Consultant, IFRC Solferino Academy - Project Manager and Collective Community Intelligence initiatives

The IFRC Solferino Academy aims to challenge and inspire the way people work, think, act and connect. It supports the IFRC network in transforming to be more fit for future and capable of thriving through the complex and dynamic changes occurring throughout the world in order to more effectively meet humanitarian and development challenges.

We do this in alignment with the transformation priorities of the IFRC Strategy 2030 and the IFRC Agenda for Renewal. The Academy is composed of three pillars: Leadership, a Think Tank and Innovation. While each of these areas is presented as distinct components, in reality all Solferino Academy initiatives address each of these three areas and are deeply interconnected. Our three areas of focus are;

We help leaders transform for the future

We support leadership in all its forms to develop the capabilities and insights needed to lead transformation, adaptation and to build systems and cultures for change.

We are a Think Tank for the IFRC Network

We provide platforms for new thinking and approaches where National Societies can learn from others and strengthen their own strategies and transformation processes.

We catalyse and promote Innovation

We develop initiatives that help promote innovation and the enabling environments necessary for it to thrive in our network.

The Projects Manager and Collective Intelligence Consultant will work within the Solferino Academy initiative and is remote-based, with some potential travel anticipated for the role.

The Solferino Academy, through its collective community intelligence initiative attempts to draw on the experiences and insights of the IFRC network, particularly volunteers and community members, to inform global policy, strategy and thought. The role will support the IFRC Solferino Academy to strengthen its approaches to network-based collective intelligence. There are currently over 100,000 stakeholders who subscribe to, follow or are signed up to email and WhatsApp lists of the Solferino Academy. The role will develop models and approaches to help convert this engagement into a more effective collective intelligence network. We are looking for experimental and cutting-edge approaches that will help us achieve these goals.

The role is also required to provide project management support to a number of initiatives within the Solferino Academy, particularly a global summit planned for December 2026 with participants including senior leaders from across the IFRC network alongside external experts. Working with a range of technical specialists from the Solferino Academy and the IFRC National Society Development Coordination teams, the role will help coordinate the elements of the summit that the solferino academy is responsible for, including marketing and engagement of our network, platform design and development and content contributions.

Collective Intelligence

• Building on the analysis completed from previous work on collective intelligence, further develop the model and approach for the engagement with staff and volunteers of National Societies and their community members, to provide stories, insights and primary intelligence that can inform and complement the key themes of initiatives and global policy and strategy matters.
• Develop or source any specific tools that will be needed to carry out these tasks.
• Building on previous tests and insights from experiments, test the validity and feasibility of new tools and approaches with key stakeholders and use their feedback to inform recommendations
• Develop the insights, results and findings from the Peace initiative, Light in the Darkness supporting Academy colleagues to produce a report detailing the findings that can be used within the General Assembly workshop on Peace Education.
• Support colleagues in the Academy to develop an approach that can analyse and assess the contributions from young people to the Limitless Peace initiative and produce the findings in formats that can be used for leadership think tanks and other learning events.

Project Management – National Society Development Summit (NSDS)

• Ensure that a sound project management approach is put in place for the NSDS and that all project milestones that the Solferino Academy are met and delivered on time. The consultant will work with three distinct teams; 1) the solferino academy communications team including a designer, social media officer and network engagement coordinator, with additional support from our innovation team; 2) Monash Mosaic digital innovation team and; 3. The NSD team.
• Oversee and ensure the successful completion of projects from start to finish, within budget and on time. This includes organizing, and directing project activities, designed through collaborative planning, while managing resources, people, and risks.
• Develop project plans, assist in defining scope, goals, and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders. Create and maintain project schedules, tracking progress, and identifying and addressing potential delays or risks.
• Act as the main point of contact between Monash Mosaic and the wider project team, ensuring effective communication and collaboration. Liaise with Monash to ensure that design needs are clearly articulated and are met and that Monash is easily and clearly able to complete their development work, assist with design sessions where needed and with facilitating workflow decision needs.
• Working alongside colleagues in the Solferino Academy and Monash, ensure that the digital platform is fully functional meets all design needs within reason, of the NSD teams and functions effectively and smoothly to deliver a major global summit digitally. This includes registration processes, agenda and participation pathways and creative add-ons such as networking rooms.
• Schedule, facilitate, chair and report on team meetings, creative sessions and other key project collaboration mechanisms as required.
• Ensure that the Head of the Solferino Academy is regularly updated on progress of the initiatives and is advised of any potential risks to the projects in a timely manner.

Time Period

35 days from 28 October to 30 December 2026.

Required

• Some experience in humanitarian data and information management practices, including humanitarian and research ethics in the management and utilisation of data.
• Experience working at global scale and familiarity with the complexity of supporting and engaging with highly diverse communities across multiple languages and regions.
• Experience with innovation methodologies.
• Experience with a range of approaches to collective intelligence mechanisms, particularly those with highly diverse, multi-linguistic global communities.

Required

• Significant Data management skills and experience, including analysing data and statistical inputs to draw out insights and recommendations.
• Advanced project management skills in the humanitarian context and with highly distributed and diverse team members.
• Familiarity with a range of digital collaboration tools and the ability to apply them to facilitate and coordinate the contributions of multiple stakeholders.
• Capacity and experience managing highly complex projects with deadlines, donor requirements and accountability mechanisms.
• Deep understanding of and ability to connect well into the RCRC network across all regions.
• Very strong capacity to liaise with multiple stakeholders and manage relationships effectively.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English and at least one other language of the IFRC.
• Able to start immediately and work according to tight timelines on multiple projects.
• Excellent written and oral communication, organizational and presentation skills.
• Strong marketing, communications and/or community engagement skills.
• Proactive attitude to problem solving. “Can do attitude”.
• Highly creative, dynamic and flexible, as well as being a strong planner, who is highly organised and able to bring clarity to complex processes.
• Ability to work as a part of a team and with multiple stakeholders and partners from different cultures and professional specialties.
• Excellent cross-cultural knowledge and understanding.

Application Instruction

Please submit your application in English only.

The closing date and time for this vacancy are based on Geneva time. Applications must be submitted by 23:59 (11:59 PM) Geneva time on the advertised closing date.