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 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. 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.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises. The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality. The IFRC is led by its Secretary-General and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services. The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat. The NSD Coordinator reports directly to the Deputy Regional Director and engage with the Heads of Country and Heads of Country Clusters in the region, as well as the technical Units in the Regional Office and keeps a lateral technical line to the Manager, NSDV unit in the Geneva Secretariat, to support 17 National Societies in the region. The NSD will work with NS’s to strengthen their humanitarian and development efforts, helping them to remain partners of choice within their country and sustainable and accountable for their actions. The position is located at the MENA RO in Beirut and responsible for the overall management of the NSD staff, with focus on OD, volunteer and youth management, humanitarian education and spread of peace and none violence culture.
Job Purpose
The NSD Coordinator oversees the integration of the MENA region support activities aimed at National Society Development which can include: Organisational Development, Capacity Strengthening Coordination, and Volunteer & Youth capacities.
The NSD Coordinator in MENA is responsible for ensuring that the National Society Development in the region is prioritized and integrated into all relevant IFRC plans and objectives, and is co-created with NS focal points and/or leaders; making sure that it is mainstreamed into all technical areas of work (DCPRR, PRD, Health and WASH, etc). In conflict context, the role and functions must closely coordinate with ICRC heads of delegation and their relevant staff. The post holder works on overall coordination of country-focused NSD support to National Societies in line with the NSD Compact. The Coordinator provides advice and guidance, mobilising appropriate capacities and skills for Heads of Country and Heads of Cluster Offices in their engagement with National Societies including Leadership and Branch Development. S/he works and coordinates closely with the Head of Partnership and Resource Development Unit and her team, with a special focus on National Society Financial Sustainability, an essential component of a viable National Society and a key element to deliver relevant services and scale up when needed. And closely works with thematic program/technical leads to integrate Capacity Strengthening into alignment that supports NSs and stronger localization.
The work on NSD in MENA is guided by global policies, in particular the NSD Framework and the NSD Compact and is in line with the IFRC Agenda for Renewal; the incumbent will also ensure that these global policies, strategies and frameworks are enriched with the outcomes of the National Society development processes in MENA, with a particular focus on NSD in emergencies.
The incumbent will contribute to greater localization with a strong focus on branch development and ensuring relevant services to the “end-user”, which are key components for strengthening the effectiveness of National Societies and building trust at the most local level.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall direction of the Deputy Regional Director, the incumbent will provide guidance and leadership for the Secretariat’s work in MENA in the areas of National Society Development, the duties and responsibilities are outlined as follows:
A. Lead the National Society development strategy in MENA to enable National Societies to extend the scale, quality and impact of their humanitarian activities through organisational and performance development and capacity-strengthening with focus on volunteer and youth development.
B. In close coordination with and upon a request from the Heads of Country and Cluster Offices, deliver technical support, directly or indirectly, to National Societies for (and in coordination with ICRC in conflict settings):
- Assessment of National Societies NSD needs, in particular through wider use of the Organizational Capacity Assessment and Certification (OCAC) process;
- Directly delivering, and/or identifying and mobilizing, appropriate technical support for the implementation of the NSD plan, including aspects linked to the NS leadership development and branch development;
- Revision of NSs Strategic plans aligning them to local and emerging needs and challenges, in line with the principles of S2030 (adaptive and agile NSs);
- Revision of NS legal base and/or revisiting NS auxiliary roles;
- Facilitation of the development of long-term NSD plans to address co-identified needs and priorities;
- Monitoring progress during and after the implementation phases, e.g. implementation of Plan of Actions and/or NS Development plans in close coordination with Heads of Country and Cluster Offices, when available;
- Maintain a dashboard on NSD in the region, updating it regularly, ensuring the global dashboard is properly reflecting regional perspectives;
- Ensure mainstreaming of a customised NS country level Protection, Gender, Inclusion and diversity elements in NSD approaches.
- Proactively seek opportunities for analysis of data and identification of regional trends and priorities.
- Development and implementation of MENA customized Movement Induction Courses (MIC) for leaders including Presidents, Secretary Generals, Under-Secretary Generals, Branch leaders, and Board members as required.**
C. Financial Sustainability:
- Working closely with MENA Partnerships and Resource Development (PRD) team and Heads of Country and Cluster Offices:
- Engage with targeted National Societies in processes relating to the creation (or improvement) of Resource Mobilization plans and strategies, aimed at financial independence and long-term sustainability;
- Contribute to the leadership engagement in domestic Resource Mobilization, including fundraising and commercial income generation fundraising development;
- Contribute towards Volunteer-driven domestic resource mobilization structure development;
- Ensure that relevant financial sustainability tools/materials are disseminated within the region to both IFRC teams and to National Societies.
