The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the Federation) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network 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. Americas Regional Office (the ARO) of the IFRC provides supports to 35 National Societies of the Americas in the following areas of focus: Disaster Risk Reduction, Shelter, Livelihoods, Health, Water and Sanitation, Culture of non-violence and peace, Social inclusion and Migration.
The ARO further support the National Societies to undertake effective programming in the areas of focus though the following strategies for implementation:
• Strengthen National Society capacity and ensure sustained and relevant Red Cross Red Crescent presence in the community
• Ensure effective international disaster management
• Influence others as leading strategic partners in humanitarian action and community resilience
• Ensure a strong IFRC that is effective, credible and accountable. Providing cash and vouchers to disaster affected people is a growing and critical part of humanitarian action with the potential to drive transformation change in humanitarian organization’s architecture and ways of working. Strong direction from senior leadership is needed to enable greater use of cash where appropriate, and to drive transformation of how the IFRC delivers assistance to crisis-affected populations, through shifting a greater proportion of IFRC supported National Society assistance to cash when adequate. Cash assistance enables people affected by crisis or disasters to be supported more effectively, providing greater choice, dignity and control over their lives. Other beneficial impacts of CVA include efficiency gains being transformed into a higher caseload of people supported and a multiplier effect in local markets and economies.
As a follow-up on IFRC’s commitments to the Grand Bargain , the IFRC commissioned a Cash Roadmap to define the way to scale-up cash assistance over the next 5-7 years. In addition, the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement is finalising its Cash Strategic Framework. Presently, a 2-year IFRC cash workplan is under development, aligned to the RCRC Movement four strategic objectives:
Strengthened global cash and markets capacity and quality programmes
NS Cash Preparedness and capacity building
CVA design and implementation
Partnerships and innovation
The position is primarily located in Panama, and reports directly to the Continental Operations Coordinator, ARO.
Job Purpose
The Regional Cash and Voucher Senior Officer will work in collaboration with the National Societies (NS), other Red Cross Movement Partners, delegates, NGO’s, national staff, local authorities and affected communities within the mandate of the Movement in order to plan, coordinate and implement the CVA component of a disaster response in relief and recovery. In small/medium scale responses the Officer may have broader responsibilities and even lead a small team. In large scale responses the officer is likely to work under a CVA Coordinator as part of a larger team that may have multiple CVA officers focusing on different tasks.
Within emergency response operations, the Regional Cash and Voucher Senior Officer is expected to provide support to emergency response operations through technical support on the design, implementation and evaluation of the CVA component of the operation, from the feasibility study and market assessments, to the reconciliation and reporting phase, with emphasis on the design and implementation of the program through the objective setting, selection of best delivery mechanisms according to the context, cash transfer amount calculation, targeting, measuring the level accomplishment of the objectives, as well as provide with technical support on the use of SWIFT Cards when this cards are selected as the ops mechanism.
Job Duties
The Regional Cash and Voucher Senior Officer is due to follow up the strengthening of the CVA component within the Americas, both in the ARO IFRC and the National Societies, and support the development, enhancement and normalization of the new technological tools intended for its implementation and management, such as Mobile Data Collection tools, and any other online tool.
Complementary to the role towards the response operations, Regional Cash and Voucher Senior Officer Officer is expected to look after the request and implementation of new trainings related to CVA within the region, in accordance to the training strategy of the IFRC in the Americas. S/he is also expected to promote and link the implementation of other training components or modules such as RAM, HES, etc. with the existing CVA training strategy.
The Regional Cash and Voucher Senior officer is due to liaise and work closely with other areas of focus (shelter, health, WASH; Livelihoods, DRR, migration, gender, inclusion, etc.) and support areas (finance, logistics, etc.) to enhance the service delivery of the emergency response operations, being CVA a key tool in service delivery to the beneficiary population with a mind-set focused on achieving objectives set by the areas of focus.
The job responsibilities include the collaboration with different IFRC staff members, with NS of the Region and with Surge Personnel deployed within the Americas to:
• Support the CVA component of the Disaster Management System within the Americas.
• Aim at building capacity of Movement members in the Americas Region (NS/IFRC).
The Regional Cash and Voucher Senior officer will be expected to deploy in the following capacities: Assist the national society with:
• Development of Emergency Appeals, plans of action, assessment and other gaps as identified by RC/RC leadership in-country
• In some cases, the surge delegate with deploy in a specific requested position within the RC/RC structure emergency response personnel
Inherent in the role is the need for flexibility, the ability to travel, and willingness to work in multiple contexts with different stakeholders. The CVA Regional Senior officer must be able to deploy at a short notice for significant periods of time and up to 75% of the year traveling remote and potentially unstable areas.
Regional strategy, technical support and quality assurance:
• Support NS and IFRC to deliver cash-based responses that are predictable, replicable, and applicable to all sectors, programs, and phases of the disaster/crisis response cycle.
• Implement the regional cash strategy and operational plans aligned with the IFRC Cash Roadmap for the Americas in coordination with NS's focal points and members the RCRC Movement.
