Disaster Management Coordinator

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people each year through its 191 member National Societies. The Organization acts before, during and after disasters and other crisis in order to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. Our work is guided by seven fundamental principles (humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unit and universality) and our humanitarian values (the people, integrity, partnerships, diversity, leadership, innovation) and by Strategy 2020, which voices our collective vision and determination to move forward in tackling the major challenges that confront humanity in the present decade.

The Health, Disaster, Climate and Crisis (HDCC) Unit plays a central role in the coordination of disaster readiness and response system during emergencies in the Americas, a system that is made up of sub regional and national actors of the Red Cross Movement in the Central America region.

Therefore, the principal role of the Disaster Management Coordinator for Central America is to provide coordination and technical support to National Societies in Central America, Mexico included, before and during times of disasters an crises.  Key to the position is the technical contribution to the building and strengthening of National Societies’ disaster management capacities. This is done in coordination with, and often under the leadership of, Country Cluster Delegation (CCD) /ARO technical units.

Based in the Central American Region, the Disaster Management Coordinator will report to the Coordinator of Programs and Operations of the CCD.

He/she will work in building national, regional and institutional (including secretariat) disaster response and preparedness capacities to enable them to improve their disaster management programming and be an advocate for IFRC’s Preparedness for Effective Response approach.

He/she assures ongoing collaboration with all relevant partners in the region in the field of disaster risk management and will also work on further developing these relationships. He/she contributes to the quality improvement of the DRM programme of NS throughout the region.

The DM  will ensure a symbiotic process of development for the National Society DRM programmes, with the ultimate goal of increasing community resilience to disasters; enhance NS and their branches disaster readiness. 

Thus, the DM be deployed to the field on a regular basis of his/her time in support to National Societies, working on the following objectives:

• Increasing preparedness for effective response (through PER or the Red Ready approach), working with NHQ and Branches to build response capacity prior to disasters, including contingency planning and EWS, EAPs forming Rapid Response Teams, Stock Prepositioning, and supply chains;
• Supporting of timely and high-quality humanitarian response when a disaster strikes, ensuring sound operational management and coordination in the field.

Support NS to design long-term resilience building programme 

Disaster Response:

• Maintaining strong relationships and cooperation with other CCD/ARO units providing leadership to National Society’s timely response to disasters.
• Support National Societies in managing emergency operations (floods, earthquakes, Hurricanes, population movements, epidemics and other disasters). Ensure disaster response operations outcomes/deliverables are achieved in a timely fashion, within budgets and maintaining the minimum ratios of relief, early recovery and longer term development goals.
• Support National Societies in the managing of DREF, EAPs and Emergency Appeals; writing, implementation, reporting, evaluation and resource mobilization. Define timeframes, deliverables/outcomes and costs. Ensure that the plan and budget are carried out in a timely and professional manner in accordance with Secretariat requirements, formats and standards. This must be done in coordination with relevant CCD and ARO technical units.
• Work closely with the NS team to ensure that timely and accurate financial and narrative reports are prepared and are in line with requirements specified in the project agreement or standard Federation reporting guidelines.
• Ensure disaster and crisis response operations are appropriate and aligned with International Federation guidelines and policies (SPHERE, Code of Conduct, Principles and Rules for Disaster Relief, Seville agreement, etc.)
• Work with other technical units to ensure key elements such as green response, protection, gender and inclusion of individuals is included in operation strategies.
• Pre-deploy to crisis sites in coordination with the affected NSs when levels of threat are high, accompanied by the adequate specialized delegates if needed.
• Ensure comprehensive high quality assessments are carried out taking into consideration accountability to beneficiaries and in accordance with the affected population's needs.
• Ensure constant monitoring of threats and risks in the region and update risk watch in the weekly Operations meeting.
• Complete with NS the Child protection and safeguarding checklist.
• Prepare information messages and situation reports in case of emergencies and share with ARO.
• Share periodically information on implementation with ARO regarding DREF and EA under his/her responsibility.
• Recommend and coordinate the deployment of relevant International Federation disaster response tool (HEOps, ERU, CAP cell), in support of National Society disaster management structures when requested by the National Society and when the disaster exceeds their capacity.
• Coordinate the support from all specialized support CCD technical units or HDCC technical DM services such as Shelter, Livelihood, Health, Water and Sanitation,  and specific interventions of Disaster Law where needed.
• Coordinate Federation activities on disaster response with Red Cross partners, UN and other agencies to ensure adequate preparedness and appropriate, efficient and timely emergency response and early recovery.

Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction:

• Support that the regional representation and country offices’ planning, budgeting and reporting, in relation to regional disaster and crisis readiness and operations, are carried out in a timely and appropriate fashion in accordance with Secretariat requirements, formats and standards; providing support to the National Societies in these areas when relevant.
• Working with other CCD/ARO units, support and strengthen regional organizational readiness (NS/Federation) through relevant research, training, EWEA, hazard mapping, and tools such as RRUs, and the use of innovative technologies and knowledge management. 
• Working with other CCD/ARO units, define an integrated approach to address  major trends such as climate change, urban risk, migration and violence as they relate to disaster and crisis response and early recovery.
• Liaising with the units of Membership Services, PMER and Quality Assurance, Finance and Strategic Engagement and Partnerships, to strengthen the regional response system to ensure well-coordinated response operations.
• Actively engage the National Societies on the scaling-up of ‘Preparedness for Effective Response’ approach and improving coordination and harmonisation of DRM capacity building approaches.
• Facilitate technical guidance for the National Societies on Cash Transfer preparedness and programming in different contexts
• Ensure a clear linkage between National Societies contingency and response plans and the regional response system.
• Work closely with other key humanitarian organizations at regional and country level.
• Support field based operational response staff.
• Support the review, updating, development, promotion and dissemination of regional policies, disaster and crisis response and early recovery SoPs, guidelines and tools.
• Work with other ARO units to support the NSs to address the issues of health, violence and migration. 
• Strengthen the subregional support to NSs in the area of Early Recovery.
• Improve regional response mechanisms, knowledge sharing and best practices between Red Cross Movement actors. Liaise with international agencies and organizations when appropriate and be the focal point for Inter Agency coordination and other NGO meetings, task forces on disaster and crisis response where appropriate.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of a sufficient Rapid Response Personnel capacity and management structure (Surge capacities) to ensure regional capability to deploy.

Required:

University Degree in social sciences, international law, humanitarian law, international relations

Acquired Early Recovery skills through trainings (cash, livelihood…)

Preferred:

Operations Management Course (OMC)

Trained as IMPACT, FACT, ERU, RIT/RDRT or ENAP, CAP, ETL

Relevant University Degree (Disaster Risk Management, Conflict Management, Development Planning, Disaster Risk Reduction, Humanitarian Affairs, Humanitarian Action, Emergency Response etc.)

Required:

+5 year experience of disaster preparedness and response experience

+5 Field experience in coordinating disaster and crisis management projects and activities 

+3 year work experience with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, and/or with a National Society or for a Humanitarian aid organisation in a developing country

+3 year experience in managing relations with donors and partners. Work experience with other international organisations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agencies.

Good knowledge and relevant work experience in the regional context within Central America

Preferred:

Deployed at least once in the field to lead and manage an emergency operation as a FACT TL, or as an ERU TL, or as a RIT TL, or as a CAP TL or as an IFRC Head of Operation, or as an IFRC Disaster Manager or as an IFRC Head of Delegation or as a PNS Emergency desk.

Managed at least once an IFRC Emergency Appeal; Early action Protocol or a DREF from the field.

Required:

Ability to work in a diverse cultural context

Strong knowledge of information sharing tools, and the ability to implement them

Highly organized and able to work independently and proactively, with ability to work in team

Overall understanding of budget and finance management

Demonstrated skill in analytical and strategic thinking

Skills in training and developing staff

Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word-processing.

Valid international driving licence (manual gears)

Proved capability to be self-organized and flexible

Excellent interpersonal and listening skills

Good verbal and written communication skills

Familiarity with current standards and guidelines for humanitarian emergency response

Preferred:

Knowledge of Fundamental Principles and RCRC Movement

Languages : Fluent English and Spanish

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