Officer, Disaster Preparedness & Response

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The 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.

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 delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

The IFRC Kinshasa Delegation covers four countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, the Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. The Delegation supports National Red Cross Societies across a complex, multi-country context characterized by recurrent shocks, cross-border risks, and diverse humanitarian programmes including disaster risk management, anticipatory action, epidemics response through in kind or cash modalities.

This position is based in Kinshasa, and, depending on current and anticipated needs, requires frequent deployments to support National Red Cross Societies as well as IFRC programmes and operations within the cluster. The Officer, Disaster Preparedness and Response plays a technical and operational role in supporting National Societies to strengthen disaster preparedness, operational readiness and emergency response capacities in Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. The position contributes to the implementation of disaster risk management priorities through preparedness planning, capacity strengthening and support to emergency response activities, helping National Societies improve their ability to anticipate, prepare for and respond to disasters. The administrative and functional supervisor of the position is the DRM Coordinator.

The Officer, Disaster Preparedness and Response supports the National Red Cross Societies of Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo in strengthening disaster preparedness, readiness and emergency response capacities. The position contributes to the implementation of disaster risk management activities and supports National Societies in improving their ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.

The incumbent provides technical and operational support for preparedness planning, contingency planning, readiness assessments, simulation exercises and emergency response activities. The role contributes to strengthening preparedness systems and capacities at national, branch and community levels, with a particular focus on supporting implementation, monitoring and follow-up of disaster management priorities.

The Officer works closely with National Society teams, volunteers and partners to support capacity strengthening initiatives, promote good practices and facilitate the effective implementation of preparedness and response activities. The position also contributes to emergency operations through technical accompaniment, monitoring and reporting support.

Under the supervision of the DRM Coordinator, the Officer contributes to the effective delivery of disaster preparedness and response support within the assigned countries and helps ensure alignment with IFRC frameworks, standards and operational priorities.

Disaster Preparedness and Readiness

• Support implementation of disaster preparedness and readiness activities within assigned countries.
• Assist National Societies in developing, reviewing and updating contingency plans and preparedness tools.
• Support preparedness assessments, readiness monitoring and risk analysis exercises.
• Contribute to maintaining preparedness tracking systems, databases and monitoring tools.
• Support emergency preparedness activities, including simulation exercises, drills and preparedness reviews.
• Assist National Societies in strengthening branch- and community-level preparedness mechanisms.
• Support follow-up of preparedness action plans and recommendations.
• Contribute to the integration of anticipatory action approaches into preparedness activities.

Emergency Response Support

• Support National Societies during preparedness and emergency response activities.
• Assist in emergency assessments, information collection and operational monitoring.
• Support implementation and follow-up of DREF and emergency response operations.
• Contribute to the consolidation and analysis of operational information and response data.
• Assist in after-action reviews, lessons learned exercises and operational evaluations.

Capacity Strengthening and National Society Development

• Support the organization and delivery of trainings, workshops and simulation exercises.
• Assist National Societies in strengthening volunteer, branch and community preparedness capacities.
• Contribute to implementation of disaster management capacity strengthening activities.
• Provide day-to-day support to National Society focal points and operational teams.
• Support dissemination and use of IFRC tools, standards and guidance.
• Promote learning and exchange of good practices.

Coordination and Partnerships

• Support engagement with National Society counterparts and operational stakeholders.
• Participate in preparedness and response coordination meetings .
• Support collaboration with government institutions, humanitarian partners and Movement actors.
• Facilitate collaboration and exchanges between the National Societies.
• Contribute to Movement coordination activities as required.

Planning, Monitoring and Reporting

• Support implementation and monitoring of project in the portfolio by maintaining activity tracking tools and updating the performance indicators.
• Support to collect, consolidate and analyses operational information and activity data.
• Provide narrative reports, operational updates and donor reporting requirements for his/her portfolio.
• Support documentation of lessons learned, challenges and good practices.
• Flag implementation issues requiring additional technical support or follow-up.

Required

• Advanced university degree in Development/Social Studies, Project Management, Disaster Management or other relevant field.

Prefered

• Professional training in disaster risk management.
• Master’s degree in development/social studies, Project Management, Disaster Management or other relevant field.

Required

• Experience of working for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• 3 years of relevant experience in the field of disaster risk management.
• At least 3 years of working for a humanitarian aid organisation.
• Experience in facilitating workshops, seminars and training.
• Experience of planning and managing finances and budgets.
• At least 1 years of relevant experience in operation.

Prefered

• Experience within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
• Experience supporting DREF and/or Emergency Appeal operations.

Required

• Good knowledge of disaster preparedness, emergency response and community-based disaster management approaches.
• Understanding of contingency planning, preparedness activities and emergency operations.
• Ability to support training, facilitation and capacity strengthening activities.
• Ability to work effectively with volunteers, branches and operational partners.
• Self-supporting in computers (word processing, spreadsheets, internet and web-based searching etc.).
• Solid and tested analytical skills.
• Project management and reporting skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and networking skills.
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values.
• Fluently spoken and written in French.

Prefered

• Fluently spoken and written in French and English.

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