Regional Coordinator - Information Management at International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)

International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) Vacancy in Ethiopia 

Position: Regional Coordinator - Information Management

Application Deadline: July, 09/2023

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, the 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.

IFRC Africa Region, through the Health and Disaster Climate Crisis (HDCC) Department, plays a crucial role in support of 48 Africa National Societies' leadership in health, disasters and climate crisis, as well as fostering community resilience. Policies and procedures generated by the HDCC department, the Africa agenda for renewal and the pan-African initiatives provide a framework for the 15 IFRC delegations across the region to extend its support to Africa National Societies in a coherent manner. 

The IM Coordinator position is part of the Support and Accountability Unit, within the HDCC team. This unit provides essential and cross-cutting services to the HDCC teams, including Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), Information Management and Proposal writing. Therefore, the Unit is fundamental to the quality of the work the secretariat provides to its members, it being in disaster preparedness and response, health and community resilience. Moreover, the Support and Accountability Unit has the role of increasing the capacities of Africa National Societies to manage and deliver these services, in order to increase the quality and accountability of their operations and programmes, and to better serve the communities.

Job Purpose

The Information Management (IM) Coordinator will provide IM technical support and coordination to the Africa Region and maintain the management of information in support of operations and programmes. The IM coordinator will ensure that data/information tools, analytical frameworks and analysis plans are implemented throughout in the region and in support to IFRC sectors. The IM Coordinator will play a vital role in promoting an IM culture of data-driven decisions and better context understanding based on accurate information within the region.

The IM coordinator will also be responsible to strengthen NS in the generation of IM products and train IM staff as required and requested by delegations and NSs. The IM Coordinator will also be responsible for onboarding, coordinating, and supporting new and existing IM capacity within the region, either NS staff or incoming IFRC/surge IM personnel. They will also be the key focal point for Partner National Societies (PNSs) who wish to implement data/digital, and IM-based projects in the region.

One of the most visible emergency operations the IFRC secretariat is currently supporting is the response to the Hunger Crisis – across 23 countries. Due to the scale and importance of this emergency to all IFRC members, the IM coordinator will spend 50% of its time providing relevant IM services and tools to the Hunger Coordination Cell, and the IFRC members. The IM Coordinator is expected to harness support from PNSs and Geneva in order to form a well-equipped IM working group that provides services to the Hunger Crisis Operation. 

Job Duties and Responsibilities

General IM coordination tasks

• Manage and coordinate the Information Management processes at the operational level within the region while ensuring that the IM processes are aligned with cluster/NS and global level processes.

• Manage and coordinate IM staff within the region, with particular attention to people's personal and professional growth.

• Coordinate the implementation of an Information Management strategy and define the data flows at the operational level with all key RCRC internal and external stakeholders, including Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER) and IFRC sectors.

• Ensure that information is updated on the IFRC GO platform to facilitate information sharing and promote the usage of the platform in support of the operations.

• Review IM products to ensure that they are accurate, comprehensible, clear, and simple.

• Ensure that data is used responsibly, and look for potential risks, harm or opportunities regarding the IM, data process and outputs.

• Act as a regional-level focal point to ensure adequate alignment and coordination with the Surge Information Management Support (SIMS) network through the SIMS remote coordinator where relevant.

• Ensure lessons learned are captured and fed into country, regional and global level guidance and contribute constructively to the general IM capacity and processes within the Region.

• Seek opportunities to develop capacity within the Regional Office (RO), Country and Country Cluster Delegations (CDs and CCDs) and National Society (NS) levels with training, peer support and mentorship.

• Maintain a contact list of IM capacity within the region and communicate with NS and CD/CCD IM focal points.

• Any other reasonable tasks as stipulated by the line manager and other senior staff.

Hunger Crisis specific tasks

• Identify information gaps and monitor relevant secondary data sources to fill those gaps.

• Participate in Zero Hunger Cell (ZHC) coordination meetings and actively seek to support the ZHC.

• Ensure that the Storymap and Dashboard on the GO Hunger Crisis profile are working and updated.

• Regularly review secondary data sources to keep datasets updated.

• Produce maps, infographics, and reports for both operational and communication purposes.

Regional Office specific tasks

• Support for targeting, analysis and visualization for key initiatives and internal projects within the RO (the Zero Hunger Initiative, floods preparedness, etc.).

• Develop and maintain the regional IM tools (e.g. HDCC operations monitor smart sheets, Head of Unit’s Ops. updates, weekly risk snapshots, ad hoc requests, etc.).

