Thematic Lead, Migration & Displacement

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. 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.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises. The 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 the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The Asia Pacific region is the most disaster-prone in the world. Many countries face overlapping challenges of natural hazards amidst various disease outbreaks such as COVID-19. Extreme weather events like flooding, severe winters, tropical cyclones, and typhoons – compounded by climate change and rapid urbanization – are growing in scale, magnitude, and intensity, putting many vulnerable communities at risk and leading to widespread displacement and migration including forcing millions of people to settle in disaster-prone areas. Urbanization also places an increasing demand on systems including food, water, transport, and health. There is also a high risk of urban heatwaves, coastal hazards, and sea-level rise. Furthermore, countries positioned on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' are prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Human-induced and technological disasters, including conflict-related displacement, and epidemics also affect communities in the region. Although economic development is gradually reducing inequality between nations, there is a trend of increased inequality within nations, in some cases affecting social cohesion.

Migration is one of the five Strategic Priorities of the IFRC Strategy 2030 and included in the IFRC’s Secretariat Strategic Plan 2021-2025. A Movement Migration Strategy was adopted by the Council of Delegates in 2024 and sets the direction for National Societies, the IFRC Secretariat and the ICRC until 2030.

The Thematic Lead, Migration and Displacement leads in ensuring appropriate implementation of s2030 and the Movement Migration Strategy in the Asia Pacific Region. S/he focuses on ensuring both a targeted approach to address the needs of vulnerable migrants and displaced persons, and the mainstreaming of issues related to migration and displacement across the work of the IFRC network.

Job Purpose

The Thematic Lead, Migration and Displacement – reporting to the Head of Health, Disaster, Climate and Crisis (HDCC) Unit and with a technical line to the Global Migration and Displacement Manager – is responsible to lead the the regional strategy of migration and displacement and coordinate its implementation across all Federation-wide programmes and operations in the Asia Pacific region.

This position will oversee the design and execution of all related deliverables and coordinate delivery in this important area of work in relation to humanitarian diplomacy and capacity strengthening activities.

The Thematic Lead oversees regional policy advocacy and application in these areas; ensures coordination and technical support for implementation of the Migration and Displacement frameworks, NS capacity strengthening, long term projects and programmes, emergencies, and support to protracted crisis and supervises the adaptation and use of related guidance, standards and tools for use of the IFRC network in Asia Pacific. The Strategic Lead has regional responsibility to influence and advise senior leadership in the organization as well as other strategic level discussions with external stakeholders on related areas of work, while positioning IFRC and the NS in the region as key actors in Migration and Displacement. The Strategic Lead provides overall coordination support and contributes to the achievement of IFRC’s global commitments towards Migration and Displacement.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic leadership, direction, programmatic coherence, and capacity enhancement:

1. Lead the formulation of the regional strategy of Migration and Displacement and coordinate its implementation across all Federation-wide programmes and operations in the Asia Pacific region.
2. Lead the development and application of methodologies and approaches to support migration and displacement activities across the Asia Pacific region.
3. Provide leadership on issues related to Migration and Displacement Programming and ensure coherence and clearly articulated integration between relevant policies, strategies, frameworks, and tools.
4. Provide strategic direction to Asia Pacific National Societies, for delivery against key regional results in a high quality and accountable manner.
5. Operationalise the Migration and Displacement regional strategy in Asia Pacific as part of strengthening National Society capacities and enable them to fulfil their humanitarian mandates.
6. Provide strategic and technical advice to other APRD teams, CDs, CCDs, and National Societies in the region and collaborate with Geneva on issues related to Migration and Displacement.
7. Ensure continuous mapping of needs and practices of National Societies in the domains of Migration and Displacement; and close internal collaboration with the global team, the country and cluster delegations and relevant teams in jointly assessing trends and developing guidance and programmes to support National Societies.
8. Oversee and give technical support for the integration of Migration and Displacement across all programmes, operations and advocacy, and support capacity strengthening of respective human resources in Asia Pacific, in collaboration with relevant technical and thematic teams.
9. Support institutional and emergency preparedness for potential migration and displacement crises in the region (whether national, cross border, regional or at sea) and lead efforts aimed at ensuring that the specific vulnerabilities of migrants, refugees, and displaced communities are addressed in disaster and crisis preparedness, response, and recovery.
10. Promote and engage in systematic monitoring and evaluation of Migration and Displacement programmes and the identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning.
11. Support IFRC’s knowledge and the Asia Pacific Migration Network (APMN) as a peer-to-peer network, promote the engagement and utilization of Red Cross Red Crescent reference centres and contribute to “shared leadership” initiatives for better utilization and optimization of technical capacities and resources. Ensure the linkages with the Global Migration structure, especially the Migration Leadership group, Global Migration Task Force, and the Migration Lab.
12. Promote the mandate and responsibility of the IFRC network – and Movement at large – to address the humanitarian needs of migrants, refugees, and displaced communities.
13. Support National Societies in leveraging their auxiliary role and influencing legal and policy development, application and change on issues relating to migrants, refugees, and displaced communities.
14. Lead the migration and displacement situational analysis with the support of the IFRC network.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Management:

