Senior officer, food security, resilient livelihoods and social protection

Under the supervision of the Operational Support Lead, the Senior Officer is IFRC global focal point on Food Security, Resilient Livelihoods (FSRL) and Social Protection (SP). The Senior Officer supports the IFRC network to provide thought leadership, ensuring high quality, coherent and well-coordinated Food Security, Livelihoods and Social Protection related action and programming.

The Senior Officer will work in close cooperation with thematic functions across the Disasters, Climate and Crises department, Regional teams, IFRC networks and Reference Centres, and Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (“the Movement”) components;  providing strategic thinking and knowledge sharing, and supporting global representation and policy positioning in internal and external forums as required.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Policy, Strategic Planning and Standards:

Ensure the adequate promotion and compliance with the IFRC policy, strategies, frameworks, standards, and tools related to Disasters and Crises;

Lead and coordinate the development of the IFRC Strategic Framework and work plan for Food Security and Resilient Livelihoods in close coordination and consultation with regional teams, National Societies, technical working groups, and concerned departments in Geneva;

Promote and ensure Social Protection is well understood, integrated and contextualized at global and regional level;

Provide strategic and policy guidance to Regions, National Societies, and the Secretariat staff on how the IFRC network can contribute through livelihoods and food security programming to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, Sendai Framework for DRR, Paris Agreement and New Urban Agenda;

Ensure that global humanitarian standards such as Sphere, Core Humanitarian Standards and others are well integrated in the FSRL and SP strategic Framework and work plan;

Prepare regular strategic analysis on trends and innovative approached for FSRL providing regular guidance and updates working closely with IFRC Livelihoods centre, and the wider IFRC Knowledge network;

Contribute, in close coordination with the regions, to strengthen the auxiliary roles of NSs with their respective governments through sub-regional systems and better positioning of IFRC in the same;

Act as technical reporting line to technical FSRL colleagues in Regional offices, providing strategic guidance, mentoring and coaching for quality assurance of programmes and operations.

Ensure quality and accountability in IFRC humanitarian operations and long-term programmes:

Act as FSRL global focal point for IFRC for the implementation of FSRL and Social protection work plan in line with the S2030, IFRC Strategic plan – An agenda for renewal and the DRM continuum;

Provide sound technical guidance in the review of DREF/Emergency Appeals, Emergency Plans of Actions and budgets for the relevant FSRL, basic needs components;

Ensure positioning of FSLR and SP in emergency operations and timely deployment of technical surge staff for Food assistance and Livelihoods assessments and responses based on the technical competency framework, in coordination with the LRC;

Ensure compliance with IFRC 2030 strategy, DRM Policy, guidelines, and tools developed by the IFRC, the Livelihoods Resource Centre (LRC) and the Cash and SP TWG;

Participate in the Technical Validation Committees for Early Action Protocols for Forecast-based Actions by the DREF and engage in technical discussion on Early Warning/Early Actions for livelihoods protection and anticipatory actions in food crises;

Promote IFRC Food security and Resilient Livelihoods approach, and priorities defined at global level in rural and urban contexts, climate-smart and nature-based solutions;

Coordinate closely with technical colleagues engaged in Recovery, Cash and Voucher Assistance, Climate change, DRR, surge, resilience, urban, CEA and NS Preparedness, among others;

Be available to be deployed to Regions, Country Offices, or Operations to provide FSLR support as necessary, including linkages with national social protection systems.

Promote learning and knowledge sharing in Food Security, resilient livelihoods programming and Social Protection:

Keep abreast of global trends and publication of new resources for effective approaches, lessons learnt, and innovations related to FSRL and share with technical Movement’s counterparts;

Coordinate the participation of IFRC staff in technical trainings, learning events and other initiatives organised by the Livelihoods Resource Centre, Movement partners or external (e.g Food Security Cluster);

Ensure that relevant FSRL tools are regularly updated and mainstreamed across other tools specific to other areas /approaches (CEA, PGI…);

Provide strategical support to the regions to update, adapt or develop the required guidance tools, working modalities or capacity building strategies;

Promote development and knowledge sharing on FSRL and SP among the regions (IFRC and NS) to capture best practices and lesson learnt (webinar, workshop, etc) from the different programming and contexts;

Generate evidence to support National Societies who are well placed to advocate for and strengthen national social protection systems through our regional offices and Cash and SP TWG, to develop SP case studies, videos, mapping of NS engagement in SP and key advocacy messages;

Engage with PMER in relevant M&E exercises (RTE, Evaluations…) and promote the participation of the LRC in evaluation of activities related to relevant FSRL components.

Networking, coordination and partnership:

Coordinate and support the development of the strategic guidance for IFRC and its membership approach to FSL, including the follow up to the FSL roundtable outcomes;

Act as the main technical focal point for the IFRC Livelihoods Resource Centre (LRC) and the FSLR working group, coordinating and promoting their interaction with RCRCM partners at global level, with Regional offices and role for technical support within IFRC responses;

Support the organisation of IFRC-LRC Steering Committees;

Act as focal point for inter-agency coordination and representation on food security and livelihoods;

Represent IFRC at the Global Food Security cluster, engage in the Technical working groups and promote IFRC/NS participation in the FSL cluster at the country level;

Represent the IFRC in the Grand Bargain Cash and SP sub-working group where the IFRC is the co-chair, as well as with other stakeholders such as ILO, WB, etc., contributing to the development of concept notes, papers and overall advocacy on SP;

Act as the IFRC focal point in external global networks, conferences, and international events such as the Committee for World Food Security and explore the opportunity of joining other networks;

In close collaboration with Partnership and Resource mobilisation Department (PRD), engage in the development and implementation of global Agreements and partnerships with leading agencies in the FSRL sector (FAO, WFP, NGOs, research institutions…);

Support resource mobilisation efforts for innovative FSRL programming.

Duration: 2 years 

Category of Staff: Geneva Staff 

Grade: D1