• Interim support to cover vacant positions (e.g. CVA tracking and coordination with delegates and CD/CCD teams during CVA coordinator vacancy).

• Foster and expand the RCRC IM network in the region.

• Plan, organize and lead training and workshops within HDCC and wider team e.g. in Kobo, data analysis, etc.

• Create maps, presentations, and other visuals for data management in the RO.

• Support in creating, rolling out and analyzing Kobo forms within the RO.

• Share regular updates on IM-related matters with the RO.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Other tasks

• Support other operations in IM, from simple maps and analysis prior to e.g. surge IM being released, to comprehensive support in the coordination of IM work in implementing complex federation-wide reporting systems alongside a surge team (e.g. in the case of the Tigray operation).

• Work with individual NS/partners to improve their IM systems during specific operations (for example supporting Sudan in their efforts to develop a partner and operations reporting matrix and linked dashboard).

• Define IM capacity-strengthening roadmap for Africa National Societies, with clear deliverables, and lead the roll-out of the Country Support (CS) programs.

• Work closely with the regional CVA Coordinator to foster and strengthen CVA-IM and to co-design and co-facilitate CVA-IM training.

• Regularly produce IM and analytical products in support of the operations in a timely manner.

COVID-19

• Develop decision-making and maintain risk and priority-based indexes for activity and funding allocation and NS performance, in collaboration with the operations as well as the Partnerships and Resource Development (PRD) Teams.

• Create and manage data systems for COVID-19 – particularly the operations tracker and linked Kobo surveys and data pipelines, which includes pledge analysis, incoming equipment needs, etc.

• Work with specific thematic teams on IM-related activities, including CVA and Cash IM activities, support for the setting up of the IFRC IM contribution for the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Inter-agency Teams in Africa, supporting health with analysis on indicators and development of surveillance and surveying tools for the NSs.

• Working with partners on designing, developing, and implementing IM-based projects (e.g. 510/NLRC on the Direct digital support and Cash IM projects, which provides direct support to NS on the implementation of several IM-related elements).

• Creation of both regular and ad-hoc analysis and IM materials for proposals, guidance, and management reports, including dashboards and critical indicator surveillance, including caseloads, etc.

• Provide direct training on relevant tools and resources, from specific data gathering tools with NS to working with WHO data, etc.

Education

• Relevant university degree or demonstrated equivalent experience in the humanitarian sector

• Relevant post-graduate degree preferred

• Relevant professional training courses preferred

Experience

• 5-7 years of proven experience in information management and data analysis in humanitarian contexts.

• Proven experience managing a technical team, preferably within the context of humanitarian crises.

• Experience in assessment design and data management related to large-scale inter-agency or sectoral needs assessments.

• Experience in undertaking and managing complex, large-scale humanitarian needs.

• Experience in designing, conducting, and analyzing large surveys in emergencies.

• At least 2 years of experience working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Knowledge of data analysis is required as well as data visualization.

• Knowledge of database or data manipulation software: ACCESS, Excel, MySQL or PostGreSQL, and/or other statistical programmes (STATA or SPSS) and/or programming languages (R or Python).

• Knowledge of GIS systems (preferably QGIS).

• Good knowledge and experience of data collection tools and platforms, such as Kobo Toolbox and ODK.

• Strong knowledge of data visualization (mainly Power BI).

• Strong analytical skills and ability to handle complex issues and data.

• Previous experience working with secondary data and good knowledge of main humanitarian secondary data sources.

• Understanding emergency IFRC planning mechanisms and outputs (Emergency Appeal, Emergency Plan of Action & Operational update) is preferred

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential with the ability to craft an analytical narrative from data findings.

• Good understanding of humanitarian responses, actors involved, and the role of evidence-based decision-making for the delivery of humanitarian action.

• Strong interpersonal skills and diplomacy in order to manage relationships with many stakeholders and in a complex situational environment.

• Solid skills in teamwork and coordination. Ability to bridge the communication between decision-makers and technical personnel.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize, process and prioritize large amounts of information.

• Strong attention to detail in both listening and visualization design.

• Ability to work towards tight deadlines and handle multiple tasks.

• Additional skills in database management, web design and programming, and internet technologies preferred

• Fluent in spoken and written English

• Fluent spoken and written French preferred

• Good command of other IFRC official languages (Spanish or Arabic) preferred

Competencies, Values and Comments

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

Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance, Managing staff development

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

How to Apply

• Register using THIS LINK