Coordinator, Shelter Cluster

Background

In Myanmar, IFRC is supporting the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) to roll-out a multi-million Swiss franc humanitarian operation in response to the 28 March 2025 earthquake alongside longer-term programmes. To effectively accompany the MRCS in addressing immediate to recovery humanitarian needs wrought by the earthquake, the IFRC Country Delegation in Myanmar is bolstering its operational capacity.

Organizational Context

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 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 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) 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.

In Myanmar, the IFRC works with Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) in accordance with its mandates and Strategy 2030 to ensure qualitative, quantitative, cost effective and timely delivery of humanitarian and development activities in the service of vulnerable populations with continuous capacity enhancement of the MRCS, its branches and volunteer networks. Currently, the IFRC together with Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) and IFRC’s membership are implementing the Unified Plan 2026, in line with the MRCS Strategic Plan 2026-2030, as well as emergency operations such as the Myanmar earthquake recovery operation.

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar remains severe and complex, driven by protracted hostilities, displacement, and recurrent natural hazards. Millions of people require humanitarian assistance, with significant needs for shelter, NFI, and site coordination among internally displaced populations. 2

Internal

The scale and complexity of needs—amplified by economic hardships and major shocks such as the 2025 earthquake—have significantly increased demand for decentralized, context-specific coordination. The earthquake alone caused thousands of casualties and widespread infrastructure damage, compounding already severe access constraints and operational fragmentation. At the same time, the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) identify over 16 million people in need, with widespread access limitations and uneven service availability across regions, underscoring the necessity for strong sub-national coordination mechanisms linked to national technical guidance.

Within this context, as well as that of the Humanitarian Reset, clusters have continued to prioritize their core functions strategic planning, partner coordination, information management, and capacity strengthening while increasingly relying on sub-national structures and partner networks to deliver operational relevance.

The Shelter, Land and Site Coordination (SLSC) Cluster, led by UNHCR, coordinates a large and diverse network of partners to deliver life-saving assistance. The coordination architecture is transitioning towards an Area-Based Coordination (ABC) model, which emphasizes localized, multi-sectoral operational coordination at sub-national level, while retaining strong technical leadership at the national level.

In Myanmar’s ABC model, clusters serve as national-level technical and strategic advisory bodies, providing standards, guidance, and consolidated analysis to support area-based operations. They ensure coherence, quality, and alignment with national strategies (e.g. HNRP) by channelling technical expertise through Zonal Coordination Groups (ZCGs), which act as the interface with operational ABC platforms. Clusters lead on technical standard-setting, sectoral analysis, information management, capacity strengthening, and advocacy, while maintaining a structured two-way information flow between national and sub-national levels. Through designated technical focal points and on-demand support, they provide targeted advisory services to inform planning and response without reintroducing parallel coordination structures, thereby preserving the ABC model’s emphasis on localized, multi-sectoral, and operational coordination.

Within this evolving system, the IFRC Cluster Co-Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring inclusive, effective, and accountable coordination, representing partner perspectives and supporting strategic leadership, planning, and representation.

Job Purpose

The IFRC Cluster Co-Coordinator works in partnership with the National Cluster Coordinator (UNHCR) to provide strategic leadership, coordination, and representation of the Shelter, Land and Site Coordination (SLSC) Cluster. The role ensures effective, inclusive, and principled coordination among partners, supporting a coherent humanitarian response aligned with national strategies.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Coordination and Representation

• Co-facilitate regular national-level Shelter, Land and Site Coordination (SLSC) Cluster meetings and relevant Technical Working Groups (TWiGs), in close coordination with the National Cluster Coordinator.
• Contribute to representing the cluster in the ICCG and other relevant fora, ensuring that cluster priorities are clearly and consistently articulated; act as alternate focal point when required.
• Proactively ensure the inclusion and active participation of all key humanitarian partners, with a focus on promoting the participation of local and national actors.
• Contribute to the representation of the cluster and its partners vis-à-vis authorities, donors, inter-cluster mechanisms, and other stakeholders, in coordination with the Cluster Coordinator.
• Contribute to the development of the cluster strategy, contingency plans, and rapid response mechanisms, including environmental protection, mitigation of negative impacts on ecological habitats, and exit/transition strategies, as required.

