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

Launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019, the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) brings together an unprecedented range of stakeholders across the climate, humanitarian, and development communities with the aim of making 1 billion people safer from disaster by 2025.

Despite the mounting impacts of climate change, one in three people are still not adequately covered by early warning systems, and early and anticipatory approaches - enabling action in advance of hazards striking - are not implemented at the scale required. Yet we know early warning and early action can save lives and assets worth at least ten times their cost.

REAP creates a space in which partners and aligned organizations will use the partnership’s ambitious targets to drive a systemic shift towards acting earlier to reduce the impacts of disasters, mobilize commitments and inspire action.

We do not create a new funding mechanism or directly implement ground-level projects; however, we seek to enable coherence, alignment and complementarity of existing initiatives, while learning together what new initiatives are needed to make 1 billion people safer.

Our partners agree that only by working together across sectoral silos and involving those at risk, can global ability to act ahead of climate extremes and disasters be strengthened. The International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies hosts the REAP Secretariat at their offices in Geneva, Switzerland, with the Secretariat being fully independent of the IFRC.

The IFRC, a convening member of REAP, is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organisation 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 partnership will work in line with the principles and ambitions of the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) and the World Humanitarian Summit’s Agenda for Humanity.

Job Purpose

The role will provide a unique opportunity to drive this work forward and will require broad engagement with governments, the international system, private sector and civil society to support the board and working groups of REAP. Ultimately the role’s success will be reflected in the success of REAP, with partners taking responsibility and ownership to achieve the partnership’s ambitious targets by 2025.

It is envisioned the REAP Thematic Lead will grow, oversee and coordinate activities of their aligned working group of a diverse range of members, as well as support the REAP Head of Secretariat in outreach and engagement with existing and prospective partners.

In addition to this position, the REAP Secretariat will consist of a head, a further Thematic Lead focused on implementation and one coordination position. All will be based in Geneva and report directly to the Manager REAP (Head of REAP Secretariat).

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Key duties and responsibilities of the REAP Thematic Lead: partnership and marketplace, are grouped under four main areas:

  • Support the secretariat as a thematic lead, drafting high quality policy and decision papers for the board, minuting meetings and tracking actions:

    • Provide progress reports on results against objectives and risk analyses as required
    • Provide direction and contribute to the development of communications campaigns and products on EWEA
    • Accommodate flexible working practices including working as part of time-limited, task-oriented teams to enable the REAP Secretariat to respond to new scenarios or requests from partners and governing board
    • Foster a collaborative working environment with colleagues in the REAP Secretariat and partners.
  • Lead on the participatory development of the partnership:

    • Contribute to a membership-oriented approach that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance and cost effectiveness
    • Outreach and engagement with the REAP members, those who have identified an interest and potential new partners
    • Continue to increase global support for REAP, owning relationships with national stakeholders and build national ownership of activities, ensuring sustainability beyond the end of the programme
    • Advocate breaking down barriers between humanitarian, development and climate communities
  • Convene a working group to design a 'marketplace' for early warning/early action, to match funding with implementers; with a focus on quality interventions across a range of shock/stress timescales; by working closely with key REAP partners such as governments, international organisations, private sector and civil society:

    • Support the development of a monitoring, evaluation and learning framework to track progress of commitments
    • Advocate for longer-term sustainable investment in climate action
    • Draft plans for agreement by the REAP board and partners
    • Deliver objectives through the working group, mobilising partners to deliver against REAP targets
  • Lead on the drafting of a plan for the sustainable continuation of the partnership, securing agreement from the board and partners:

    • Work with other Thematic Leads and stakeholders to develop a long-term plan for the partnership, providing technical expertise
    • Work effectively with other thematic leads of the other working groups to ensure harmonisation as far as possible, prioritising empowerment and inclusion of civil society and local communities to ensure information reaches at-risk communities

Education

Required

  • University/bachelor’s degree or similar professional or vocational qualification in Disaster Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Geography, Political Science, Social Science, or related field

Preferred

  • Post-graduate degree

Experience

Required

  • Experience of working in the Humanitarian, Development or Climate fields
  • Building and maintaining strong contact networks and relationships at the highest international levels to facilitate rapid access to information, leveraged through networks at home and internationally
  • Managing networks and inter-disciplinary teams at different levels, including government, non-government and private sector.
  • Strong grounding in theory and practice of participatory development

Preferred

  • A minimum of 10 years relevant professional experience
  • The theory behind the principles of adaptation and resilience with some degree of incorporating this analysis into specific measures in developing countries
  • How climate information services can support better decisions, how to apply climate risk management frameworks and a range of tools to handle uncertainty, including robust decisions, resilience and hedging
  • Designing and/or implementing interventions for a range of specific climate impacts and opportunities with appropriate adaptation or resilience measures in developing country contexts
  • Working with global climate and environmental governance frameworks and all the main treaties that have informed current and recent policies
  • Experience working within a secretariat (supporting members, preparing papers, minutes, etc)

Knowledge, skills and languages

Required

  • Fluently spoken and written English
  • Ability to work with minimum supervision
  • Ability to work effectively with, and in, inter-disciplinary teams
  • Attention to detail and focus on the delivery of results and accountability
  • Leadership
  • Confidentiality
  • Flexibility
  • Excellent communication skills – written and verbal
  • Organisational and planning skills
  • Information management skills
  • Ability to work with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and with virtual or/and dispersed teams
  • Outstanding planning and coordination skills within diverse multicultural environments
  • Well organised, able to work under pressure and manage priorities within deadlines for timely delivery
  • Strong interpersonal skills, good judgment and maturity.

Preferred

  • Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)
  • Other languages

Competencies and values

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

This vacancy is archived.

Recommended for you