Disaster Law Programme Coordinator

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 (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs 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 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, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), 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 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 MENA regional office based in Beirut; Lebanon supports 17 national societies in the region. The MENA Health, Disasters, Climate & Crises (HDCC) unit within the MENA regional office and works with one regional plan as well as provides technical support & quality assurance to country cluster delegations and country delegations.

The MENA HDCC unit has articulated its alignment with the IFRC global 5 Strategies Priorities and the relevant Enablers.

Job Purpose

Under the supervision of the Regional Head of Health, Disasters, climate and Crises Unit, the Disaster Law (DL) Coordinator guides the IFRC network – and by extension governments – in MENA in developing and applying climate-smart disaster-related legislation, regulations, frameworks, policies and procedures. The Coordinator leads the delivery of support in enhancing or complementing legislative advocacy capacities of National Societies, contributing to strengthening the National Society auxiliary role, and supporting the enhancement of National Society legal bases. Overall, IFRC Disaster Law work aims to make communities safer and to improve the protection of vulnerable people at risk of disasters, climate change and crises

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic direction, technical support, programmatic coherence, quality and accountability:

1. Provide strategic and technical advice to MENA management and technical units, Country Delegations, Country Cluster Delegations and National Societies and collaborate with Disaster Law team members in Geneva and other regions, and other teams in the MENA region on issues related to disaster law, legislative advocacy and the auxiliary role.
2. Provide strategic direction and support National Societies and IFRC in diplomatic engagement and positioning with relevant local, national and regional actors in regard to disaster law and the auxiliary role.
3. Promote the recommendations provided in the Disaster Risk Governance Guidelines and Guide to Strengthening the Auxiliary Role through Law and Policy to National Societies and their authorities.
4. Provide strategic direction and necessary technical guidance in operationalizing approaches that will systematically strengthen the National Society on disaster law and legislative advocacy, and on actions that will enable them to strengthen their auxiliary role.
5. Provide high-quality technical assistance on strengthening disaster risk management laws to the MENA National Societies and their authorities, through the initiation and timely implementation of high-quality country-level technical support projects, and by providing advice on the drafting of legal instruments.
6. Promote and engage in systematic monitoring and evaluation of disaster law and legislative advocacy projects.
7. Undertake capacity building of National Societies and governments’ representatives on legal issues in relation to disaster risk governance and comprehensive disaster risk management (including the climate emergency, migration, public health emergencies, protection issues, etc) and auxiliary role through the conduct of trainings and workshops on all aspects of disaster law, auxiliary role and legislative advocacy.
8. Develop and implement regional advocacy and dissemination strategies on disaster law and auxiliary role and support wider legislative advocacy initiatives as required by IFRC. Activities include organizing regional consultations to develop or validate IFRC Disaster Law and Auxiliary Role recommendations, guidance and tools, dissemination and information-sharing activities, and delivering presentations at meetings and conferences.
9. Provide support on behalf of the region to Disaster Law activities, including but not limited to:
   1. support regional representation and thematic consultations on new recommendations developed by IFRC Disaster Law,
   2. support development and ensure the quality of new comparative research on legal issues in comprehensive disaster risk management in the MENA region, including with regard to the application of disaster law recommendations in protracted crisis contexts,
   3. cooperation in the development of communications tools, such as the programme’s newsletters, case studies, reports and videos, and events.
10. Actively participate in and support IFRC’s knowledge and peer-to-peer, identify and synthetize best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning, and contribute to “shared leadership” initiatives for better utilization and optimization of technical capacities and resources.

Management:

1. Responsible and accountable for the overall day-to-day management and coordination of disaster law activities in MENA.
2. Prepare and deliver accurate and timely monthly operational highlights, quarterly updates on operations and annual updates on operations as well as deliver inputs for standard reports.
3. Work closely with all thematic leads in the HDCC Unit and coordinate with other units within MENA, CDs, CCDs, Geneva and DL team in other regions, as well as with ICRC, Partner National Societies, relevant IFRC Reference Centres and key external stakeholders throughout the programming cycle.
4. Develop annual plans for the MENA disaster law programme in coordination with relevant units, delegations, the DLP Lead in Geneva and relevant partners, as well as mobilize, manage and monitor the use of available financial resources and facilities to ensure that delivery of agreed activities is in line with approved ceilings and finance
5. Identify risks and challenges to the ongoing programmes, raise with regional, country-level and Geneva counterparts, and provide advice as relevant to the head of HDCC on mitigation strategies.

Coordination and Representation:

1. Build and nurture solid relationships with key partners – including donors, governments, multilateral partners, UN (in particular OCHA and UNDRR), Civil Society academia and the private sector – in promotion of key disaster law and legislative advocacy initiatives.
2. Ensure technical-level engagement with relevant entities of sub-regional multilateral mechanisms such as the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)… etc.
3. Mobilize resources for disaster law work in the region. Maintain strong partnerships with key programmatic partners.
4. Submit funding proposals and report on the implementation of the program, as required.
5. At requested, represent IFRC – in regional inter-agency events relevant to disaster law and wider legislative advocacy efforts as a key actor, influencing regional policies, advocacy and

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in comparative and/or international law – Required
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in law – Required
• Basic Delegates Training Course (BTC), WORC, IMPACT or equivalent knowledge – Preferred

Experience

• At least five years of legal advocacy experience, preferably including at least 2 years at the international level (or in a country other than the home country) – Required
• Experience with technical assistance in the development of legislation –Required
• Experience in diplomatic and inter-governmental advocacy –Required
• Experience in narrative and financial reporting and proposal writing –Required
• Experience in legal/academic writing –Required
• Experience in coordinating with the authorities and other humanitarian/development actors –Required
• Experience working in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement –Required
• Experience in the MENA region –Required

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Thorough knowledge of international and domestic legal and policy framework related to comprehensive disaster risk management laws –Required
• Self-supporting in computers (Email, Internet, spread sheets, word-processing, etc.) –Required
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with stakeholders at all levels –Required
• Communication and negotiation skills –Required
• Outstanding networking and representation skills –Required
• Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality –Required
• Results oriented and demand-driven individual –Required

Languages

• Fluent spoken and written English and Arabic –Required
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish ) –Preferred

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
• Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership

NB: The salary calculation is based on the internal IFRC salary scale, taking into consideration job requirements, years of experience and the applicant’s qualifications

IFRC ensures equal employment opportunities.