Disaster risk management coordinator

Vacancy No: 2008-280-fld

Purpose of position:

Building on Strategy 2010, the Federation of the Future process establishes a clear focus for the International Federation by setting out the Red Cross/Red Crescent Global Agenda and the Framework for Action. The International Federation secretariat coordinates and supports the collective efforts of the International Federation membership to better address the increasing number of humanitarian challenges in the world. In order to succeed, substantial changes are required in the way the International Federation secretariat around the world is organized and works.

The transformation of secretariat support and services at the field level has at its core the establishment and effective management of new zone offices with the authority and capacity to engage more closely with national societies to scale up humanitarian work of national societies in the four core areas of Strategy 2010 by:

• providing core membership services;
• providing intensified capacity building support;
• facilitating the operation of operational alliances and of global alliances;
• establishing a collective performance and accountability framework based on a Planning Accountability Tracking System (PATS) and the Global Agenda;

In line with the new DM Strategy and the Americas four years Inter-American plan, the Regional DRM coordinator will support the adherence and/or improvements of Federation DM policies, disaster and community risk reduction (including preparedness) agenda at continental, regional, national and local levels. With the aim at providing capacity building for the National Societies (NSs) of the Americas Zone, he/she will deliver quality and balanced Disaster Risk Management technical support to NSs in the Americas, following strategic directions and core areas of concentration of S-2010 and its Global Agenda. As part of a zone team, part of his/her time could be devoted (upon request from the Zone) to continental matters.

The Disaster Risk management Coordinator is responsible for providing consistent quality advice to National Red Cross Societies through the Secretariat Disaster Risk Management positions on managerial and technical OD issues, while engaging all relevant stakeholders, particularly Federation's members, in the new operating model.

He/she will follow strategical directions in DRM in the Americas, working closely and in the most efficient way, with the Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU), as key component part of the Zonal DM team, to guide in a consistent and coherent way the Federation's, initiatives in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Community Risk Management (CRM) (including policies, disaster preparedness, disaster planning, technical assistance, inter-institutional relationships) efforts in line with the Zone approach.

He/she will work closely with other technical staff to integrate CRM / DRM activities with other relevant regional programmes, namely Health/Care, Organizational Development and Principles & Values, within a common perspective of capacity building in order for them to develop, consolidate, expand and scale-up National Societies disaster risk management initiatives. In addition, he/she will ensure high interaction and join planning and programming with PADRU on specific issues according to needs.

Core responsibilities include promotion, implementation & monitoring of the DM Policy at regional/national levels; supervise Federation Secretariat support to membership in their implementation of the Guayaquil 2007 - 2011 Inter-American Plan; guide, advice and follow-up implementation of Federation global DM Strategy; promote and facilitate support NS and Federation in establishment of operational partnerships with relevant organisations and initiatives, such as governmental authorities, UN, ISDR, disaster risk reduction initiatives (WB's Global facility, ProVention, ECHO, Climate Change etc), NGOs. The DRM coordinator will be an active member of the Americas Zone Disaster Management Team and would lead development matters in the field of Disaster Risk Management.

He/she will continue mainstreaming community integrated programming into NSs' strategies, plans and programmes within a wide community risk reduction vision and will provide technical assistance and leadership to national societies of the region or else where required in order to enable them to develop, consolidate, expand and scale up community-based disaster risk reduction programmes.

He/she will regularly report and feedback on technical matters to the Deputy Head of Zone and on critical issues for technical implementation of his/her task, which will help for further discussions between the Zone and Geneva structures.

Providing and reporting Disaster Risk Management related Core Membership Services (supported by regional representations) and developing Disaster Risk Management (or related) operational alliances to facilitate the implementation of the Federation's Global Agenda in conjunction with existing focal points.

Overseeing the implementation, monitoring and reporting of existing relevant secretariat strategies and program plans including the management of related internal relationships and thus ensuring business continuity.

Providing expertise and strategic advice in conjunction with other programme areas, specially with the Health team, including the elaboration of zone Disaster Risk Management (or related) strategies and program plans, the support to relevant networks and the gathering of new ideas for service delivery and knowledge sharing.

Promoting NS relationships with different Ministries, more specially with Education, Welfare, Health, and Civil Defence, other governmental institutions, external organisations (nationally and internationally) and supporting national societies to develop strategic partnerships within and outside the Movement, enhance program coordination with a Federation-wide perspective and enable resource mobilization.

Identifying and facilitating through regional representations, national, regional and/or continental fundraising initiatives for national society programs, with particular emphasis on the DRR Global Alliance, as well as the Secretariat's funding needs, in collaboration with the zone health and resource mobilization teams and other coordinators.

Ensuring that the group of supervised staff completes tasks and delivers the assigned work in a timely manner, within acceptable levels of quality and costs related Core Membership Services, in particular on Global & Operational Alliances in accordance to agreed guidelines.

Key tasks and responsibilties:

The Disaster Risk Management Coordinator is responsible for ensuring consistent quality advice and support for Disaster Risk and Disaster Management activities while engaging all relevant stakeholders, particularly Federation's members, in the new operating model. The post holder is primarily accountable for leading the process of scaling up DRM activities in the Americas.

