Delegate, CEA and PGI

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.

In response to the armed conflict in Ukraine IFRC launched a two-year Emergency Appeal for Ukraine and impacted countries.  It was supported in the initial months by a large number of Surge delegates in the impacted countries and in the European Regional Office but is evolving into a longer-term structure for the response ICRC, IFRC and numerous Partner National Societies are integrating their capacities to provide coordinated crisis response in Ukraine and the neighboring countries. Operations are led and coordinated on country-level whenever possible, integrated under existing Country and Cluster delegations, through Operations Managers reporting to Heads of Country or Cluster Delegation.  Cluster and regional level technical leads guide, support and seek to ensure coherent and inter-linked where relevant approaches to their technical areas.

The position is based in Warsaw and provides support to Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia programs and operations. In order to support this sub-region effectively, the incumbent will be expected to travel and offer support to countries in the CCD, either in support of delegates or national staff or to cover periods of absence.  As the situation evolves, the incumbent may be asked to relocate to another location for the duration of the contract.

The Delegate, Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) and Protection, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI) will work to enhance the impact, reach, relevance, and effectiveness of the Ukraine emergency response operation and IFRC Programs through the integration and coordination of CEA and PGI activities and approaches. This includes information provision, feedback systems (including sensitive complaints), risk communication, evidence-based advocacy, matters related to community-based protection, child protection, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) protection, prevention, mitigation and response, trafficking in human beings, disability inclusion, RFL and education.

The incumbent will work with relevant sector teams to develop sector-specific approaches including in cash and voucher programming and health among others. CEA and PGI combine in-person and digital methods of engagement. Additionally, the role will strengthen the programmes, projects, disaster preparedness and response activities within the CCD by building the understanding and technical capacity of IFRC and National Societies (NSs) personnel in their mission of avoiding doing harm, mainstreaming dignity, access, participation and safety (DAPS) principles and Minimum Standards, as well establishing safeguarding procedures and mechanisms. The role holder will contribute to create a safe and inclusive environment supporting the enhancement or establishment of multi-sectorial humanitarian responses and programs that help addressing protection needs, mitigating and preventing risks, and recognizing capacities and agency of affected communities.

The role’s focus is on capacity strengthening, technical guidance, institutionalization and supporting a coherent approach and implementation to CEA and PGI across all Movement partners. This includes support to the NSs technical personnel, PNS CEA and PGI focal points, IFRC sector-heads, operations’ management, and CCD staff and in close cooperation with ICRC. The Delegate will develop or participate in active networks and coordination groups with Movement partners, external organizations, and actors to ensure that CEA and PGI approaches, and activities are integrated and implemented with wider sector initiatives.

To accomplish those functions, the incumbent will be expected to travel for support missions, for regional forums or to cover leaves of absence of CEA and/or PGI Delegates and NS within the CCD.

The role and associated plans will be flexible to be able to respond to evolving, needs, opportunities and constraints of the context

Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA):

• Facilitate the process of developing capacities to mainstream and institutionalize CEA in the NSs at the National and branch levels.
• Identify training needs and deliver and facilitate capacity strengthening initiatives including training, coaching and other measures.
• Support the adaptation and adoption of global RC/CEA tools, methodologies, and resources such as the IFRC CEA guide and toolkit, including the IFRC Feedback Kit, and the IASC feedback data operational guiding principles and standards, and the Movement-wide commitments for CEA.
• In cooperation with the NSs, design, plan, and coordinate community engagement assessments and guide intersectoral work towards collecting insights on socio-cultural and contextual factors that can inform planning and implementation and guide CEA Maintain knowledge and overview of information needs of affected people and preferred channels of communication to support both CEA work but also sector-specific communication too.
• Work closely with NSs to strengthen its feedback mechanism on the national and branch level and roll out of research to gain a deeper understanding of the community perceptions, beliefs, rumors, and complaints.
• Ensure systems are in place to consider and respond to feedback through programme adaptation, communication, and community initiatives.
• Work in close cooperation with the Information Management (IM) experts to create accessible and timely datasets and information products, capacity building in data literacy to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Support Contact Centers set up / management, including by being responsible for: i) systems utilize for receiving and making calls and messages through chatbot; ii) training and mentoring contact center’s personnel, iii) setting up standard operating procedures; and iv) ensuring update of referral pathways.
• Support programme and operations managers to reflect on feedback and its implications for operations. Ensure communication back to communities on how feedback has influenced the operation.
• Develop sector-specific CEA approaches working in collaboration with the relevant sector leads and also IM and Communications colleagues.
• Ensure connectivity and coherence in: a) feedback and PGI referral systems and b) inclusive information and engagement processes to reach groups with specific characteristics that might contribute to exclusion such as disability, minority language preferences, non-literate, LGBQTI communities, other c) in capacity strengthening approaches particularly for volunteers.
• Initiate activities to promote affected people’s voices in humanitarian diplomacy e.g., through participatory research and evidence-building processes. Engages in dialogue with key stakeholders’ leadership to ensure community engagement issues and insights drive humanitarian action.
• Work closely with NSs and other Movement partners (ICRC, PNs) to support the rolling out of coherent and consistent CEA approaches across operations and programs.
• Make recommendations on operational strategies to ensure strengthened engagement of and accountability to people and communities.
• Work in close collaboration with authorities and potential partners e.g., OCHA, WHO, UNICEF and other key stakeholders on joint CEA and/or RCCE strategies and initiatives including feedback mechanisms and risk communication.

• Support NSs in actively engaging with in country coordination mechanisms and stakeholders to ensure synergy, coherence, and harmonization of community engagement actions.
• Support evidence-based learning and community-informed humanitarian advocacy through community-based and/or co-produced research, impact surveys, perceptions studies, case studies.

