Coordinator, Programme & Operations

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-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.

As one of the five decentralized parts of the Secretariat, the Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) leads the support to National Societies of 38 countries through Country Offices – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Philippines – and Country Cluster Support Teams spread across East Asia (Beijing), South Asia (New Delhi), Southeast Asia (Bangkok and Jakarta) and the Pacific (Suva).

The Country Delegation (CD) in Papua New Guinea is responsible for overseeing IFRC support to, and coordination with, the National Society of Papua New Guinea. The CD currently maintains country team in Papua New Guinea and working together with APRO technical teams and Pacific (Suva) thematic networks in the areas of disaster management and preparedness, disaster risk reduction, climate change, community resilience, health, Logistics, community engagement and accountability, migration, youth, protection, gender and inclusion, national society development, finance, resource mobilization and business development. In addition, the CD represents IFRC day-to-day engagements with the Government in Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society (PNGRCS) was established in 1976. PNGRCS has a country-wide network of 12 branches and a National Headquarters in Port Moresby with approximately 30 staff members and over 700 volunteers. Its status in the country is based on Red Cross Law mandating the national society to provide humanitarian assistance to most vulnerable people in PNG as auxiliary to its government. 

Job Purpose

The purpose of this job is to oversee programs and operations in Papua New Guinea IFRC Country Delegation (CD), providing quality assurance and technical support during the analysis, planning, implementation and reporting phases, ensuring engagement with technical and thematic leaders in APRO – and where necessary Geneva and other offices in Asia Pacific.

This position will serve as the Officer-in-Charge of the CD in the absence of the Head of CD and supports the CD as a member of the Management Team, taking the lead in managing the coordination and activities of IFRC funded. S/he provides leadership to personnel responsible for programmes and operations and ensures that these positions are coordinated in supporting National Society (NS) of Papua New Guinea in delivering their core services and fostering cooperation in programmes and operations.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Policy, Planning and Standards

• Promote the Federation’s policies, frameworks, standards, tools, methodologies, systems, and procedures.
• Support the National Society (NS), the Secretariat and in-country memberships to engage in national policy dialogues such as any relevant National Platforms within Papua New Guinea.
• Provide strategic and policy guidance to Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society (PNGRCS) and the Secretariat staff on how IFRC can contribute to the implementation of Sendai Framework linking with SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Advise, support, and promote the mainstreaming of Disaster Response and Preparedness, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), climate change, community resilience, health and WASH, and crosscutting issues such as Protection, Gender and Inclusion, Community Engagement and Accountability into the NS Programmes.
• Advise NS project/team managers, in analysing trends, risks and conditions for managing projects and delivering services; resource, budget and project management; risk and benefit realization management; and, change management and learning.
• Support the NS to ensure technical-level engagement with the national body as essential stakeholders in attainment of global agenda targets including those of the Humanitarian Standards, Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sendai Framework.
• Promote the full integration of NS Development (NSD) interventions within and across all programmes and operations to ensure coherent and systematic coordination of capacity building inputs and approaches.

Institutional Preparedness and Readiness:

• Facilitate Papua New Guinea Red Crescent Society (PNGRCS) and in close coordination with the IFRC memberships and other relevant stakeholders, update emergency response plans, contingency plans, business continuity plan and standard operating procedures following the Preparedness for Effective Response common approach.
• Ensure adequate Movement readiness plans are updated and tested in simulation exercises where possible.
• Enhance NS in the institutional preparedness to respond to and manage disasters and emergencies, caused by disasters and crises through strengthening NS in the Emergency Response Team (ERT), National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) and regional disaster response team concept (RDRT).
• Support PNGRCS within the areas of migration, and preparedness for anticipatory action-based interventions.

General Management:

• Accountable to the Head of CD on achievement of results of the PNG Unified Plan as a proactive manager and dynamic member of CD Team.
• Responsible and accountable for the overall day-to day management and coordination of programme and operations, including assuming budget holder responsibilities, ensuring sound planning and financial management in accordance with IFRC policies, standards and practices.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and agreements to minimize risk of harm to the IFRC and its personnel, properties and resources. Includes compliance with procurement procedures and standards, identifying risks and challenges to the ongoing operations and programmes, raising them with regional and country-level counterparts, and providing advice as relevant to the Head of CD and APRO Senior Management Team on mitigation strategies.

