Regional representative

About:
The American Red Cross (ARC) International Services Department (ISD) seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering around the world by responding to disasters, building safer, more resilient communities, and educating future humanitarians. In the coming years the American Red Cross will deepen and expand its international programming while also working to strengthen the global Red Cross Red Crescent network, in order to deliver vital help and hope to some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.

The Representative is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Representative is responsible for contributing to continued growth and development of ARC’s programs in the region, as well as managing ARC’s operational, administrative and compliance issues on the continent. The Representative cultivates and develops ARC’s relationships within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in Africa, as well as outside the Movement with institutions that share the strategic priorities of ARC’s International Services Division (ISD). The Representative is also responsible for facilitating coordination between ARC programs in the region, working with field and NHQ staff to ensure cross learning, best practices, and strategic consistency across ARC’s Africa region programs.

In addition, the Representative provides technical support to the region for organizational development efforts and is a lead in monitoring and assessing emergencies. The Representative is a part of ISD’s Africa Regional Team and reports to the Regional Director. The Regional Director may assign additional specific program oversight responsibilities to the Representative in the future as needs dictate; in addition, the Representative may be assigned responsibility for supervision of ARC national staff.

Responsibilities:
I.General overarching responsibilities

• Coordinate and cultivate relationships with relevant Movement partners (IFRC counterparts in Nairobi and throughout Africa, National Societies, PNSs) and external stakeholders on a regular basis to further ISD’s strategic program priorities. Where relevant, coordination is always done in close conjunction with ARC country offices and project delegates, and/or with Africa region NHQ staff.
• Collaborates with other project delegates and country teams as well as NHQ program and technical staff, to ensure that programs across the region learn and build upon shared experience as well as the experience of other organizations working in similar strategic areas in Africa; that project design strategies reflect ISD strategic objectives; and that programs reflect industry standards and best practices.
• Provides support, as needed, to regional team and partner staff in the planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs.
• Represent ARC as necessary in Red Cross/ Red Crescent Movement meetings or other regional meetings in coordination with Regional Director and other representatives.
• At the direction of the Regional Director and/or designated Regional Response lead, assists with disaster responses as needed in the region. Collect and share information from     Red Cross/Crescent Movement partners on emergency situations and provide guidance to the region on response strategies.
• Will continuously monitor and assess disasters and emergencies in Africa, provide guidance as to how ARC may support emergency operations, and will monitor operations where ARC support is given.
• Assists with program monitoring and evaluation, working closely with NHQ and field staff.
• Lead the development and upkeep of regional security plans for all operational locations and manage all security requirements for regional staff.
• Negotiate and manage all operational modalities and administrative arrangements for all staff and offices in Africa.

II.Program Development responsibilities

• Identify and develop program and partnering opportunities that match ARC’s strategic priorities, working closely with relevant National Societies and other Movement partners, and where appropriate, with external partners.
• Provides input to development of proposals, with a focus on incorporating lessons learned, best practices, and ISD strategic direction as it applies to the Africa region.
• Represent ARC with donor agencies, in close collaboration with relevant NHQ units.
• Advise Regional Director in strategic development/planning of country and regional strategies and projects, coordinating closely with relevant ISD units and Movement partners.

III.Program Management responsibilities

• Provide support to project/program delegates, as needed, in ensuring timely and quality implementation of program activities. With the Regional Director and the finance staff, conduct regular budget reviews so as to ensure appropriate and timely program spending.
• Support programmatic, financial, and operational compliance with donor guidelines and organizational policies.
• Provide technical assistance to project/program teams in monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Provide lead support to all organizational development initiatives undertaken with partners. The region will be providing support to organization strengthening efforts for the Red Cross/Crescent movement partners in Africa that are independent of the disaster management and health program portfolio.
• The Regional Representative will provide overall management support for these efforts.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree required (Masters preferred).
• Minimum of five years experience working in humanitarian programs, with experience working on disaster response, readiness, risk reduction, planning and preparedness programs.
• At least three years of work experience within Red Cross / Red Crescent preferred, and at least one year of experience working at the field level with Operating National Societies preferred.
• Working knowledge of American Red Cross policies, procedures, and practices at the field and headquarters level preferred.
• Minimum of one year of supervisory experience required.
• Candidate must be a self-starter, be flexible, adaptable to change and have the ability to maximize results through collaboration within an organization, and with other organizations.
• Exceptional ability to remain focused on goals, to understand reporting lines in a complex system, to collaborate, work and share information transparently, and work productively as a member of a team, required.
• Working knowledge of disaster management, including preparedness, response, mitigation and early recovery programming, including relevant best practices and literature.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills required. Must have the ability to work in an environment of diverse languages and cultures.
• Operational flexibility to meet sudden and unpredictable business needs, including ability to travel internationally, occasionally on short notice