Operations Manager

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, with 190 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

Starting January 2017, IFRC has been supporting BDRCS in responding to the needs of people fleeing from Myanmar’s Rakhine State into Bangladesh. The initial response started after an upsurge of violence in the northern areas of Rakhine during October 2016 prompted large-scale cross-border movement. As the initial Population Movement Emergency Appeal operation took shape, on 25 August 2017, a new influx started as thousands of people started to cross the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, fleeing violence in northern areas of Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Since then, more than 604,000 persons have arrived in Bangladesh, most of them women and children. According to the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), the latest influx has resulted in an increase of Persons from Rakhine (PfR) to a total of 816,000. In response to the massive upsurge in humanitarian needs, IFRC issued a Revised Emergency Appeal for CHF 12.76 million on 14 September and deployed various components of its Global Response Tools (GRTs), with specialists and units covering a wide range of sectors. The scale of needs has since increased exponentially and on 10 October IFRC categorized the situation as ‘Red’ level crisis according to the IFRC Emergency Response Framework, making it an organization-wide priority for the IFRC Secretariat at all levels. Linked to this, a further scale-up of the IFRC response was done on 23 October with issuance of another Emergency Appeal Revision which increased the ask to CHF 33.5 million. The operation aims to meet the humanitarian needs of 200,000 persons through timely and effective emergency relief alongside medium and longer-term interventions to support the safety, dignity and resilience of PfR and host communities. The GRTs are playing a crucial role in delivering assistance in Cox’s Bazar, with current focus on providing assistance to the newly-displaced PfR arriving since 25 August 2017. Looking ahead, and to ensure a swift transition from surge to longer-term roles, IFRC has initiated the process of recruiting management, technical and support personnel who will support BDRCS in the response after GRTs demobilize. The Operations Manager is among the key longer-term roles.

Reporting to the Head of Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office, the Operations Manager provides the technical lead to ensure the optimal coordination and direct management of resources required for the effective and efficient implementation of the IFRC emergency appeal operation.

• Negotiate, plan and mobilize IFRC resources in support of the National Society in the assessment, planning, and implementation of the emergency response.
• Supervise IFRC technical leads to ensure they work closely with the managers of relevant National Society departments in all related programming roles and responsibilities, providing advice and recommendations that carefully consider local capacity and context.
• Along the National Society, build alliances and partnerships with other emergency actors to enhance the implementation of the emergency plan of action. Support, the NS to enhance their position vis-à-vis the national and international coordination mechanisms.
• Support IFRC technical leads to develop programme approaches which strengthen and develop the National Society’s structures, capacity and performance; analyze and understand their current strengths and weaknesses and to ensure provision of necessary technical and material support particularly in relation to the ongoing crisis.
• Promote and assist the integration of humanitarian priorities and interventions within all relevant programming divisions in the National Society.
• Ensure that the response is based on frameworks and approaches that are consistent with or have considered national and international standards and guidelines, as well as IFRC policies, procedures and tools.
• Assist the National Society, Movement and external partners in the achievement of planned outcomes and deliverables following quality standards, in a timely fashion, and within budgets.
• Ensure a robust and coherent monitoring of the situation and its potential evolution, and ensure that humanitarian interventions are responsive to current and emerging needs and threats.
• Work with the Asia Pacific DCPRR Unit in Kuala Lumpur to develop, implement and review contingency planning for identified threats in operational areas, as well as the development of capacities within the National Society for emergency response.
• Support the National Society in setting up the structure needed to ensure that all components of the response are identified, planned and carried out in a coordinated, collaborative and integrated manner with Movement and external partners.
• Support the National Society in developing and implementing operational standards, tools and procedures that ensure quality, consistency and sustainability of emergency response interventions.
• Together with the National Society, the Head of Country Office and the Head of Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office, represent IFRC in coordination meetings and forums, involving national authorities, national and international agencies, donors and other partners in the country.
• Support the National Society in establishing an effective information management system for the response, including statistics.
• Work with PMER leads in IFRC and the National Society to ensure that planning and reporting requirements are met in a timely and efficient manner.
• Advise on the need of additional human resources and support deployments in coordination with the Country and Regional IFRC offices, HR departments and/or surge desk.
• Ensure sound financial management is applied to all Federation-assisted programmes within the National Society,that budgets are monitored and any problems identified and solutions implemented in timely and effective manner.
• Manage operational budgets to ensure that expenditure relating to IFRC-supported operations is within income and approved ceilings, in compliance with IFRC finance procedures and in line with donor earmarking requirements.

• University degree in relevant area or equivalent qualifying experience
• Basic Delegates Training Course or IMPACT. FACT, ERU, RDRT training

• At least 8 years of disaster management experience, including managing staff
• Field experience in coordinating and managing disaster and crisis management projects and activities especially population movements
• Work experience with RC/RC
• Experience in project cycle management including proposal development, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation
• Good knowledge and relevant work experience in the regional context (preferred)

• Effective team and project management skills
• Good analytical skills and solution-oriented
• Good mentoring and capacity development skills
• Ability to work well in a multicultural team
• Excellent stress management skills
• Demonstrated accountability
• Fluently spoken and written English
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) (preferred)

• 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