Background

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, with 192 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

Organizational Context

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 organization 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. Turkish Red Crescent Society (TRCS) is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey, and, as an auxiliary to the government, has been playing a leading role in providing assistance to the refugees and migrants since the beginning of the Syria crisis. The conflict in Syria has now entered its ninth year with no end in sight. The crisis has created an overwhelming and enduring humanitarian suffering, displacing over five million Syrian people into neighbouring countries and other regions around the world. About 4 million registered refugees are living in Turkey, including Syrians, Iraqis, Afghan, Iranian, Somalian and other nationalities. Over 90 percent of the displaced people are living in urban areas. The Turkish Red Crescent Society (TRCS) has been providing a first-line response in all the activities related to the Syrian people and organizing its dedicated structures to receive and protect the people in need. The IFRC continues to support the Turkish Red Crescent Society in its response to the growing humanitarian needs in Turkey resulting from the Syrian and other concurrent crises.

Job Purpose

Under the supervision of the Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) Team Leader, the CEA Officer will support the Turkish Red Crescent Society (TRCS) and IFRC ESSN team to enhance the impact, reach and efficiency of ESSN activities through the integration of CEA activities and approaches into the ESSN programme. This includes communication with communities, participation and feedback systems, behaviour and social change communication, and evidence-based advocacy.

The CEA Officer works under the direction and guidance of the IFRC CEA Team Leader. As a member of the CEA team, he/she will work closely together with the TRCS CEA team and the IFRC CEA Officer.

Kindly note that right to work in Turkey is a must for this position.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Technical support to the operation

• Support assessments to be transparent, participatory and accountable, capturing people’s information needs and trusted and preferred communication channels
• Support TRC ESSN team to integrate community participation in operational planning, design, and implementation
• Provide input to existing feedback mechanisms and advice on improving efficiencies, including processes to make sure feedback is analysed and acted upon by operational teams
• Provide input on enhancing the communications systems for sharing information with affected people about Red Cross and Red Crescent services, including selection criteria.
• Support the ESSN team to increase reach and impact by advising TRC on methods to gain a deeper understanding of community perceptions, beliefs, culture, and values and to implement innovative behaviour and social change communication activities.
• Support TRC to explore ways to involve affected people in assessing the impact of the ESSN response.
• Provide input the processes for TRC that ensure women, children, older people, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups have equal access to information channels and feedback mechanisms particular to their needs, and taking into account any specific protection issues.

Capacity building

• Support the IFRC CEA team leader in providing training and mentoring support to ESSN staff, working closely at all times with TRCS counterparts.
• Support the review of existing ESSN processes and develop plans to encourage the adoption and adaptation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement tools, methodologies, and activities, as defined in the CEA guide and toolkit.

Coordination, representation and reporting

• Work closely with the IFRC country office to ensure there is consistency and sustainability between CEA in the ESSN activities and other Turkey programmes.
• Contribute to the coordination of CEA activities and reporting with TRCS and IFRC counterparts.
• Provide input to feedback mechanisms and two-way communication processes and work with TRC counterparts to ensure they are continued across ESSN activities, with adequate capacity to given for data analysis.
• Support ESSN team to include CEA data in existing Information Management systems and platforms so it can be used to inform decision-making processes at strategic and operational levels.
• Support evidence-based learning by assessing and monitoring levels of community engagement through research, impact surveys, perception studies and case studies.
• Support the positioning and visibility of Red Cross and Red Crescent CEA achievements and share data with the wider humanitarian network to inform and influence the overall response.

Education

• University degree (in Communication or Social/Behavioural Sciences i.e. Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology or Health Education) or relevant experience is required.

Experience

Required

• Two years of experience working in community engagement and accountability initiatives, communication for development or social mobilisation in Turkey for a humanitarian or development organisation
• Experience of working as part of a team responding to complex humanitarian emergencies
• Experience setting up and managing accountability to communities’ systems. For example, feedback and complaints mechanisms, rumour tracking systems, or participatory planning processes.
• Experience of designing and implementing assessments, community consultations, research and/or focus groups discussions.

Knowledge, skills and languages

Preferred

• Experience setting up and managing tools for communicating with communities. For example, radio programmes, TV shows, SMS systems, community committees, social mobilisation or mobile cinemas and community dramas etc.
• Experience in planning targeted and appropriate behaviour change communication strategies.
• Experience of coaching, training and developing National Society staff and volunteers in order to build long-term capacity and create ownership
• Experience working with Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies.

Language

Required

• Fluently spoken and written English and Turkish

Desired

• Fluently spoken and written Arabic

Source:https://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=59178