within the Policy, Strategy and Knowledge Department. The Innovation team builds and implements strategies that enhance the capacity of the IFRC and National Societies to innovate. The team also secures and manages global partnerships and develops global initiatives. There is a particularly strong focus however on supporting local innovation efforts to thrive across our large ground network in 190 countries.
Job Purpose
Under the supervision of the Risk and Vulnerability Lead the Senior Officer supports the IFRC network to ensure high quality, coherent and well-coordinated vulnerability tracking, monitoring, risk profiling and capacity mapping to inform scenario planning. The Senior Officer will work in close cooperation with other functions within in the DCPRR Department, regions, relevant networks and the IFRC Reference Centres. The Senior Officer will contribute to thought leadership and knowledge sharing across relevant technical areas, and support global representation and policy positioning as required.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Provide support in strengthening risk and vulnerability coordination and management:
- Provide thought leadership, innovation and strategic direction in risk and vulnerability programming;
- Support the mobilisation of programme resources.
- Ensure quality and accountability in risk and vulnerability practice.
- Promote and support innovation and knowledge management in approaches to risk and vulnerability programming.
- Support risk and vulnerability as a component of resilience programming within National Societies and the Secretariat.
Support representation and information management across the global vulnerability, risks and resilience network:
- Network and coordinate with Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners, governments, NGOs, UN agencies, private sector and others.
- Represent the Federation Secretariat on risk and vulnerability related issues in internal and external fora and establish effective working relationships with key organizations and institutions.
- Provide regular information updates and briefings as required on risk and vulnerability trends, innovations and emerging best practices.
Support a risk informed and holistic approach to disaster and crisis preparedness, response and recovery programmes and operations:
- Act as the regional focal point in the development of the Community Safety and Resilience Trust Fund, including coordination of the consultancy process and the implementation.
- Support the One Billion Coalition for Resilience in close collaboration with all thematic functions within DCPRR, regions, IFRC Reference Centres, ICRC and other IFRC networks.
- Ensure that the Federation’s Framework for Community Safety and Resilience is kept updated, is informed by learnings from operations and is promoted internally and externally.
- Act as the focal point for the IFRC European Union Office in the development of proposals to access EU funding mechanisms in close collaboration with National Societies.
- Lead the DRR Support Group in close coordination with the regions and regional networks.
- Act as the IFRC technical focal point for the Global Disaster Preparedness Centre and to coordinate IFRC engagement with the UNISDR-led Global Platform for DRR and other relevant forums and platforms.
Ensure quality assurance and accountability in resilience related programming:
- Act as the IFRC technical focal point to mainstream risk and vulnerability reduction across the continuum and in all areas of focus.
- Ensure that relevant resilience tools are regularly updated and aligned with tools specific to each area of focus, and work closely with National Societies, regions and relevant thematic functions to define gaps and needs for additional guidance.
- Lead the mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and climate change across all areas of focus and ensure that IFRC, programmes, operations and services are risk informed.
- Map the practices, capacities and needs of National Societies in risk and vulnerability, and support the regions to update or develop the required tools, working modalities or capacity building strategies.
- Promote and engage in relevant research and systematic monitoring and evaluation of all programmes and operations and ensure the integration of cross-cutting issues prioritized by the Movement.
Be responsible and accountable for the overall management and administration of related projects:
- Provide financial management, monitoring and coordination of project activities, and the delivery to time, budget and agreed quality standards of project outputs with related reporting and representation.
- Ensure the integrity of financial and administrative procedures and the consistent application of IFRC rules and procedures related to project activities.
- Contribute to the overall planning, budgeting and reporting of the team and the department.
Contribute to an effective, high quality IFRC team:
- Provide progress reports on results against objectives and risk analyses as required.
- Accommodate flexible working practices including working as part of time-limited, task-oriented teams to enable the IFRC to respond to new scenarios, operational needs or requests from Governance or the wider membership.
- Contribute to a client-oriented approach that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance and cost effectiveness.
- Foster a collaborative working environment with colleagues in the Secretariat, Regions, National Societies and external partners.
- Be available to deploy to Regions, Country Offices, or Operations to provide support as necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent)
Experience
- At least 5-7 years working experience in the humanitarian or development sector, with a focus on management and supervisory experience in a multicultural environment, with developing countries and/or with an international organisation at management level
- Experience in working in a membership organisation in roles that include member capacity development, the development of organisational policies and procedures, and high level representation
- Demonstrated professional credibility in the sector and experience working in an international or cross-cultural environment.
- Experience working in a RC/RC National Society and/or Federation/ICRC - Preferred
Knowledge, skills and languages
- Knowledge of organisational and management methodologies, techniques and interventions in order to create environment of sector excellences
- Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
- Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead within a matrix management structure and utilise talent and experience of team members in a productive way.
- Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive.
- Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and new approaches to engaging partners.
- Professional credibility, able to work effectively at all levels across the organisation
- Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality
- High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels.
- Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment.
- Fluently spoken and written English
- Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) - Preferred
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to apply via the following link:
www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies4
Application deadline July 15, 2016