1. Select, mentor, and manage team members under the programmatic functional area, including ensuring that they have well-defined results-based priority plans and capacity to provide technical support to response operations at any time.
2. Promote a culture of continuous learning, individual and team accountability in the programmatic functional area by setting individual and team objectives, monitoring team performance and conducting timely performance reviews.
3. Ensure that timely monthly operational and prorgamme highlights and annual updates on operations and programmes are prepared as well as deliver inputs for standard reports.
4. Ensure close work with the health, emergency operations and crosscutting thematic functional areas of HDCC and coordinates other units within APRO, CDs, CCDs, and Geneva as well as with ICRC, Partner National Societies, relevant IFRC Reference centres and key external stakeholders throughout the programming cycle.
5. Develop annual plans for the programmatic functional area in coordination with the HoHDCC and Strategic Leads as well as mobilize, manage, and monitor the use of available financial resources and ensure that delivery of agreed activities is in line with approved ceilings and finance procedures.
6. Oversee regionally implemented Migration and Displacement projects/programmes, and the timely and quality delivery of all project outputs.
7. Identify risks and challenges to the ongoing projects/programmes, raise with regional and country-level counterparts, and provide advice as relevant to the HoHDCC and APRO Senior Management Team on mitigation strategies.

Coordination and networking:

1. Lead the IFRC strategic coordination role in the migration and displacement file with NS and PNS.
2. Identify and encourage opportunities for national, cross-border and regional Movement coordination on migration and displacement, including collaboration, peer-to peer mechanisms and other, as required.
3. Coordinate support to enhance the Migration and Displacement capacity of National Societies and IFRC delegations, including ensuing that National Societies are well supported in developing, implementing, and managing programmes to meet the needs of vulnerable migrants, refugees, and displaced communities.
4. Oversee coordination and partnerships related to Migration and Displacement with relevant regional stakeholders with and outside the RCRC Movement with a clear objective and goal.
5. Ensures high quality preparation, sensitization, and participation of IFRC network in inter-agency and inter-governmental and global processes, such as those related to the Global Compact for Migration, Global Compact for Refugees etc…
6. In collaboration with Geneva counterparts, pursue opportunities and explore partnerships for research as a base for evidence aimed at supporting advocacy on expanding investment in Migration and Displacement.

Representation:

1. At the request of the HoHDCC and APRO Senior Management Team, represent IFRC – in regional inter-agency events on Migration and Displacement – as a key actor, influencing regional policies, advocacy, and agenda.
2. Responsible and accountable for ensuring that IFRC is represented in relevant inter-agency initiatives and events focusing on Migration and Displacement.

Education

Required

Advanced degree in International Law, Human Rights Law, International Relations, Refugee Law or related field.

Preferred

Basic Delegates Training Course (BTC), WORC, IMPACT or equivalent knowledge.

Experience

Required

Minimum 10 years of professional experience in migration, displacement, human rights and protection issues; with a grasp of migration issues and trends in the Asia Pacific region

Demonstrated experience in programme design and implementation related to migration

Experience in the provision of high-quality technical and policy advice to stakeholders at all levels of organizational hierarchy on migration and displacement issues

Experience in humanitarian diplomacy in negotiating support and involvement of affected people, partner organizations, donors and government on migration matters

Experience working within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, or a humanitarian aid organization, in a developing country and/or working with migrants and refugees

Experience of successful fundraising and managing donor relations

Experience in narrative and financial reporting

Experience in a developing country

Preferred

Management or supervisory experience in a multicultural environment

Experience in legal/academic writing and drafting

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Self-supporting in computers (Email, Internet, spread sheets, word-processing, etc.)

Strong knowledge of International Law, Refugee Law, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law and other legal and normative frameworks related to migration

Ability to gather, analyze, and evaluate facts and prepare and present concise oral and written reports for internal and external audiences

Ability to work within a matrix management structure and utilize talent and experience of other team members effectively

Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

Results oriented and demand-driven individual

Demonstrated leadership and management skills

Excellent oral, written and presentation skills

High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels with complete integrity and confidentiality

Strong research and analytical skills

Awareness of the IFRC Strategy 2030 and its Plan and Budget

Competencies, Values and Comments

Fluently spoken and written English

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