Manager, Disasters, Climate and Crises

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 “Renewal” provides a vision for how the IFRC sees its role in the implementation of Strategy 2030, and ensures
that the IFRC provides strategic and operational membership coordination, National Society Development services
and represents the collective with humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy.
The IFRC Secretariat work is guided by its Plan & Budget, articulated around five strategic priorities: Climate and
Environmental Crises, Evolving Crises and Disasters, Growing gaps in health and wellbeing, Migration and Identity,
Values Power and Inclusion. The Plan & Budget also defines three enablers: Engaged, Accountable, Trusted.
This position sits in the Regional Office for Africa, which is based in Nairobi, and supports 15 IFRC Country Cluster
Delegations, which are the primary counterpart of the 49 National Societies in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Within the
spirit of Renewal, the focus and support to countries is paramount, through a shared leadership and coordinated
approach.

Job Purpose

Under the direction of the Deputy Regional Director, the Manager, Disasters, Climate and Crises (DCC) provides
strategic leadership and manages the Africa Regional DCC Department, which encompasses three core pillars: (i)
Coordination of Operations; (ii) Coordination of Programmes; and (iii) Technical Services, including Anticipatory
Action, Climate, Disaster Risk Reduction, Community Engagement and Accountability, Migration and Cash and
Voucher Assistance.
The position holds overall responsibility for shaping and driving the strategic vision for disaster, climate and crisis
related work across the Africa Region, in close collaboration with Geneva, IFRC Country and Cluster Delegations
as well as National Societies. It ensures that IFRC-supported operations and programmes are coherent, high
quality, locally anchored and aligned with Strategy 2030, the Renewal and the Africa Unified Plan.
The Manager, DCC, ensures that continental and multi-country programmes and operations are designed to scale,
are effectively governed, and are managed with the highest standards of accountability and performance. It
guarantees that emergency operations are efficient, timely and impactful, and that National Societies are
positioned as first responders through strong preparedness, readiness and surge systems.
The Manager embeds the Ways of Working across all DCC functions—promoting shared leadership, localisation,
simplification, evidence-based decision-making and a relentless focus on impact at country level.
In coordination with the IFRC HQ and regional teams, the role positions IFRC Africa as a leading humanitarian and
resilience actor on the continent, shaping regional agendas on preparedness, anticipatory action, climate
adaptation, migration and integrated resilience.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership of the DCC Department in the Africa
• Lead and manage the DCC Department across its three core pillars:
o Coordination of Operations (emergency response, surge, DREF, operational intelligence)
o Coordination of Programmes (pan-African and multi-country initiatives)
o Technical Services (Anticipatory Action, Climate, DRR, CEA, Migration, CVA)
• Provide clear strategic direction, performance management and coherence across these pillars.
• Ensure that operational excellence, programmatic scale-up and technical services reinforce each other.
• Serve as the Africa Region’s senior manager on disaster, climate and crisis strategy vis-à-vis Geneva,
Country/Cluster Delegations and external partners.
Coordination and Regional & Country Support
• Contribute to the overall strategic vision and planning for the IFRC Africa in collaboration with other
departments –focusing on strengthening NS capacities for developing and implementing effective
programmes and operations – through the support of IFRC cluster and country offices.
• Promote and contribute to the development of IFRC policies and positions regarding the Strategic
Priorities and enablers of the IFRC Strategy 2030 and the five shifts of IFRC Renewal, with a focus
on deepening localisation and accountability and sharpening the humanitarian focus. Ensure that pan
African and multi-country programmes and operations are designed for scale, supported by appropriate
governance models, and managed in line with IFRC Programme and Project Management (PCM)
standards.
• Guarantee that pan-african initiatives (operations and programs) have clear ownership, performance
frameworks, risk management structures and learning loops.
• Ensure that programme investments translate into tangible country-level capacity and impact.
• Lead technical teams that provide NSs with country level support and guidance for strategic plans for
development, design and management of quality programmes and operations.
• Support overall emergency operations coordination and technical support involving health, WASH, food
security and livelihoods, shelter, cash in emergencies, disaster risk reduction, Community Engagement
and Accountability (CEA), and Protection Gender and Inclusion (PGI).

