Senior Assistant Digital Transformation

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.”  The 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.

The Digital Transformation Department provides strategic leadership and guides the IFRC Secretariat as well as the 192 National Society member network to adapt and innovate humanitarian services, drawing on digital services, data-enabled decision-making, and other opportunities for digital transformation in support of the IFRC’s Strategy 2030. The department is responsible for the development and implementation of business transformation, information technology, data management and digitalization services throughout the IFRC Secretariat organization, thereby supporting the same transformation in 192 National Societies, setting the vision, and drawing stakeholders together on this digital journey. The department has full leadership responsibility for the implementation of the digital transformation strategy and the positive impact it will have on members of the IFRC. 

Under the guidance of the Director, Digital Transformation (DT), the the Senior Assistant is responsible for the provision of professional administrative, secretarial and logistical assistance and services to the DT Department as well as the provision of internal DT community engagement and communication. The position holder works with internal resources, within the Secretariat and National Societies, key partners and outsourced service providers. The role provides broad administrative support and assistance in the following areas:

• Community Engagement,
• Communication,
• Administrative support and reporting,
• Secretary role for oversight bodies

Community Engagement and Outreach:

• Contribute to the development and roll out of an engagement and communications framework in support and promotion of the overall Digital Transformation (DT) across the IFRC Secretariat and with NS, aligned with the IFRC internal communications strategy and plan.
• Participate to the promotion of best practices for Secretariat DT teams and (regionally based) staff, e.g. encouraging collaboration and communication through IFRC communications and collaborations tools, such as MS Teams.
• Onboard and support new DT Secretariat colleagues, regardless of duty station, in IFRC Secretariat’s DT community engagement and outreach.
• Foster a collaborative working environment with colleagues in the DT accelerator teams (Core accelerator, Extended teams), within the IFRC Secretariat, Regions, and where relevant National Societies and external partners.
• Support tracking and reporting on digital transformation impacts across the network of National Societies. Contribute with effective storytelling, visualization, and case studies, in close consultation with the Communications department.
• Be a primary focal point for the management of the ifrc.digital and internal sharepoint webpages, and produce relevant content for internal and external purposes. Manage Community of Practice platform for data & digital, if and when launched.

Digital Transformation Oversight Structures, Department meetings led by the Director of DT:

• Organise, schedule, and produce high-quality communications with the members of each oversight body, facilitating members’ preparedness and optimal attendance.
• Formulate meeting minutes with high level discussion points, decisions, and actions (what, who, by when) and communicate these to relevant audiences, for all meetings.
• Organise all DT Department meetings led by Director DT, and develop, through pro-active consultation, agenda’s for with agenda items, objectives, timeslots, and facilitate preparatory work by agenda item leads.

Reporting and Communications:

• Develop reporting formats (in line with plans and corporate report standards), reporting timelines and efficient communications with contributors to reporting.
• Pro-actively collect and consolidate all inputs from across the DT department and develop quality reports for final approval by DT Director (quality in terms of completeness, accuracy, conciseness, terminology, structure).
• Continuously track DT department-wide developments and activities, in order to capture relevant data and content for the reports and where possible present draft to contributors.
• Develop, edit, and prepare presentations, briefing notes, analysis and visuals, correspondence and other communications as required by the line manager.

Administrative, contract and logistical support:

• Manage line manager’s agenda, support meeting preparedness and collect and structure meeting content. Monitor line manager’s email to proactively schedule meetings.
• Support DT team leads in organisation of meetings with external participants.
• Monitor all Geneva processes for contracts under the supervision of line manager, including development of terms of references for consultants and other documentation, monitor contract extensions, etc.
• Assist in managing internal communications (incoming mail and documents), redirecting and circulating as appropriate for action and information.
• Maintain central filing systems and databases for the DT Department, and coordinates with Archives & Records ensuring all key documents are accessible and appropriately archived.
• Maintain leave records, emergency contact information, and similar data.
• Organise all travel arrangements including expense declarations for line manager.
• Provide quality assurance and compliance for business support work.

Project Management

• Provide administrative and organisational support to the Director, DT, in project management, by monitoring key objectives and deliverables for the year and linkages within the Department and IFRC activities, recommending adjustments as needed. Contribute to the design of deliverables, articulating relevance to Division and IFRC.
• Ensure compliance with existing IFRC protocol.

Internal/External Relations

• Maintain regular contact with end users and key stakeholders within the Secretariat as required.
• Maintain external relations upon request of line manager.

Office Activities

• Adhere to all administrative procedures linked to his/her work.

Contribution to the building of an effective, high-quality, fit-for-purpose DT Department

• Always demonstrate the highest level of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism.
• Participate in the development of a customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, and high performance.
• Ensure excellent collaboration with DT colleagues and identify opportunities for improving and optimizing DT administrative processes and project workflows.

Required

• Undergraduate  degree or equivalent diploma/certification

Preferred

• University degree
• Qualification or professional certification in project management
  

Required

• 3+ years of work experience in administrative support at executive level.
• Experience in digital community management, engagement of people from different teams.
• Experience in managing data, filing, basic financial and budgetary information.
• Proven excellence in administrative support. 
• Experience working in an international environment 

Preferred

• Experience working within a National Red Cross Society and/or the IFRC Secretariat.

Knowledge and Skills 

Required

• Self-driven, ability to work with minimum supervision
• Good analytical skills, with the ability to quickly understand and grasp different IT related concepts and topics
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, ability to draft in English and manage routine correspondence.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly MS Teams, Sharepoint, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and deliver to deadlines
• Focused on quality and standards, results, and accountability
• Proactive approach to finding creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues
• Capability of working with sensitivity in a multi-cultural environment and virtual or/and dispersed teams
• Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality
• Good customer service skills
  

Preferred

• Knowledge of international organizations

Languages 

Required 

• Fluent spoken and written English 

Preferred

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish, 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