Vacancy Announcement

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 (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs 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.”  IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

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 IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

The collaboration between the Swedish Red Cross (SweRC) and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) originated in the 1970s in response to the devastating cyclone in Bhola, Bangladesh, which resulted in a significant loss of life estimated between 500,000 to one million individuals. Since that critical juncture, the SweRC has consistently fostered its alliance with the BDRCS, primarily through sustained multilateral support. In the early 2000s, the SweRC expanded its engagement by participating in consortia with other Partner National Societies (PNSs), such as the British Red Cross and the German Red Cross. Subsequently, in 2014, the SweRC decided to open an office in Dhaka. In 2022, the Swedish Red Cross developed a country strategy for Bangladesh. The Swedish Red Cross contributions have notably concentrated on mainstreaming Protection, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI) and Green Response within the BDRCS at both institutional and programmatic levels. Additionally, SweRC has played a pivotal role in supporting the capacity development of monitoring, evaluation, and reporting at the BDRCS HQ and has been actively engaging in resilience efforts, particularly in flood-prone areas.

Job Purpose:

The Program Officer (PO) will work under the guidance of the Program Manager to support overseeing the implementation of the Disaster Management, Disaster Response including green response, Resilience work of the Swedish Red Cross (SweRC) in Bangladesh. The purpose of the Program Officer in the Swedish Red Cross (SweRC) is to support the effective implementation of Disaster Management, Disaster Response, green response, and Resilience initiatives in Bangladesh. This includes working under the guidance of the Program Manager to oversee various aspects of these initiatives.  The actions should be done collaborate closely with the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and RCRC Movement partners to enhance Disaster Management and resilience capacities as required. Overall, the Program Officer serves to facilitate the smooth execution of SweRC's humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh, contributing to the organization's mission of alleviating human suffering and promoting resilience in disaster-prone areas.

Key Areas of Accountability:

Program Implementation Support

• Provide support to BDRCS in planning, budgeting, risk analysis, and other aspects of project management.
• Support in monitoring and tracking project activities in close collaboration with BDRCS for timely implementation.
• Ensure effective collaboration and coordination with BDRCS to maintain quality standards throughout the project.
• Ensure smooth coordination with project implementing branches.
• Support to ensure timely reporting (monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.) and facilitate the audit process.
• Support to establish effective coordination between BDRCS and relevant advisors and consultants.

Technical Responsibilities and knowledge management

• Provide technical support in community resilience building, focusing on Disaster Management (DM), Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and livelihood activities within the DM and resilience portfolio.
• Support in facilitating and ensuring the integration of environmental considerations into resilience and response programs.
• Provide technical support in designing training, developing operational guidelines, and facilitating training sessions.
• Support in capturing case stories, best practices, and lessons learned within the DM and resilience portfolio of SweRC.
• Support in monitoring, coordinating, and implementing follow-up monitoring of DM and resilience projects.
• Undertake regular field visits to support Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) activities, ensuring the quality of project implementation, and identifying areas where adaptations might be needed (Bangladesh).
• Ensure the preparation of good quality photos and other visibility materials in the field.

• Support in the development of concept notes and project proposals in collaboration with the team.

Resource management

• Support the recruitment of intern/ external consultants (development of ToR / Job description, follow the SweRC recruitment tool, etc.).
• Ensure regular communication and coordination with the consultant to achieve the best results.
• Support the sharing of learning on green initiatives with national societies and facilitate knowledge exchange not only with BDRCS but also with other relevant PNSs.
• Handle administrative tasks, including organizing meetings, workshops, and training sessions, among other duties.

Partnerships

• Support the RCRC Movement towards a resilience harmonised approach.
• Propose specific DM technical supports to the BDRCS in line with the SweRC available technical and financial resources.
• Participate in different coordination forum and meetings organized by the partners and IFRC.

Security

• Fully comply with the IFRC security regulations and ensure the compliance of the SweRC team under his/her responsibility.

  Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Disaster Management, Environmental Science, or any other relevant discipline from a reputable university.

Experience:

• Candidates must have at least 3 years of experience in the field of Disaster Risk Management/Disaster Risk Reduction, climate change adaptation, or green response.
• Experience in working with community resilience and a community-driven approach is required.
• Prior experience in the disaster response programs will be an asset.
• Experience in operations or partnerships in the areas of disaster management, climate change, health, and migration are preferred.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Professional understanding on DM projects management cycle in Bangladesh
• Strong Coordination and Communication skills.
• Facilitation of training and field level engagement.
• Understanding on Core humanitarian principles, standard, Emergency Management

Languages:

• Advanced knowledge of spoken and written English.
• Fluent in speaking and writing Bangla.

Salary Range: Negotiable

Other Benefits

• Festival Bonus
• Gratuity
• Life & Medical Insurance
• Provident fund
• Mobile & Transport Allowance
• Medical reimbursement for staff and immediate family up to 70,000 BDT per annum.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are requested to submit the application to this email ID bangladesh.delegation@ifrc.org on or before 16 April 2024. Please state your expected salary in the application.

Please note that this position will close on 16 April 2024, Bangladesh Standard Time. However, IFRC reserves the right to fill the role prior to the advertisement end date. As such, candidates are encouraged to apply at their earliest convenience.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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