Regional Climate and Resilience Senior Officer - Open to All Nationals in MENA

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs 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 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.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The MENA regional office is based in Beirut, Lebanon and supports 17 national societies in the region. The MENA Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises (HDCC) unit within the MENA regional office and works with one regional plan as well as provides the technical support & quality assurance to national societies, IFRC country delegations and movement partners.

Job Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Thematic Lead, Climate and Resilience, the Regional Climate and Resilience Senior Officer contributes to achieving climate and disaster risk reduction targets outlined in IFRC Strategy 2030, regional plans and frameworks, and National Society priorities.  They will support coordination efforts with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and other relevant reference centres and partners.

This role acts as the focal point for technical and day to day support to MENA National Societies. This position ensures high quality, coherent and well-coordinated community risk informed assessments (including climate related and other hazards such as geophysical), programme design and implementation, capacity development in areas such as enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments, Nature Based Solutions, Early Warning Early Action, and facilitating peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. This position also supports on climate and DRR internal and external communication and awareness campaigns such as International Day of DRR, Tsunami Awareness Day, Earth Day, etc.  

The post holder will be also serving as an outreach technical surge capacity (up to 4 weeks per mission) to be deployed on short technical missions to country cluster offices and country offices to deliver specific Climate and Resilience training and technical support.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Technical support:

Contribute to the provision of the required technical support to ensure cross-sectoral approach and synergy to holistic climate risk management, disaster risk reduction and resilience strengthening.

Act as a focal point on the day-to-day aspects related to the risk watch exercise for MENA region.

Lead on advancing IFRC climate and disaster risk reduction tools and approaches including Nature Based Solutions, enhanced Vulnerability Capacity Assessments, Climate Smart Operations, Climate Action Journey among others.

Lead on the rolling out and mainstreaming of Community Early Warning Systems and link it with humanitarian anticipatory actions (FBA/FBF).

Providing technical support to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate tools and approaches into unified planning, programmes, projects, emergency appeals, DREFs, and other new initiatives.

Provide tailor-made technical support on climate and DRR related aspects to the MENA National Societies based on specific requests.

Translate IFRC commitments and guidelines into concrete and contextualized actions in the IFRC planning and programmatic processes, including but not limited to the Roadmap for Community Resilience, Movement Ambitions to Address the Climate Crisis, and the Climate Action Journey, etc.

Advise, support and promote the development/adaptation of risk-informed, multi-hazard and resilience strategies, guidance tools in countries of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence settings.

Roll-out and collaborate with other movement partners the concept and the programming methodology of DRR in Fragility, Conflict, and Violence context/s.

Ensure the systematic mainstreaming of climate, gender and diversity, beneficiary accountability into the DRR, climate risk management and resilience programming.

Together with movement partners to lead on the efforts to highlight the urban risks and provide technical support to MENA NSs and movement partners in terms of addressing those risks.

Provide guidance to National Societies on volunteer and youth engagement in climate risk management drawing on tools like Y-ADAPT and working with the Climate Centre.

Coordination, Cooperation, Networking and Partnership:

In close cooperation with the IFRC MENA regional, cluster and country offices:

Strengthen the communication, cooperation and coordination with other regions and the global technical teams in and work closely with the IFRC Reference Centres, such as the GDPC, Climate Centre etc

Organize meetings, conferences, and roundtables with the participation of all relevant stakeholders to promote and profile RCRC work and technical training on climate and disaster risk reduction.

Liaise with the IFRC regional Communications team and NS focal points to ensure high quality communications on climate and DRR in the region.

Contribute to strengthening of auxiliary roles of MENA National Societies with their respective governments specially in the areas of climate risk management (positioning and accessing adaptation fund), disaster risk reduction and resilience building.

Represent IFRC MENA in a relevant technical meetings, conferences, seminars, trainings and forums.

Lead on mainstreaming disaster risk reduction, resilience and climate risk management, across the continuum and in all areas of focus.

Knowledge Management, Public Awareness and Public Education:

In close cooperation with the IFRC MENA regional, cluster and country offices:

Ensure regular identification, documentation and sharing of good practices in climate risk management, disaster risk reduction and resilience strengthening - both internally (RCRC) and externally.

Identify, document and share lessons and innovative ways to implement the climate risk management, disaster risk reduction and resilience agenda in the MENA region in close collaboration with movement partners.

Identify opportunities with the academic sector to promote knowledge management, research and internships.

Capture the evidence of climate risk management and resilience strengthening and investment through annual mapping, cost-benefit analysis, case studies, reviews, evaluation etc. And share these evidences as relevant.

Resource Mobilization and Reporting Management:

Support fundraising efforts by identifying areas of potential interest with relevant donors in close coordination with the IFRC MENA SPRM team. This includes but not limited to contribution to annual donors mapping and identifying areas of interest for MENA region.

Support the regional, cluster and country teams and National Societies to prepare a resource mobilization strategy for risk informed and climate smart community-based programmes.

Contribute to the overall fundraising, planning, budgeting and reporting of the team and the department.

Undertake any other task as required by the line manager.

Duties applicable to all staff

Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals

Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles

Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

As a result of decentralization to be ready to deploy in any office of MENA Region or in other Regions for a shorter or long period

Education

Relevant undergraduate degree in a related field such as disaster management, climate, environmental studies, hazard studies (meteorology, seismology, hydrology), community development - Required.

Post-graduate degree in a related field such as disaster management, climate, environmental studies, hazard studies (meteorology, seismology, hydrology), community development - Preferred.

Certificate or diploma in project management - Preferred.

Experience

Minimum 5 years’ field or regional office experience in coordinating climate and disaster risk reduction programmes and/or projects - Required.

Demonstrable experience integrating cross-cutting themes such as gender, safeguarding into climate and DRR work  - Required.

Experience of working in an international organization - Preferred. 

Minimum 2-3 years’ experience in a NS, in the RC/RC Movement - Preferred. 

Experience in climate science, disaster risk reduction, climate services and early warning early action- particularly with community based experience  - Required.

Experience of working in both emergencies and developmental contexts - Preferred. 

Experience in training and use of participatory community-based methodologies  - Required.

Experience in conducting and analysing baseline/end line survey and commitment  to participatory approaches at all stages of the project cycle  - Required.

Proven capacity building experience with NS or equivalent, delivering trainings and providing on the job training and coaching  - Required.

Experience coordinating and advocating to external stakeholders including government, NGOs, UN and Donor organisations  - Required.

Experience in project cycle management (Project writing, Log Frames, Financial management, Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation)  - Required.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Sound knowledge of and commitment to a holistic approach to resilience including disaster risk reduction, with an understanding multi hazard approach - Required.

Acquaintance with Federation DM tools (FACT, RDRT, ERU, PECT, eVCA and others) - Preferred.

Comfort delivering training to diverse audiences  - Required.

Technical training in design, implementation and monitoring of resilience programming  - Required.

Proven skills in strategic and operational planning, budgeting and reporting on resilience including urban DRR and DRR in FCV settings  - Required.

Understanding of the key issues relating to delivering resilience at scale and skills to address them  - Required.

Proven analytical skills and the ability to think strategically while under pressure  - Required.

Experience working in insecure environments will be an asset - Preferred.

Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiating skills  - Required.

Fluently spoken and written English and Arabic - Required.

Good command of French - Preferred.

Competencies, Values and Comments

VALUES: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: Building Alliances; Empowering Others

CORE COMPETENCIES: Communication; Collaboration and Teamwork; Pro-activity; National Societies and Customer Relations; Creativity and Innovation; Building Trust

IFRC ensures equal employment opportunities.