Providing and reporting Disaster Risk Management related Core Membership Services and developing Disaster Risk Management operational and global alliances (or related) to facilitate the implementation of the Federation's Global Agenda and support PADRU in securing the most efficient disaster response and Early recovery process;

Enhance the development and scaling-up of the Zone DRM program - in line with the Disaster Management draft Policy and the Disaster Management Strategy & oversee a process of program development, design and planning to assist NS to reach an efficient implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning approach.

Overall supervision and facilitation of technical support to NS scaling up DRM activities in the Americas, with special emphasis on evidence based interventions with key affected populations.

Ensure that the Zonal Disaster Management team (includes PADRU and focal points in Geneva) is engaged in a broad spectrum of external relation activities in order to improve program quality and availability of resources, with particular attention to the nurturing of operational alliances.

Provide and/or facilitate technical support to Regional Offices (ROs), Country Delegations (CDs) and NSs in strengthening the human resource base for DRM programming and on Federation Secretariat policies and standards.

Coordinate and oversee capacity building activities at the operational zone level and directly provide training when relevant.

Providing expertise and strategic advice on DRM issues, in particular Community based and Red Cross institutional preparedness and readiness; early warning - early action; climate adaptation; urban risk; migration disaster preparedness; early recovery; protection; pandemic preparedness, etc., including the elaboration of zone DRM (or related) strategies and programme plans, the support to relevant networks, and, the gathering of new ideas for service delivery and knowledge sharing;

Part of the Americas DM team
contribute with technical expertise to the Zone DM team;
availability to support DM team needs;
Facilitate appropriate technical programmatic support when required from:

o Federation Representation offices
o Americas Zone office in Panama
o Pan-American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU)
o Regional Reference Centers
o Disaster Management Team (network)

Ensuring relationship with external organisations and supporting national societies to develop strategic partnership within and outside the Movement.

Represent or recommend the Federation in Zone fora and coordination mechanisms, with particular attention to Movement (ICRC and NS), CAPRADE and MERCOSUR, CEPREDENAC, CDERA, REDLAC, Regional Platforms and other key platforms dealing with Disaster Risk Management issues. Ensure that PADRU Head plays a key leading role in those platforms related with Disaster Response and Response Preparedness.

Ensuring that the group of supervised staff completes tasks and delivers the assigned work in a timely manner, within acceptable levels of quality and costs.

Fundraising/resource mobilisation for Disaster Risk management (including disaster preparedness) at regional and national societies' projects/programmes.

Policy and planning:

Develop a Zone, medium-term Federation Secretariat membership service Disaster Risk Management strategic plan, using the Interamerican Plan and the Complutense study as the key documents for analysis and Supervise and evaluate the implementation of sound DRM strategies and activities in the zone, ensuring that they respond to the main vulnerability and risk issues and are addressed with efficiency and efficacy and evidencing impact.

Identify and analyze the main DRM issues in the zone and provide technical advice and technical support to the regional representations. Establish a baseline of the real capacities of the 35 member NSs of the Americas, and keep it updated.

Provide support to governance at the operational zone level on DM issues including National Societies and Federation governance bodies;

Develop in close coordination with other programmes and as part of the Zone planning process a Zone plan based and tailored on the needs of the member NSs. The plan should detail the type of support for each NS.

Coordinate technical support to national societies in the Americas to adopt, adapt where suitable, prepare, update or improve their policies on Disaster Management (basing themselves on the new Federation DM policy) including community based risk management or risk reduction policies, in line with Federation-wide and regional policies and strategies, and governmental Disaster Management policy frameworks, where they exist.

Promote & Support national society's disaster management activities to become integrated within governmental frameworks, with clear roles and responsibilities assigned to national societies by their governments through relevant legislation or decrees. If no framework exists, support the national society to lobby for establishment of such policies.

To liaise with and to develop, when appropriate, partnerships or agreement with international agencies and organizations. Particular attention should be given to the technical support to National Societies in the implementation of Regional/National/local Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction as part of the Hyogo Framework for Action, and more specifically, on the auxiliary role of the Red Cross in these platforms.

Support regional networks as relevant and establish/reinforce a system from knowledge sharing at the operational zone level including the systematic mapping of capacities and acting as a central repository of information concerning best practices and lessons learnt.

Disaster Risk Reduction:

Support NSs in the scaling up of disaster risk reduction initiatives within the framework of the Hyogo Framework, the Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy in the Americas and the Inter-American Plan, promoting the reduction of vulnerabilities at community level.

Strengthen the capacities of Red Cross branches, relevant counterparts and departments in NSs, supporting and facilitating the existing disaster network and enhancing its role of monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Inter-American Plan.

According to the specific reality and possibilities of the National Societies, gradually promote the transition from NSs disaster response-focused structures towards comprehensive disaster risk management (reduction (includes preparedness), response, recovery) instances.

Support the NS in scaling up and widening their relationship with non-traditional partners, mainly with organisations linked to sustainable development.

