Myanmar: Livelihoods Delegate, Rakhine

Organizational context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organisation established by and comprised of its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. 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.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The Federation 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 provides the central capacity of the International Federation to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized in three main business groups: (i) Partnerships, including Movement and Membership; (ii) Programmes and Operations; and (iii) Management Services.

Myanmar RC Society (MRCS) has been responding to the displacement crisis in Rakhine since 2012 and has slowly built up a programme team of recruited MRCS staff who are based in Sittwe, Minbya, Mrauk-U and Maungdaw. Interventions since 2012 have included distribution of relief items; provision of WASH infrastructure; mobile clinics providing primary health care in IDP camps and nearby villages; emergency medical transport; construction of temporary shelters, and first aid training. From late 2014 onwards, MRCS has been engaged in supporting livelihoods for populations indirectly affected by the conflict in Sittwe township; in 2015, the program was expanded to Minbya township.

In 2017, and with the support of IFRC, MRCS has initiated multi-year community-based resilience and health programs in central areas of Rakhine. The Community Resilience in Rakhine (CRR) program (British and Norwegian RC funding) targets 30 villages in Sittwe and Minbya township through following activities:

• Provision of livelihoods support in the form of cash grants, productive assets and/or community revolving funds and trainings for income generating activities and to replace lost/depleted productive assets

• Provision of improved access to sanitation and safe water through water source works and latrines (rehabilitation, upgrades, new construction)

• Improving personal safety, first aid and health/hygiene knowledge, epidemics control and access to health care through health and hygiene education, mobile clinics and rehabilitation of community health facilities

• Disaster risk reduction through taking a ‘risk lens’ on WASH, livelihoods and health programming, as well as the provision of small-scale mitigation projects and preparedness activities

• Improving MRCS branch capacity to respond to humanitarian needs through preparedness planning and trainings

In addition, MRCS is implementing a 3-year Community Health and Resilience – Health in Emergencies (CBHR-HiE, Swedish RC funding) programme, with a livelihood component, in 29 communities in Minbya and Mrauk-U townships

Job purpose

Under oversight of the Disaster Management Delegate, based in Yangon and technical supervision of the Asia Pacific Livelihoods Coordinator, the Livelihoods Delegate will provide programme management support and technical expertise for MRCS programmes in Rakhine, with a special focus on livelihoods and cash interventions. S/he will deliver and coordinate technical support to MRCS and manage the delivery of activities in order to achieve programme objectives.

In addition, the Delegate will guide MRCS in ensuring that the programme will incorporate disaster risk reduction practices and gender and diversity, and contributes to strengthening community resilience, as guided by the IFRC Framework for Community Resilience. In addition, the Delegate is responsible for supporting MRCS to engage in technical inter-agency and Movement coordination at field level; and support MRCS with any response operations in Rakhine which may be required, as assigned by the line manager

Job duties and responsibilities

Programme development and management

• Contribute to programme planning, including design of appropriate interventions, targeting of geographical areas and people to be assisted, and formulation of project proposals in conjunction with MRCS staff, relevant IFRC technical delegates and line manager.
• Promote and participate in integrated assessments of needs and practices with special focus on livelihoods in target communities to enable the MRCS and communities to identify and plan evidence-based interventions that will contribute to enhancing community resilience.
• Support and advise the MRCS team to implement CRR programme interventions, including putting in place robust work plans
• Undertake risk analysis especially related to the livelihood component and contribute to the development of mitigation measures.
• Ensure that MRCS field activities are supported technically, logistically, financially and operationally with all necessary resources.
• Assists MRCS in analysing emerging needs and identifying gaps, and put forward recommendations to IFRC Management team
• Coordinate other technical support to the CRR programme particularly in WASH and health to ensure MRCS receives sufficient guidance to achieve program objectives; and to ensure alignment of approaches between MRCS programmes in Rakhine
• Manage and monitor the CRR programme budgets as delegated by the line manager

Programme monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• Support MRCS to ensure that minimum data collection, monitoring and evaluation processes are in place, using mobile data collection when possible, to measure the results and impact of programme interventions.
• Monitor progress and quality of livelihood interventions of MRCS in Rakhine by undertaking regular filed visits with MRCS counterparts and providing structured feedback in a way that can improve programme progress and impact.
• Support MRCS in ensuring that activities incorporate beneficiary engagement and accountability principles.
• Contribute to donor reporting for the CRR programme, and to the overall IFRC country office planning and reporting processes as requested by the line manager

