Myanmar: Disaster Risk Management Delegate

General 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 organization 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 DRM delegate is a part of the technical programme team in the IFRC Myanmar Country Office under the Programme Coordinator, and has a technical reporting line to the Regional Disaster and Crises/Prevention, Response and Recovery (DCPRR) Unit at the Asia Pacific Regional Office. He/she is a member of the Asia Pacific DCPRR Regional Unit.

Job Purpose

The DRM Delegate will assist the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) to develop and strengthen its disaster management capacity to respond to disasters in an effective and efficient manner and to support communities in building safety and resilience through activities relating to reduction of the impact of disasters on people/ communities most at risk through disaster preparedness, climate change adaptation and risk reduction interventions. This will involve strengthening the capacity of MRCS at local, regional as well as headquarters level and include contingency, response planning and other prevention measures.

Job duties and responsibilities

Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction:

• Ensure Federation support to preparedness, climate change adaptation and risk reduction measures are carried out in the most vulnerable communities based on risk profile, NS’s capacity, commitment and interest.
• Support MRCS in the scaling up of preparedness at community level, in particular early warning and early action, as part of overall disaster risk management system.
• Assist, guide and support MRCS to identify priorities for disaster risk management and project planning process (baseline surveys, risk assessments) in close co-operation with Health, OD and DM sectors.
• Ensure integrated and sustainable community based early warning/early action initiatives linked to regional/national early warning systems. This should consider risk assessment, detection, monitoring, emergency management structures, local dissemination and public education.
• In collaboration with other technical delegates, support the inclusion of disaster risk management approaches, including preparedness and response, in the MRCS resilience framework.
• Ensure that DRM programmes are in line with MRCS’ DRM strategies, policies, tools and guidelines.

Institutional Preparedness:

• Enhance MRCS’ institutional preparedness to respond to disasters caused by natural hazards as well as man-made disasters. Ensure guidance and support to MRCS to strengthen its disaster response capacity at HQ, state/region and township level to improve standing readiness for disasters. Support Movement coordination for disaster preparedness.
• Support processes and provide training for MRCS to develop and maintain proper mechanisms, organizational, management and other structures and systems for managing emergencies (e.g. contingency plans based on the national disaster risk analysis, assessment guidelines, reporting mechanisms etc.).
• Expand and strengthen MRCS human resources by supporting their Emergency Response Team (ERT), National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) and supporting the regional disaster response team concept (RDRT).
• Ensure and facilitate the process to update MRCS emergency response plan and Standard Operating Procedures closely coordinated with health, first aid and water and sanitation.
• Ensure and facilitate the prepositioning of disaster preparedness stocks at MRCS warehouses located at different strategic locations across the country and strengthen the MRCS warehouses networking and management capacities.
• Support MRCS in a regular review of its medium and large-scale operations to update its processes.
• Support MRCS within the areas of civil-military relations, migration and preparedness for cash based interventions.

Disaster Response:

• Monitor the disaster situation and trends in Myanmar associated to both natural hazards and conflict & violence.
• Support and assist in the coordination of MRCS relief and recovery operations (for disasters caused by both natural hazards or conflict & violence).
• Support MRCS in increasing its knowledge, dissemination of Federation polices and strategies (e.g. Strategy 2020, Global Agenda, Code of Conduct, Principles and Rules for Disaster Relief, Seville agreement, IFRC Gender and Diversity and Child Protection guidelines, Strengthening Movement Coordination and Cooperation (SMCC) etc.) and ensure that all response operations are appropriate and aligned with international standards.
• Ensure accurate and timely Disaster Management Information System (DMIS) reports are posted on the Federation web pages by assisting the national society DMIS focal persons in their submission, or as required, posting information on their behalf.
• Ensure that risk reduction elements are incorporated in relief and recovery operations wherever appropriate.

