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.
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.
The British Red Cross (BRC) opened its regional office in Dakar in 2015. Since then, BRC has been supporting the implementation of a variety of programmes in the region. Current programmes mainly focus on Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.
BRC’s support in the Sahel evolves around 4 key themes: Food Security and Livelihoods, Migration, Cash Preparedness and Disaster Management (Forecast-based Financing). NSD is central to all programmes. Given the similarities and cross-border dimensions of humanitarian crises in the Sahel, our focus is on multi-country programmes and regional approaches, to ensure a solid basis of capacities and skills development for the Host National Societies (HNS).
The role will provide guidance to the Sahel National Societies in the assessment and prioritisation of National Society Development needs and in the development of strategies, systems and structures to address these needs and to build a more solid and sustainable organisation.
Whilst the NSD Officer will work with all the National Societies in the cluster, the main focus of the initial six-month role will be on Niger. Niger is one of the 14 pilot countries for a global Movement coordination, shared leadership and shared planning initiative. This involves developing and delivering a single multi-year country program support plan with common outcomes. The development of this plan starts with a comprehensive and strategic analysis of the National Society’s internal and external working environments and the identification of NSD priorities. Hence supporting this process will form the main focus of the initial six months of this role.
The NSD delegate will be based in Dakar, with frequent travelling across the region as required, particularly to Niger.
Job responsibilities
- Support the NS in critically analysing the organization’s current culture and structure and identifying areas for improvement, in which they will base their programs, activities on.
- Assist the National Societies to undertake any assessments of their organisational strengths and weaknesses as required, to identify target areas that need the most critical support and help them to review their mandate, strategies, policies, procedures, and practices based on the priority needs of vulnerable populations and analysis of the context.
- Provide technical support and capacity strengthening in strategic thinking and strategy development.
- Help senior and mid-level management to improve their managerial and leadership skills through identifying and supporting workshops and/or peer-to-peer learning.
- Support the National Societies in change management as required, to support the move from strategy to implementation.
- Assist the National Societies in reviewing their organisational structure, systems & processes, and explore the use of common Federation or external analytical tools where relevant.
- Provide strategic guidance and technical support to the National Societies in the identification of National Society Development needs, in the prioritisation of these needs and in mobilizing and coordinating possible movement/ non-movement partners’ support.
- Work with the National Societies and other Movement partners, individually and collectively, to ensure a coherent NSD offer, in line with the National Societies identified priorities.
- Work with BRC’s existing Programme leads to ensure NSD’s overall consistency and maximising effectiveness through their capacity-building support in the region.
- Support the National Societies in developing appropriate leadership, structures and systems, as appropriate, to implement their strategic plan and address development needs.
- Support the National Societies to facilitate and mobilize Movement/other, technical expertise and funding support related to the NSD, where appropriate
- Support the National Societies in in facilitating Co-ordinated Planning and support, both with Movement partners and other partners.
- In Niger specifically, play an active role in facilitating the Agenda for Renewal “New Way of Working” and support the National Society in leading the process.
- Assist the National Societies to learn from experiences of other National Societies operating in similar contexts, taking advantage of knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer opportunities.
- Maintain good working relationships and ensure timely two-way communication with other Movement actors/partners
- Support processes, and metrics development to monitor both the progress and impact of NSD. Identify, document, and validate relevant learning and make it available to the National Societies and other Movement partners.
Education Requirements
Relevant University degree
Experience Requirements
- 5 years of experience in organisational development/international development/Red Cross movement
- Proven credibility in relation to organisational and leadership development and capacity enhancement, change management, and related aspects
- Previous extensive work experience in coordinating stakeholders and/or supporting joint programmes with multiple partners.
- Experience of working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement
Knowledge, Skills, Languages
- Technical expertise in non-profit management and development, which could include (but not be limited to): Governance, leadership development, strategy, membership development, volunteering development, branch development, youth organisation development, financial systems development, volunteer programme design, relationship development, fundraising systems development
- Proactive and demand-driven approach to finding creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues
- Proactive and demand-driven approach to finding creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues
- Able to build partnerships and network effectively and to influence and inspire others
- Focused on quality and standards, results, accountability, and sustainability
- Strongly motivated by humanitarian work
- Politically aware and astute
- Able to undertake strategic thinking and translate this into practice
- Strong mentoring/coaching, facilitation and skills
- Analytical decision-making capacity
- Positive, flexible, and able to adapt to difficult living conditions
- Self-supporting in computers
- Excellent command written and spoken English and French
How to apply
This is a locally hired national staff position based in Dakar, Senegal. Qualified candidates are requested to apply on or before 20 October 2022 using the link below: