Advisor for Disaster Risk Reduction and Forecast-based Financing (m/f/d), based in Pretoria, South Africa, IFRC Staff on loan
Job description
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. As one of the five decentralized regional offices of the Secretariat, the Africa Regional Office leads the support to National Societies (NS) of 49 countries through Country Offices and Country Cluster Support Teams spread across Southern Africa, East Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Central Africa, Sahel and West Africa.
Job purpose
To enhance the status of the RCRC as a key player and partner in areas of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change and Resilience strengthening with a particular focus on Forecast-based Financing as well as its integration in the broader area of DRR in the southern and eastern Africa Region; and support the IFRC ’s DRR, Climate Change and resilience agenda in collaboration with National Societies through the establishment of an anticipatory humanitarian mechanism using the Forecast Based Financing (FbF) approach.
The positions’ focus will be to support the German Red Cross (GRC) thematic cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office. This cooperation aims at further developing and strengthening the approaches in the area of DRR and FbF. By doing so the position will strengthen the technical support for the GRC projects but also the wider movement activities.
Job duties and responsibilities
- Provide technical support and guidance to IFRC and National Societies (NS) interested in implementing DRR and FbF in Southern and Eastern Africa; including advice on the FbF methodology and technical support for the development of Early Action Protocols (EAP), e.g. through in-country workshops with relevant stakeholders;
- Set-up effective coordination and exchange mechanisms on regional level aiming at joint learning, connected initiatives and creation of synergies;
- Work together with the National Society Development (NSD), Finance and Legal focal points of the NSs and IFRC to assess the current capacities of NSs for DRR and FbF implementation and provide technical advice to improve the systems, guidelines and procedures to create enabling conditions for Forecast based Actions (FbA) interventions;
- Accompany and advise the testing of new approaches in DRR in Southern and Eastern Africa.
Strategies, Partnerships and Planning:
- Lead the development of a specific DRR and FbF advocacy strategy for Southern and Eastern Africa that considers the humanitarian anticipation context and highlights the strengths of FbF;
- Advocate for FbF through evidence-based validation, including among NS, IFRC offices and partners;
- Initiate and/or continue the collaboration and coordination with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team in the region to strengthen the cooperation between the RCRC community and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Community;
- Advise NS, partners and IFRC offices in Southern and Eastern Africa on a common approach for integrating the FbF/EWEA into their DRR and other strategies;
- Create linkages to important anticipation stakeholders such as UNOCHA, WFP, FAO, Start Network etc.;
- Contribute to planning and resource mobilization, e.g. prepare concept notes, lead/participate in DRR and FbF related project/program proposal development.
Support learning and knowledge management in Southern and Eastern Africa:
- Facilitate knowledge sharing on DRR and FbF, including through the organization of trainings, meetings, webinars, at regional and national levels, and provide timely updates and advice on scientific and technical developments, trends, best practise, areas for improvement and lessons learnt;
- Promote increased understanding of DRR and FbF terminologies, tools, quality criteria and approaches, building on context-specific progress in the implementation of existing EWEA and DRR strategies among NS, IFRC offices and partners;
- Coordinate and support RCRC participation and/or represent at relevant platforms on DRR, FbF and EWEA in the region;
- Contribute to the lessons learnt processes on improving the relevance and effectiveness of FbF, and document achievements and lessons learnt from FbF programs and operations in the region in order to i) input to global methodologies and ii) develop case studies, lessons learnt and other knowledge and advocacy products;
- Identify and document innovative DRR and FbF tools/approaches and lessons learnt to share them within the RCRC community and the wider humanitarian world.
Position Requirements
Education
- Relevant post-graduate university degree
- Technical training in DRR, including Early Warning Early Action systems and disaster preparedness for response.
- Experience
- 5 years’ experience in humanitarian sector technical level related to DRR programming, institutional preparedness capacity strengthening initiatives, emergency response operations and Early Warning Early Action systems
- Good understanding of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
- Good understanding of the global humanitarian environment
- Experience in working for a humanitarian aid organization in the area of DRR in a developing country
- Experience in coordinating with authorities and other humanitarian actors
- Experience in narrative and financial reporting and proposal writing
- Experience in African Region
Knowledge, skills and languages
- Fluently spoken and written English
- Valid international driving licence (Manual gears)
- Ability to complete a thorough medical screening process ‘working abroad under specific climate and health conditions’
You will be part of a highly motivated professional and multicultural team. We offer you a compensation package according to the collective employment agreement of the GRC, an expatriation allowance during your mission as well as a personal allowance to cover your accommodation. In addition to a full insurance package GRC is covering a home flight within a 12-months period of assignment. You will benefit from a comprehensive training package and receive briefings and coaching prior as well as during and after your mission. Medical check-ups and Psychosocial Support Service are included in your assignment.
Kindly apply by submitting your application by using the GRC online application system DRK HR net (https://drkhrnet.de) until 14.01.2020
Please indicate Ref. No. 2019-163 with your application.