Regional Senior Officer Climate & Disaster Risk Reduction

Job purpose

Reporting to the Manager thematic portfolio, HDCC unit (Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises), the regional Senior Officer Climate & DRR is responsible for facilitating the IFRC’s work on scaling-up climate action and climate-smart risk reduction, focusing on disaster risk reduction (DRR), (urban) resilience, and early warning/early action (otherwise known as anticipatory action (AA)), thereby linking closely with various preparedness experts. This includes providing technical support of the IFRC network, aligned with relevant global and regional priorities, frameworks, approaches and tools. S/he will work in a cross-functional manner with other technical teams and thematic experts, such as Community Engagement and Accountability, Preparedness and Protection, as well as operational colleagues in the cluster- and country delegations. The regional Senior Officer Climate & DRR will ensure close cooperation with the Anticipation Hub, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, other relevant reference centres, groups and teams, and facilitates close collaboration with AA and DRR related networks and agencies.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Technical Support

• Together with the programme, operations and preparedness focal points, support early warning/early action, AA and DRR within the Europe Region and provide technical support and guidance to NS and IFRC offices in Europe Region, in line with their own strategies, the IFRC Operational Frameworks, Roadmap to Community Resilience via Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (EVCA), Strategy 2030, IFRC’s policies and IFRC Plans.
• Provide technical support and knowledge sharing for assessing community risk and resilience and for developing risk-informed community action plans and support the strengthening/development of Community Early Warning Systems.
• Contribute to the mainstreaming of AA and DRR across all areas of work, with a focus on integrating AA and DRR more effectively in Preparedness for Effective Response (PER), Early Action Protocols (EAP), response and recovery programmes and operations.
• Facilitate support (e.g. through training) to strengthen the capacity of National Societies and IFRC delegations related to DRR and resilience, ensuring that National Societies are well supported in implementing and managing programmes and operations to meet the needs of vulnerable communities.

Knowledge management, advocacy and resource mobilization:

• Promote increased understanding of key climate and DRR related terminologies/concepts, relevant programming approaches, tools and quality criteria.
• Identify, document and regularly share innovative AA, DRR, climate risk management and resilience strenghtening and lessons learnt from NS programmes and operations, to share them within the IFRC network and externally, including peer-to-peer exchange activities to share innovative approaches and good practices.
• Promote linkages to other cross-cutting themes such as Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), and Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI).
• In close collaboration with the units for Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization (SPRM), Humanitarian Diplomacy and Communications, and Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting (PMER), actively support resource mobilization, HD/Comms, PMER activities. Support fundraising efforts by identifying areas of potential interest with relevant donors in close coordination with SPRM.
• Support coordination and effective implementation of various externally funded programs (such as ECHO PPP), notably related to the climate-smart programming and anticipatory action cross-cutting areas.

Coordination, Cooperation, Networking and Partnership:

• Together with the Senior Officer Climate and Environment, facilitate the operationalisation and implementation of the Climate Action Roadmap in the Europe region.
• Support effective coordination, collaboration and networking within the Movement and externally on resilience, AA and DRR, with a specific focus on climate hazards and multi-hazard approaches.
• Contribute to building stronger partnerships with communities, governments, organizations and the private sector, share information and coordinate activities, support better positioning of IFRC and resource mobilization for National Society AA and DRR.
• When requested, represent the IFRC and develop, facilitate, and manage external partnerships related to DRR and resilience at regional/international levels, for instance, coordinate at regional level with the UNDRR Office for Europe and Central Asia on Sendai Framework related regional implementation processes, forums and dialogues.
• Through networking and effective cooperation, support National Societies in leveraging their auxiliary role and influencing policy, planning and legal frameworks with their respective governments and subregional governmental entities, promoting integrated approaches to AA and DRR programming.
• When requested, ensure representation of the IFRC in relevant technical meetings, conferences, seminars, trainings and forums in the Europe Region.

Required:

• Relevant university degree (e.g. related to climate change, disaster risk management, other relevant degree).
• Minimum 3-5 years of professional experience in climate change and disaster risk management issues; with a good understanding of climate related disasters and crises in the Europe Region.
• Demonstrated experience in using climate information planning, activity design and implementation related to climate risk management and climate change adaptation.
• Good understanding of the humanitarian, climate and development nexus and experience of working in the development context.
• Strong knowledge of and commitment to a holistic approach to AA and DRR, with an understanding of a multi-hazard, climate-smart, and resilience approaches.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to think strategically.
• Creative, results and solution-orientated.
• Ability to build effective partnerships and maintain working relationships within the organization and with external partners.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, organization and facilitation skills.
• Fluent spoken and written English.