IFRC - Country Representative Port-au-Prince, Haiti

PLACE / COUNTRY: Port-au-Prince, Haiti

DURATION : 12 months

REPORTING TO: Director, Americas Zone Office

SUBORDINATES: 90 delegates + 700 national staff

GENERAL BACKGROUND:

An earthquake of a magnitude of 7 (Mw), struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 at 17h00 hours just 22 km from the densely populated capital of Port-au-Prince. The earthquake and subsequent aftershocks caused extensive loss of life and damage to infrastructure in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas – affecting over 3 million people.

The magnitude of the destruction resulting from the earthquake has resulted in an enormous response from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Immediately after the disaster, the International Federation deployed a Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT), and member National Societies were requested to deploy Emergency Response Units (ERU) – self-contained specialised units, which provide essential services for fixed periods of time. An unprecedented total of 21 ERUs and three other response teams were deployed in Haiti. In total representatives from 59 National Societies have been deployed to Haiti during the first seven months of the operation to support the Haitian Red Cross Society (HRCS) staff and 1,500 volunteers, with delivering critically needed items and services to affected families.

After two years of an intense operation, the mission has changed significantly and the focus has now shifted towards two major pillars to ensure a clear recovery and development strategy: an Integrated Neighbourhood Approach (INA) in urban settings predominately and National Society Development, whereas both pillars are part of a comprehensive mutually enforcing plan. In the same vein, the operation remains very large and is not necessarily exiting but transforming. This brings along a continuously large support structure for all movement members and a permanent level of preparedness for humanitarian response if needed. It is important to note that thee are still over 500,000 people living in camps and it is projected that even at the end of 2012, there will be 300,000 people in these camps. The Cholera epidemic and the strong push by the Government of Haiti to demand IFRC to de-populate camps will add a strain to effectively managing the human and financial resources remaining.

The earthquake is remarkable not only because of the high number of deaths and the extent of the damage it caused, but because the earthquake has disabled the country’s densely populated economic and civil capital, Port au Prince. Consequently the repercussions of the earthquake are magnified having struck the heart of Haiti making recovery a far more complex process. Drawing on learning from previous emergencies, the recovery agenda was considered from the outset of the operation and a series of recovery related planning and assessment missions have been undertaken to develop and build a coherent approach to transitioning from relief to recovery programming. While the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) continues to work with the HRCS on providing assistance to affected communities, recovery activities are being initiated where possible in the areas of shelter, water, sanitation and health to help Haiti to build back better. One of the key challenges for the operation in the coming months will be to further streamline an agreed recovery strategy and implement recovery programming.

Even as the recovery projects are gaining ground, we will maintain the flexibility to return to an emergency footing. Severe weather, flooding, or further tremors could all require a short-term response to a relief model of operations. Relief, recovery and disaster preparedness activities will happen concurrently.

Key learning from the response and recovery actions by all Movement partners highlights the importance of Movement components working together in a well organized and transparent manner, and, on a basis of trust and pragmatism, understanding the needs and obligations of each other with the sole objective of supporting the HNRCS and the needs of the Haitian people with efficiency and effectiveness. It is important to maintain a strong presence in Technical Movement Coordination with a diverse membership looking at raising its quality in program design and implementation and to effectively facilitate a complex but strongly required system approach to national society development, which is in its core a multilateral movement wide strategy.

The International Federation is guided by its Strategy 2020 which voices our collective vision and determination to move forward in tackling the major challenges that confront humanity in the present decade. In the centre of S2020 stands the commitment of the Secretariat to refocus its energy on the sustainable development of all National Societies. The effective implementation of S2020 requires an energetic response from IFRC management at all levels and particular attention to initiatives and approaches like the integration of its in-country resources into National Society operations and the effective alliances among International Federation members, the Secretariat, the ICRC and external partners, in order to deliver better services to National Societies. The Country Representative is expected to work in consistency with these approaches outlined in S2020.

The Director of the Americas Zone is responsible for overseeing the work of the Federation Secretariat’s teams in the Americas and compliance with Federation standards.

PURPOSE:

The Country Representative is accountable for managing and implementing International Federation support to the operations and services of the Haitian Red Cross Society (HRCS) and agreed operational responsibilities and cooperation activities in Haiti with a specific focus on the post-earthquake response and increasingly national society development. In close coordination with the Haitian Red Cross Society, the representative will represent the International Federation with, national authorities, international/national organization in Haiti, as well as national and international media. .

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Support to Haiti Red Cross:

· Proactively promote the institutional and programme development of the Haiti Red Cross by establishing a supportive working relationship in particular with its managing and governing leadership

· Assist the HRCS to provide high quality planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of its programmes, most notably along the lines of the HRCS Strategy 2010-2015, including those funded by external partners and donors.

· Provide regular feedback and information to the HRCS leadership concerning Federation secretariat policies, directions, plans, guidelines and other relevant matters to enable the HRCS to optimise its effectiveness as a member of the International Federation.

2. Government relationships:

· Support the Haitian Red Cross, National Societies working in Haiti and the IFRC team on how to strengthen their respective relationships with government and intergovernmental agencies in a coordinated and consistent manner. It needs to be ensured that this relationship work ultimately benefits the Host National Society in strengthening its auxiliary role to the public authorities in the humanitarian field.

