Senior Officer, Global Surge

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The 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 Operations Coordination Team, as part of the DCC Department, has the main responsibility of coordinating the resources applied in Emergency Operations supported by IFRC. This includes financial resources such as the emergency appeals (also work in very close coordination with Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF)), short-term human resources and assets (Surge Capacity), Preparedness for Effective Response (PER), and Shelter Cluster Coordination. The team designs rules and procedures for strategic and tactical use of these resources and supports the application at the operational level upon request from National Societies. The Surge Capacity function is responsible for managing the portfolio of tools and mechanisms that help coordinate the deployment of individual experts (Rapid Response Personnel) and Emergency Response Units (Health, WASH, Logistics, IT/Telecom, etc.).

Lead the IFRC Secretariat efforts to strengthen the quality and accountability of Federation-led disaster response operations through the development and maintenance of effective and efficient global surge capacity systems and through coordinating the timely mobilisation and deployment of skilled personnel and appropriate equipment.  

Lead the IFRC Secretariat efforts to strengthen the quality and accountability of Federation-led disaster response operations through the development and maintenance of effective and efficient global surge capacity systems and through coordinating the timely mobilisation and deployment of skilled personnel and appropriate equipment

Support the development and implementation of Global Surge instruments

Maintain effective centralized coordination services for the Global response tools (Rapid Response, ERU, etc), including the management of alert and deployments, briefing and debriefing, and with appropriate technical advice on transition, handover, exit and reporting of global tools.

Maintain effective coordination of Surge Capacity Working Groups, including the collaborative development and dissemination of appropriate tools, guidance, standards, and procedures.

Foster IFRC's Capacity in Surge Operations

Actively contribute to / lead or support IFRC’s efforts to raise awareness of global surge capacity and the global disaster response tools, standards, and procedures at National Societies training courses.

Support NSs and IFRC Secretariat colleagues requesting global surge personnel and equipment with guidance and technical advice and support on procedures, norms, and standards; and supporting National Societies interested in contributing to or developing their own global disaster response tools, with guidance and technical advice on procedures, norms, and standards.

Manage in coordination with the HRMD, the process to modernize and adapt existing surge capacity databases into an online rapid-response user-updatable database and communications platform – ensuring compatibility with IFRC’s IT systems and HR policies and procedures.

Quality Assurance of Surge Operations

Support the development, update, and dissemination of an evaluation of standardized disaster management training curricula for global surge capacity personnel.

Manage the development and facilitation of the IFRC Surge trainings as Emergency Team Leader training, CAP training, ERU, Induction to IFRC operations, and other trainings as required to maintain adequate numbers of “active” personnel for deployment.

In collaboration with the Programme and Operations and global networks team, manage or facilitate operational reviews and evaluations of global surge deployments.

Ensure that lessons learnt from each deployment are captured and that they inform the continuous improvement (effectiveness and relevance) of global surge capacity systems and tools. Ensure that lessons learnt from each deployment are captured and that they inform the continuous improvement (effectiveness and relevance) of global surge tools.

Manage Global Surge Capacity Programming

• Support the IFRC Region on their design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of their Surge Roadmaps.

Ensure proper implementation of the Global Surge Strategic plan 2024 – 2028 and subsequent strategic plans.

Develop global programme project proposals in accordance with IFRC standards and donor requirements and seek to decentralize activity and project management functions to the field and regional levels wherever possible.

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.

Support register management

Ensure the wider surge mechanism is aligned, inclusive, and the workforce is fit for purpose, increasing the performance of the Surge workforce.

Support to ensure the existing processes, procedures, approaches, tools, etc., are fit for purpose and properly monitored.

Support the management of the Rapid Response register, which can include:

Coordinating with technical focal points to update competency frameworks and to validate role profiles of new members.

Maintaining an overview of competencies of IFRC secretariat and National society personnel made available for short-term surge deployments, analysing and identifying gaps and doing calls for new applications.

Creation and implementation of processes to engage, assess and performance manage Rapid Responses personnel.

In coordination with Human Resources Management Department (HRMD), support on HR matters that might affect the recruitment, deployment or performance management of surge personnel, including Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) processes and follow-up of potential misconduct.

Represent IFRC on disaster surge capacity issues in RC/RC Movement and external global and regional for a and establish effective working relationships with key humanitarian organizations.

Work with the Surge learning unit to:

Create and promote best practices for the assessment of competencies at learning events,

Record competency assessment information attained through learning events,

Support the development of learning strategies based on workforce analysis and capacity gaps.

Actively contribute to lead or support IFRC’s efforts to raise awareness of global surge capacity and the global disaster response tools, standards, and procedures.

Support the implementation of new features and improvement of the global RRMS

Represent and Sustain a Global Network on Preparedness, Relief, and Recovery

Network and coordinate with RC/RC movement partners, NGOs, UN, and other international organizations, to ensure the IFRC is kept informed and up to date on best practices and emerging trends related to disaster surge capacity.

Represent IFRC on disaster surge capacity issues in RC/RC Movement and external global and regional fora and establish effective working relationships with key humanitarian organizations, including UN OCHA (UNDAC) and civil contingencies agencies.

Contribute to an effective, high-quality IFRC Operation Coordination unit and DCC Department:

Be accountable to the team manager by providing progress reports on results against objectives and risk analysis.

Be flexible in your work definition according to needs and targets, and improve team efficiencies and effectiveness within available resources.

Be a proactive team member fostering a customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance, and cost effectiveness.

Required:

University degree in a relevant area.

Technical training in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery

Preferred:

Training in the RC/RC global disaster response tools (Rapid Response (old FACT and/or  RDRT-RIT, ERU, Ops management, Emergency Team Leader or others) 

Required:

Minimum of 7-8 years of relevant experience in disaster management. 

Experience in working within the RC/RC Movement. 

Proven experience in strategy development, developing tools and guidance, providing technical assistance, and in establishing and maintaining networks. 

Preferred:

Field experience in coordinating and managing major disaster response operations. 

Required:

Extensive knowledge of RC/RC and/or UN global disaster response tools.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with independent decision-making capacity.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to represent the International Federation and to negotiate and influence people’s opinions.

Excellent collaborative and teamwork skills. Ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and cross-functional environment.

Knowledge of technical aspects of disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery, and of key donor and partner organisations.

Project cycle management, including proposal development, budgeting and reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.

Flexible and adaptable to work effectively in a multicultural environment, and ability to travel at short notice.

Computer knowledge as a advance user – self-supporting in MS package and other IM tools.

Demonstrated core proficiency in a digital communication & collaboration, basic digital content creation, digital safety & security, data literacy, and problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants.

Fluent spoken and written English.

Preferred:

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with independent decision-making capacity.

Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

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: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others

Comments: This is a national staff position open to nationals of the listed countries in the advertisement and others who are legally eligible to work there.