Job description

Job title: Under Secretary General Disaster Response and Early Recovery
Unit/dept/delegation: Disaster Response and early Recovery Division
Reports to: Secretary General
Responsible for:

Background
At the dawn of a new decade, building on Strategy 2010, as well as on its mid term review, the Federation of the Future
process establishes a clear focus for the International Federation by setting out the Red Cross/ Red Crescent Global
Agenda and a Framework for Action. The International Federation secretariat coordinates and supports the collective
efforts of the International Federation membership to better address the increasing number of humanitarian and
development challenges in the world and to scale up the work of National Societies to achieve the four goals of the
Global Agenda as a major contribution to building safe and resilient communities.

The IFRC’s senior management team works in line with a strategic plan towards persuading decision-makers, policy-
makers, resources managers, corporate leaders, academics and other opinion leaders and stakeholders to understand,
recognise and support the work of the IFRC and National Societies in support of the most vulnerable, working together
for humanity.

Purpose
Within the holistic and integrated approach of Disaster Management including Preparedness, Response and Recovery,
the International Federation has a global mandate to support National Societies in effective preparedness, response and
early recovery. Excellence in planning for and coordination of National Society action and - where appropriate -
directly responding to and recovering from disasters is of fundamental importance. In addition, the global commitment
made by the IFRC to convene the shelter cluster in natural disasters must be fulfilled.

The Under Secretary General for Disaster Response and Early Recovery and his division provide leadership, oversight,
coherence, direction and operational coordination in timely and appropriate preparedness, in the delivery of effective,
risk informed disaster response and in early recovery. The Under Secretary General is responsible to ensure that
effective and well coordinated support is provided to National Societies in response preparedness at national, regional
and international/global levels.

The USG will be responsible for providing advice – reflecting this division’s agenda - to Governance structures relevant
to their Division, and for keeping Governance (all Federation bodies and Movement meetings) and the Secretary
General aware of relevant trends in humanitarian and political thinking in the external world.

The USG is responsible for ensuring cooperation and coordination both within the Federation and through consultation
with the ICRC and other interlocutors and for ensuring that operational actions are consistent with the Fundamental
Principles of the Movement.

Key tasks and responsibilities

The USG is responsible for the provision of strategic leadership, direction and management in the following main areas

Strategic Leadership and Direction for Disaster Response and Early Recovery
• Lead disaster response and early recovery strategy development and implementation, identifying priority
setting criteria, processes and directions, as well as aligning these with the organization’s strategic goals. The
focus will be on leading response and early recovery actions, in close collaboration with the Under Secretary
General Development to ensure consistency and coherence.
• Advise on the development of Disaster Response and Early Recovery policies and their dissemination as well
as ensure operational compliance with policies, guidelines and operating procedures.
• Maintain an overview of emerging crises/disasters in order to keep the Secretary General and Senior
Management informed.
 • Ensure the development of new and innovative approaches in Disaster Response and early Recovery
programming, maintaining an oversight of new humanitarian programming developments. This will require
engaging with other International Organizations, the United Nations, NGOs and academic institutions in
related areas.

Supporting Integrated Disaster Management

• Work closely in the support of Zones to ensure that National Societies possess the capacity, infrastructure and
finances required for timely, effective response to and early recovery from disasters.
• Contribute to overall coordination and the setting of priorities together with all relevant Departments across the
different Divisions, applying an integrated holistic approach to Disaster Management. This will specifically
require close working relationships with the Development Division.
• Ensure that a global surge capacity is available to support disaster operations with highly skilled human
resources.
• Ensuring that the linkages with disaster risk reduction and development programming (to build community
safety and resilience) are integrated into response and early recovery activities, tools and standard operating
procedures.
• Contribute to the development of a disaster information/operation management system in close collaboration
with other relevant Divisions and Zone offices.

Ensuring Service Delivery to National Societies for Disaster Response and Recovery.
• Ensure the delivery of Logistic services to National Societies and other humanitarian actors in the most
effective way.
• Ensure a well functioning rapid disaster response mechanism of the International Federation and an efficient
global coordination and Deployment system of Disaster Response Tools ( NDRT, RDRT, FACT , ERU etc)
• Increase and improve the Federation- wide capacity to respond to emergency shelter needs.
• Ensure a strong and well coordinated approach for National Societies to undertake recovery operations.

