Regional Preparedness Technical Advisor

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.

Under the umbrella of the Country Cluster Delegation Bangkok, the American Red Cross (AmRC) provides support for RCRC National Societies (NS) implementing programmes in the area of DM/DP, Capacity Building and other general support that arises between ARC and RCRC through client services, and mutual relationship building between RCRC Societies focusing on 5 priority countries namely Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal, Timor Leste and Indonesia. ARC is expanding its projects in the region and needs support to do this.

Job Purpose

The American Red Cross International Services Department (ISD) seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering around the world by supporting National Societies to respond to disasters, build safer, more resilient communities, and educating future humanitarians. In the coming years the American Red Cross will deepen and expand its programming around the world while also working to strengthen the global Red Cross Red Crescent network, in order to deliver vital help and hope to some of the most vulnerable communities.

The American Red Cross (AmRC) seeks a Regional Technical Advisor (RTA) to provide technical support to AmRC country delegation and National Society partners in their preparedness programs particularly those involving youth, school, individual, household and community preparedness, as well as early warning systems, climate adaptation, and institutional preparedness activities. Additionally, this position will contribute to ISD’s (International Services Department) knowledge management efforts by supporting monitoring, program reviews, and research in accordance with ISD doctrine. The Regional Technical Advisor, Preparedness will report to the Deputy Regional Director – Asia Pacific Division who is overall responsible for program quality in accordance with ISD doctrine. The RTA will be matrixed to into the Preparedness pillar to ensure technical advisors have common approach.

The Regional Technical Advisor position will be based in the Asia Pacific Regional Office, Kuala Lumpur and will be required to travel frequently to the AmRC office based in the CCD Bangkok, and to the AmRC priority countries.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Primary Responsibilities

• Through the country delegations, provide day-to-day technical support and guidance on National Societies preparedness and climate adaptation programs at the strategic, program and project level in the areas of institutional, community and school-based programming.
• Prioritize support to ISD priority and climate countries in the AP region, ensuring preparedness programs meet ISD standards, and are contextualized to the needs, conditions and capacity of priority countries and key stakeholders.
• In collaboration with the Deputy Regional Director, priority country and HQ stakeholders, support resource mobilization through networking and high-quality program design; as requested, develop concept notes and proposals aligned with ISD doctrine.
• Conduct regular program reviews and support design and execution of evaluations; ensure recommendations are actionable and addressed, in coordination with the Deputy Regional Director, delegations, NS partners, and appropriate HQ technical advisors.
• In coordination with AmRC Preparedness unit, Global Disaster Preparedness Unit (GDPC) staff, other ISD teams and the global Red Cross/Red Crescent network, work closely with field teams to build capacity based on global good practices.
• Work with field teams to document good practices, facilitate learning, and support and contribute to the development of updated Disaster Preparedness doctrine which, when contextualized, would increase quality, efficiency and effectiveness of field-based disaster preparedness projects.
• Support country teams in the analysis of systems and services, identification of gaps, and design of programs based on learnings from existing work, and unique entry points for RCRC partners.
• Work with IFRC APRO technical counterparts to strengthen NS contingency planning (CP), response planning and other response tools.
• Work closely with IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office to support National Society Institutional Preparedness work across the AP region.
• Assist the IFRC in measuring and implementing institutional preparedness and readiness activities, including preparedness for effective response (PER) and Red Ready.

Cross-Cutting Functions

• Working with other RCRC partners, ensure that Protection, Gender and Inclusion is consistently and effectively mainstreamed into community and institutional response and preparedness programs.
• Working with IFRC and other RCRC partners to ensure community engagement (including two-way feedback mechanisms) and accountability is mainstreamed across preparedness programming and integrated throughout institutional preparedness work.
• Support the integration of climate, asset protection, and PGI into community-based disaster risk reduction programs and cash readiness.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Confidentiality

• Maintain strict moral confidentiality and do not disclose neither spread any confidential or sensitive information.
• Organize archives of all reports and documents and treat them as confidential material

Education

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as disaster management, development studies, international relations

Preferred

• Post-graduate (i.e., Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences/development studies, strategic/programme management, management studies or other relevant discipline

Experience

Required

• At least 7 to 10 years’ experience in international settings working in disaster risk reduction including response and readiness required
• 5+ years of experience of proven high-level communication skills and proven track record in programmes management
• Experience supporting or managing international community-based programmes
• Strong understanding of and experience in supporting program design, monitoring and evaluation required.
• Proven results-based experience on relationship management and resource mobilisation
• Proven experience of working in the region

Preferred

• Experience working within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement or another humanitarian organisation or UN
• Prior experience in developing successful U.S Government awards (USAID, PRM, BHA etc); strong understanding of U.S. gov’t funding and compliance.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Excellent interpersonal, intercultural communication skills and diplomacy
• Proven people management skills in a multi-cultural environment and strong track record of developing people
• Demonstrated ability to undertake high-level representational and advocacy role
• Demonstrated initiative and creativity, and substantial experience of strategic thinking, by identifying, analysing, problem solving and responding to opportunities and challenges and the ability to translate these into practical plans of action
• Possesses working knowledge of protection, gender and inclusion (PGI) issues in humanitarian and development settings in the context of Asia Pacific Region
• Must be flexible and able to travel up to 50%.
• Fluent spoken and written English

Preferred

• General comfort level with technology is preferred with proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, SharePoint and PowerPoint expected. Also, familiarity with Salesforce, Google Drive, Drop Box, Zoom and Skype preferred. Must be detail-oriented and organized and have strong analytical skills.
• Language skills from the region (Bangla, Nepali, Bahasa, Filipino) 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

Managerial Competencies: Managing Staff Performance; Managing Staff Development

Functional Competencies: Strategic Orientation; Building Alliances; Leadership; Empowering Others