Thematic Lead, Protection, Gender, Inclusion (PGI)

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 (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.

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.

Values, Power and Inclusion (VPI), covering Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), is one of the strategic priorities (SP 5) in IFRC Agenda for Renewal and Strategy 2030. The technical strategic priority team in the Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) includes Protection, Gender and Inclusion and Community Engagement and Accountability and is located in Health, Disaster, Climate and Crisis Unit. The Thematic Lead, PGI is responsible for the overall management and coordination to strengthen PGI and CEA in the region, by technically leading the work on PGI and managing the regional CEA team.

The Thematic Lead, PGI reports to the Head of Health Disasters, Climate and Crises (HoHDCC) and engages with the Regional Membership Services as well as technical units in the Regional and Country/Country Cluster Delegations to support the NSs in the Region. The regional PGI Coordinator also works closely with the global PGI team and receives technical guidance and supervision from the PGI Lead in the NSDS Department in Geneva.

When funding is available, this role requires travel including deployments to emergency response, roughly 30% of the year.

Job Purpose

The Thematic Lead, PGI, provides strategic leadership and direction on PGI supporting the IFRC network in Asia Pacific to ensure high quality, coherent, contextualized, and well-coordinated scale-up programming including providing provide managerial oversight and guidance to the regional CEA team. The incumbent will strive to demonstrate alignment and coherence with the overall global priorities and strategic aims of the IFRC with regards to PGI and will contribute to further developing the global approach by sharing experiences, information, lessons learned and best practice from the region.

The Thematic Lead, PGI oversees regional policy advocacy and application in these areas; ensures coordination and technical support for implementation of related regional roadmaps, frameworks and projects/programmes and supervises the adaptation and use of related guidance, standards and tools for use of the IFRC network in Asia Pacific. The role 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 NSs in the region as key actors of SP5/VPI. The Thematic Lead, PGI, provides overall coordination support and contributes to the achievement of IFRC’s commitments towards PGI in the region and provide managerial oversight to the regional CEA team.

The Thematic Lead, PGI, is responsible for driving the development of PGI across the Asia Pacific Region ensuring PGI is built into the NSs and IFRC ways of working, emergency operations and long-term programmes at both country and sub-regional level through the integration and coordination of PGI activities and approaches. PGI is a critical area of the IFRC in the region strengthening and ensuring Dignity, Access, Participation and Safety of all, including all genders and marginalized groups in all operations and programmes, as well as within IFRC secretariat and NSs. The role will coordinate, advise, mobilise and ensure quality programme (human, financial) resources for PGI work. This includes PGI mainstreaming, leadership and organisational development, advocacy, programme design, staff support and training, and strengthening partnerships within and outside the Movement as well as community relationships. The position will provide strategic and technical advice and training to build the capacity of NSs and the IFRC Secretariat to integrate a more systematic approach to PGI throughout the programme and disaster risk management cycle. This will include supporting and promoting the use of innovative approaches to information sharing, community participation and feedback, behavioural and social change, communication, and evidence-based advocacy, to enhance the impact, reach and efficiency of emergency response operations and development programmes.

The position holder will be responsible for all aspects of project and budget management and will act as the IFRC PGI representative for the Region coordinating internally within the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement and externally through inter-agency networks.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Management and contribution to an effective, high quality IFRC team:

• Guided by Strategy 2030, the PGI Policy and adhering Operational Framework for PGI, lead the formulation of the regional strategy of PGI and coordinate its implementation across all IFRC Secretariat programmes and operations in the Asia Pacific region.
• Similarly, guided by the RCRC Movement-wide Commitments to CEA, support the CEA team for contextualized development of strategies and plans, as well as coordinating the implementation of these for CEA across all IFRC Programmes and Operations in the region.
• Line manager for IFRC APRO staff under SP5 (PGI and CEA) and technical manager for PGI staff in IFRC Country Delegations (CDs) and Country Cluster Delegations (CCDs).
• Responsible and accountable for the overall day-to day management, administration, and coordination of APRO’s PGI programmatic functional area activities.
• Accountable to the HoHDCC on achievement of results of the unit’s Operational Plan
• 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.
• 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.
• Ensure that the team prepares accurate and timely monthly operational highlights, quarterly updates on operations and annual updates on operations as well as deliver inputs for standard reports.
• Ensure that the programmatic team works closely with the health, emergency operations and crosscutting thematic approaches functional areas of HDCC and coordinates other units within APRO, CDs, CCDs, and Geneva as well as with ICRC, Partner National Societies, and key external stakeholders. Support the HoHDCC in ensuring strategic coherence and alignment as well as programmatic and operational coordination between HDCC and other technical units.
• Develop annual plans for the programmatic functional area in coordination with the HoHDCC to mobilize, manage and monitor the use of available financial resources and facilities by the team to ensure that delivery of agreed activities is in line with approved ceilings and finance procedures.
• Oversee regionally implemented PGI projects/programmes, and the timely and quality delivery of all project outputs.
• Identify risks and challenges to the ongoing projects/programmes, raise with regional and country-level counterparts, and provide advice as relevant to the HoHDCC.
• Actively participate in Global IFRC processes for PGI such as planning, strategy development, tools development and coordination and respond to requests for assistance from global IFRC team-members members when needed.
• Maintain a clear structure in the region of IFRC Staff and Focal Points.

