Organizational Context
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organization established by and comprised of its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. 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.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.
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 Secretariat’s headquarters is organized in three main business groups: (i) Partnerships, including Movement and Membership; (ii) Programs and Operations; and (iii) Management. The Secretariat has five regional offices as follows: Americas (Panama City); Africa (Nairobi); Asia and Pacific- AP (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); Middle East and North Africa-MENA (Beirut).
The position of Regional Public Health in Emergencies Coordinator-PHiE for Africa is part of the Health, Disasters and Climate Crises Department of the Africa Regional Office, to be based in Harare, Zimbabwe Cluster.
Job Purpose
Reporting to the Roving Regional Operations Coordinator (DPR Unit) and the Regional Strategic Lead, Health and Care in the Africa Region, the Regional PHiE Coordinator will coordinate the Secretariat’s support to National Societies in Africa in ensuring that the public health components of disaster preparedness and emergency response operations particularly disease outbreaks and/or epidemics, adhere to Secretariat’s policies and strategies, meet established public health/humanitarian standards and technical guidelines, and reach the most vulnerable effectively.
Integrated within the Disaster Preparedness &; Response team, the PHiE Regional Coordinator will be supported by the unit’s structure in setting-up and rolling-out preparedness response systems, internal and external coordination, and all secretariat’s tools for effective response. The PHiE will maintain a clear technical link with the Africa health and care unit (including Regional WaSH staff), and the global emergency health team, ensuring appropriate technical support in the different engagements. This will ensure that relevant emergency health preparedness and response components are integrated and/or mainstreamed within disaster management systems of the secretariat and Africa National Societies.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Emergency Operations – technical support and leadership
- Support National Societies in the development of Emergency Operations (DREFs/Emergency Appeals), alongside the Operations and DREF team.
- Enforce and disseminate international health emergency response standards (IFRC, SPHERE, etc).
- Under the supervision of the Operations team, coordinate the Secretariat’s international public health response in emergencies in an accountable manner, and in cooperation with all relevant partners. Where necessary, participate in assessments and start-up of emergency operations within the Africa Region and beyond as per request from the DPR unit.
- In coordination with the Secretariat’s medical logistics officer and relevant logistics units, advice on and/or oversee the procurement, storage, and distribution of emergency medical supplies, following accepted Federation and WHO standards and guidelines.
- Provide technical support and guidance to IFRC offices and through them to National Societies in health-related interventions and ensure the quality of their implementation. • Provide technical input to implementation of health and nutrition interventions in emergencies, as required.
- Provide guidance to staff implementing health emergency operations, integrating nutrition component as necessary.
Emergency Health Capacity Building
- Support, in collaboration with Secretariat’s Delegations, the National Society capacity strengthening in emergency health preparedness and response, particularly in the development of contingency plans, training and management of staff and volunteers in emergencies.
- Promote, and where possible facilitate, the integration of National Society emergency health activities within Disaster Management units and staff, including the co-ordination/co-operation between NS emergency health and DM staff , as well as those supported by bilateral/partner NS, ICRC, UN agencies, governments, and non-government actors, to maximise synergies and impact, and to avoid service gaps and unnecessary overlaps.
- Further, and where feasible, promote the development of cross-country RCRC co-operation in emergency health preparedness and response.
- Support the Mapping of Emergency Health and Epidemic Control (EHEC) capacities and resources in the African NSs and support NSs in developing and implementing their capacity building plans for the subject.
- Lead IFRC Africa efforts to develop and expand nutrition focused programming.
- Identify fundraising opportunities and engage in the dialogue with potential partners, with support from resource mobilization.
- Strengthen the use of health information systems, including early warning and surveillance systems, to detect epidemics and implement early epidemic control measures in coordination with the Anticipatory Action.
- Build the capacities of both health and disaster management programme staff in various IFRC offices for standard public health nutrition approaches and protocols.
Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)
Knowledge Management.
- Monitor regional and national epidemiological data, standard health indicators and disaster patterns for analysis and interpretation of trends, and early detection of disease outbreaks and/or epidemics. Facilitate the identification of necessary actions and control measures to be taken, where necessary.
- Ensure high-level emergency health response preparedness capacity in Africa Region through the effective use of, Emergency Response Units (ERU), Surge Teams, including medical logistics/supply lines
- Obtain and collate information, reports and case studies from preparedness and response by NSs and establish best practices on emergency health and epidemic preparedness and response and share knowledge within and outside the Movement.
Coordination
- The Public Health in Emergency Coordinator – PHiE will participate as part of the global Emergency Health capacity of the IFRC. The Emergency Health Coordinator -PHiE will act as a technical resource on epidemic preparedness and response for the IFRC.
- As budget holder, the Emergency Health Coordinator is responsible in ensuring that expenditure charged to their cost centre or project is appropriately allocated and correctly stated. Authorisation of such expenditure will be exercised by a combination of transaction approval, monitoring actual expenditure requisition against the approved budget line, clarifying funds available and making sure donor earmarking requirements are met.
- The emergency Health Coordinator will provide technical support to other emergency health staff deployed for emergency health operations in the Region.
- Produce regular, written and accurate technical reports to the Manager, Preparedness & Response, Health & Care Coordinator, with copy to the Emergency Health Unit, Health &; Social Services Department/Geneva.
- Work in close collaboration the four-emergency health related cross organizational work streams: Emergency Medical Services, Public Health in Emergencies, Psychosocial Support in Emergencies and Health Emergency Coordination.
Education
- Basic Delegates Training Course (Required)
- Degree in Public Health, and/or relevant medical qualification (Required)
- Relevant Post Graduate qualifications (Preferred)
Experience
- Experience of working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent or international Humanitarian agency(Required
- 8 years’ experience in public health with focus on Emergency Health, Experience with nutrition is an asset(Required)
- Experience of managing, coaching, and supporting staff(Required)
- 4 years’ experience of project planning & budgeting, supervision and management to include monitoring and evaluation(Required)
- 4 years’ experience in working in both emergency contexts and engaging effectively with beneficiaries especially women and children and other vulnerable groups(Required)
- Experience of producing narrative & financial reports(Required)
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
- Strong skills in general administration, oral and written communication(Required)
- Ability to represent the Federation with potential and existing donors, Government officials and members of the Diplomatic Community(Required)
- Ability to engage effectively with NS staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries, being results focused and accountable, being a team builder and team player, a good communicator at all levels, having professional mastery over their technical area, having leadership qualities and encouraging others to take the lead when appropriate, having managerial effectiveness(Required)
- Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word-processing)(Required)
- Valid international driving licence (manual gears 4 x 4) (Required)
- Skills in training and developing staff(Required)
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