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.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.
The 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 the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.
The 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.
The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The 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.
The Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) department supports and advocates community engagement regarding IFRC operations and ensure the accountability of the assistance and support provided by the delegation towards the community they assist. Through feedback mechanisms and the principle of ‘information as aid’, the CEA unit ensures accountable response by including the community at various steps of the response.
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 to enhance the impact, reach and efficiency of earthquake response activities through the integration of CEA activities and approaches into the response. 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 and other teams such as M&E, Outreach and Referral, Field, etc.
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 TRCS 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 response 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 earthquake 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.
Prepare and update the CEA products on a timely manner (dashboards, rumour tracking bulletins,etc.)
Other relevant tasks that can be assigned by the Supervisor.
Capacity building
Support the IFRC CEA team leader in providing training and mentoring support to earthquake response staff, working closely at all times with TRCS counterparts.
Support the review of existing CEA 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 earthquake response 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 earthquake response activities, with adequate capacity to given for data analysis.
Support the response 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 Social Sciences such as Sociology, Political Science, International Relations, Public Administration, Communication Sciences, etc.
Experience
At least three years of experience working in community engagement and accountability initiatives, community-based protection, communication for development or social mobilisation in Turkey for a humanitarian or development organisation, especially within refuge, asylum and migration contexts, besides good understanding of refugee reprotection and knowledge about the stakeholders actively working in the humanitarian sector in Turkey
Experience of working as part of a team responding to complex humanitarian emergencies
Experience in setting up and managing tools for communicating with communities such as radio programmes, TV shows, SMS systems, community committees, social media accounts, call center besides preparing surveys and organizing focus group discussions
Experience in planning targeted and appropriate behaviour change communication strategies
Experience setting up and managing accountability to community systems. For example, feedback and complaints mechanisms, rumour tracking systems, or participatory planning processes
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
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
Good planning skills, with the ability to identify areas for improvements in operations through the integration of CEA approaches and activities.
Good understanding of – or training in – current developments in the field of communication with communities, behavioural and social sciences, or community engagement and accountability, community media
Good knowledge of protection, gender and diversity issues
Team player, with the ability to coordinate and engage others and build good working relationships with internal and external partners
Good knowledge of the socio-cultural background of affected populations and capacity to practice political and cultural sensitivity
Strong written, presentation, facilitation and training skills
Willing to travel extensively to support field operations
Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills
Fluently spoken and written English
Understanding of and/or experience with Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies
Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)
