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.
As part of the Asia Pacific Region, the Afghanistan country delegation supports Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) through capacity strengthening and program implementation guided by the ARCS’s established strategic plan in the areas of health, disaster risk management, food security and livelihoods, social outreach, organizational development.
In line with the IFRC Strategy 2030 and the Agenda for Renewal, which emphasize influencing humanitarian action through effective partnership engagement, strengthening a united and agile Secretariat, enabling a coordinated IFRC-wide approach, and fostering IFRC as a trusted organization, there is a critical need to strengthen grants management processes within IFRC Afghanistan Country Delegation. This position will reinforce IFRC’s ability to ensure effective grants compliance, systematic tracking large grants, robust financial and programmatic reporting, and proactive risk management across the full grant’s lifecycle. By strengthening oversight, coordination, and accountability mechanisms, the role will support the transparent, compliant, and timely use of Partner/Donor funds in line with IFRC policies, partner/donor requirements, and operational priorities in Afghanistan.
Job Purpose
Under the supervision of the Health & Care Coordinator, the Senior Officer, Public Health in Emergencies (PhiE), is responsible for overseeing the implementation of IFRC’s public health emergency programs in close collaboration with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and movement partners . The incumbent will work closely with the ARCS PHiE team to ensure that emergency health programs are delivered effectively and efficiently, and in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and other relevant external stakeholders at national and local levels.
The post holder will work in close collaboration with the ARCS Health Department at headquarters, provincial, and regional levels. The primary purpose of the role is to strengthen the capacity of the ARCS PHiE team in designing public health emergency programs, disaster preparedness initiatives, emergency response activities, and systems for monitoring and evaluation.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Programme planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Review emergency interventions for consistency and compliance with evidence-based approaches, policies, procedures, standards, methodologies, and best practices.
- Support the continuous learning and capacity development of ARCS PHiE counterparts in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
- Provide technical inputs for developing and revising health operational plans and budgets for IFRC and ARCS-supported health programmes, in consultation with ARCS primary health and immunization focal points.
- Review and update the implementation of action plans derived from project proposals, in coordination with ARCS.
- Track and monitor PHiE performance indicators to ensure achievement of results and support ARCS in meeting program performance requirements.
- Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual PHiE programme reports and contribute to pledge-based reporting.
- Lead and facilitate the development of case studies, success stories, and other communication materials related to health and immunization activities.
- Ensure IFRC-funded health projects consistently apply appropriate PMER tools in line with IFRC planning and budgeting guidelines.
- Support ARCS in preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for IFRC on agreed health projects.
- Conduct monitoring visits to IFRC-funded ARCS health programme areas and prepare field visit reports to provide feedback to the ARCS Health Programme team at HQ and regional levels.
- Provide technical public health support to ARCS for follow-up on evaluation activities of IFRC-supported health programmes and projects.
- Assist IFRC and ARCS in monthly budget utilization tracking, in coordination with the finance department.
- Support ARCS in identifying health priority areas and provide expert inputs in developing health programme/project proposals, DREFs, and Emergency Appeals.
- Ensure that all projects and programmes integrate Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) and Protection, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI) approaches.
- Be available for national deployment as a Public Health Expert during emergencies.
Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)
National Society (NS) Technical and Operational Capacity Support
- Support the ARCS Public Health in Emergency team in identifying solutions for improving skill-building, qualitative data collection, and analysis.
- Provide technical assistance and strengthen the capacity of ARCS PHiE team in program design, implementation, and emergency interventions within the broader disaster management framework.
- Collaborate with ARCS to implement recommendations from the Health Cluster and relevant technical working groups for PHiE interventions.
- Ensure ARCS PHiE services adhere to Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) national standards and guidelines.
- Assist ARCS in integrating measures for prevention, mitigation, public health preparedness, humanitarian health actions, and recovery into program planning and execution.
- Build ARCS capacity and provide oversight for planning, implementing, and managing the health components of emergency response and recovery programs, ensuring alignment with agreed-upon standards.
- Contribute to IFRC–ARCS country office strategic and operational discussions beyond health programming.
- Supervise IFRC-supported PHiE Mobile Health Teams (MHTs) across Afghanistan including data collection, statistics reporting, and financial report processing.
- Serve as focal person for designing and leading health responses during emergencies/ disasters including earthquakes, floods, population displacements etc.
- Support ARCS in preparing PHiE MHT activity reports and developing case studies.
- Monitor the provision and distribution of medical and non-medical supplies to ARCS MHTs in targeted locations.
- Follow up with ARCS headquarters and field finance departments to ensure timely and accurate submission of financial reports.
Coordination and Communication
- Assist ARCS and liaise with the Health Cluster and other national technical bodies to ensure effective transfer of technical knowledge to ARCS.
- Contribute to the implementation of ARCS’ upcoming five-year strategy and overall strategic plan.
- Strengthen relationships and coordination with PNS, helping to build a shared community of practice for Public Health and Emergency.
- Facilitate effective liaison and coordination with technical counterparts from the Red Cross Movement, government authorities, UN agencies, INGOs, and NGOs involved in IFRC-supported health programmes at national and regional levels.
- Support collaboration between ARCS and IFRC Health teams and contribute to cross-departmental coordination with other relevant ARCS and IFRC offices.
- Participate in health sector and thematic technical networks to share knowledge and stay updated on emerging developments and issues.
- Maintain regular communication with ARCS Mobile Health Teams in the field, including conducting weekly update calls with field teams.
- Act as a key facilitator between IFRC and the ARCS Public Health in Emergency team to ensure smooth coordination and information flow.
Prepare and contribute to briefs, reports, and feedback documents for ARCS and IFRC health colleagues.
Education
Required
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experiences in Public Health/ Medical/Midwifery/Nursing, Pharmacy and health related degree.
- Equivalent training/course on public health, health programme management, health system development; planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (PMER); training development and facilitation; in development and emergency context.
Experience
Required
- 5-7 years of previous work experience in managing health program both development and emergency health programming for national and international organizations with skills and experience in handling admin/finance and project management work.
- Experience within the humanitarian sector
- Demonstrated success in planning, project management and reporting
Preferred
- Understanding of the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
Required
- Thorough understanding of project/program management
- Open to work with others with different cultural backgrounds
- Self-supporting in computers (Windows, Microsoft Office)
- Ability to produce written documentation on a daily, weekly and monthly basis
- 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
- Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values.
- Fluent spoken and written English and one or both of Afghanistan official languages
Preferred
- Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)
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
