Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of 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.” 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 the 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 WASH Delegate will report to the Head of CCD as a line manager with a technical reporting line to the Regional WASH Coordinator at the Africa Regional Office (ARO). The ARO is organized in two main blocks: 1) a group of technical service-based departments and 2) geographical configurations of 15 Country Cluster Delegations. The role supports the IFRC's programmatic vision for Emergency WASH and its translation into programmatic interventions, in close collaboration with National Societies (NSs) of Somalia and Kenya. The incumbent provides technical advice, support, and coordination to the Federation's programmes in the areas of WASH, specifically linked to the Africa Hunger Crisis - but also complements the complete resilience continuum (in emergency, recovery and development contexts).

Job Purpose

The WASH Delegate is expected to provide guidance and contribute to the management and supervision of both emergency multilateral and bilateral WASH programmes and operations e.g., Hunger Crisis and other operations that will be launched in Somalia and Kenya.

The role provides advice, technical support and guidance for the transition from Emergency to development WASH programming, inclusive both rural and urban, under an integrated food security approach connecting to public health and nutrition, livelihood, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and ecosystem restoration.

When possible, and if operational duties allow, the role holder also supports with resource mobilization efforts for the WASH component of the East Africa Hunger crisis operation (long-term component), in close coordination with partners and other regional initiatives.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

Enable RCRC (Red Cross Red Crescent) to be leading player in the WASH sector:

• Assist the NSs covered by the Country Cluster Delegation (CCD) to undertake assessments and the development of baseline data to support planning and monitoring of the WASH programme.
• Coordinate the IFRC/ Partner National Society (PNS) support to NSs to develop and implement an emergency WASH and nutrition programme with vulnerable communities in the most affected area, including recommendations on further Surge deployment such as WASH Rapid Response Personnel or Emergency Response Units (ERUs).
• Contribute to ensuring that the WASH response is fully funded by external donors through the development of partnerships and proposals for potential donors, including private sector organizations, bridging the gap between emergency and development funding.
• In collaboration with the NS, represent the Movement at sectoral coordination meetings and ensure that WASH activities are well coordinated with the WASH Cluster (or equivalent sector coordination mechanism).
• In coordination with the regional WASH Coordinator, contribute to explore possibility of long term developmental (including One WASH cholera preparedness and prevention/climate adaptation) programming in the affected area.
• Continuously collect and analyze primary and secondary data from different sources related to the WASH situation in the cluster within the Hunger Operation, giving visibility to neglected needs, population groups or geographical areas.
• Support in advocating for donors to fund WASH activities, while at the same time encouraging participants to mobilize resources through their usual channels. Support National Societies WASH Team to deliver quality WASH Programming
• Translate the needs into program priorities and help PNSs to identify emergency WASH activities related to livelihood and nutrition. Recommend appropriate technologies and designs for water and sanitation systems and promote hygiene promotion approaches that are suitable for the local context and would be widely accepted by beneficiaries, in collaboration with other actors.
• Place special attention to WASH in health and livelihood/nutrition facilities and Schools with wet feeding component to support safe and high-quality health care delivery at existing facilities, including contingency preparation for potential infectious disease outbreaks.
• Ensure protection, gender, and inclusion (PGI) is considered throughout the project cycle with needs of vulnerable groups being met and enabled to influence decision-making around WASH challenges.
• Ensure National Societies are able to effectively incorporate WASH along the resilience continuum: strengthening of WASH as part of prevention/public health; WASH as part of disaster preparedness and anticipation; WASH as part of climate change adaptation and ecosystem restoration; and WASH during recovery aimed at ‘building back better’.
• Contributes to the Capacity building of NSs in the field of WASH and emergencies, in collaboration with the National Society Development (NSD) Teams.

Job Duties And Responsibilities (continued)

Support coordination of WASH for Hunger Crisis:

• In close collaboration with the NSs, ensure that WASH activities are well coordinated with the WASH Cluster and other relevant government agencies and maintain effective coordination with other international agencies and NGOs engaged in WASH activities.
• Together with other global and regional WASH team members, actively engage with and provide support to the Global WASH Initiatives. Provide input to WASH sector-specific 3W and 5W charts and regularly update Inter-Sector Coordination on changes.
• Contribute to and when required backstop the RCRC regional WASH surge mechanisms and ensure that the right people with the right skills and equipment can be deployed to the right places at the right time to support National Societies (NS) emergency WASH needs for the operation.
• Update agreed response strategies and action plans according to the context evolution through a strong coordination of the overall WASH implementation plan integrating bilateral and multilateral components under the Hunger Operation.
• Promote synergies with other WASH actors active in complementary sectors at Country and Regional level. - Participate in joint sectoral needs assessment and analysis.
• Ensure coordination between different PNS working in the region amongst others by organising online meetings and regular reporting.

Contribute To Delivering Quality In Programmes And Operations

• Assist the NSs to develop systems to ensure the rigorous monitoring of the WASH programme.
• Ensure that the WASH activities within the emergency and recovery operation link with the NS’s wider WASH strategy.
• Ensure that tools, guidelines, and projects are based on evidence, and applicable international standards.
• Ensure that behavioral change components and training are following good standards and are aligned to global wide guidelines and approaches.
• Ensure transition of quality Water and Sanitation of the emergency interventions into the global flagships; Cholera/One WASH and Pandemic and Epidemic Preparedness, the Pan Africa Initiatives; Tree planting and Care, Food Insecurity and Hunger Crisis, Red Ready.

Contribute To An Effective, High Quality IFRC Team

• Be accountable to the Head of CCD by providing regular progress reports on results against objectives and risk analysis as set out by established procedures for the Hunger Crisis Operation.
• Be flexible in their work definition according to needs and targets and improve efficiencies and effectiveness within available resources.
• Be a pro-active team member fostering a customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance, and cost effectiveness.
• Foster a co-creative environment with colleagues in National Societies including actors in the relevant external environment.

Education

• Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in WASH, Engineering, or equivalent professional experience (Required)
• Relevant post-graduate degree in public health (Preferred)

Experience

• At least 5 years of working experience in the humanitarian or development sector, with a focus on WASH (Required)
• Demonstrated professional credibility in the sector and experience working in an international or cross-cultural environment (Required)
• Experience working in a RC/RC National Society and/or Federation/ICRC (Preferred)

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Knowledge of WASH and public health and experience in practically applying this knowledge into policy, programmes, and positioning (Required)
• Programme and project management. (Required)
• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations. (Required)
• Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive. (Required)
• Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and new approaches to engaging partners. (Required)
• Professional credibility, able to work effectively at all levels across the organisation (Required)
• Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality. (Required)
• High degree of discretion, tact, and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels (Required)
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment (Required)

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.

How to Apply

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