Switzerland: Manager Knowledge and Learning

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

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 focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination, and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the RCRC Movement; and expanding engagement with partners. 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. The Partnership Division is in turn organised in three Departments, each of them led by a Director. Policy, Strategy and Knowledge department (PSK) consists of 5 teams, of which Knowledge and Learning is one. The leader of that team serves as a member of the PSK Management Team.

Job Purpose

Ensure the continuous improvement of IFRC’s performance by a global coherent and regionally relevant knowledge sharing and learning agenda, providing methodologies and systems around learning, knowledge sharing and network data collection, use and reporting.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Manage an effective IFRC-wide Knowledge Collection, Upgrading, Dissemination and Sharing

• Enable Federation and stakeholders facilitated access to validated learning, practices and trends relevant to policy and programming.
• Ensure continued monitoring of relevant external trends, innovations, best practices and priority needs in the area of learning, data management and knowledge management both internally and externally.
• Develop and strategically manage a systematic and strategic approach to knowledge collection, brokering, networking and sharing meeting institutional and membership needs, including the development and oversight of organizational business processes and systems as relates to organizational and network knowledge sharing.
• In close collaboration with policy and programming related departments and NS, develop mechanisms in order to validate information in the different global knowledge relevant systems.
• Ensuring the effective scale up and internal and external diffusion of IFRC-wide reporting and data-gathering in conformity with reporting, compliance and strategic analysis requirements.
• Manage collaboration on data management with external partners and lead strategy on managing big data at IFRC.

Ensure relevant systems and quality standards

• Review, develop and strategically manage the use of the organization’s “FEDNET” system (network intranet system).
• In close cooperation with the National Society Development Coordination and Support Unit, develop relevant business processes and systems as relevant to National Society “Peer to peer” support systems and knowledge sharing.
• Working Closely with the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting team, develop and strategically manage the organization’s “Federation-Wide Data collection and reporting systems, including the effective scale up of the Federation-wide Databank ensuring effective collection, use, analysis and reporting on Federation- wide data and statistics, including:
  • Managing the delivery of the annual “Everyone Counts Report”, a summary of annual Federation wide data.
  • Assisting the PMER team with data gathering needs as needed.
• Working in close collaboration with the HR Department, develop and strategically manage the organizations “Learning Platform” as relevant as an external on line learning tool, including:
  • Manage, improve and innovate the IFRC learning platform with a portfolio of leading edge education and training services and products.
  • Create effective internal learning communities and provide access to external knowledge networks and partnerships.

Be a role model in leading and managing an effective, high quality team, fit for purpose

• Be accountable to Director on progress of results, a pro-active advisor and be a dynamic member of the department management team supporting strategic content areas and/or organisational change.
  
• Ensure effective coordination with other relevant departments in the Secretariat, participation of field colleagues, a proven service and co-creative orientation towards NS and an active exchange with peers, partners and stakeholders in the external environment.
  
• Nurture relations with peer organizations, participate in communities of practice and professional associations, develop networking and exchange initiatives in order to keep abreast of emerging trends and integrate best practices.
  
• 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.
  
• Foster a culture that values accountability for results, proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, and high performance.
  
• Create a working environment that ensures staff growth, motivation and satisfaction.
  Education

Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in any relevant area is required.

Experience

Required:

10-15 years working experience in the humanitarian or development sector.

Demonstrated professional experience working in an international or cross-cultural environment preferably with a focus on learning, knowledge and or evaluation in a professional organisation.

Preferred:

Demonstrated professional experience in an organization within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or in an international organization or NGO.

Knowledge, skills and languages

Required:

Extensive knowledge of principles, systems, techniques and methodologies used in knowledge and information management and learning, preferably with modern and 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, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive.

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.

Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality.

High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels.

Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment.

Fluently written and spoken English.

Preferred:

Proficiency in an additional IFRC language (French, Spanish or Arabic). Competencies and values

Comments

The Federation is an equal opportunity employer.

Please apply on the organisation's website: http://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=2593