Guatemala: Operations Manager – The Fuego Volcano Guatemala

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. We act before, during and after disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people.

The Secretariat of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (“the IFRC”) works to a Business Model and has a Business Delivery Plan with key commitments that sharpen its focus, clarity, and efficiency and accountability results. The Secretariat, headquartered in Geneva, has five decentralized regional offices: one of which is the Americas, guided by the Secretariat strategies for implementation and areas of focus that builds on the vision of Strategy 2020. The Americas’ region is organized in two main hemispheres: a group of service-based departments and geographical configurations of (i) Country Cluster Support Teams and (ii) Country Office(s), as well as the Deputy Regional Director, each of them led by the Regional Director; and another hemisphere: six building blocks composed by (i) Partnerships and Resource Development, (ii) Policy, Strategy and Knowledge; (iii) Communication, (iv) Disaster and Crisis: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, (v) Health and Water and Sanitation, (vi) Logistics, each of them led by the Deputy Regional Director.

Situational Context:

The Fuego Volcano, the most active volcano in Guatemala, erupted on 3 June generating a column of ash, lava, and pyroclastic flows up to 10km from the crater. The eruption affected over 1.7 million people in Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, and Chimaltenango departments, where national authorities declared the highest level of alert. A that time the authorities issued and evacuation order and some villages could be safely emptied to three emergency shelters habilitated. On Tuesday 5 June a new explosion was reported in Fuego volcano and further descent of pyroclastic lava flow led to new evacuations, injured and casualties. A new lahar (volcanic mudflow) formed on 7 June which was descending through the valleys of Santa Teresa, Mineral, and Taniluya. At time of writing, official figures are reporting 109 casualties, 58 injured and some 197 people are still missing. Some 12,407 people have been evacuated and only 4,175 of the 12,407 evacuees have been relocated to 22 official and unofficial emergency collective centres, which include churches, schools, cultural and sports centres, and town halls in the departments of Escuintla, Sacatepéquez, Santa Rosa, Guatemala, and Suchitepéquez. Over 4,000 are living in emergency shelters. Urgent shelter, health, food, and water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH) needs have been identified.

The Fuego Volcano continues to be active, and the flow of lahar is likely to continue in the coming days and could be aggravated by the ongoing and forecasted rainfalls, which increase the risk of mudslides and landslides. Consequently, the affected, missing, and casualty figures are likely to increase.

Search and rescue operations are very difficult in some areas, especially in the Fuego Volcano’s foothills, due to the presence of lava and pyroclastic flow. Areas buried under ash and debris remain inaccessible, hindering attempts to accurately quantify the number of missing people. The general level of insecurity in the country should also be taken into consideration when planning operations.

Since the onset of the disaster, Guatemala Red Cross (GRC) responded through the deployment of its ambulances and emergency health teams from at least three departments to the affected areas. The National Society established at least 15 collection centres for food and non-food items including hygiene materials which are being distributed to families sheltered in evacuation centres.

Job Purpose

The incumbent provides the technical lead to ensure the optimal coordination and direct management of resources required for the effective and efficient implementation of the emergency operations. The position will report to the Head of Disaster and Crisis for the Americas, who is based in Panama City, capital of the Republic of Panama, while keeping a second report line to the Head of Country Cluster Support Team, who is based in Tegucigalpa, capital city of Honduras.

This managerial arrangement is put into force since the kick-off the operation for practical purposes, and until there is a formal handover for the direct management of the Head of Country Cluster Support Team.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Negotiate, plan and mobilise IFRC resources in support of the NS in the assessment, planning, and implementation of the emergency response.
• Supervise IFRC technical leads to ensure they work closely with the managers of relevant NS departments in all related programming roles and responsibilities, providing advice and recommendations that carefully consider local capacity and context.
• Along the NS, build alliances and partnerships with other emergency actors to enhance the implementation of the emergency plan of action. Support, the NS to enhance their position vis a vis the national and international coordination mechanisms.
• Support IFRC technical leads to develop programme approaches which strengthen and develop the National Society’s structures, capacity and performance; analyze and understand their current strengths and weaknesses and to ensure provision of necessary technical and material support particularly in relation to the ongoing crisis.
• Promote and assist the integration of humanitarian priorities and interventions within all relevant programming divisions in the NS.
• Ensure that the response is based on frameworks and approaches that are consistent with or have considered national and international standards and guidelines, as well as IFRC policies, procedures and tools.
• Assist the NS, Movement and external partners in the achievement of planned outcomes and deliverables following quality standards, in a timely fashion, and within budgets.
• Ensure a robust and coherent monitoring of the situation and its potential evolution, and ensure that humanitarian interventions are responsive to current and emerging needs and threats.
• Work with the regional DM or DCPRR Unit to develop, implement and review contingency planning for identified threats in operational areas, as well as the development of capacities within the NS for emergency response.
• Support the NS in setting up the structure needed to ensure that all components of the response are identified, planned and carried out in a coordinated, collaborative and integrated manner with Movement and external partners.
• Support the NS in developing and implementing operational standards, tools and procedures that ensure quality, consistency and sustainability of emergency response interventions. Together with the NS and the Head of Country Office, represent IFRC in coordination meetings and forums, involving national authorities, national and international agencies, donors and other partners in the country.
• Support the NS in establishing an effective information management system for the response, including statistics.
• Work with PMER leads in IFRC and the NS to ensure that planning and reporting requirements are met in a timely and efficient manner.
• Advise on the need of additional human resources and support deployments in coordination with the Country and Regional IFRC offices, HR departments and/or surge desk.
• Ensure sound financial management is applied to all Federation-assisted programmes within the NS,
• that budgets are monitored and any problems identified and solutions implemented in timely and effective manner.
• Manage operational budgets to ensure that expenditure relating to IFRC-supported operations is within income and approved ceilings, in compliance with IFRC finance procedures and in line with donor earmarking requirements.

Position Requirements

Education

• University degree in relevant area
• Basic Delegates Training Course or IMPACT. FACT, ERU, RDRT training

Experience

• At least 5 years of disaster management experience, including managing staff
• Field experience in coordinating and managing disaster and crisis management projects and activities especially population movements
• Work experience with RC/RC
• Experience in project cycle management including proposal development, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation
• Good knowledge and relevant work experience in the regional context, preferred
• Experience in Livelihood and Cash Transfer Program, preferred

Knowledge and Skills

• Effective team and project management skills Good analytical skills and solution-oriented
• Good mentoring and capacity development skills
• Ability to work well in a multicultural team
• Excellent stress management skills
• Demonstrated accountability

Languages

• Fluently spoken and written Spanish and English
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French or Arabic), preferred

Competencies

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

A letter of motivation must be submitted along with the application no later than July 2, 2018. In order to ensure a proper comparative evaluation of your application for this vacancy and to enable us to consider your profile against other similar current and future vacancies, we ask that you submit your application thru the following linkhttp://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=9436 taking into account the following:

Important:

This vacancy is open in support to the emergency response operation in Guatemala. When applying, note that candidates' readiness and availability for quick deployment is critical. Applicants will need to send their applications together with a letter of motivation no later than the closing date.

For us to assure a proper comparative evaluation of candidates’ application for this vacancy and to enable us to consider your profile against other similar current and future vacancies, we ask that candidates submit their application considering the following; please note that the selected candidate:

• will be hired through an international contract;
• will be responsible to abide by Federation policies, procedures, plans and applicable international laws;
• Only those candidates shortlisted will be notified.
• The position may be based in Guatemala, with frequent travel to other field locations as defined by operations' needs and priorities.