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Representation and Leadership
• Liaise with internal and external partners at international, regional and national levels to ensure
operational coherence in disaster response operations, development actions within the disaster risk
management spectrum.
• Lead the strengthening of community resilience through ambitious and integrated longer-term plans, in
cooperation with National Societies and other key partners, in line with strategic priorities.
• Is accountable for institutionalizing and strengthening Community Engagement and Accountability and
Protection Gender and Inclusion across all IFRC programmes and operations as well as those of National
Societies in the Region.
• Responsible for identifying risks within their work area, monitoring the development of the risks, and
implementing risk responses or escalating to the Director when necessary.
• Champion shared leadership across the membership in Africa, ensuring that National Societies, PNS and
IFRC jointly shape and deliver operations and programmes.
• Ensure that Membership Coordination and Seville 2.0 principles are embedded in both emergency
operations and longer-term programmes.
• Create enabling spaces for National Society leadership, peer exchange and co-ownership of regional
initiatives.
Effective people and matrix management
• Coordinate with PMER and Quality Assurance, Membership Services and Corporate Services Units to
ensure that Disasters and Crises operations follow the financial, human resources, reporting and general
administration procedures.
• Ensure close coordination with the Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Teams for the
resource mobilisation for plans and budgets.
• Contribute to a strengthened 24/7 IFRC global response model and cross-region learning, support and
collaboration.
• Support the Deputy Director to ensure strategic coherence and alignment, as well as programmatic and
operational coordination between different units.
• Effectively lead, motivate and support team members under their responsibility through clear lines of
responsibility and well-defined results-based workplans.
• Develop and set performance objectives for team members in line with broader programme/
operational objectives and global functional objectives to support a culture of
continuous improvement, applying the updated IFRC matrix management model.
• Responsible for identifying risks within their work area, monitoring the development of the risks, and
implementing risk responses or escalating to the Director when necessary.
• Promote lean regional structures that maximize the proportion of resources reaching communities.
• Guarantee financial discipline, transparency and value-for-money across DCC portfolios.

Education

• Master’s degree in Disaster Management, Humanitarian Affairs, International Relations, Public Policy, Climate/Environment, Development Studies or related field. (A first-level university degree combined with extensive relevant experience can be considered in lieu). (Required)
• Successful completion of the Basic IMPACT Course (or equivalent training). (Required)
• Qualification or Certification in Project Management. (Preferred)

Experience

• 10–12 years of experience working in humanitarian response, disaster management, climate resilience or related fields. (Required)
• Significant experience in designing, leading and managing large-scale humanitarian programmes and operations. (Required)
• At least 7 years in senior management roles, including managing multi-disciplinary teams (Required)
• Demonstrated experience in building capacity of Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, NGO, civil society organization etc. on health interventions, disaster management, resilience building, development activities etc. (Preferred)
• Strong experience working in a multicultural, international context (Required)
• Experience managing partners or partnership arrangements, donors and organizational leadership and government counterparts. (Required)
• Experience working with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. (Required)

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Demonstrated experience in programmes and operations, including in sectors Relevant to IFRC. (Required)
• Demonstrated success in project/program planning, budgeting, management, reporting and evaluation. (Required)
• Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and new approaches to engaging partners. (Required)
• Highly developed leadership, strategic analysis and decision-making skills. (Required)
• Professional credibility, strong analytical skills, and ability to work at various levels of complexity. (Required)
• Excellent negotiation, coordination and relationship management abilities. (Required)
• Proven ability to motivate and manage a team. (Required)
• Strategic analysis, systematic planning, and implementation skills. Strong ability to manage complexity, risk and multiple priorities. (Required)
• Cultural sensitivity, with the ability to work, lead and communicate efficiently in multi-cultural, multi-lingual and cross-functional settings, including remote and dispersed teams(Required)
• Excellent collaborative and teamwork skills. (Required)
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants. (Required)
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values. (Required)
• Knowledge of IFRC tools and frameworks (ERF, IRP, PPM, PER, Seville 2.0, Membership Coordination). (Preferred)
• Experience using humanitarian intelligence, risk analytics or IM for decision making. (Preferred)
• Fluent spoken and written English (Required)
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) (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.
• Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.
• Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.