Technical support

• Provide general programmatic support and advice to MRCS, including on operational issues and coordination, in relation to the CRR programme
• Provide quality technical support to MRCS in the entire CRR programme cycle, with special focus on livelihoods.
• Provide livelihoods technical support to the CBHR-HiE programme, in coordination with the CBHR-HiE programme manager
• Provide technical support to the MRCS staff in Rakhine for the design and implementation of livelihoods programming (including livelihoods cash grants), and any additional cash transfer programming possibly undertaken by MRCS, as requested by line manager and in coordination with IFRC Cash Coordinator for APRO.
• Support MRCS to ensure alignment of livelihoods approaches between MRCS departments and programmes in Rakhine
• Guide MRCS to ensure appropriate community participation in selection of project locations, activities and targeting criteria.
• Guide MRCS to incorporate disaster risk reduction practices and gender and diversity into livelihood programming.
• Support MRCS in developing/updating guidelines and standard operating procedures for CTP and livelihoods programming.
• Support MRCS response operations in Rakhine State in the event of a new disaster and crisis response operations, as requested by line manager

Capacity enhancement, knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer support

• Facilitate relevant training, on-the-job coaching and mentoring to enhance the capacity of MRCS staff and volunteers.
• Contribute to the establishment and maintenance of effective synergies between different MRCS programmes and departments, particularly on MRCS programmes in Rakhine, including new disaster and crisis response operations.
• Support MRCS in ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are properly captured and disseminated.
• Identify and promote opportunities for peer-to-peer support between various MRCS branches as well as between MRCS and other National Societies in the Asia Pacific region.

Coordination, cooperation, networking and partnership

• Develop good working relationship with IFRC and MRCS staff and volunteers in Rakhine and in Yangon
• Develop good coordination with the ICRC Sub-Delegation in Rakhine to ensure alignment and complementarity of the MRCS and ICRC interventions, as and where appropriate.
• Coordinate closely with Partner National Societies that are directly supporting MRCS interventions in Rakhine.
• Participate in inter-agency coordination mechanisms, including Clusters and Government-led forums, and liaise with external agencies to ensure consistency of approaches.
• Ensure the IFRC management team is regularly informed on field developments.

Organizational accountability

• Ensure efficient and effective management of IFRC resources used in the project.
• Ensure compliance with IFRC procedures, regulations and policies.

Ensure IFRC management is fully informed on any material developments which could affect the project and/or IFRC

Education

Basic Delegates Training Course (BTC), WORC, IMPACT or equivalent knowledge

Relevant university education or an equivalent of qualifying experience

Qualification in development studies or a related area (e.g. food security, livelihoods, economics)

Experience

Significant experience in implementing multi-sector humanitarian and/or development projects in a field setting

Experience in implementing livelihoods programmes with community resilience approach; and mainstreaming DRR

Experience in cash transfer programming

Experience in working with local partner organizations to build capacity; willingness to focus on capacity building

Experience of working in programmes with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement in a less developed country

Experience in working in both emergency and developmental contexts (especially in community-based approaches)

Good knowledge in the use of participatory tools in community planning approaches

Experience in recovery programming

Experience in establishing and following monitoring systems to track progress of implementation

Experience in designing approaches to beneficiary management and communication that enhance accountability to beneficiaries

Experience in coordinating with the authorities and other humanitarian actors

Experience in reporting and proposal writing

Budget development and budget management experience

Ability to analyse diverse information and develop recommendations for an appropriate response

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of different CTP mechanisms as well as the challenges and risks involved with CTP

Ability to work effectively across teams, technical sectors and departments

Patience, flexibility and ability to adjust to the working rhythm of the implementing National Society

Experience of capacity building and mentoring

Solid and tested programme management skills, including planning, budgeting, monitoring

Analytical decision making capacity

Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word-processing)

Sound managerial, interpersonal and organizational skills

Training facilitation and presentational skills

Can ensure effective working relationships with National Society counterparts and leadership

Experience of working for the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement

Languages

Fluent spoken and written English

Interested candidate, please click on the below link to apply for this position.

http://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=4908