D. Knowledge Development, Capacity Strengthening, Learning and Sharing:
- Ensure all thematic program leads fully understand the developmental objectives of NSD for the National Societies, and align CB efforts with
- Develop, support and pilot innovative initiatives in NSD ensuring action learning/sharing throughout the process;
Organize and support forums for the exchange of experience and support regional networks to achieve measurable impact in priority areas of NS development;
Establish partnerships with relevant organizations and institutions of higher learning and participate in forums through which to acquire new knowledge and ideas;
Initiate relevant research as needed for NSD with academia, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders;
Contribute to NSD impact assessment. Report annually on progress in key indicators of NS development in the Region.**
E. Advisory Role:
- Scan the environment continuously for socio-economic and political trends likely to have an impact on the development of National Societies.
- Provide advice and counsel to the Regional management, including field structures, on all matters relating to NSD development issues.
F. Coordination:
- Ensure National Societies in the region are fully aware of NSD strategies and tools, as well as of existing regional capacities for support and avenues to access resources for their own development.
- Ensure coherence and complementarity of NSD support by all components of the Movement and alignment of all Movement (including ICRC and PNS) NSD support to the expressed needs of National Societies, promoting active coordination at country, cluster and regional levels to optimize resources and impact.
- Proactively engage with external non-Movement actors (e.g. UN agencies) to ensure all support to capacity strengthening is aligned to the needs of the National Societies.
- Ensure coherence of approaches in NSD by delegates and staff of Country and Cluster Offices.
- Coordinate closely with other regional coordinators and delegates to ensure coherent support to NSs in programme areas aligned to the identified priorities of NSs.
- Integrate emergency task forces in order to ensure all aspects of NSD in Emergencies are duly considered and the National Society is accompanied in its decision-making process under exceptional circumstances (e.g. disaster, conflict).
- Be an active member of the global NSD team, share successes and lessons learned across regions to strengthen global learning.
G. General management:
- Lead the management of NSD direct line reports.
- Ensure sound planning and financial management for areas under his/her responsibility.
- Supervise the support to the monitoring and reporting on global performance indicators and promote a culture of performance and accountability.
- Contribute to an effective, high quality global NS development team.
- Support the Deputy Regional Director to monitor risks in the region and take proactive actions to contribute to secretariat's risk management processes.
Duties applicable to all staff
- Actively work towards the achievement of the IFRC Strategy 2030 and the Plan and Budget.
- Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
- Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.
Education
- Advanced university degree in International Affairs, Political Science, Law, Economics, Public Policy, Social Studies, organization development or other relevant areas of study. Required
- Relevant graduate degree or (MBA). Preferred
- IMPACT course or equivalent knowledge. Required
Experience
- 10 years of working and management experience in the specialist area of expertise, including direct supervision of more than 5 people and the management of teams with more than 10 people with the IFRC, RC/RC National Society or similar network of national organizations. Required
- 7+ years of working experience in institutional development and capacity-strengthening preferably with an international organization. Required
- Demonstrated professional experience in the International Federation or an organization within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or in an international organization or NGO. Preferred
- Demonstrated success in project/programme planning, budgeting, management, OD, youth, volunteer, gender diversity and inclusion and capacity strengthening of national institutions. Required
- Good understanding of IFRC policies in the areas of National Society Development (e.g. OD, Youth, Volunteers etc.). Preferred
- 5+ years of working experience in the MENA region. Preferred
Knowledge, skills and languages
- Ability to build, lead, motivate and support effective teams. Required
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment. Required
- Good communication, negotiating and influencing skills. Required
- Ability to adapt leadership style according to the situation. Required
- Politically and culturally sensitive. Required
- Available to travel to other countries. Required
- Fluent spoken and written Arabic and English. Required
- Good command of another IFRC official language. Preferred
Competencies and values
- Effective Communication
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Judgement & Decision Making
- National Society and Customer Relations
- Creativity and Innovation
- Building Trust
- Managing staff Performance
- Managing staff Development
How to apply:
For those who are interested in this position, the application is only accepted through the following link:
Any application sent by email or applied by any other means will not be considered.