Strengthen Institutional PGI in IFRC and NSs:

• Lead the development and application of methodologies and approaches to support PGI/CEA investments, regulatory reform, and activities across the AP region.
• Provide leadership on issues related to PGI, and ensure coherence between relevant policies, strategies, frameworks, and tools.
• Provide strategic guidance and support, and raise awareness and commitment PGI among NSs and IFRC APRO, CCDs and CDs as well as thematic sectors.
• Strengthen the role of a PGI focal point and peer-to-peer PGI Networks in NSs in the Region
• Work closely with IFRC Membership Services to strengthen institutional PGI capacity in NSs.
• Facilitate regional learning and knowledge sharing and development; heighten advocacy on PGI.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Drive the roll out of a systematic and integrated approach to organizational and institutional capacity building for PGI within the IFRC and across the NSs of APRO Region by coordinating and supporting processes for NSs and IFRC on: policy development, organisational capacity assessments for PGI, support in establishing systems and mechanisms to ensure mainstreaming of PGI in plans, processes and procedures.
• Provide guidance, coordination, and referrals to NSs in the region to ensure that safeguarding mechanisms, tools and technical support is available and in place to ensure the safety of all people engaged with through IFRC supported operations and programmes, with specific priority to children.
• Collaborate with and provide technical support to IFRC regional Human Resources and Leadership in strengthening PSEA in the Secretariat and in IFRC supported operations.
• Work closely with the IFRC global PGI team to ensure there is consistency and coordination between PGI efforts at regional and global level.
• Coordinate technical and financial planning and support from Movement Partners in region and fundraise for the PGI workplan at regional level, ensuring sustainable funding, and timely donor reporting.
• Provide technical support and advice on IFRC and NS commitments to increased diversity and inclusive leadership, including priority to increased women’s leadership and Gender Parity in the RCRC Movement.

Strengthen and support IFRC and NSs in PGI implementation across all operations and programmes:

• Ensure continuous mapping of needs and practices of NSs in the domains teams in jointly assessing trends and developing guidance and programmes to support NSs.
• Oversee the integration of PGI considerations across all programmes, operations and advocacy, and support capacity building of respective human resources in Asia Pacific, in collaboration with relevant technical and thematic teams.
• Work closely and IFRC Secretariat technical leads and their thematic areas (Health, WASH, CVA/Livelihoods, Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction and Migration and Displacement) to help them to ensure dignity, access, participation and safety within programmes and operations.
• Support ensuring appropriate PGI in programs and operations at regional and country level level.
• Coordinate, supervise and support PGI surge capacity to NS when needed by acting as technical manager for PGI surge personnel deployed to IFRC coordinated emergency response operation in the APRO region, in close coordination with the global roster- and surge manager for PGI.

Partnerships, Learning and Advocacy:

• Actively collaborate with various stakeholders on issues related to PGI/CEA.
• Develop evidence-based learning demonstrating the impact of PGI tools and approaches on the quality and effectiveness of programming, on protection risk management, and resilience enhancement in APRO.
• Develop and convene partnerships with Governments, Regional Bodies and, UN other specialised PGI agencies along with relevant IFRC teams to strengthen the RCRC Movement work on PGI.
• Represent the IFRC in regional PGI events, including setting policy-advocacy positions on PGI related themes.
• Advocate and share lessons learnt for PGI issues with key stakeholders internal and external to the RCRC movement to ensure appropriate awareness of PGI risks, needs, capacities and trends.
• Forge/implement strategic partnerships with NSs and external partners, private sector, voluntary sector, academia, NGOs and CSOs.

Education

Required

• University degree (Master’s degree) in Social/Behavioural Sciences, Human Rights Law, International Development or relevant equivalence (i.e. Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Education, Disaster Risk Management, Gender Studies).
• IMPACT course or equivalent knowledge.

Preferred

• Relevant professional qualifications/ certificate. 

Experience

Required

• At least 7 years of experience in a PGI related role (protection, gender, sexual and gender-based violence, disability rights), including proven track record in providing strategic direction and developing and delivering tools and technical advisory outcomes.
• Three to five years of experience with community engagement approaches, direct support to survivors of violence, exploitation or abuse, or addressing the specific needs of marginalized groups at community level.
• Demonstrated professional experience in the IFRC or an organization within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or in an international organization or NGO in the context of developing countries.
• Demonstrated experience in applying humanitarian protection, gender, accessibility standards and guidelines and in setting up and managing accountability systems, participatory planning processes.
• Experience of coaching, training and developing local staff and volunteers in order to build long-term capacity and create ownership.
• Possesses a broad understanding of global humanitarian issues, and international humanitarian standards for PGI in disaster response.
• Holds a holistic and intersectional approach to addressing issues of discrimination, violence and exclusion and understands the institutional requirements necessary to achieve sustainable humanitarian impact to prevent and respond appropriately.
• Demonstrates ability to represent and advocate for PGI with diplomatic and contextual adaptation and appropriateness to sensitive issues including for language.

Preferred

• 3+ years of working experience in the Asia Pacific region.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Good coordination skills, with the capacity to build partnerships with internal and external organisations and bring people together to collaborate on PGI approaches and activities.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills, able to build relationships with people at all levels of the organisation across multiple countries and cultures, both in person and remotely, to build commitment and support for PGI.
• Excellent project management skills, able to work under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously, to a high standard and to deadline.
  Advanced analytical skills, able to capture learning and use it to make improvements in programming and operations.
• Highly motivated, self-starter able to take initiative and lead a team or process.
• Good knowledge of protection, gender and inclusion issues in humanitarian programming.
• Fluent spoken and written English

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.
Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.
Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.

Available documents

• JD – Thematic Lead PGI.pdf