Delegate, Food Security and Livelihood

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of 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.”  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 delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

Africa’s hunger crisis is getting worse. One in five people (21%) of the population were facing hunger in Africa in 2020. In addition to the 346.4 million Africans suffering from severe food insecurity, 452 million suffer from moderate food insecurity (nearly 800 million people are affected, FAO). Over 116 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance in 21 different countries. In response, the IFRC has launched a regional appeal to scale up our hunger crisis response efforts across multiple countries including the countries of the Country Cluster Delegation (CCD) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The CCD in Kinshasa supports four countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rep. of Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda National Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. The CCD’s main goal is to implement the IFRC 2030 Agenda for Renewals and Pan-African Initiative with a focus on National Society Development. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) National Society faces an extensive cocktail of risks to the lives and well-being of its citizens as a result of multiple shocks.  Foremost among drivers of hunger are conflict primarily in the east and across other regions. These continues to generate enormous flows of displacement (including over 5 million IDPs) and underpins DRC’s enormous food insecurity affecting over 26 million people in the country.

As part of the Regional Hunger Appeal, the CCD in Kinshasa is supporting the DRC Red Cross and partners to scale up their food insecurity crisis (Hunger) response in seven of the worst hit provinces of the DRC. At the same time, the Cluster continues to support Livelihood development initiatives in Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo Brazzaville.   This cluster initiative entitled Towards Zero Hunger also contributes directly to IFRC’s Global Agenda for Renewal as well as the Pan-Africa Zero Hunger initiative, Pan Africa Tree Planting and Care and other Pan Africa Initiatives.

Reporting to the Head of Country Cluster Delegation, the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Delegate ensures the quality, relevance and technical innovation of the FSL strategy and interventions across four National Societies (NSs). S/he contributes to the definition of the IFRC Kinshasa Cluster FSL strategy in with the Federation-wide FSL strategy while coordinating the identification of needs and the formulation of project concepts and proposals. S/he supports the Cluster delegation and National Societies in the implementation of these programs and represents the Federation in national and international platforms relating to FSL sector. Specifically, s/he is responsible for: (i) coordinating the identification of needs and formulation of Strategies;(ii) ensuring technical oversight of programme implementation; (iii) ensuring quality of all FSL interventions; (iv) ensuring the active participation of IFRC in coordination and technical forums and develop sectoral partnerships and (v) ensuring the delivery of high-quality results and compliance to applicable sectoral standards, practices, policies and procedures.   

1.External Positioning

Humanitarian Diplomacy and Partnerships (30%)

• Act as key FSL representative in the CCD (including NSs).
• Ensure external representation of IFRC in the FSL sector, vis-à-vis country and local authorities, other project stakeholders, donors, and partners.
• Participate in and report (internally) on FSL technical and sectoral meetings, clusters and working groups involving all relevant stakeholders such as donors, NGOs, UN Agencies, inter-governmental institutions.
• Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with key stakeholders including Movement partners, NGOs, civil society organizations, community groups, and government counterparts who are working on FSL.
• Identify opportunities to collaborate and coordinate efforts with other organizations to ensure our activities build upon and complements the work of others.

Fundraising and business development (30%)

• Identify the needs of the most vulnerable populations through regular visits and literature review, and through the design and implementation of relevant needs assessments in close collaboration with RDC Red Cross.
• Lead FSL project conceptualization processes.
• Provide technical inputs into proposal design and ensure new or adapted projects for the FSL sector focus on maximizing efficiencies, impact, and integrated approaches.
• Lead on fundraising and resource development for IFRC’s FSL operations and programmes in, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Burundi.
• Take an active role in researching, analysing, and advising on potential new thematic funding opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with global requirements including donor agreements and IFRC standards around the FSL program cycle including in implementation and reporting.

