Background
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, with 192 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 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 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 COVID-19 operation is a unique response for the IFRC. Our IFRC-wide approach (the IFRC Secretariat and our 192 member National Societies) reflects both the local and global nature of this operation. The response is primarily a local response, with the majority of our 192 National Societies responding to the outbreak in their own countries, based on their National Society Response Plans, which address the local needs of those affected by COVID-19. At the same time, this is a truly global response, showing the international solidarity of the IFRC’s network of member National Societies, the IFRC Secretariat and the Movement, working together to mobilize and coordinate global assistance to support National Societies, with global health guidance, innovative solutions to social and economic needs, strengthening National Societies’ capacities at a local level, and through logistics supply chains, to enable the IFRC to respond to the immense and ever-changing demands of COVID-19. The Emergency Operations and Information Management (IM) team is located in within the department of Disaster & Crisis Prevention Response & Recovery (DCPRR) sitting in Programmes and Operations. IM works collaboratively with Geneva, Regional and Country level counterparts to: i) manage an inclusive local-to-global IFRC wide response system, built upon Movement learning, informed by industry best practices, and equipped for the future; ii) deliver innovation in managing information – more timely and comprehensive data collation and analysis for IFRC operational and strategic decision making; iii) ensure evidence based analysis of risks and capacities that supports better preparedness and more integrated, multi-sectoral, holistic approaches to response and recovery; iv) profile the work of the IFRC across the preparedness – response – recovery continuum – highlighting the value added of the IFRC for strengthening resilience; v) expand DREF access to more of the most vulnerable communities and in response to the many small, silent and forgotten disasters; vi) deliver more transparency in procedures and in decision making including through clear agreed SOPs; and vii) instil an IM culture in the IFRC – disseminating why information is needed, how it is used and the value of unique RCRC data and analysis.
Job Purpose
To provide a timely and reliable service to the IFRC network through the development and maintenance of innovative information management and data collection, collation and analysis tools for Preparedness, Containment and Mitigation of COVID -19 response. Specifically, the Senior Officer is accountable for the development and maintenance of the system(s) to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present data to support IFRC operational and strategic decision making at local (national), regional and global levels. The Senior Officer will work to align existing IFRC datasets, mine relevant data from historical datasets, establish new templates and approaches to data collection, support the analysis of trends and forecasting, contribute to the development of data standards, and promote data sharing and inter-operability – including common humanitarian datasets. The Senior Officer will also support the day-to-day management of the EOC – including training and technical support to end users, and maintenance of GO platform and other relevant systems.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Support IFRC Leadership in Preparedness, Containment and Mitigation of COVID-19
- Support the phased introduction of new and/or information management updated standards, procedures and tools appropriate to the operational structures.
- Facilitate training and dissemination on information management standards, procedures and tools relevant to the COVID-19 response and monitor compliance - referring any significant issues of accountability to the Lead, Information Management in a timely manner.
- Support the COVID-19 Emergency Support Group when requested
- Contribute to the further development of COVID-19 Emergency Plans of Action operational quality control and approval process at regional and global levels.
- Support efforts to develop Movement wide approaches to Preparedness, Containment and Mitigation of COVID-19 through the further alignment of IFRC and ICRC plans, tools and mechanisms.
- Liaise with the IT department to coordinate and ensure a One Secretariat, One IT approach.
Deliver quality information in Preparedness, Containment and Mitigation of COVID-19 to end users
- Implement systems for data gathering and information management across all activities related to Preparedness, Containment and Mitigation of COVID-19 to ensure accurate and reliable data is sought, collected, stored, analysed and shared with key stakeholders in a timely manner.
- Support the day-to-day operation of the IFRC Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and networked facilities and exercise quality control over the platform, user interface and tools that support data collection and analysis such as, but not limited to, Open Data Kit (ODK) and KoBo.
- Lead and manage data collection processes and data management activities including encoding, storing, and transferring data to key stakeholders.
- Manage the GO COVID-19 global emergency page, including development, application and oversight of dashboards and analyses, as well as provide advice to ensure alignment for regional COVID-19 pages
- Monitor the effective use of IFRC information management systems, and the application of relevant tools and procedures and identify and fill gaps where necessary
- Ensure timely preparation and generation of information products and reports in accordance with needs of the IFRC network, and support on information sharing and dissemination to all relevant stakeholders (Movement and external partners).
- Support systems requirement definition for COVID-19 data flows and oversee implementation of solutions in GO platform and related services
Representation and sustaining a global network on preparedness, relief and recovery
- Build functional networks and coordinate with RC/RC movement partners, NGOs, UN and other International organizations, Health Cluster, to ensure the International Federation is kept informed and up to date on best practices and emerging trends related to information management.
- Work with the IFRC IM team and Health colleagues to research and explore partnerships to expand IFRC access to relevant data sources – including historical statistical data, hazard trends and drivers of vulnerability, needs assessments, satellite imagery, remote sensing, media / social media
- Coordinate and collaborate with ICRC and RCRC partners on the harmonisation and alignment of data collection and management process where appropriate.
- Support the Disaster Management teams present in the Regions with technical advice and surge capacity for information management and seek to connect regional to global networks.
Contribute to an effective, high quality IFRC Department
- Be accountable to the IM Lead and COVID-19 operational team lead by providing progress reports on results against objectives and risk analysis.
- Be flexible in your work definition according to needs and targets and improve team efficiencies and effectiveness within available resources.
- Be a pro-active team member fostering a customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance and cost effectiveness.
- Foster a co-creative environment with colleagues in the Secretariat, Regions and the National Societies and open and co-operative view to the actors in the relevant external environment.
Experience
Required:
- University degree in relevant area or equivalent experience
- Technical training in information and data management
Preferred:
- Training in the RC/RC global disaster response tools (FACT, RDRT, ERU, SIMS, etc.)
Knowledge, skills and languages
Required:
- Minimum of 8 years’ experience in information and data management
- Experience in project cycle management including proposal development, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation
- PreferreKnowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills with independent decision making capacity
- Ability to formulate IM related technical requirements and operating procedures
- Ability to compile and holistically analyse diverse datasets
- Excellent communication and inter-personal skills with the ability to represent the International Federation and to negotiate and influence people’s opinions
- Strong partnership building skills, demonstrated capacity to build functional networks
- Flexible and adaptable to work effectively in a multicultural environment and ability to travel at short notice
- Fluently spoken and written English
Preferred:
- Field experience in working with a humanitarian organisation in an information management, information systems capacity, reporting or communications function
- Experience in working within the RC/RC Movement
- Experience in strategy development, developing tools and guidance, providing technical assistance and in establishing and maintaining networks
- Knowledge of RC/RC and UN global disaster response tools
- Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)
How to apply:
https://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=53596