Hungary: Director, Global Services Centre

Background

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, with 190 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

Organizational Context

The IFRC is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat is led by the IFRC Secretary General and he provides the central capacity of the IFRC to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; directing and coordinating international relief operations, resource mobilization, technical support including providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the RCRC Movement; and expanding engagement with partners.

The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized in three main business groups: (i) Partnerships, including Movement and Membership; (ii) Programmes and Operations; and (iii) Management. The Secretariat has five regional offices as follows: Americas (Panama City); Africa (Nairobi); Asia and Pacific- AP (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); Middle East and North Africa-MENA (Beirut).

The IFRC will open a Global Services Centre (GSC) in Budapest, Hungary in 2017.

Job Purpose

Under the overal direction of the Under Secretary General, Management, the incumbent will provide strategic leadership to the Global Service Centre (GSC) covering IT, HR, Finance and Administration, and Logistics. S/he will provide leadership, coherence, management and direction of the GSC and in cooperation with Management division engage with stakeholders to propose and implement cost effective services to the global IFRC.

S/he will lead and manage the Global Services Centre ensuring successful delivery of selected and agreed global support services. S/he will maintain close cooperation with the Regional Director for Europe, ensuring harmonized representation of the International Federation in Hungary both from global and regional perspective.

In addition, the incumbent will contribute to the overall development and management of the organisation and will play a leadership role in the external representation of the organisation from the Global Services Centre perspective to the Hungarian Government, diplomatic community accredited in Hungary, the UN Global Centers in Budapest and other relevant stakeholders within the international and business community.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic and operational planning

• Be responsible for drafting, in cooperation with respective stakeholders, the Global Services Centre strategy that is in line with the Strategy 2020.
  
• Contribute to the strategic planning processes of the organisation including work planning and budgeting as well as monitoring, reporting and evaluation to enhance organisational effectiveness and accountability
  
• Oversee the innovative set up of the GSC using a coordinated approach to research and trend analysis to maximize the potential of the movement
  
• Be responsible for planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the overall Plan of Action for the Global Services Centre in accordance with the IFRC planning and reporting cycle.
  
• Supervise the provision and maintenance of cost-effective office services that accompany productivity including working in partnership across the organisation, providing thought leadership within the GSC in an effort to identify cost effective and professional solutions based upon appropriate polices and procedures.
  

Leadership, management and accountability

• Lead and be responsible for providing strategic management of the Global Services Centre, including management of staff directly reporting to the position and geographical management of the defined, functions located in the GSC
  
• Ensuring that strategies and priorities for the IFRC selected support services are clearly articulated, resources are efficiently allocated, further developed and optimised.
  
• Be accountable for financial management of the Global Services Centre in accordance with the IFRC requirements and standards.
  
• Ensure accountability for GSCs security services in conformity with relevant legislation, liaising closely with the HQ security team.
  
• Ensure that appropriate risk management strategies are developed and maintained and the risk register is continuously followed up. Work closely with the Office of Internal Audit and Investigation as needed.
  
• Refer cases of non-compliance and accountability failures to USG Management and Office of Internal Audit and Investigation.
  
• Supervise the daily management of the GSCs building. This include provide adequate working space, furniture, equipment, local procurement of goods and services, reception services, management and preparation of rooms, distribution of mail, accommodation of staff and delegates.
  
• Coordination of the administrative and logistical aspects of meetings organised in Budapest.
  
• Provide line management and mentoring for the HR, Logistics and F&A teams to promote the professional growh, motivation and satisfaction of staff while ensuring appropriate personal development and succession planning.
  
• Promote and facilitate staff mobility within key positions for risk minimising measures and to support carrier-development in line with established praxis.
  
• Ensure skills sharing with relevant staff in other regions and in the HQ.
  
• Develop external relationship with corporate partners and Hungarian authorities in view of receiving donations in kind or cash to improve building and/or infrastructure and liaising as needed with the external partners.
  
• Actively represent the Federation externally in matters related to the GSC, such as Budapest municipality and their authorities and technical services (fire brigade, building authorities, environmental services, etc.)
  

Representation and networking

• Represent the IFRC, from the Global Services Centre (GSC) perspective, to the Hungarian Government, diplomatic community accredited in Hungary and other relevant stakeholders within the international and business community.
  
• Represent the IFRC GSC at the Inter-agency meeting of UN and other International Organisations’ Directors of the Global Shared Services Centres in Budapest.
  
• Be responsible for high level liaison and networking with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) as well as with the Landlord’s representative.
  

Education

• Advanced relevant university degree (e.g., Masters in Business Administration or equivalent)
• IMPACT training for international RCRC Movement staff - Preferred
  

Experience

• Minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience in senior management position
  
• Minimum of 7 years work experience with an international organisation, International non-governmental organisation and/or government development agency
  
• Experience working with the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement - Preferred
  
• Experience in working under remote management and with virtual, multi-cultural teams
  
• Experience in both strategic and operational planning and budgeting, financial management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting
  

Knowledge, skills and languages

• Strong representation, negotiation, networking and communications skills
  
• Self-driven, ability to multi-task, manage priorities and deliver to deadlines
  
• Well organized, able to work under pressure and manage priorities in a complex environment
  
• Result oriented, ability to lead transitions within a matrix management structure
  
• Focused on quality, standards, results, and accountability
  
• Good strategic and operational planning skills
  
• Proven people’s management skills
  
• Proven good judgement and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality, acting as a role model of highest integrity in personal capacity and within a team
  
• Proven interpersonal skills, able to interfere and coordinate with stakeholders across different teams (internal or external)
  
• Ability to drive situations when challenged with tight timelines, well organized with collaborative and an open-minded attitude
  
• Ability to drive towards positive solutions in difficult and complex situations
  
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity with internal and external stakeholders
  
• Skilled in computer productivity applications, particularly Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word
  
• Financial management skills
  
• Fluent spoken and written English
  
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) - Preferred
  

Competencies and values

• Strategic leadership and direction
  
• People management skills
  
• High level representation and liaison
  
• Communication and networking
  
• Collaboration and teamwork
  
• Judgement and decision making
  
• Creativity and innovation
  
• Building trust
  

Comments

The Federation is an equal opportunity employer.

Please apply on the organisation's website: Click Here