Senior Officer, Shelter Cluster Coordination

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 (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs 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.”  IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

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 IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

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.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The National Society Development and Operations Coordination Division consists of three departments: the National Society Development Services (NSDS) Department; the Disasters, Climate and Crises Department; and the Health and Care Department. It also includes the Operational Movement and Membership Coordination (OMMC) Team, and hosted projects of the IFRC, namely: the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), the Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), and the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR).

The Disaster Climate and Crisis (DCC) Department, led by the Director, consists of four units: The Operations Coordination Unit, The Socio-Economic Empowerment Unit, The Climate, Environment and Resilience Unit and The Migration and Displacement Unit.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), IFRC agreed to take on the responsibility of convening the Shelter Cluster for natural disasters in 2006, in accordance with a General Assembly decision in Seoul in 2005. This position is based in Geneva to coordinate the IFRC country-level shelter cluster surge and support capacity, and the Global Shelter Cluster training, knowledge exchange, and capacity building efforts, and reports directly to the Global Shelter Cluster Lead, under the overall direction of the Manager, Operations Coordination Unit.

Job Purpose

Under the guidance of the Global Shelter Cluster Coordination Lead, the main purpose of this role is to be responsible for IFRC’s inter-agency shelter coordination and preparedness activities at the country level and the deployment, training, knowledge exchange and capacity building activities of IFRC-led shelter coordination teams.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Coordinate Inter-Agency Shelter Activities at the Country-Level and related Global Shelter Cluster preparedness and response functions:

• Support the Global Shelter Cluster Coordination Lead, Regional and Country IFRC offices in the inter-agency shelter coordination preparedness and response activities at the country level.
• Support the Global Shelter Cluster Lead in representing the Federation as Global Shelter Cluster lead agency, including Global Shelter Cluster meetings, Global Cluster Lead and Task Team meetings and activities.
• Provide project management and administrative oversight of Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) activities on behalf of the Federation.
• Provide remote and in-country surge support as necessary to country-level shelter clusters. Deploy at short notice to provide IFRC leadership of the shelter cluster or as a member of the shelter cluster coordination team, in collaboration with regional or country level operational colleagues.
• Establish and/or support the required shelter coordination team structure, leadership, and operational modalities in consultation with the country office and/or National Society.
• When deployed to a country, as appropriate, represent IFRC as shelter cluster lead in interagency meetings including the Humanitarian Country Team when required and to government technical counterparts.
• Contribute to the development of Inter-Agency Humanitarian Response Plans or similar, and the shelter cluster content of situation reports, operational peer reviews and cluster performance monitoring activities.
• Ensure close liaison and information sharing with IFRC and National Society operational colleagues consistent with the interagency role of the shelter coordination team.

Ensure Quality Assurance in Delivery:

• Provide technical line management of the activities of the country-level shelter cluster coordinators.
• Organize the Global Shelter Cluster Coordination Team training and capacity building including the further development and delivery of training and related activities.
• In close collaboration with IFRC Surge Capacity teams in Geneva and Regional offices, interested NSs, external partner agencies and the Human Resources Department, maintain a Shelter Coordination Team (SCT) roster and deployment procedures, ensuring appropriate material and staff welfare preparedness, equipment, and resourcing.
• Maintain an overview of the members of the SCT, their deployment dates and their end of contracts to ensure continuity, avoid gaps and facilitate transition and handover as relevant.

Be responsible and accountable for the overall management and administration of related projects:

• Provide day-to-day management and coordination of project activities, the timely and quality delivery of all Project outputs and prepare Project Work Plans, Reports (including Final report and their presentation to donors) and official correspondence.
• Monitor Project progress to ensure that it is in accordance with the timetable set out in the Project Document and prepare regular updates and reports on projects’ progress, implementing issues, emerging risks/problems and proposals for necessary remedial actions.
• Consolidate SCT Terms of References, Performance Appraisals and End of Mission Reports, as well as collation, structured analysis and follow-up on issues arising.
• Provide oversight of the agreed common Shelter Cluster web platform, with technical support as required, and associated use of social media and related communications with cluster participants.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Contribute to an effective, high quality IFRC team:

• Be accountable to the team lead by providing progress reports on results against objectives and risk
• 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.

Duties applicable to all staff:

• Work actively towards the achievement of the IFRC Secretariat’s goals.
• 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

Required

• Relevant University Degree.

Preferred

• Basic Delegates Training Course or equivalent knowledge.
• Degree or similar professional or vocational qualification in Structural/Civil Engineering, Architecture, Planning, Construction Management, International Relations, Humanitarian and Development studies, or related technical field.

Experience

Required

• At least 8 years of relevant professional experience .
• Experience of working for a humanitarian aid organization in a developing country, including as shelter cluster coordinator or equivalent role.
• Experience of managing and motivating teams.

Preferred

• A minimum of two years proven shelter/housing or rehabilitation programming experience.
• Experience as shelter cluster coordinator in humanitarian crises.
• Experience working in a RC/RC National Society and/or Federation/ICRC.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).
• Ability to work with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and with virtual or/and dispersed teams.
• Ability to undertake strategic analysis and translate thinking into practice.
• Ability to network effectively and influence and inspire others including the membership, governments, other agencies, and own peers, staff, and partners.
• Ability to inspire, to build confidence and to find creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues.
• Familiarity with current standards and guidelines for humanitarian emergency response.
• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
• Awareness of and exposure to the international humanitarian coordination architecture.
• Project Management skills.
• Training and staff development skills.

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.

Application Instruction

Please submit your application in English only.

IFRC values equal opportunity, diversity and inclusivity. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, nationality, class, political opinions, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion, or belief.