2. Planning, Strategy, and the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC)

• Contribute to the development, revision, and implementation of the cluster’s strategic response plans, annual work plans, and seasonal plans, ensuring the integration of cross-cutting issues (e.g. Protection Gender and Inclusion (PGI), Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Gender, Environment).
• Contribute to and support coordination of inputs to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs Response Plan (HNRP) and other relevant planning and funding mechanisms, including the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF).
• Facilitate collaborative engagement with cluster partners to gather inputs, build consensus, and finalize strategic documents.
• Contribute to ensuring coherent and effective coordination of the SLSC response in Myanmar.
• Promote the integration of cross-cutting priorities across cluster activities, including protection mainstreaming, age, gender, and diversity.

3. Assessment, Information Management, and Monitoring

• Contribute to the development and rollout of standardized needs assessment tools and methodologies.
• Support joint and inter-cluster analysis to identify response gaps and inform prioritization.
• Contribute to monitoring cluster performance and the quality of the response against strategic objectives, targets, and humanitarian principles.

4. Capacity Development, Standards, and Guidance

• Promote the application of global and context-specific SLSC standards, best practices, and technical guidance among partners.
• Identify capacity gaps and support the delivery of training and capacity-strengthening initiatives for partners.
• Contribute to ensuring that partner responses are aligned with agreed technical standards and policy guidance across the project cycle.
• Provide technical advice and coordination support to partners on needs assessments, project design and implementation, and access to funding opportunities.

5. Advocacy and Resource Mobilization

• Contribute to the development of key advocacy messages and support coordinated resource mobilization efforts with donors and the wider humanitarian community, in collaboration with cluster partners.
• Proactively identify and communicate funding opportunities to cluster partners and help strengthen their capacity to access available resources.
• Contribute to collective advocacy efforts with donors and stakeholders to highlight critical funding gaps and overall resource requirements for the Myanmar SLSC response.
• Contribute to the development of appeals and cluster response plans and engage with the donor community as appropriate to support coordinated resource mobilization efforts.

6. Coordination within the ABC Model

• Strengthen and maintain effective linkages between the national cluster and Zonal Coordination Groups (ZCGs) and Area-Based Coordination (ABC) structures, ensuring alignment between strategic direction and operational realities.
• Contribute to the delivery of the cluster’s technical advisory role within the ABC system, including the provision of timely guidance, standards, and inputs to inform area-based planning and response.
• Facilitate structured two-way information flow between national and sub-national levels, ensuring that operational updates, needs, and challenges from ABCs inform national analysis and decision-making, and that national guidance is effectively communicated and contextualized at field level.

Education

Relevant university degree or equivalent qualification combined with relevant exposure in disaster management and/or operations management are required. 4

Experience

• At least 5 years of professional experience in the humanitarian shelter/NFI/CCCM or SLSC sector in emergency and conflict and post conflict environments are required.
• Knowledge of the Humanitarian Cluster Approach, including inter-agency and inter-cluster work and modus operations are required.

Knowledge & Skills

• Ability to work with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural, multilingual and multidisciplinary environment and with virtual or/and dispersed teams is required.
• Ability to undertake strategic analysis and translate thinking into practice is required.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders is required.
• Ability to network effectively and influence and inspire others including authorities, other agencies, and own peers and partners are required.
• Ability to inspire, to build confidence and to find creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues are required.
• Familiarity with current standards and guidelines for humanitarian shelter/NFI/CCCM or SLSC emergency response are required.
• Thorough knowledge of humanitarian coordination architecture, tools and processes are required.
• Training and staff development skills are required.

Language

• Fluent spoken and written English is required.
• Fluent spoken and written Burmese is required.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) is preferred.

Core Competencies, Values and Functional competencies

• 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.
• Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.

How to apply

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications with full informative CV and cover letter explaining their suitability for the position, to this link :

Human Resources

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Red Cross Building | No. 42, Strand Road | Botahtaung Township | Yangon