· Coordinate the IFRC country team’s relationships with intergovernmental, regional and non-governmental organisations, which are identified as crucial in realising the Federation’s objectives in Haiti.

3. Humanitarian Diplomacy:

· Engage in humanitarian diplomacy, which includes building good relations with national authorities, international and national organisations, embassies, donor governments and other organisations represented in the country/region, as well as national and international media.

· Take initiatives to raise funds in Haiti in support of International Federation appeals and activities, and for National Society programmes, in close coordination with the Zone Office and with the National Society.

· Collaborate and co-operate with the ICRC delegation to ensure Movement’s consistency and coherence in humanitarian diplomacy.

· Advocating the Federation's image and visibility as the world's largest humanitarian network and in reflecting the unique contribution of the Red Cross and Red Crescent towards relevant stakeholders such as the United Nations, the media as well as the Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti.

4. Programme Management:

· Ensure efficient and effective management of Federation resources in the operations/programmes under his/her responsibility.

· Promote adequate coordination of the in-country efforts of the entire International Federation aimed at ensuring coherence and maximum effectiveness of actions and initiatives of all members of the Movement present in the country.

· Ensure the implementation of Federation activities in the country according to approved plans and budgets, and in compliance with Federation procedures, regulations and policies in the area of operation.

· Ensure that monitoring and evaluation are relevant, effective and implemented to the best international practice of shared learning and accountability.

· Assure there are appropriate assessments and "lessons learned" processes and exit strategies to optimise sustainability and community ownership of Haiti relief, recovery and rehabilitation programmes.

· Engage in regular dialogue with the Haiti Support Team Coordinator based in the Zone Office in Panama as well as with the Haiti Senior Advisor based in Geneva to enable them to report on main achievements, constraints and challenges to the senior management teams in Panama and Geneva.

5. Delegation Management:

· Manage the delegation, including personnel, security, fixed assets, financial assets and other resources in accordance with Secretariat procedures and regulations.

· Focus on 'right'-sizing Federation structures and avoid setting up unnecessary parallel structures to National Society ones.

· Ensure that delegation planning, budgeting and reporting is carried out in a timely and appropriate manner in accordance with Secretariat requirements, formats and standards.

· Ensure effective working relationships with technical and services departments at the regional representation, the Zone Office and Geneva Secretariat level.

6.Lateral Relationships:

· Ensure effective working relationship with the Regional Representative (Santo Domingo), the Haiti Support Team Coordinator (Panama) and the Haiti Senior Advisor (Geneva).

· Ensure effective working relationships with National Society counterparts and leadership.

· Ensure effective working relationships with Head of Missions of Participating National Societies and of ICRC.

· Ensure effective working relationships with technical teams and services units and departments at zone and global secretariat level.

7.Accountability:

· To ensure efficient and effective management of Federation resources in the operations/programmes under responsibility.

· To ensure that the International Federation Secretariat, through the relevant counterpart, is kept fully informed on developments in the country and on the operations/programmes under responsibility.

· To ensure compliance with Movement and International Federation policies and Secretariat management policies, procedures, processes in the area of operation.

· To seek management and policy advice and guidance as required.

DUTIES APPLICABLE TO ALL:

1. Actively work towards the achievement of the Secretariat’s goals.

2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross Red Crescent principles.

3. Perform any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Person specification	Required	Preferred
General
In good mental & physical health	x
Strong commitment to the Movement Fundamental Principles and the International Federation organizational values	x
Qualifications
Basic Delegates Training Course or equivalent knowledge	x
Relevant university degree or equivalent qualification	x
Relevant advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) or equivalent qualification		x
Experience
7 years management experience, including direct supervision of more than 10 people and the management of teams with more than 100 people	x
5 years high-level representation experience	x
3 years experience in large complex operations	x
3 years experience in working for a humanitarian aid organisation in a low-income least-developed countries	x
Previous long-term missions in Haiti – strongly preferred		x
Acquaint with International Federation policies, procedures and systems – strongly preferred		x
Volunteer and/or work experience at national and/or international level in the RC/RC		x
Skills
Excellent communication skills	x
Good analytical skills and solution focused person	X
Demonstrable accountability	X
Ability to work well in a multicultural team	X
Excellent stress management skills	X
Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word-processing, email, etc.)	X
Valid international driving licence (manual gears)	X
Fluent written and spoken English and French Fluent in Spanish and Creole – Preferred ‘A good working knowledge of one of the additional languages of the Federation (Arabic) would be preferred.’	X
Spanish and Creole		x
Core competencies
· Role Model: Accountability,Diversity, Integrity,Professionalism · Collaboration: Building Trust, Empowering Others, National Society Relations, Teamwork · Achievement: Communication, Innovation, Judgement/ Decision Making, Managing Performance · Leadership: Building Alliances, Influencing, Inspiration , Strategic Orientation
The person specification may vary due to operational requirements. Date Director, Americas Zone Office

APPLY ONLINE: www.ifrc.org