Senior Officer Community Engagement and Accountability

About IFRC

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 the 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 (RCRC)), 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, 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.

IFRC has had a consistent presence in Afghanistan since 1990 to support the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in its organizational development, auxiliary role and outreach, humanitarian diplomacy, partnership development, humanitarian response operations, and longer-term programming. A core part of IFRC’s mission is to coordinate and support the work of member National Societies, driving the transformations that are essential for the IFRC network to fulfil full potential as a global humanitarian actor - engaged, accountable and trusted – and to deliver on an agreed agenda. The IFRC Secretariat as well as engages with the ICRC on Movement Coordination and Cooperation in line with an existing Movement Cooperation Agreement. In addition to the ICRC and the IFRC Secretariat, other Movement partners with presence in Afghanistan are Canadian Red Cross, Danish Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent Society and Turkish Red Crescent.

Currently, Afghanistan is reeling from a complex humanitarian crisis resulting from a convergence of drought, food insecurity, displacement, gaps in essential services including health, economic hardship, and effects of a conflict which spanned decades, among others. In response to ballooning humanitarian needs, the IFRC is supporting ARCS in scaling up humanitarian response alongside longer-term programmes. The collective funding requirements of the IFRC network for Afghanistan in 2023 are CHF 120 million. IFRC will support ARCS programming under three pillars: Pillar 1 on addressing immediate humanitarian needs; Pillar 2 on supporting recovery and bridging to development, and; Pillar 3 on strengthening local response capacity.

In view of the scaled-up IFRC support, the capacity of IFRC Country Delegation in Afghanistan is being bolstered. The capacity will enable IFRC to support ARCS with a more rigorous, systemic, and structured coordination, collaboration, and cooperation towards a more efficient and effective implementation of its Strategic Plan 2021-2025. In this background, a Safeguarding Officer will be appointed to develop and strengthen capacity in, enhance understanding of zero tolerance, and effective institutionalization of safeguarding within IFRC-supported operations and programmes in Afghanistan.

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Quality and Accountability manager, the Senior Officer Inclusion and Engagement

is responsible to provide support in the implementation of IFRC operational plan with focus on quality and accountability markers, including data management, protection gender and inclusion and community engagement and accountability & creating Feedback Response Mechanism (FRM) in supporting Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS). He/she will work with all the program as a cross cutting factor to streamline CEA & PGI activities in the program level. 

Duties & Responsibilities

Community Engagement and Accountability

• Consult with the AAP Working Group and RCRC to get collective, key guidance on AAP activities, specific to the cluster if appropriate, and have information on toolkits and resources available
• Closely with PGI officer to ensure that basic principles of community engagement & accountability and protection, gender and inclusion, are rolled out for ARCS HQ, regional and branches staff and volunteers.
• Support in establishing communication channels and platforms, within communities to collect feedback and complaints. Strengthen these communication channels and platforms to ensure that communities are involved in the design of activities responding to their needs.
• Monitor and look after the FRM (Feedback Response Mechanism) and make sure that all sensitive and non-sensitive feedbacks are responded on timely basis.
• Make sure that community is engaged, ensuring that IFRC/ARCS activities do not create harm to anyone in the community  
• Conduct field mission with operation team and ensure that in every program or operation activity, CEA minimum standards are considered and mainstreamed.
• Closely work with the protection gender and inclusion team to ensure that their inputs and concerns are mainstreamed in community engagement and feedback that needs a protection/gender lens is handled appropriately.
• Provide technical support to program and operations to ensure CEA activities are integrated within each stage of the project cycle. Design data collection tools in coordination with programs, operations, MEL, PGI and PMER officers to ensure that they capture feedback from community and clients is well captured in dignified manner. With features - a) Collection of basic data about the beneficiary b) Verify that the beneficiary received the service within the duration of the project c) Measure the overall quality of the service and satisfaction of the recipient.
• Ensures that information needs, local capacities, protection concerns, preferred solution to needs, and preferred ways to provide feedback/ complaints are included in assessment and in reports.

Coordination and Communication:

• Closely work with different national working groups like AAP (Accountability to affected Population), RCCE (Risk Communication and Community Engagement), HAG (Humanitarian Access Group), GBV (Gender Based violence), CEA (Community engagement & Accountability) and Protection clusters
• Participate in RCRC relevant thematic technical and operational networks to share and keep abreast of the latest developments and issues in CEA, PGI, and data management.
• Provide technical support and build the capacity of ARCS teams to include information sessions and associated IEC material planned to explain the conduct that community members can expect of project staff (humanitarian assistance is free; the organization has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment)
• Produce meeting briefs/reports for feedback to ARCS and IFRC colleagues.

Job Requirements

• At least a degree or equivalent work experiences in social science/law/ Public health/ etc./; or
• Equivalent training/Protection, Gender Inclusion, prevention of gender-based violence, monitoring and evaluation;
• At least 3 years of experience in, community engagement programmes both development and emergency operations
• Coordination, representation skills contextual understanding of the different provinces in Afghanistan.
• Strong understanding of confidentiality and data protection and management of sensitive data from the community
• Red Cross and Red Crescent, NNGO, INGO, or UN knowledge and experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in monitoring, evaluation or community engagement programmes in both development and emergency
• High knowledge in programme management.
• Strong knowledge of accountability to affected populations (AAP) concepts
• Strong analytical skills in assessment, data collection and analysis.
• Strong experience in program/project proposal writing.
• Proven programme management skill in program planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
• Ability to provide staff training, coaching and mentoring.
• Creative communication and participatory learning process.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Good understanding of programme budget and financial management.
• Strong interpersonal and cultural sensitivity.
• Self-supporting in computers (Windows, Office).
• Fluently spoken and written English.
• Good command in Dari/Pashto languages.

Core Competencies:

1. Communication, Collaboration & Teamwork, Judgement & Decision Making, National Society & Customer Relations, Creativity & Innovation, Building Trust.
2. Values: Respect for Diversity, Integrity, professionalism, Accountability.
3. Functional competencies: Strategic Orientation, Building Alliances, Leadership, Empowering Others.

Submission Guideline

Strong Candidates who meets the job requirement are encourage to apply before the deadline.

Female candidates are highly encourage to apply.

Functional Area

Management

Administrative

Countries

Afghanistan

Provinces

Kabul

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