Project Coordinator – Climate and Resilience

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

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

The 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.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The 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 Project Coordinator - Climate and Resilience (WWF), will provide programmatic and technical support to the Climate and Resilience portfolio of the IFRC Country Cluster Delegation (CCD) Pacific Office, with a focus on donor funds from the new WWF/IFRC Partnership. The position will also assist the CCD in supporting the 11 Pacific Island Red Cross-National Societies in the implementation of thematic objectives related to the Climate and Resilience Team, working closely with Fiji Red Cross Society and Solomon Islands Red Cross Society in particular, the Pacific CCD and Asia Pacific Technical Advisors as required.

The incumbent will be responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of climate change adaptation and resilience-building initiatives, particularly for the WWF/IFRC Partnership multiyear project. They will work closely with national stakeholders in Fiji and Solomon Islands as well as across the Pacific, the Red Cross movement, and other partners to ensure the effective delivery of project activities and the achievement of project objectives. The role requires strong coordination, communication, and stakeholder management skills, as well as a solid understanding of the project cycle and climate change adaptation and resilience principles.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with national and international stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, community-based organisations and the private sector, to support project implementation and strengthen opportunities for collaboration.
• Coordinate with the Fiji Red Cross Society and Solomon Islands Red Cross Society and other components of the Red Cross movement to leverage resources and expertise for project implementation.
• Provide technical support and capacity-building to project staff, volunteers, and partners on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and resilience-building approaches, particularly NbS, Y-Adapt and Early Warning Systems.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting on project activities, outputs, and outcomes, in line with IFRC and donor requirements.
• Support with project documentation, grant management activities including online systems (including ERP) and processes and reporting requirements

Management & Technical Support

• Supported by the Climate and Resilience Adviser, lead the development and implementation of large grant funded projects in climate change adaptation and resilience, in accordance with IFRC guidelines and standards.
• With Pacific Island Red Cross-National Societies and WWF, help to conduct assessments to identify climate-related risks and vulnerabilities in target communities, and facilitate the development of context-specific interventions.
• Develop and coordinate joint project plans, budgets, implementation schedules and deliverables with WWF counterparts and participating National Societies, ensuring alignment with partnership commitments, donor requirements and agreed programme objectives.
• Monitor project progress, assess outcomes, and identify lessons learned and best practices for future programming.

Project Management

• Ensure excellent project management skills are applied to all aspects including, but not limited to, applying best practices in program design; monitoring of project implementation; ensuring financial compliance with good budget management; ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation; and timely reporting and relevant analysis.
• Keep abreast of climate change and resilience -related initiatives issues and tools and find ways to incorporate such initiatives specially related to NbS and Early Warning Systems
• Attend and represent when requested in internal and external meetings, technical and coordination meetings on relevant topics.
• Network and establish functional relationships with key stakeholders, government agencies, NGOs, and Movement colleagues (including in RCRC movement such as the Red Cross Pacific Climate Coordination Hub (PCCH) and the Asia Regional Office).

Partnership Management (WWF)

• Serve as the primary operational focal point for the IFRC–WWF partnership in the Pacific, supporting effective coordination, communication and collaboration between IFRC, WWF, Fiji Red Cross Society, Solomon Islands Red Cross Society and other relevant partners.
• Support the development and implementation of joint partnership workplans, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, deliverables and timelines across participating organisations.
• Facilitate regular partnership coordination meetings, technical discussions and joint planning processes, ensuring timely follow-up on agreed actions and commitments.
• Strengthen collaborative ways of working between humanitarian and environmental partners, promoting the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction into locally led programming.
• Support the identification and resolution of partnership challenges, including coordination gaps, implementation bottlenecks and emerging risks, escalating issues to senior management where appropriate.
• Ensure effective information-sharing, joint learning and documentation of partnership achievements, lessons learned and good practices, contributing to the development of a strong and sustainable IFRC–WWF partnership.
• Promote National Society leadership and ownership within the partnership, ensuring that activities respond to locally identified priorities and strengthen long-term National Society capacities.

Degree in Social Science, Disaster Management, Environmental Protection, Climate Change and/or a relevant field is required.

Required:

• At least 6 years’ professional experience in Resilience, DRR and/or Climate-related field particularly community resilience and integrated community-based DRR-CC.
• 3 years+ experience in a supervisory role with program design and project management; ability to design and manage all stages of resilience building, including integrated CCA and resilience frameworks.
• Experience or demonstrated understanding of working in the Pacific context.
• Demonstrated success in report writing.
• Experience identifying and establishing institutional capacity-building initiatives, and strengthening capacity to deliver high-quality programs end to end.
• Experience collaborating with government agencies, international organizations and working with the other local organizations (previous experience with WWF is an asset).
• Strong skills and experience in project budgeting and financial management.
• Experience in donor/partner (both movement and no movement) relationship management and liaising with implementation partner(s).
• Experience with effective problem-solving, conflict resolution, advocacy, and stakeholder coordination.

Preferred:

• Demonstrated experience in proposal writing, and securing funding and analytical writing.
• Red Cross/Red Crescent expertise (e.g. in DM and CC tools and frameworks).

Required:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team.
• Problem solving, proactive approach, ability to listen and communicate to and with different audiences.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and personal conduct.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing working conditions.
• Willing and able to travel for work purposes, including international travel.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with good judgment and initiative.
• Able to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Good Analytical thinking skills.
• Proven skills in mentoring and coaching of staff.
• Good computer skills (Windows, Spreadsheets, Word Processing).
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Preferred:

• Understanding of and/or experience with Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

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.