Vacancy No.: IFRC05185
Contract Type: Geneva based positions
Application Deadline: 16-May-2023
Job Posted on: 17-Apr-2023
Duty Station: Geneva
Duty Station Status: Family Duty Station
Duration: 24 months
Accompanied Status: Accompanied
Grade: F2
Organizational Context
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 the 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 National Society Development and Operations Coordination Division consists of three departments: the National Society, Policy and Knowledge Development Department; the Disasters, Climate and Crises Department; and the Health and Care Department. It also includes the Movement and Membership Coordination Team, and hosted projects of the IFRC, namely: the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), the Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), and the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR).
The Disaster Climate and Crisis Department, led by the Director, consists of four units: The Operations Coordination Unit, The Socio-Economic Empowerment Unit, The Climate, Environment and Resilience Unit and The Migration and Displacement Unit.
Job Purpose
Under the guidance of the Director, DCC, the Manager, Climate, Environment and Resilience provides strategic leadership and direction ensuring the IFRC network significantly scales-up its action on strengthening community resilience, strengthening urban resilience and settlements strategies, climate change adaptation and mitigation, environment, disaster risk reduction, nature-based solutions, early warning and anticipatory action. The role will be responsible for providing technical, monitoring and operational support to the IFRC Secretariat staff and regional offices. The Manager, Climate, Environment and Resilience will also oversee policy development in these areas and ensure their mainstreaming into related policies and programmes such as disaster risk management, health and water and sanitation. In addition, the incumbent will supervise the development of related guidance, standards and tools for use across the IFRC and National Societies (NSs) and drives the implementation of related Global Programmes, Roadmaps and Frameworks across the Secretariat and regions. The role has global responsibility to influence senior leaders in the organization, with a clear emphasis on leading strategic change and institutionalization of Climate, Environment and Urban and Community Resilience through the IFRC Secretariat and membership, while positioning IFRC as a key actor in these fields.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Provide substantive strategic direction and vision:
- Provide vision and leadership to enhance IFRC’s position as a leader in driving positive action toward scaling up locally-led climate action at national and international levels.
- Provide vision and leadership to enhance IFRC’s position as a leading voice in driving community resilience.
- Provide vision and leadership on the IFRC’s urban portfolio as a growing area of engagement.
- Develop a cohesive and relevant strategy that binds the different elements of the Climate, Environment and Resilience unit.
- Ensure that the strategy driving the Climate, Environment and Resilience unit delivers significant outcomes, is based on rigorous research and analysis and is relevant globally in the countries, regions and communities in the which the IFRC works.
- Forge and manage strategic global, regional and national partnerships with a range of stakeholders.
- Oversee the development of high-quality research strategy in support of the overarching Climate, Environment and Resilience strategy for the team.
- Ensure effective coordination across IFRC regional offices on climate and strengthening resilience-related issues and projects and foster shared learning and innovation.
- Serve as an influential voice on climate change, promoting IFRC’s research, tools and solutions to practitioners and policymakers.
- Ensure integration and expansion of the urban resilience file including through existing community-based and climate related approaches and programmes.
- Support the leadership of the urban resilience and settlements agenda developing the content for urban resilience and settlements.
- Ensure that the Global Climate Resilience Platform is leveraged to generate financing towards programming initiated by the Climate Environment and Resilience unit.
- Oversee green preparedness, response and recovery approaches in collaboration with other relevant units and departments (e.g., Operations, Logistics, etc.)
- Guarantee cross-regional exchange of knowledge through ensuring collaboration between global and regional policy and operational teams, and the development and sharing of knowledge-based tools, such as policy positions/practice notes/concept papers and other research papers.
Ensure global representation and policy positioning:
- Lead and engage with global policy development in the areas of Climate, Environment and Resilience.
- Represent the IFRC in high level internal and external Climate, Environment and Resilience related fora (e.g. COPs, Global Platforms for DRR, REAP TAG, Centre of Excellence, etc.).
- Engage IFRC leadership to advocate the importance of Climate, Environment and urban and community Resilience in various fora, including academia and civil society, with a view to deepen related political commitment and reforms, and create opportunities for the IFRC positioning as a global humanitarian player in this domain.
- Provide substantive and content leadership for corporate discussions and inter-agency coordination on issues related to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.