Representation and Advocacy

• Ensure that the disaster response and early recovery strategy - as a component of integrated disaster
management - is communicated and understood throughout the organization, within member National
Societies and key partners such as Governments, ICRC, United Nations and NGOs.
• Represent and act as a key interlocutor for the International Federation on disaster operations and thematically
relevant issues with external actors and inter-agency fora.
• Work closely with the Director Humanitarian Diplomacy Division to identify and prioritize key Disaster
Response and Early Recovery advocacy topics and targets.

Accountability
• Ensure that the delivery of coordinated, appropriate and effective response and early recovery programming
makes full use of the National Society network to achieve greatest impact.
• Oversee the management of global Disaster Response and Early Recovery financial resources (approximately
60-70% of the organization’s total budget).
• Ensure regular reporting on disaster response and early recovery developments, including raising strategic
issues to the attention of the Secretary General.
• Working closely with the Resource Mobilization Department to fund-raise for global Disaster Response and
Early Recovery activities, thus ensuring a strategic approach towards donors.
• Oversee headquarters’ Disaster Response and Early Recovery agreements with external partners and ensure
their fulfilment.

People Management
• Manage the disaster response and early recovery human resources globally in all disaster management entities.
Working Relationships
The Under Secretary General will be part of the Geneva-based Senior Management team and will lead close working
relationships with all Divisions, thus ensuring that the Disaster Response and Early recovery Agenda is well integrated
into the overall business plan of the organisation; he/she contributes to the corporate management of the Secretariat led
by the Secretary General.

The Under Secretary General will be expected to be the acting Secretary General at the request of the Secretary
General.

The USG will also lead the Division’s technical (Disaster Preparedness, Response and Early Recovery) support to the
zones; the Directors of Zones will have a technical reporting line to this position.

Duties Applicable to all Staff

1. Actively work towards the achievement of the Secretariat’s goals.
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross/Red Crescent principles.
3. Perform any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager (Secretary
General).
 Person specification
Education/Qualifications Required Preferred

Post-graduate degree, with emphasis on humanitarian or development issues X

Sound understanding and knowledge of the Federation (acquired through several years of
experience within the Movement and possibly also working at the Federation or with direct X
contact to the Federation)
Experience
At least 10 years working at management level X
At least 10 years of field experience in humanitarian work X
Significant experience managing at least two of the following functions: disaster
X
management, advocacy, disaster monitoring and preparedness
Experience of working with other organisations such as UN system and donors. X
In order to understand the full implications and responsibilities of this role it is recommended
X
that candidates have worked at the Federation.
Skills/knowledge
Capable to work successfully and constructively in a multi-cultural senior management team,
X
spread out across the globe
Able to articulate vision and strategy, and translate them into action in own area X
Able to liaise and link effectively between governance, management and the Zones X
Capable to make a substantial contribution to guiding the vision and priorities of the
X
Secretariat in its support to members
Shows commitment to shared values and building organizational capacity X
Possesses strong track record of collaboration and teamwork beyond direct-line reporting to
ensure efficient relationship with Development and disaster management resources across the X
globe.
Able to instil strong level of urgency to organization when required (esp. disaster response
X
and early recovery)
Has proven people management and development skills, with a 20+ workforce of qualified
X
professionals and administrative staff.
Has a track record of process design and implementation X
Has a proven track record of complex, multi-country project management X
Shows ability to cope with ambiguity and effectively handle complex emergency situations X
Has demonstrated ability to adapt best practices from other organisations where appropriate
X
and successfully apply them to the specificities of the RCRC context.
Fluent written and spoken English are a prerequisite, with proficiency in an additional
X
Federation language preferred.
Main Competencies required
Intercultural sensitivity
Results orientation
Team leadership
Developing Organisational Capabilities
Strategic orientation
Change leadership
Collaboration and influencing skills (including NS relations)
Integrity

Hiring manager’s name Bekele Geleta Signature

Job title Secretary General Date