2.Internal FSL Technical Support and Coordination

Coordination (20%)

• Analyse the activities in the FSL sector and relevant movement and external stakeholders.
• Support the development and maintenance of a coherent IFRC FSL strategic areas of intervention across four National Societies and their partners.
• Organize and facilitate partner conference calls and take an active role in preparation and delivery of partnership meetings.
• Promote harmonization of approaches and methodologies across the different FSL programs by developing and monitoring use of common tools, as well as creating opportunities for experience sharing and learning.
• Brief NSs about main FSL issues on a regular basis.
• Lead the adaptation/development of technical tools related to FSL projects (ToRs for consultants and evaluators, ad hoc reports, capitalization reports) for IFRC and partners.
• Analyze the appropriateness, adequacy, and potential impact of all interventions in the FSL sector based on known contexts and needs.
• Disseminate tools, research, best practices, and lessons learned internally and externally through publications, networks, working groups, events, and conferences.

National Society FSL Capacity Development (20%)

• Collect and regularly analyze primary and secondary data related to the FSL sector in DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Burundi.
• In coordination with SGs identify NS training needs and ensure access to training and professional development opportunities appropriate to the skill gaps and needs.
• Support NS to define FSL implementation modalities and methodologies (including, but not limited to technical specifications, identification and registration of beneficiaries, distribution, and sensitization).
• Provide technical support to National Societies to implement the FSL interventions to a high-quality standard.
• Liaise with FSL technical staff within National Societies on a regular basis to ensure technical assistance is provided to projects when needed.
• Provide training to National Society and IFRC Secretariat staff in FSL best practices.
• Develop training material for different trainings to share within the [sector] NS teams.

• University degree and / or formal qualification in relevant subject such as: Food Security, Humanitarian Assistance/Development Studies with focus on Food Security and Nutrition, Agriculture or Agronomy, Agricultural Economics.
• RCM Basic Training Course / IMPACT Training Course – or equivalent delegate training or experience.
• Training on Market Assessment: RAM (IFRC/ICRC) EMMA (Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis Approach) or MAG (IFRC).
• HEAT or Red Cross or NGO specific Security Management course.

• Min. 5 years of professional technical experience and project management in Food Assistance and/or Cash-Based interventions.
• Experience in providing technical support to and/or in implementing Food Assistance programmes in an international response, recovery, and development context.
• Previous experience with the Red Cross Red Crescent, including with National Societies / previous experience working with national organisations and counterparts.
• Experience in market analysis/assessment and relevant tools (RAM/MAG, EMMA etc.).
• Experience in designing and implementing vulnerability targeting systems, including appropriate technical methodologies and criteria.
• Experience in overseeing approaches to beneficiary management and communication that enhance accountability to beneficiaries.
• Relevant project management experience: assessing, designing, planning, implementing, monitoring and financial management of FA projects in emergency and (early) recovery contexts.
• Experience in drafting project proposals, preparing budgets and drafting narrative and financial reports working with institutional and high-profile donors.
• Experience of developing M&E systems to track progress of implementation and monitor and evaluate the appropriateness, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of FSL programme interventions.
• Experience of managing and coaching teams in multi-faceted projects, including recruiting, mentoring, coaching, training and building the capacity of national and local staff and volunteers
• Representation and negotiation experience with government, UN, donors and non-government agencies/representatives.

• Expertise in project planning and budgeting, resource management, implementation ability, as well as program monitoring and evaluation
• Knowledge of IFRC grant management procedures and processes in pledge management, planning, reporting systems and financial management.
• Coordination and partner relationship building
• Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to work with and lead multi-cultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary teams
• Able to prioritize and meet deadlines (timely and appropriate program and financial reporting)
• Self-supporting in key IT platforms (Windows, Microsoft Office, Teams, etc)
• Knowledge of multilateral and institutional donor requirements and ways of organized
• Highly organised, with ability to work a strong team player.
• Demonstrated skills in analytical and strategic thinking.
• Fluent spoken and written French.
• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (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