Protection Gender and Inclusion (PGI):

•  Act as the focal point and resource person in the CCD on PGI-related matters.
• Support the technical and financial implementation of the PGI and Safeguarding action plans in the different countries. Act as PGI and Safeguarding focal point in the different inter-agency forums in the countries of the CCD. Provide technical advice on integrating PGI into programmes, projects and humanitarian responses in the region.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of programmes in line with the needs and tailored to reach the specific needs of a particular group or groups – i.e., disability support, SGBV (Sexual and Gender Based Violence) response, child protection – whilst integrating effectively with other sectors and existing capacities.
• Enhance internal awareness and capacity of IFRC and NSs team in relation to PGI matters.
• Contribute to the development and roll out of standard IFRC training and other resources on PGI within IFRC and NSs teams.
• Support the development of appropriate incident management, reporting and case management systems and referral pathways to prevent, mitigate and respond to violence, exploitation and abuse. Work with CEA colleagues and the protection cluster to harmonize approaches to complaints in hotlines and other mechanisms.
• Support in the development and/or adaptation of Policies, Procedure and processes; including organizational sensitization on PGI.
• Promote the set-up and maintenance of National Society Integrity Lines, including by identifying and training personnel involved in their management and defining standard operating procedures.
• Design, implement and facilitate training/workshops for managers, staff and volunteers in IFRC and NSs based on existing standard IFRC trainings on protection, gender and inclusion, and those which are being developed.
• Support relevant NSs providing humanitarian assistance to population movements to promote the dignity, access, participation, and safety of all persons, based on their different needs, capacities, and vulnerabilities, and without discrimination.
• Strengthen NS capacities and protective mechanisms on a long-term, leveraging their knowledge and competences in PGI as part of their development process.
• Support NSs to be active protection actors in cluster and coordination mechanisms, encouraging their participation.
• Coordinate with Regional and Global IFRC PGI mechanisms and networks.
• Facilitate ongoing dialogue and coordination with ICRC Offices within the Region on protection files.
• Coordinate with the ROE Office and closely collaborate with it to guarantee alignment and integration with ROE work.
• Encourage and support the implementation of child protection activities amongst NSs, especially in regard to child-friendly spaces.
• Work with CEA colleagues to analyze and utilize community practices, groups and information sharing methods. Help design effective information dissemination tools, reporting systems and ensure a safe approach to community communications by the broader operations team that encourages community feedback and sharing of information.

• An advanced university degree in a relevant area such as social sciences/behavioral/communication sciences or equivalent experience. Academic qualification or equivalent professional training in community development, social work, legal and human rights, social science, public health, or any other related field. -Required
• Basic delegate training course, IMPACT, or equivalent knowledge. -Preferred

• 5 years of experience in a CEA related role, for example, beneficiary communication, social mobilization, community engagement, communication for development, accountability officer and at least 3-5 years of experience working with protection, gender and/or gender-based violence, including safeguarding. -Required
• Experience in humanitarian settings and, specifically, in emergency response settings including conflict-affected, migration and/or refugee contexts. -Required
• Extensive experience with providing inputs to ensure that protection and gender/GBV are mainstreamed in humanitarian programmes throughout the project cycle. -Required
• Experience in a coordination role, including with multi-sectoral stakeholders. -Required
• Experience in leading community engagement approaches and capacity building efforts of local organizations. Extensive experience with facilitating group and on-the-job trainings in international settings, with good knowledge of the adult learning cycle. -Required
• Experience in planning targeted and appropriate behaviour change approaches.-Preferred
• Experience of designing and implementing assessments, community consultations, research activitie. -Required
• Demonstrated coordination or team management experience in an organization within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or in an international organization or NGO. -Required
• Demonstrated experience in applying humanitarian protection/gender/accessibility standards and guidelines in a range of contexts. -Required
• Demonstrated experience in applying humanitarian protection/gender/accessibility standards and guidelines in a range of contexts. -Required
• Experience in basic case management, including survivor-centered approach, referral and data protection. -Required
• Demonstrate knowledge in safeguarding principles and mechanisms, like PSEA and Child Safeguarding. -Required
• Experience within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. -Preferred
• Experience in an international organization or NGO. -Required

Knowledge and Skills 

• Good understanding of current developments in the field of communication with communities, behavioral and social sciences, community engagement processes, strategic communication, research approaches. -Required
• Good understanding of CEA and PGI issues in emergencies contexts. -Required
• Sensitivity to challenging political contexts and understanding of risk management processes. -Required
• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of quantitative, qualitative, and participatory assessment and research methodologies and analysis. -Required
• Advanced analytical skills, able to capture learning and use it to make improvements in programming and operations. -Required
• Good planning skills, with the ability to identify areas for improvements in programmes, operations and NS/IFRC ways of working through the integration of CEA and PGI approaches and activities. -Required
• Good knowledge of gender and diversity issues in humanitarian programming. -Required
• Facilitations and training skills. -Required
• Up to date knowledge of the situation of refugees and migrants in Europe. -Required
• Good knowledge of international humanitarian standards on protection, gender mainstreaming and GBV, and relevant working tools. -Required
• Good understanding of asylum procedures and issues-Required
• Strong ability to incorporate PGI related systems and processes into operations and programmes, considering the context and low resource environments. -Required
• Excellent communication and active listening skills. -Required
• Strong skills in assessment and analysis. -Required
• Culturally competent with excellent ability to work effectively as part of multicultural teams and engage in a respectful, considerate manner with local staff and communities. -Required
• Extremely flexible and adaptable, at ease in ambiguous high intensity emergency environments.
• Well-developed ability to analyze situations and prioritize/ make decisions accordingly. -Required
• Strong skills in coordination and advocacy. -Required

Languages

• Fluently spoken and written English- -Required
• 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