Information Management Senior Officer

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. 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.”  The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

The IFRC Country Delegation is in Ukraine since 1997. Since the conflict escalation on 24 February 2022, the Delegation in Ukraine has dramatically expanded to respond to the humanitarian crises resulted from the conflict escalation in the country. The IFRC has launched an Emergency Appeal for Ukraine and impacted countries that is coordinated on a regional level and supported in the initial months by a large number of Surge delegates in the impacted countries and in the Europe Regional Office, while continuously building National Society capacities in-country. ICRC, IFRC and numerous Partner National Societies are integrating their capacities to provide coordinated crisis response in Ukraine and the neighboring countries. Operations are led and coordinated on a country level whenever possible, integrated under existing Country and Cluster Delegations, through Operations Managers reporting to Heads of Country or Cluster Delegation.

The position is based in Kyiv, Ukraine, and is aimed to provide support to the IM needs of the Country delegation, the Ukrainian Read Cross Society and to the response operations on the crisis in Ukraine.

Job Purpose

The Information Management (IM) Senior Officer will be responsible for timely, efficient, effective, and innovative information management approaches for the IFRC and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) operation, including disaster and crisis preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery. The IM Officer is responsible for providing expert technical operational support and guidance to IFRC and URCS in various IM issues.

The IM Senior Officer is accountable for ensuring high-quality IM service to the Ukraine Operation. This includes the maintenance and improvement of existing systems to collect, store, manage, analyse, and present all types of data, supporting operational and strategic decision-making at the national level. Key priorities involve maintaining, and improving IFRC's national data management and visualization system. This system plays a critical role in the collection and analysis of data on indicators for the current and future IFRC projects and programmes, ensuring timely dissemination of information in a format that aligns with IFRC standards. These efforts aim to enhance transparency, accountability, and the monitoring of the effectiveness of interventions, while also analysing protection trends and needs.

In addition, the IM Senior Officer will work closely with IM peers in the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. The Senior Officer will support priority tasks undertaken by the URCS IM team, aiding in fostering liaisons between IFRC PMER and URCS, and improving the quality of URCS monitoring and reporting systems.

Furthermore, the position is instrumental in encouraging and supporting more informed decision-making and better coordination in operations. This includes the creation and maintenance of established IM systems for operation and response, as well as building skills and capacities in data literacy, enhancing data readiness, and improving abilities in working with tools and technologies for evidence-based decision-making in IFRC and National Societies, by providing technical guidance and facilitating training when needed.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Data and Information Management Services:

1. Oversee and maintain the operational data infrastructure for IFRC-supported operations in the country, ensuring continuous enhancement and effective functioning of IFRC's Information Management (IM) products, such as the Fleet Approval System, Operation Dashboard, and activity reporting within the Federation-wide framework.
2. Provide specialized, on-demand IM support to various IFRC sectors, addressing unique and emerging information management needs promptly,
3. Support IFRC and URCS teams in ensuring quality of data process and data management for the URCS One Plan, centred on the delivery of reliable, accessible, user-friendly, relevant, appropriate, and timely information to support the needs of URCS. Support URCS and IFRC in ensuring quality of data collection processes and data management including encoding, storing, and transferring data to key stakeholders.
4. Support IFRC teams in identifying new information and data requirements essential for operational support, including sourcing appropriate secondary data and information resources. Establish and maintain effective liaisons with technical and thematic stakeholders to cater to their operational IM needs and collaborate closely with Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting (PMER) team.
5. Create and disseminate vital IFRC information products such as infographics, dashboards, and maps, essential for efficient information sharing and stakeholder engagement.
6. Monitor the usage and effectiveness of information management systems and resources, applying relevant tools and procedures to identify and address any gaps in information management.
7. Provide quality control and technical oversight over tools supporting data collection and analysis, including managing platforms such as the Data Entry & Exploration Platform (DEEP), KoBo Toolbox, Red Rose, EspoCRM, and GO.

Data and Information Management Capacity Improvement:

1. Facilitate training and provide technical guidance and support to URCS to improve their data collection, analysis, and data-driven decision-making capacities. Dissemination on information management standards, procedures, and tools to IFRC offices and URCS with the view of enhancing their data and information management capacities.
2. Facilitate sessions aimed at building data literacy at strategic and operational levels of the IFRC.

Emergency operations support:

1. Facilitate the preparation of accurate and timely operational analyses as well as deliver information management inputs for briefing notes and situational updates to be submitted to the Operations Leadership.
2. Provide support to operations in geographic and registration data management, and ensure consistency and inter-operability between registration data, other operational data sets and statistical reporting.
3. When required, deploy (potentially on short notice) to different oblasts to provide emergency response information management support, including support for information analysis and assessments.

Coordination and Networking:

1. Collaborate with stakeholders within the Movement – and where necessary with external agencies – to determine required data sets, agree on data sharing, define data gaps, and agree on collaboration in obtaining missing data.
2. Build and maintain relationships with Red Cross Red Crescent information management experts in the IFRC IM network and SIMS to gain access to relevant sources of data, and data/information services.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Maintain functional networks and coordination with Movement partners, UN agencies and other humanitarian actors to ensure that IFRC is up to date on best practices and emerging trends related to information management.

Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals.

Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.

Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

  Required:

• University education or equivalent of qualifying experience in Computer Science, Information Systems and Management or a similar field.
• Technical training in information technology, demography, statistics, GIS, social sciences, analysis, needs assessments or a related field.

Preferred:

• IFRC training in Mobile Data Collection, Survey Design & Humanitarian Information Analysis.

Experience

Required:

• 3 years’ experience in the development and use of GIS, database systems, data visualization and other information management tools, systems, and procedures.
• Experience/knowledge of mobile data collection tools, such as KoBo, and data visualization software such as PowerBI, or Tableau.

Preferred:

• Experience in providing IM support in a disaster response and recovery operation.
• Experience working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent, preferably IFRC or for another humanitarian agency.
• Experience building a network and/or team, especially a remote team.
• Experience/knowledge on Customer Management Relationship systems, such as EspoCRM.
• Experience/knowledge on automation platforms, such as Microsoft Power Automate. 
• Experience in project planning, monitoring, and reporting.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required:

• High-level digital and software knowledge (including experience with Excel, Power BI, GIS software, API usage).
• Good analytical skills and the ability to provide solutions in high pressured environments.
• Skills in technical installation, troubleshooting and support for IM system hardware.
• Fluently spoken and written English, Ukrainian.

Preferred:

• Good data programming skills (Python, R) and experience in database management principles, including managing relational databases.
• Skills in developing and training staff.
• Skills in negotiation and building relations.
• Solid and tested team coordination and/or support skills.

Competencies, Values and Comments

VALUES: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

CORE COMPETENCIES:Communication; Collaboration and Teamwork; Judgement and Decision Making; National Societies and Customer Relations; Creativity and Innovation; Building Trust.