Regional Emergency Health 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 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs 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.”  IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

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 IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

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.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegations and 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 emergency health senior officer, under supervision and guidance of emergency health coordinator, will be working to support emergency health preparedness and response operations of NSs for different disasters and crises. With ongoing and frequent emergencies in the MENA region, the senior officer will support the emergency health coordinator to work on capacity building of NSs in emergency health including pandemic and epidemic preparedness response. Moreover, s/he will play role, whenever needed, in coordination with movement and external partners.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The emergency health senior officer with support and guidance of emergency health coordinator, will work on delivery of the following tasks:

• Provide technical support to NSs on emergency health topics including imminent public health risks, emergency preparedness and response operations and capacity building, and recovery effort.
• Work closely with emergency health coordinator on revising and giving feedback on DREF and EA applications from different NSs in MENA region.
• Participate in development of health and care annual operational plans, concept notes, and proposals seeking funds from various grants’ opportunities.  
• Being an active member of the global and regional emergency health team and contributing to the global Federation health and care team effort in addressing public health in emergency needs.
• Aligning regional health programs to the global strategic direction developed by the global health team.
• Monitor and report on new public health threats and health in emergency issues related to different health aspects e.g. needs of ageing populations, non-communicable diseases, maternal new-born & child health, and potential outbreaks.
• Follow up on the implementation, progress, and reporting of emergency health programs included in DREF and EA and see how to enable the national society to deliver against operational strategy and plans in timely and efficient manner.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting effort of the health and care team in respect to emergency health topics and support NSs effort in this area in close collaboration with the PMER team.
• Support data collection and sharing information with all pertinent staff and teams on various emergency health related topics including regional projects mapping, public health risks, NSs capacities, contingency plans, National response teams etc.
• Support IFRC country/cluster delegations in monitoring national epidemiological data, to ensure NS preparedness and response activities remain in line with the evolving epidemic.
• Support adaptation, sharing, and rolling out of health promotion and risk communication package for MENA NSs in close coordination with other thematic areas including community health, medical services, mental health and psychosocial support, and WASH.
• Provide consistent operational updates on regional health and care activities at the operational regional level, in line with the newly revised reporting requirements.
• Act as a first referral level for technical questions arising from Federation stakeholders in the operational region and re-directing these to the pertinent health staff at regional or global levels for further assistance as needed.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Support regional networks as relevant and reinforce 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.
• Contribute to scientific research and development exercises that are created to capture success stories, lessons learnt, best practices, or profiling of NSs achievements.
• Deploy to support NS emergency response operations and work in the field to expedite implementation of public health emergency pans and interventions wherever and whenever needed.
• Engage in a coordination and communication with PNSs and other external partners, whenever needed, to enhance quality of emergency health programs, resource mobilization, and coordination at ground level.

Duties applicable to all staff

• Work actively 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

• University degree in relevant medical or health-related discipline - Required.
• Postgraduate degree or certificate in relevant discipline - Preferred.
• Relevant professional training courses - Preferred.

Experience

• 5 to 7 years of field work experience in emergency health sector - Required.
• Work experience or knowledge on the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement or other international organisations in the MENA region - Preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Strong knowledge of information sharing tools, and the ability to implement them - Required.
• Good research and data analysis skills - Required.
• Demonstrate good writing and reporting skills - Required.
• Good communication and coordination skills - Preferred.
• Fluent spoken and written English and Arabic - Required.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish) - 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
• Functional competencies: Building alliances;