Programs coordination:

• Support the NS in strengthening its service delivery systems, designing, and delivering programmes in accordance with its strategic plan and annual country operational plan.
• Ensuring that all programme areas have continuous access to technical advice and guidance to support programme implementation, including backstopping for technical colleagues as required.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Act as a dedicated focal point for the programme and strategic support to PNGRCS that includes overseeing budgets, ongoing programme implementation and any other task that may be assigned in relation to IFRC’s support to PNGRCS to ensure accountability.
• Ensure that the team responsible for programmes and operations works with the Pacific Country Cluster Delegation (Suva) as well as with ICRC, Partner National Societies, relevant IFRC Reference Centres and key external stakeholders throughout the programming cycle to facilitate a synergetic effort to programmes and operations.
• Work closely with Reginal PMER and ensure necessary programmatic / operational contribution to the IFRC operational/unified plan and programme updates and donor reports in agreed formats are delivered on time and are on quality.
• Support the process of effective, timely and comprehensive reporting to partners and back donors in collaboration with the respective technical colleagues in NS.
• In close cooperation with the PNG Finance unit, assume budget holder responsibility over relevant projects and ensure appropriate control of income and expenditures versus plans as well as guaranteed sound planning and financial management in accordance with the IFRC policies, standards and practices. Capture evidence of resilience investment in the region (DRR, health, etc.) through annual mapping, cost-benefit analysis, case studies, reviews, and evaluations, etc.

Operations management:

• Act as a dedicated focal point for the programme and strategic support to PNGRCS that includes overseeing budgets, ongoing programme implementation and any other task that may be assigned in relation to IFRC’s support to PNGRC.
• In close coordination with the APRO HDCC unit, provide IFRC personnel and NS with guidance in developing emergency plans of actions, submitting DREF requests and launching Emergency Appeals in line with the Emergency Response Framework SOPs for Asia Pacific disaster and crisis response and recovery, and priorities set in “Disaster and Crisis Management Effectiveness” and ‘Working Effectively Together’ as well as Anticipatory Action planning.
• Promote and engage in systematic monitoring and evaluation of IFRC-supported operations to ensure that implementation is timely, relevant, effective and in line with best international practice, and to contribute in identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning.
• Responsible to produce timely situations reports during emergency and crisis, coordinating with the Operations Coordination in HDCC Unit.

Representation and coordination:

• At the request of the Head of CD and APRO Senior Management Team, represent IFRC in engagements with NS leadership, Movement coordination platforms, Governments, Diplomatic Missions, Sub-Regional Bodies, the UN system and the humanitarian community.
• Deputize the Head of CD, including being Acting Head of CD when the incumbent is absent.
• Represent the IFRC in technical meetings, conferences, seminars, training programmes, and forums. Ensure effective communication with donors and maintain an oversight of all programme-related funding and pledges and ensure these are delivered on time and are of quality.
• Facilitate regular operational and technical coordination among the Movement and external partners and ensure that relevant policies of the Movement and pre-agreed thematic issues are followed up.

Education

Required

• Relevant university education or an equivalent of qualifying experience

Preferred

• Post-graduate qualification in management or leadership
• Basic Delegates Training Course (BTC), WORC, IMPACT or equivalent knowledge

Experience

Required

• Minimum 7-10 years working experience in the humanitarian or development sector
• Prior work in a membership organization in roles that include member capacity development
• Management and supervisory experience in a multicultural environment
• Experience in coordinating with the authorities and other humanitarian/development actors
• Experience in narrative and financial reporting and proposal writing

Preferred

• Working or volunteering experience in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
• Experience in the Asia Pacific region
• Experience working with diverse cultures

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Understanding of PNG – humanitarian landscape, needs and opportunities
• Self-supporting in computers (Email, Internet, spread sheets, word-processing, etc.)
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including ability to lead within a matrix management structure and utilize talents/experience of team members in a productive way
• Results-oriented, demand driven, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations
• Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and promoting new approaches to engaging partners
• Good understanding/practice of planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting issues
• Understanding of opportunities and constraints for sustainable development
• Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills
• 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
• Programme and project management skills
• Ability to work within and lead multi-cultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary teams
• Analytical and focused mind with excellent communication and representation skills
• Security awareness
• Interest and skills in supporting, training, and developing staff
• Fluently spoken and written English

Preferred

• Good understanding/practice of IFRC tools such as VCA, CAS and Shared Leadership
• In-depth knowledge of the IFRC (and the Movement as a whole) workings, structures, methods, culture and key directions
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.
Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.
Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.
Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.

Note : Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted in the next steps of the recruitment process