Coordination, Programme Management and Reporting:

• Participate and contribute to the International Federation's disaster management networking and knowledge sharing mechanisms.
• Assist in drafting information bulletins, DREF, emergency appeals, operation updates, proposals and program updates.
• Assist to prepare disaster related information for dissemination to donors/other stakeholders.
• Assist the MRCS to review/revise and develop training programmes and training materials in emergency response, response preparedness and DRR and climate change adaptation, as required.
• Closely coordinate with technical Delegate colleagues supporting MRCS in strengthening its coordinated effort in building community safety and resilience.
• Closely coordinate with the Head of Sub Office for Rakhine on DRM related topics and action to be taken.
• Under the guidance of the Programme Coordinator, lead IFRC support to MRCS for the operations in Kachin and Shan including engagement among Movement partners, donors and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide relevant context, humanitarian and security analysis from Rakhine, North Shan and Kachin to Movement partners as this become available to IFRC Myanmar.
• Support MRCS internal coordination and co-operation with relevant government agencies and national/local/ international organizations.
• Ensure effective working relationships with technical and service departments at Regional and Zonal levels.
• Coordinate with members of Red Cross movement and humanitarian organizations in country for DM, DRR, DRM activities; support MRCS in organizing regular DM technical working group meetings with other RC in-country partners to ensure harmonized approach in strengthening institutional disaster preparedness.
• Ensure M&E system is established in relation to DRM programming. Appropriate planning and result-oriented reporting is required. Contribute to the development of the IFRC Operational Plan.

· Ensure that lessons learnt and good practice from operations and programmes are compiled, used to improve future planning, programming and implementation and shared within the region as well as with the relevant stakeholders for wider dissemination.

Partner Engagement

• To act as a focal point to support relationship management with partner/s as agreed with the IFRC HoD and Programme Co-ordinator.

· Provide short updates, inputs to reports and briefings to donors and partners as agreed between IFRC and partner.

· Produce regular, timely and accurate financial and narrative reports for the Federation and for donors.

· Provide the necessary facilitation for annual pledge process, such as provision of budgets, timely plans of action, and other requisite documents for pledge processing.

· Lead programme management support to MRCS for developing accurate plans, monitoring expenditures and ensuring quality of programmes. Facilitate organising partner visits for technical support, representation as and when required. **

Education

Basic delegates training course or IMPACT is required

Relevant university degree or equivalent is required

Relevant training and experiences in disaster risk management is required

Experience

Minimum two years experiences as senior DM personnel with humanitarian aid organization or RCRC Movement is required

Minimum 5 years working experience in DM programme with National Society or International Federation in a less developed country is required

Experiences in working in both emergency and developmental contexts (especially in community-based approaches) is required

Sound knowledge and experiences on IFRC emergency response tools is required

Experience in project planning & budgeting, supervision and management, and M&E is required

Experience of risk mapping, participatory assessment, vulnerability and capacity assessment, training and facilitation at local level is required

Work experiences in Asia (specially in South East Asia region) is preferred

Experience of managing & supporting staff is required.

Knowledge and skills

Sound managerial, interpersonal and organizational skills is required.

Computer skills is required.

Advanced level of spoken and written English is required.

Training facilitation and presentational skills is required.

Excellent writing skills is required.

Competencies

Accountability: commitment to RCRC movement; Diversity: treats all people with dignity and respect; Integrity and personal conduct, deals with people in an honest and open manner; Professionalism: demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter

Building trust: fulfils commitments and promises; Empowering other: Holds other accountable for achieving results related to the area of responsibility; National Society relations: Identifies National Societies’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Teamwork: Influences others in working as a team

Communication: communicate clearly and effectively; Innovation: Seeks actively to improve programmes or services; Judgement decision-making: consider positive and negative impacts of decision prior to making them; Managing performance: Judges accurately amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task

Building alliances: Promote collective responsibility, gains agreement from partners to support ideas; Influencing; Inspiration: Stimulates other to develop new ideas; Strategic orientation: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks.

If you are interested to apply this position please visit to http://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=9696 and follow the application process.