Regional Community Health Assistant

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-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, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  The IFRC also has country cluster delegation & country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. 

The MENA regional office based in Beirut; Lebanon supports 17 national societies in the region. The MENA Health, Disasters, Climate & Crises (HDCC) unit within the MENA regional office and works with one regional plan as well as provides technical support & quality assurance to country cluster delegations and country delegations.

The MENA HDCC unit has articulated its alignment with the IFRC global 5 Strategies Priorities and the relevant Enablers. 

Job Purpose

The health and care team as part of the Health, Disasters, Climate & Crises (HDCC) unit has the mandate to support national societies efforts in different health aspects including community-based health interventions. We are leading and coordinating the IFRC regional health support to the National Societies in the MENA region to ensure that various components of community health including diseases prevention, health promotion, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), Care in Communities (CiC), and First Aid (FA) are delivered to all people in need and align with IFRC policies, strategies, standards, technical guidelines, and best practices.
The MENA community health assistant, under supervision of community health senior officer, will be supporting Health and Care team to provide quality technical and operational support to all NSs in MENA region. The position will be working closely with all health and care team members, other HDCC technical advisors, and colleagues from other units at regional office to coordinate and synchronize our technical input to NSs.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The post holder is therefore accountable for the following tasks:

Capacity Building and technical support:

1. Support training of (or organize appropriate trainings preferably based on training needs assessments) NS staff and volunteers in relevant community-based health approaches including Care in Communities, Epidemic control for Volunteers (ECV), Public Health in Emergency (PHiE) and social mobilization covering CBHFA/RCCE, and First Aid.
2. Assist the National Societies and the Federation in the collection of information and relevant health data; analyse, identify problem areas, and advise on possible action in new and existing health programs.
3. Work closely with the Global First Aid Reference Center (GFARC) on implementing the joint MENA First Aid workplan, and, to support country delegations’ teams and specific projects like: e.g., International First Aid Attestation (IFAA) Award, and dissemination of the IFRC- GFARC tools and Guidelines.
4. Support adaptation and rolling out of health promotion and risk communication package for MENA NSs in close coordination with other team members and units.
5. Promote the use of IFRC tools and approaches; Community Based Health and First Aid CBHFA, Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV), Community Based Surveillance (CBS) and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) in NSs various programs.

Planning, Monitor and Evaluation:

1. Assist the National Societies and the Federation in the collection of information and relevant health data; analysis, identifying problem areas, and advising on possible actions for new and existing health programs.
2. Support the health team in monitoring and evaluation of community-based health programmes and the Federation-wide health activities.
3. Contribute to the development of DREF and EP application via revising and reviewing community health relevant interventions and ensure they are feasible, suitable, fits the purpose, and culturally acceptable at local level.
4. Support the NSs community health project planning, proposal writing, budgeting, and reporting during recovery and development phases.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Regional and global coordination:

1. Support community health senior officer in coordinating with other members of health and care team to ensure synergies between community health and all health and WASH interventions to contribute to community resilience.
2. Being an active member of the global and regional health team and contributing to the global Federation health team effort in addressing public health in emergency needs, contributing to the team projects on the research & learning agenda, developing a holistic health and resilience approach, and building capacity in behavioural change approaches.
3. Contribute to regional mapping: public health risks, NS’s potential roles and capacity, contingency plans, National response teams etc.
4. Supporting regional networks as relevant and establishing/reinforcing a system for knowledge sharing at the operational regional level including the systematic mapping of capacities and acting as a central repository of information concerning best practices and lessons learnt.

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Work actively towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals.
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

• University degree in relevant medical or healthcare disciplines - Required.
• Relevant post graduate degree or master’s in public health - Preferred.
• Relevant professional training courses (Red Cross/Red Crescent related, humanitarian and development sector, management, etc.) - Preferred.
• Basic Delegates Training Course/IMPACT - Preferred.
• Further qualification in Tropical health or SOS/HELP course, FACT training course is preferred - Preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 1-3 years’ work experience in an international sector, focused on humanitarian needs - Required.
• Experience working in a change management situation, preferably as an active participant in that change - Required.
• Work experience with other international organisations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agency is preferred - Preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Ability to lead and manage in a diverse cultural context - Required.
• Strong knowledge of information sharing tools, and the ability to implement them - Required.
• Budget and finance management - Preferred.
• Demonstrated skills in analytical and strategic thinking - Required.
• Comfortable working with current donors and communicating with potential donors - in particular, with National Societies  - Preferred.
• Knowledge of and first-hand experience with the Federation of the Future, including the New Operating Model Agenda and the Framework for Action preferred  - Preferred.
• Fluently spoken and written English and Arabic - Required. 
• Fluently spoken and written French - Preferred.

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability
• Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust