Organizational Context
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the worldโs largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies. The overall aim of IFRC is โto 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.โ 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 Coordination; (ii) Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; (iii) Legal, Governance and Accountability; and (iv) People and Strategy.
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.
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.
The Division of Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization is in turn organized in four Departments, each of them led by a director of which the Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Department (SPRM) is one.
The focus of the IFRC Secretariat in partnerships and resource development is to work with National Societies to maximise income in their domestic markets: both with Governments - leveraging their auxiliary role - and through engaging with individuals to support the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
Job Purpose
The SPRM will lead organization-wide efforts to forge and re-conceptualize resource mobilization strategies to obtain new and innovative partnerships and resources in support of the implementation of IFRC's Strategic Plan. The Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization (SPRM) develops innovative funding activities and provides trend analyses to increase new funding from the public sector, non-traditional donors, multilateral and financial institutions, foundations and the private sector. The SPRM identifies and leads the organization's efforts to establish public-private partnerships and guide regional and country offices to this end. The SPRM provides the rest of the organization with the latest information on trends, opportunities and guidance on engagement with key strategic partners, including governments, civil society organizations, philanthropic organisations, the private sector, academia and the general public. These partnerships are not limited to resource mobilization, but also innovative solutions partnerships to leverage new technologies and impact investment. The SPRM is also in charge if mobilizing private and public voluntary contributions to IFRC regular resources.
Under the direction of the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization (USG-HDD), the Director, SPRM will develop a strategy for partnerships and resource development as part of the Secretariat Plan and Budget and implement the Federation-wide Resource Mobilization Strategy (FWRMS). The objective is to develop a strategic and impactful team that develops partnerships and collaborative relationships with National Societies and their governments, public and individual giving, multilaterals and financial institutions, private sector partnerships, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, regional groupings, foundations, academic bodies, think-tanks and other global entities to leverage the Red Cross/Red Crescentsโ collective voice at local, national, regional and global levels and to significantly grow the IFRC networkโs financial resources.
In addition, the incumbent will contribute to the overall development and management of the organization and will play a leadership role in the external representation of the organization.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Partnerships for resilient communities
Develop partnerships and collaborative relationships that effectively place the worldโs most vulnerable people and communities at the centre for building more resilient communities through evidence-based advocacy messaging โ working with national societies and governments; opinion and policy leaders; international community and civil society; public and private sectors.National Societies and Government Partnerships
Develop capacity to enhance National Society & Government Partnerships to enable the IFRC Secretariat to explore the potential for achieving greater depth in existing partnerships and to diversify, engaging in new partnerships and financing opportunities. Manage strategic partnerships with National Societies and their governments, developing existing relationships and engaging new partnerships. Support financial sustainability of National Societies including their income generating activities and asset management. Contribute significantly to regular voluntary income sources targets for IFRC Secretariat funding. Develop longer term strategic partnership approaches for funding from National Societies and their Governments (DfiD-type model). Diversify the current government donor base.Resource Development
Private Sector Partnerships and Innovative Finance
Develop guidance provided on engagement with Global Private Partnerships, digital partners, as well as on how to better leverage opportunities to partner with the corporate sector both as a funding source and as a partner for sustainable operational improvements to programme delivery and impact. Contribute to financial targets for Regular voluntary income. Engage in pro-active outreach to secure new global private sector partnerships with National Societies. Identify strategic alignment for IFRC and National Societies to access support in the changing scope and context of corporate social responsibility. Develop innovative finance instruments such as carbon finance, insurance, endowment funds, Islamic finance.Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)
Multi-lateral and Financial Institutions partnerships
Provide organisation-wide leadership, guidance and co-ordination in envisioning, developing and implementing an engagement strategy with multilateral and International Financial Institutions (IFI) partnerships to increase National Society income, as well as realise targets set in the IFRC Plan and Budget and thematic initiatives. Seek harmonised positions with multilateral and IFI partners, influence multilateral and IFI policies, priorities, and budget allocations in support of IFRC objectives, broaden global visibility of multilateral and IFI advocates in support of IFRCโs mission and role in building more resilient communities and contributions to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Develop tailored partnership engagement strategies and targets established together with NSs for governments (both traditional and emerging), with European National Societies (EUNSs) for EU institutions and with technical leads and regional offices for multilateral organisations including GCCs and IFIs.Quality Assurance, Accountability and Coordination.
Coordinate the technical formulation and quality assurance of IFRC partnership management and resource mobilization work. Lead and co-ordinate input to organization-wide initiatives e.g. multi-year planning, managing central support functions (e.g. grant and pledge management), driving efficiency and accountability within the function (e.g. conducting ethical screenings of potential partners), and monitoring performance against financial targets and objectives. Lead partnerships management policy frameworks, tools, guidance, templates, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to meet the needs of clients and enable partnerships management and resource mobilization. Lead and coordinate the IFRCโs Client Relationship Management (CRM) to ensure system and data are utilized optimally. Monitor global trends in development cooperation and aid; monitor donors' development policies, budgets, systems and procedures and adapt IFRC Strategic Partnership and resource mobilization strategies. Maintain oversight externally, benchmarking and monitoring the funding landscape; financial and risk monitoring and reporting for the resource development function; and implement risk and audit recommendations, timeously. Work closely with HD and Communications department on positioning the IFRC network with external partners.Management
Organize and manage the departmentโs internal structure and supervise its working in a way that elevates staff performance and team-working ensuring the attainment of quantifiable expected outcomes. Maintain an overview of the funding situation of all current annual plans, emergency appeals and thematic multi-year platforms, continuously identifying gaps in funding and funding priorities. Strengthen and Manage global SPRM teams in support of their work, capacity building of national societies partnerships agenda and fundraising, and engagement with partners/donors. Contribute, as a member of the Management Team of the Under Secretary General for HDD, to the management of the Business Group by sharing resources and capacities, ensuring that agreed plans, budgets, and reporting frameworks are respected, and managing/ mitigating financial and institutional risks. Ensure closer collaboration by the three unites in the Department and a true global nature of the department with full integration of the SPRM staff in the regions with clear roles and responsibilities.Education
Required
Masterโs or higher degree in Public Policy, International Relations, Diplomacy, Management, Business Administration, or related field.Experience
Required
Minimum 10 - 15 years of leadership role in a large multidisciplinary and complex international organizations involved in global development and humanitarian work. A minimum of ten years of partnerships development experience, high-level diplomatic representation, resource development and fund-raising experience. Experience in promoting international cooperation and negotiation of agreements and frameworks at a high-level within UN agencies, Governments, multilateral organizations and regional groupings. Demonstrable track record of contacts in the diplomatic and donor community and working across multiple income streams including the governments, EU, multilateral agencies, EU, corporate and foundations. Significant experience in restructuring and change management and demonstrable experience of developing and implementing strategies. Experience in creating and launching global policy, diplomatic, communications or humanitarian campaigns. A minimum of 5-7 years of field experience of living and working in fragile states and/or disaster effected countries with experience in humanitarian and development programmes.Preferred
Private sector experience would be a plus.Knowledge, Skills and Languages
Knowledge and Skills
Required
Strong written and oral communication skills in English and advanced ability in public speaking. Capability of working with sensitivity in a multi-cultural environment and virtual or/and dispersed teams. Able to undertake strategic thinking and translate this into practice. Able to network effectively and influence and inspire others including the membership, governments, other agencies, and own peers, staff, and partners. Ability to respond dynamically to a diverse range of requests often in highly tense and fast paced situations. Ability to synthesise and explain complicated matters in simple ways. Advanced negotiation, diplomatic and persuasion skills. Capacity for teamwork and trust-building, including in National Society relations. Management style that inspires, builds confidence as well as finds creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues. Focus on quality and standards, results and accountability.Languages
Required
Fluent spoken and written English.Preferred
Advanced knowledge 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.
Managerial competencies: Managing Performance, Managing Staff Development.
Functional competencies: Strategic Orientation, Building Alliances, Leadership, Empowering Others.