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 the 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. The 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.
The 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. The IFRC has five regional offices: Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat. The Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) leads IFRC support to National Societies of 38 countries through eight country delegations and five country cluster delegations spread across East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific geographical areas . APRO, led by the Regional Director, is organized in units – among them one responsible for Disaster, Climate and Crisis Prevention, Response and Recovery.
Job purpose
The Regional DRR Coordinator is responsible for leading and coordinating the IFRC’s work on DRR in the region. This includes facilitating strategic planning and providing tailored strategic, operational and technical support for the development and strengthening of approaches in ‘humanitarian’ DRR across the Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) network and other humanitarian actors in the Asia Pacific region. The position will enhance the positioning of the RCRC as a key player and partner in the areas of DRR, Climate Change and Resilience Strengthening with a particular focus on Forecast-based Financing (FbF) /Anticipatory Action (AA) as well as its integration in the broader area of DRR, disaster preparedness and response in the Asia Pacific Region; and support the implementation of the IFRC’s DRR, Climate Change and Resilience agenda in line with its Strategy 2030 together with National Societies to reduce the humanitarian impact of disasters and in order to strengthen community resilience in the Asia Pacific Region. Achieving RCRC’s collective ambitions will depend on enhancing the capacities of the National Societies as strong local actors and auxiliaries to their government.
The Regional DRR Coordinator will work under the supervision of the Manager for Disaster Risk Management at the IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office Disaster, Climate and Crisis Unit in Kuala Lumpur. The Regional DRR Coordinator will work in cross-functional manner with other IFRC technical units, ensuring close cooperation with German Red Cross (GRC), Red Cross Red Crescent reference centres (Asia Pacific Disaster Resilience Centre, Global Disaster Preparedness Centre and Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre) and other humanitarian actors in the Asia Pacific Region.
Job duties and responsibilities
Technical Support:
- Provide technical support to National Societies, IFRC offices and partners for the implementation of climate-smart DRR initiatives and operations in Asia Pacific Region
- Lead/support the development of regional DRR work plans and provide technical support and guidance on climate-smart DRR to National Societies and IFRC offices in the Asia Pacific Region in coordinated manner in line with their own strategies, IFRC Strategy 2030, IFRC’s policies and plans, promoting coherence and alignment of DRR initiatives supported by various actors.
- In close collaboration and coordination with the relevant IFRC thematic leads, technical units and offices, provide timely technical DRR support (technical reviews and guidance) for new and ongoing initiatives and emergency operations, including through monitoring and follow-up.
- In close collaboration and coordination with the relevant DRR actors and initiatives in Asia Pacific Region, contribute to joint monitoring, technical support and follow-up as well as support the development of new proposals and identifying of supporting resources.
- Coordinate and support joint initiatives in order to identify new approaches to increase the efficiency of DRR, with special focus on DRR in fragile contexts, preparedness for response in urban areas, through digitalization or through green solutions for DRR; as well as accompany and advise the testing of these new approaches in DRR in Asia Pacific Region.
- Through/together with regional, country cluster and country teams, assist National Societies in successful introduction and adaptation of innovative approaches, methodologies and tools developed by IFRC/GRC.
Support learning and knowledge management in Asia Pacific Region:
- Facilitate knowledge sharing on DRR, including through the organization of trainings, meetings, webinars, at regional and national levels, and provide timely updates and advice on scientific and technical developments, trends, best practise, areas for improvement and lessons learnt.
- Identify and document innovative DRR approaches and lessons learnt from RCRC programs/projects and operations to share them within the RCRC and the wider humanitarian community.
- Promote increased understanding of DRR, EWEA and FbF/AA terminologies, tools, quality criteria and approaches, building on context-specific progress in the implementation of existing DRR, EWEA and FbF/AA strategies among NS, IFRC offices and partners.
- Initiate and/or continue the collaboration and coordination with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team in the region to strengthen the cooperation between the RCRC and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap community.
- Coordinate and support RCRC participation and/or represent at relevant platforms on DRR, EWEA and FbF/AA in the region.
- Promote and support an evidence-based approach to determining climate-smart DRR programming capacity gaps of National Societies, designing, and implementing measures/activities to enhance their capacities to deliver innovative DRR programming in line with the National Societies’ mandates.
- Contribute to the lessons learnt processes on improving the relevance and effectiveness of (newly developed) DRR approaches, and documenting achievements, case studies and lessons learnt from RCRC programs and operations in the region as well as outside the region.
- Contribute to the development and roll-out of appropriate DRR capacity building activities and communication products in the region.
- Facilitate and strengthen exchanges between different stakeholders and sharing of knowledge and expertise amongst RCRC and partner networks in the Asia Pacific Region and across regions.
Management and reporting
- Manage both technical consultancies and support staff, to complete specific DRR related tasks, if assigned.
- Prepare, quarterly/biannual and annual plans and reports, and provide inputs to monthly management highlights (MMH).
Position Requirements
Education:
- Relevant post-graduate university degree
- Basic Delegates Training Course (BTC), WORC, IMPACT or equivalent knowledge
- Technical training in DRR, including EWEA systems and disaster preparedness for response.
- Technical training in climate science, contingency planning and/or financing mechanisms (Preferred)
Experience:
- 5 years’ experience in humanitarian sector technical level related to DRR programming, institutional preparedness capacity
- strengthening initiatives, emergency response operations and EWEA systems
- Good understanding of the IFRC
- Good understanding of the global humanitarian environment
- Experience in working for a humanitarian aid organization in the area of DRR in a developing country
- Experience in coordinating with the authorities and other humanitarian actors
- Experience in narrative and financial reporting and proposal writing
- Experience in the Asia Pacific region
Knowledge and Skills:
- Excellent communication, organization and facilitation skills
- Valid international driving licence (Manual gears)
- Self-supporting in computers (Email, Internet, spread sheets, word-processing, etc.)
- Skills in developing and training staff
- Skills in negotiation and building relations
Languages:
- Fluently spoken and written English
What we offer you:
You will be part of a highly motivated professional and multicultural team. We offer you a compensation package according to the collective employment agreement of the GRC, an expatriation allowance during your mission as well as a personal allowance to cover our accommodation. In addition to a full insurance package GRC is covering a home flight within a 12-months period of assignment. You will benefit from a comprehensive training package and receive briefings and coaching prior as well as during and after your mission. Medical check-ups and Psychosocial Support Service are included in your assignment.
How to apply:
Kindly apply by submitting your application by using the GRC online application system DRK HRnet (https://drkhrnet.de) until 30.05.2021.
Please indicate Ref. No. 2021-049 with your application.