Consultant, Climate Programming Advisor (GCRP - Pooled Fund)

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The 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 Secretariat provides the central capacity of the International 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; influential representation with global level partners; and expanding engagement with partners. The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized under three divisions, including National Society Development and Operations Coordination (NSDOC). The NSDOC Division is in turn organised in three Departments, each of them led by a Director. The Disasters, Climate and Crises (Prevention, Response & Recovery) Department consists of four teams, of which Climate & Resilience is one.

Addressing the climate and environmental crises is the first Strategic Priority of IFRC’s Strategy 2030, which stresses the urgency to massively scale-up climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in view of increasing disasters and climate-related impacts on vulnerable people. The IFRC Global Climate Resilience Platform (GCRP), launched in 2022, aims to foster an unprecedented scale-up of locally-led climate action to enhance community resilience.

Under the GCRP, a new Fund has been created. The Global Climate Resilience Platform Pooled Fund (GCRP-P) allows donors to provide more flexible, multi-annual and multi-country funding. It provides a reliable means for partners to channel global funding towards locally-led adaptation, thus giving them a means to reach their own climate funding commitments. Locally-led adaptation is underpinned by Climate Action Journeys, allowing for harmonized programming at scale. The GCRP-Pl operates around calls for proposals to qualifying National Societies that are assessed by a Review Committee with funding allocated accordingly.

Job Purpose

The objectives of this consultancy are to advise and coordinate on: Fund applications from National Societies; implementation, monitoring and reporting of funded projects; evaluate the modality and update templates, as needed; communications and knowledge management.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

1) Reviewing and advising on NS applications

• Coordinate the submission of applications by National Societies
• Review and advise on the GCRP-P applications, in line with GCRP standards and climate programming
• Coordinate the review and approval process of the Review Committee
• Coordinate feedback and proposal finalisation with National Societies, in close coordination with IFRC Regional offices and delegations

2) Supporting implementation and coordination with NS receiving grants, in close collaboration with IFRC regional and in-country counterparts

• Set up a coordination structure for the GCRP-P
• Maintain regular contact with IFRC Regional Offices and Delegations supporting GCRP-P grants – overseeing implementation, achievement of results and risk management
• Provide technical advice, on demand, on climate programming and link with broader IFRC climate network, where needed
• Coordinate bi-annual monitoring

3) Carrying out an evaluation of the GRCP-P to date

• Carry out a mapping of GCRP-P on-going projects, successes, challenges and bottlenecks
• Assess the functioning to the GCRP-P pipeline, templates and process
• Propose adjustments/reviews as needed, for review and approval of the Review Committee
• Adjust templates/process, as needed

4) Producing knowledge and communications products on locally-led climate action

• Capture lessons learned through regular contact and monitoring
• Develop brief case studies on locally-led climate action
• Coordinate with media and communications teams on turning case studies into products

The main deliverables are:

• Reviewing and advising on NS applications
• Supporting implementation and coordination with NS receiving grants
• Producing knowledge and communications products on locally-led climate action

Depending on the time available, and findings of the consultancy, further products may be agreed between IFRC and the consultant and content/direction of the aforementioned deliverables may be adapted.

Management

The consultant will report to the Lead, Climate Change. He/she will work closely with the Climate, Urban, Resilience and Environment team.

Timeframe and consulting days

This consultancy will last approximately 95 days in the period between 01 July 2026 and 31 December 2026. Please see here the detailed timeline and deliverables.

Budget

Consultants are requested to submit a proposal based on daily rate.

Travel

If travel is required and provided advance approval is given, the IFRC shall cover the costs of economy class transportation and reasonable, safe and appropriate accommodation, in accordance with the IFRC’s Travel Related Expenses Procedures.

Education

Required

• University degree in environmental management, disaster risk management or climate change adaptation (or relevant area) or equivalent experience.

Experience

Required

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in climate change adaptation.
• Experience in programme management.
• Experience in report and case study writing.
• Experience working with a humanitarian or development organisation on climate.
• Experience working with community-based, local or national organisations.

Preferred

• Experience working with the IFRC and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies.
• Experience in locally-led adaptation.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
• Ability to work and coordinate with various stakeholders.
• Proactive, self-starter that can work with minimal oversight.

Languages

Required

• Fluently spoken and written English.

Preferred

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

Competencies, Values and Comments

Application Instruction

Please submit your application in English only.