To mainstream the usage of the Center of Reference for Community Based Disaster Education and Risk Reduction based in Costa Rica and the Center of Reference for Organizational Disaster Preparedness based in El Salvador, in order to ensure that both Centers will be accountable to, and will focus on supporting national societies on main priority areas of concentration.

Where appropriate and within a common zone approach, support and/or lead the development of cooperation mechanisms such as networks, reference centres, thematic holders and other initiatives that aim to enhance Red Cross capacities at national and local levels to achieve safer and resilient communities.

Disaster Preparedness

Within the Framework of disaster risk reduction, specific attention will be devoted to the following aspects of disaster preparedness:

Ensure Federation support to disaster preparedness and readiness (institutional and community based) is carried out in priority countries based on risk profile, national society capacity, commitment and interest and vulnerability scenarios. Increase attention will be given to urban risk matters and national societies capacities to address them in a more efficient way.

To enhance the level of coordination and project implementation with other Federation delegates, especially OD, Health, Principles and Values, Communication and Disaster Response, the holder of this position should promote, develop and support disaster preparedness initiatives and more specially community based integrated approach programmes.

Ensure processes and training for national societies to develop and/or maintain adequate mechanisms, (organizational, management and other structures and systems for managing emergencies, e.g. contingency plans based on the national disaster risk analysis, assessment guidelines, reporting mechanisms etc.) for national society disaster preparedness and readiness.

Expand and strengthen regional and national society's human resources by supporting all national societies in establishing their own national and branch level disaster preparedness and response mechanism including the specialization of National Disaster Response Teams (NDRT) and Branch Disaster Response Teams (BDRT) and assuring the most adequate support to enhance and further develop PADRU lead role in increase the capacities of regional disaster response teams (RDRT) to enhance the response capacity in the Americas.

Community Risk Reduction:

To provide an agreed-upon framework which enables the scaling-up of community work of NSs, allowing the
Federation, PNSs, NS and other actors to effectively identify and coordinate community based multilateral and bilateral programmes and projects.

To consolidate and systematize the community participatory assessments produced by NS and provide technical advice in planning, monitoring and evaluation and associated methodologies. This includes the development of baseline data and the identification of quantitative and qualitative indicators for measurement.

Provide technical support to NS to develop of community based disaster risks reduction teams and community disaster response teams (CDRT) to link up with existing national societies structures at branch level.

Scale up NSs and community capacities, knowledge and practices related with early warning, climate change and mitigation activities that reduces risk and vulnerability and makes communities more resilient.

Identify inputs and challenges of community work that are relevant to volunteering and strategic visioning, share the learning within the RD team especially the volunteering and youth officer within the OD team.

Reporting, lessons learnt and knowledge sharing:
Overseeing the implementation, monitoring and reporting of existing relevant secretariat strategies and programme plans including the management of related internal relationships and thus ensuring business continuity.

Ensure consistent operational reporting on Federation-wide DM activities in line with the newly revised reporting requirements.

Ensure monitoring and evaluation of Federation-wide DM activities, by engaging through regional and country offices overseeing the monitoring activities and/or the engaging peer NS within the operational zone in close collaboration with the PMER staff.

Increase knowledge, dissemination and monitoring implementation of NS usage of existing Federation policies, including Code of Conduct and other quality standards tools to seek for regular training activities and clear systematization processes.

Support and enhance the learning platform DESaprender, thus contributing to knowledge management in CRR/DRR.

Ensure that lessons learnt and good practice from disaster management in the region are compiled and used to improve future planning, programming and implementation, that they are shared within the Zone as well as with the relevant departments in Geneva for wider dissemination, that best practices publications are developed. Incorporate such learning from other regions.

Duties applicable to all staff:

• Actively work towards the achievement of the Secretariat's goals.
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross Red Crescent principles.
• Perform any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education:

• University degree in a Development related discipline, Social Sciences and/or
• Management
• Relevant professional training courses (Red Cross/Red Crescent related, non-profit management and consulting)
• Relevant post-graduate degree or MBA preferred

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years experience of working for a service delivering voluntary organisation in home country or for a humanitarian and development aid organization in another country
• Work experience with other international organisations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agencies
• Management of a team with a minimum of 3 staff members
• Minimum of 2 years work experience with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, including time in the field and/or with a National Society preferred

Skills:

• Ability to lead and manage in a diverse cultural context
• Strong knowledge of information sharing tools, and the ability to implement them
• Highly organised, with ability to create unified team approach
• Strong skills in written and oral English and Spanish
• Budget and finance management
• Demonstrated skill in analytical and strategic thinking
• Comfortable working with current donors and communicating with potential donors - in particular, with National Societies
• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Knowledge of and first-hand experience with the Federation of the Future, including the New Operating Model, the Global Agenda and the Framework for Action preferred

Languages:

• Advance level of English and Spanish required
• Advance level of French preferred

Competencies:

• National society relations
• Results focus and accountability
• Teamwork
• Communications
• Professional standards
• Leadership
• Managerial effectiveness

NOTE: Security: petty theft, house, car theft, Zone office to assess impact against attacks on individuals. Housing and appartments available throughout the city. International and US standard schools available. 25-50% travel within Americas zone.