• Ensure the provision of high-quality CVA technical advice and support to IFRC and National Society during emergency response operations remotely or in country, assisting in all stages (preparedness, assessment, including markets), feasibility, analysis, design, planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring & evaluation), in line with international, RCRC Movement and IFRC standards, guidelines and good practice. Contributing to the dissemination and improvement of the Movement CiE toolkit.
• Provide technical quality assurance to all Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), Emergency Appeals (EA) and country plan documents, including their Plan of Action and budget, making sure that all the cash and markets components are adequately planned and implemented based on evidence: and that CVA responses are transparent and accountable.
• Where a regional Financial Service Provider Framework is used in an operation (e.g. pre-paid cards), provide management of the mechanism, the associated system or technology including but not limited to the on-line platform as well as providing technical support to successfully deliver the response.
• Support the development, enhancement and normalization of new technological tools intended for the CVA design, implementation and monitoring. Monitor on continuous basis the latest industry developments related to or potentially useful for CVA for the region (software and hardware) in collaboration with the CVA Innovations role within the Global cash team.
• Work closely with the others departments and IFRC teams, to mainstream and adapt CVA approaches, systems and tools across all phases of the sectoral response and Areas of Focus to ensure cash is routinely considered to meet not only basic needs, but also a range of sector specific humanitarian outcomes.
• Contribute to the revision, improvement and roll-out of IFRC CVA Standing Operating Procedures, and of the RCRC Movement wide global cash-based programming standards, procedures and advocacy activities as part of CVA institutionalization. Contribute to the development and roll-out of CVA data management systems, IM, and innovative approaches and technology.
• Support ToR and profile drafting for surge deployments, providing briefing and technical supervision of cash deployments.
• Contribute to the development and dissemination of key cash advocacy messages and policies.
• Support networking and partnerships (humanitarian, private sector and academic, etc.) linked to the Cash Preparedness initiatives regional, NS level and global level.
• Develop concept notes for donors and internal partners to implement the cash road map for the Americas
Cash Preparedness
• Provide technical support to National Society teams to effectively plan, implement, manage and evaluate cash preparedness projects and initiatives. Including but not limited to development of SOPs, services agreements with financial services providers, services agreements with goods and services providers, exploring alliances with public sector such as social services platforms, revise country specific contexts related to CVA feasibility (political, laws, etc.)
• Liaise with IM at regional and country levels to collect, collate and store the key valuable information of the countries in the region related to CVA (minimum salary, food basket, inflation, etc.)
Position Requirements
Education
Bachelor’s degree relevant to the position (Project management, Marketing, Business manager etc.)
Experience
5 years’ Experience in different aspects of CVA implementation (i.e.: assessments and market analysis, CVA feasibility, design, implementation and M&E) and in developing CVA programmes that are inclusive and gender sensitive
At least 2 years’ experience in successfully implementing and/or coordinating humanitarian emergency response operations
Experience managing the Online Platforms for programme delivery and operational support.
Strong background in data and information management
Experience in qualitative data collection and data analysis
Experience living and working in challenging and multicultural environments
Experience working in emergency (repetido)
Proven capacity building experience with National Society or equivalent, delivering trainings and providing on the job training and coaching (preferable CVA and market trainings)
Experience of managing a team.
Experience within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement humanitarian response
Knowledge, Skills and Language
- Technical/professional knowledge of needs and market assessments
- Proven skills in strategic and operational planning, budgeting and reporting emergency response that included CVA
- Demonstrated capacity to work both independently and as part of a team
- Good understanding of humanitarian responses, actors involved, and the role of evidence-based decision making for the delivery of humanitarian action
- Strong interpersonal skills and diplomacy in order to manage relationships with many stakeholders and in a complex situational environment
- Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize, order, process and prioritize large amounts of information and the ability to think strategically.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills are essential, with the ability to craft an analytical narrative from data findings, make recommendations, and prepare well-written reports in a timely manner
- Strong attention to the detail
- Ability to take initiative to create new processes from scratch and act to fill identified gaps
- Strong skills in database management
- Sound knowledge of and commitment to, an integrated and holistic approach to disaster management, with an understanding of emergencies, recovery or long-term programming
- Knowledge of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, IFRC and National Societies including the global and regional surge system
- Knowledge and experience of working in the Americas region
- Strong knowledge of different Mobile Data Collection technologies
- Good knowledge and experience of information technologies are an advantage
Languages
- Fluently spoken and written English
- Fluently spoken and written Spanish
- Good command of another IFRC official language (i.e., French)
How to apply:
How to Apply
Applicants will need to send their applications together with a letter of motivation no later than the closing date. In order for us to assure 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 taking into account the following:
Important Note: NATIONAL STAFF ONLY
• Please note that the selected candidate will be hired through an national contract;
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by Federation policies, procedures, plans and applicable international labor law;
• Only those candidates shortlisted for interviews will be notified.
• The position will be based in Panama.