Health and Care Delegate at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Reporting To The Head Of Cluster, The Health And Care Delegate Will

The Health and Care Delegate will work in close coordination with the IFRC’s Health Programme Team to support nine (9) National Societies under the East Africa Cluster .

• Provide technical support to NSs to ensure quality design and implementation of COVID-19 response
• Ensure NSs are implementing COVID-19 response activities in line with the approved plans and budgets
• Provide strategic support to the NSs’ Health and Care Programme and for effectively addressing emerging issues, risks and opportunities identified
• Support the NS in the East Africa Cluster in the development of proposals for funding with an aim towards expanding the current health portfolio for COVID-19 and ensuring long-term programming that addresses the needs of individuals and communities in countries covered in the East Africa Cluster.
• Liaise with partner National Societies and other partners to identify opportunities for NS engagement,
• Lead the development of the annual plans for the Health Area of Focus for the East Africa Cluster based on identified needs and prirorities for EA NSs
• To work with EA NS to enhance its visibility vis-à-vis with the Ministries of Health and relevant departments;

Job Duties & Responsibilities 1

Programme strategic direction and guidance

• Build on technical knowledge and understanding of global and country-specific health issues (within the cluster), to develop proposals for new programmes in close coordination with the Africa Regional Health and Care Unit, while respecting and following the key IFRC technical documents (Strategy 2030, IFRC global health policy, IFRC HIV and AIDS Global Policy, IFRC global initiatives etc.) and international strategies (SDGs, Hyogo Framework, WHO policies, SPHERE etc.).
• Ensure that relevant RC/RC and national / international guidelines and best practices are followed in community-based health (CBH) programme assessment, planning and implementation.
• Support the NS in the East Africa Cluster in the process of defining and documenting a clear strategic direction for Health and Care programming taking into consideration the findings of the recent nation-wide assessment.
• In collaboration with the NS and CCST personnel, identify needs and develop a workplan and proposals for COVID health programs in the Cluster .

Programme Management, Coordination and Partnerships

• Closely work with the NS counterparts to contribute towards integrated health and care activities
• Liaise with and encourage NS to engage effectively with other key health sector players at national level, including the ICRC, Government bodies ,UNICEF, WHO, NGOs, CBOs, community groups, beneficiaries and the private health sector where appropriate.
• Work with the PRD /PMER to encourage partners and donors wanting to contribute to the establishment of COVID-19 health programmes.
• In collaboration with NS and relevant agencies monitor the National and Regional spread and severity of current epidemic diseases and proactively communicate emerging health related issues to Regional, Regional and Global focal points of contact as appropriate.Maintain a close working relationship with the IFRC Regional teams.Represent IFRC in relevant health sector forums and networks in country. Develop credible and good quality information about RC/RC technical knowhow and lessons learned (integrated programming as well as specific technical areas) and share among these sectors and forums.

Lateral Relationships

• Ensure effective working relationships with NS technical counterparts.
• Ensure effective working relationships with technical and service departments at Regional and Geneva Secretariat levels.
• Be the Cluster office focal point on staff health matters in coordination with Regional and Global staff Health.

Capacity Building and Technical Support

• Support regular monitoring and evaluation of country level COVID-19 health programmes.
• Support the NS in developing epidemics contingency plans and epidemics preparedness plans. This will be done in collaboration with technical colleagues in IFRC and the NS as well as Regional Emergency Health Delegate and Geneva Emergency Health focal points.

Job Duties & Responsibilities 2

• Ensure all health and other programme staff at Headquarter receive the necessary and appropriate technical support.
• Ensure that upcoming tools for CBHFA (PMER toolkit) are adopted and utilized to their full potential in community-based health programmes.

Knowledge Sharing and Institutional Capacity Building

• Document best practices and lessons learnt in COVID-19 health programme implementation and share among other National Societies, RC/RC regional and Geneva offices and relevant actors out of RC/RC Movement.
• Build and maintain a knowledge database and disseminate technical information, updates and innovation in the health sector to partners and within the NRCS.
• Participate in health trainings, meetings and forums when applicable.
• Produce regular quality technical reports to the Head of CCST, with copy to Regional Health Coordinator, including financial and narrative reports for the International Federation and its donors.

Community Health

• Provide strategic advice on health and care issues including the elaboration of health strategies and programme plans and gathering of new ideas for service delivery and knowledge sharing.
• Coordinate external and movement support towards building the capacity of NS in health programming.
• Promote integration of interventions (Health, Emergency Health, WASH, Disaster Management, Organizational Development etc).

Emergency Health

• Support, National Society capacity strengthening in emergency health preparedness and response
• Monitor regional and national epidemiological data, standard health indicators and disaster patterns for analysis and early detection of trends, disease outbreaks and/or epidemics. Facilitate the identification of necessary actions and corrective measures to be taken, where necessary
• Provide technical guidance, and where necessary, participate in assessments, planning and supporting public health response emergency operations in close collaboration with the DM department.


 

Education

• University degree in Public Health or Community Health Development
• Post graduate qualifications will be an added advantage



 

Experience

• 5-7 years’ work experience in Health Management at country or regional
• 5 Years Field experience in coordinating disaster and crisis management projects and activities, in particular, epidemic preparedness and response
• Humanitarian Organisation and experience of working with Health in emergencies.
• Proficiency in project cycle management
• Experience of managing & supporting staff
• Previous work with infection prevention and control.
• Practical work in epidemic response.
• Experience of working in the Red Cross Movement
• Strong communication and administrative skills


 

Knowledge, Skills and Language

• High degree of integrity, discretion and personal conduct
• Flexible and adaptable to changing working conditions
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills and analytical skills.
• Advanced computer skills (windows, spreadsheets, including internet navigation and various office applications
• Ability to organize and implement training
• Good negotiating and Team skills.

Competencies and Values

• Results focus and accountability
• National Society relations.
• Sensitive to cultural diversity
• Teamwork
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills
• Self-motivated with good judgement and initiative