- build coalitions and professional networks between National Societies, respective authorities and other relevant urban actors to use and improve developed tools, roll out strategies and scale up implementation of urban resilience, DRR and preparedness projects.
- play a key role in advancing the policy and practice dialogue on urban resilience and response among RCRC movement partners. It will also contribute to mainstreaming urban programming into National Societies’ strategies and way of working and to establish the RCRC as leading actors in urban resilience and response.
Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)
Promote and strengthen strategic partnerships:
- Forge/implement strategic partnerships in the areas of Climate, Environment and Resilience.
- Manage global partners’ relationships and resource mobilization in line with corporate guidelines and maintain close cooperation with responsible partners and institutions.
- Support the IFRC Secretariat leadership and coordination role for the Movement on Climate, Environment and Resilience by engaging with the various mechanisms such as the DRR Working Group, Climate and Early Action coordination groups and platforms.
- Expand and reinforce cooperation with the relevant IFRC Reference Centers.
People and programme management
- Directly supervise the Climate, Environment and Resilience team leads.
- Effectively manage talent and supervise team dynamics and staff well-being. Support direct reports to articulate concrete professional development goals and strategically tailor individual development plans, provide coaching and complete performance management for direct reports.
- Be accountable to the department leadership on progress of results, be a pro-active advisor and a dynamic member of the department management team supporting strategic content areas and/or organisational change.
- Define clear roles, accountabilities and activities, and assign them across the team members on an ongoing basis while improving efficiencies within available resources.
- Plan, manage and monitor the use of available resources (people, budgets, etc.) of the team in order to deliver the agreed activities for area of responsibility.
- Ensure the integrity of financial and administrative operations as well as the consistent application of IFRC rules and procedures for programme and operations issues related to the portfolio.
- Participate in internal control mechanisms for adherence to IFRC rules and regulations in contracts, assets, procurement, recruitment, etc., as required.
- Foster a customer service-oriented culture that values accountability for results, proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, and high performance.
- Lead the delivery of service improvement, good practice, continuous learning and knowledge sharing between the IFRC and NSs and between colleagues.
Ensure quality technical advice and resources to support effective programming:
- Oversee the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation, mitigation, environmental issues, disaster risk reduction, urbanand community resilience and ensure that all IFRC services, programmes and interventions (in all sectoral programmes and across the contexts) are risk informed.
- Ensure continuous mapping of needs and practices of National Societies in the domains of climate change adaptation, mitigation and environment, disaster risk reduction and community resilience; and close internal collaboration with the Regions and relevant departments in jointly assessing trends and developing guidance and programmes to support National Societies in responding to critical needs.
- Promote and support systematic monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation, mitigation, environment, disaster risk reduction and community resilience programmes and operations and ensure the integration of lessons learnt.
- Support global level human resources capacity building, in collaboration with relevant departments and Divisions.
- Oversee the overall management and administration of global climate change adaptation, mitigation, environment, disaster risk reduction and community resilience-related projects, and the timely and quality delivery of all project’s outputs.
Education
Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent).
Experience
Required
At least 10 years or relevant work experience on issues related to climate risk, vulnerability reduction and capacity development
Minimum of 5 years hands on experience in design, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in projects related to climate change adaptation or mitigation, climate resilience and related cross-cutting issues.
Relevant experience working in humanitarian environments and emergency response and providing advisory and technical support in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation, crisis response, disaster risk reduction, resilience building, anticipatory action and early warning systems
Proven experience and knowledge of global framework and policies related to climate change.
Demonstrated experience in policy analysis, development work in the area of climate change and related issues
Familiarity with and contributions to high-level policy dialogues and advisory functions involving high-level government counterparts and other stakeholders
Demonstrated capacity for innovation and results.
Preferred
Experience working with the RC/RC Movement.
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
Thorough knowledge and understanding of the global debate on climate change and experience in multilateral environmental debates and processes.
Good understanding of multi-sectoral climate change impacts, climate risk assessments and adaptation and mitigation solutions required.
Ability to work in well-structured, focused manner setting clear priorities
Excellent ability to work in an international multi-cultural environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity
Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead within a matrix management structure and utilise talent and experience of team members in a productive way.
Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive.
Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and new approaches to engaging partners.
Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment.
Fluently spoken and written English.
Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) is preferred.
Competencies, Values and Comments
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
Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance, Managing staff development
