Switzerland: Manager Community Engagement

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

IFRC is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized as three main business groups: Partnerships, Programmes and Operations; and Management Services.
The Communications Department is part of IFRCs Partnerships Division. The department comprises four teams including the Community Engagement team. Together, these teams advocate for local communities, vulnerable groups and people in need.
The Manager of Community Engagement serves as a member of the departments management team and leads a small team of communication advisers.

Job Purpose

You are a strategic engagement expert who loves building systems and networks that expand knowledge and skills.

You recognise the of role of community engagement in effectively advocating for and with local communities, vulnerable groups and people in need.

You will work with humanitarian partners, IFCR members and staff across departments, regional and field offices to shape the global community engagement agenda, transfer community engagement skills and knowledge and develop systems for operationalizing technical expertise across the IFRC network. Job Duties and Responsibilities

Lead development, coordination and execution of global IFRC community engagement framework

• Develop IFRCs community engagement framework for IFRC including objectives, guiding principles, standards, best practices and measurement.
• Translate IFRCs community engagement framework into advice, action and outcomes across the organisation.
• Work closely with humanitarian partners, IFRC members and staff in the development of platforms for coordinating and operationalizing community engagement best practices in response to humanitarian need.
• Enable and stimulate the use of participatory approaches in IFRC’s programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation by enabling access to innovative techniques in data collection and feedback mechanisms about programme deliveries, complaints management, accountability systems, and possible targeted advocacy.
• Manage budget and support resource mobilisation for on-going and future related initiatives.

Develop systems for transfer of community engagement knowledge, skills and expertise across the IFRC network

• Develop systems and platforms for IFRC and membership to share and transfer community engagement knowledge, expertise and resources.
• Working with members, develop and manage a system for community engagement deployments in disasters and emergencies.
• Leverage skills and expertise within the IFRC network for community engagement training, skills development, coaching and capacity building.

Shape global community engagement agenda

• Represent IFRC as an authority in the area of community engagement across relevant platforms and networks
• Scan, assess and advise on developments, trends and demands of key internal and external stakeholders relevant to community engagement
• Build and grow a network of community engagement experts and champions across the IFRC network and the humanitarian sector.
• Define appropriate strategic interventions and actions in co-creation with major internal stakeholders: National Societies and Regions; and with external stakeholders: donors, partners, etc.

Be a role model in inspiring, leading and managing a productive, positive and high-performing team

• Be accountable to the director on delivering results, serve as a pro-active strategic adviser and be a dynamic and engaged member of the departments management team.
• Define clear roles, accountabilities and activities, and assign them across the team members on an ongoing basis while improving efficiencies within available resources.
• Plan, manage and monitor the use of available resources (people, budgets, etc.) of the team in order to deliver the agreed activities for area of responsibility.
• Work effectively in a matrixed, multilevel global organization actively working to break down silos and address disconnects.
• Ensure effective coordination and engagement across departments, regional and field offices, facilitate partnerships with members and active exchange with peers, partners and stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of results, accountability, proactivity, innovation, quality and integrity.
• Create a working environment that ensures staff growth, motivation and satisfaction.

Education

• Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in any relevant area
  

Experience

• 10 years working experience in the humanitarian or development sector
  
• Demonstrated professional experience in an international or cross-cultural environment with a focus on social or community engagement
  

Knowledge, skills and languages

• Extensive knowledge of systems, techniques and methodologies used in community engagement-related technologies, preferably with large scale social media experience.
  
• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead within a matrix management structure and utilise talent and experience of team members in a productive way.
  
• Outstanding networking, representational and communication skills; an ability to be proactive and persuasive.
  
• Experience implementing effective community engagement in a challenging environment
  
• Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and new approaches to engaging partners.
  
• Professional credibility, able to work effectively at all levels across the organisation
  
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment.
  
• Fluent written and spoken English.
  
• Proficiency in an additional IFRC language (French, Spanish or Arabic) - Preferred Competencies and values

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust

Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others

Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development Comments

The Federation is an equal opportunity employer.

Please apply on the organisation's website: Click Here