Job Title / Senior Officer, Cash Transfer Programming Innovation (SoL)
Classification Level / D – Standards, Tools and Knowledge Development
Organizational Unit/ Duty Station
(Department / Zone Office / Delegation.....etc) / Programme and Operations Division
Disaster and Crisis Prevention, Response and Recovery Department
Operations and Global Networks Practice Unit
Response Recovery Team, Geneva
Immediate Supervisor’s Title / Senior Officer, Recovery/Cash
Technical Manager’s Title
(if applicable) / -
Number of Direct Reports
(if applicable) / 0
Number of Indirect Reports
(if applicable) / 0

Organizational context (where the job is located in the Organization)

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organisation established by and comprised of its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. 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.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.
The Federation is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat is led by the IFRC Secretary General and provides the central capacity of the International Federation to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination, and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the RCRC Movement; and expanding engagement with partners. The Secretariat’s headquarters is organized in three main business groups: (i) Partnerships, including Movement and Membership; (ii) Programmes and Operations; and (iii) Management Services.
The Programme & Operations Division is in turn organised in three Departments, each of them led by a Director. The department of Disaster & Crisis Prevention Response & Recovery (DCPRR) consists of 2 teams, of which Global Networks and Operations Practice (GNOP) is one. Within GNOP, the unit Response and Recovery caters – amongst others – for cash transfer programming (CTP) in humanitarian response: Disaster Management Delivery System (DMDS). It is imperative that systems are developed for electronic beneficiary registration, robust and secure systems of data management and distribution tracking for goods and cash that can link donor contributions to individual beneficiaries and households. Continuous and innovative system development is vital to facilitate faster and more accountable delivery of humanitarian assistance by improving our systems and taking advantage of the latest technological innovations.

Job purpose

Leads the global development and implementation of innovative systems and related processes and business requirements for disaster operations; this will include management of all inputs and developments from the operations, DCPRR, the humanitarian sector via technical and/or working groups and the changing humanitarian landscape for innovation, new ways of working, tools and systems.

Job duties and responsibilities

Lead and Engage inInnovation Projects for Last Mile Delivery of CTP (and goods)
  • Represent DCPRR as business owners and create/maintain functional requirements for last mile delivery systems for cash (and goods) including beneficiary registration and distribution planning/tracking
  • Develop partnership opportunities with a diverse range of stakeholders (NGO, private sector etc.) with traditional and non-traditional (FinTech, Start Up, Crowd Sourcing etc.) organisations.
  • Lead and provide technical support to roll out and control field pilots of last mile delivery systems.
  • Lead on the set up of Global/Regional Payment Mechanism and other CTP/Relief services Framework Agreements
  • Convene the IFRC SOPs Working Group (Programmes, Finance, Logistics, Legal, Security, Risk & Audit) as required to support the innovation portfolio.
  • Actively seek and secure funding for the innovation and systems portfolio, provide grant management and manage donor relations.
  • Lead the development and piloting of a market based approach, programme funds permitting. This would include working with key stakeholders and partners, designing and implementing the pilot study/programme as well as ensuring that learning is captured, articulated and disseminated to the RC/RC Movement.
Safeguard Quality Assurance
  • Maintain knowledge base of tools and systems both existing and innovative, including trends where possible within and for the sector and participate in meetings, working groups and data sharing with external organisations e.g. ICRC, UN, NGO, CaLP, Private Sector WGs etc. and opportunities to cooperate and coordinate in defining requirements, development, testing, piloting, deploying.
  • Engage as a technical member of internal RCM and sector-wide working groups (e.g. Cash Peer Working Group – sub-working groups and activities groups, CaLP Technical Advisory Group (TAG) member and participate in projects being undertaken.
  • Engage with the IFRC Global Innovations team and Information Management (IM)team in Geneva and IFRC innovation and IM counterparts in regions to support where appropriate development of new initiatives both remotely and/or with deployment to the region
  • Support the development and rollout of IFRC beneficiary data protection and data management policies, guidelines, tools and templates and engage as a member of internal and/or external working groups.
  • Develop a range of communications materials on last mile delivery systems for the range of stakeholders and purposes.
  • Develop and pilot a comprehensive training package to support any last mile systems roll out aimed at the various levels and users of the system. Where appropriate modular training package should be drafted and if any formats or tools are required these should also be drafted.
Ensure Appropriate Operational Support
  • Responsible for technical support to deployment of last mile delivery solutions into Global Surge Tools (FACT/RDRT, ERUs)
  • Provide delegate briefings when CTP procurement or last mile delivery tools and systems will be used.
  • Procurement support to logistics; Requirements, tender documents, supplier evaluation and selection at the global, regional and local levels.
  • Training (support and facilitation: ERUs, FACT, etc. and develop content and delivery approach for specific training modules as required.
  • Deploy to major emergency operations where CTP and innovation expertise is needed
  • Provide technical input to learning opportunities (Real Time Evaluations, After Action reviews etc.) and incorporate the lessons identified into the work of the cash team.
  • Dissemination of the SOPs, tools, templates, ways of working, approaches and systems related to last mile delivery and garner feedback on their application
Contribute to an effective, high quality IFRC team:
  • Provide progress reports on results against objectives and risk analyses as required.
  • Accommodate flexible working practices including working as part of time-limited, task-oriented teams to enable the IFRC to respond to new scenarios, operational needs or requests from Governance or the wider membership.
  • Contribute to a client-oriented approach that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance and cost effectiveness.
  • Foster a collaborative working environment with colleagues in the Secretariat, Regions, National Societies and external partners.

Duties applicable to all staff

1. / Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals
2. / Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
3. / Perform any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

Position Requirements

Education / Required / Preferred
University degree or equivalent experience and knowledge in Disaster Management / Disaster response / Supply Chain Management / Finance. / X
Experience / Required / Preferred
At least five years’ experience in disaster management or disaster response in humanitarian operations. / X
At least two years’ experience of logistics supply chain business processes and systems / X
Proven capacity building experience with NS or equivalent, developing and delivering trainings and providing on the job training and coaching / X
Knowledge and Skills / Required / Preferred
Sound knowledge of and commitment to, a holistic approach to disaster management, with a particular understanding of relief and recovery and proven experience in cash-based programming. / X
Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations / X
Acquaintance with Federation DM tools (FACT, RDRT, ERU, VCA and others). / X
Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiating skills / X
Experience living and working in challenging and multicultural environments / X
Proven skills in fundraising and project management, planning, budgeting and reporting / X
Proven analytical skills and the ability to think strategically while under pressure / X
Languages / Required / Preferred
Fluent English (mother-tongue standard) / X
Good command of other IFRC official languages (French and Spanish) / x
Competencies (to be filled in by HR)
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

Sign off by Line Manager

Name: / Signature: / Date:

For internal use only

Classified by: / Date:
Approved by the Job Classification Committee: / Date: 11.6.2014
Approved Salary Scale: / N/A