Organizational Context

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.

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.

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.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. 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.

Job Purpose

Under the overall direction of the Regional Director, direct supervision of the PMER and Quality Assurance Unit Head and with technical supervision of the Senior Officer Global Risk Management, the Senior Regional Risk Management Officer will provide risk management and advisory services that add value and support IFRC regional management to take and manage risk proactively and effectively. They will collaborate with and guide IFRC’s Regional Office in MENA to implement an effective risk management process in line with IFRC’s Risk Management Policy.

The senior officer will work to raise the overall risk maturity of the Regional Office and Country Delegations wherever exist, providing ongoing risk management training and guidance to the teams within their region.

The Senior Regional Risk Management Officer will provide regular updates to the Senior Officer Global Risk Management on emerging and escalating risks with their region.

They will facilitate the regular review of the top risks of the region with the regional leadership, including monitoring the risks and mitigating actions to adjust the risk appetite as necessary.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Through the PMER and Quality Unit, facilitate, coordinate, and oversee the implementation of the IFRC Risk Management Policy at the regional level.
• Act as a central point of escalation, ensuring critical risks are reviewed and where needed escalated to senior leadership of the Regional Office or to global risk management function in Geneva.
• Facilitate risk management workshops to ensure the risk registers at the country (cluster) delegations are established and up to date.
• Liaise with delegations and offices to support the assessment of the capabilities, needs and gaps of National Societies, to identify how IFRC can better support them to identify and mitigate their risks.
• Provide guidance to regional teams on managing critical risk areas and support the development of effective risk mitigation plans and controls at the regional level.
• Provide training to regional and country teams to build risk awareness and risk management capacities within the organisation.
• Proactively identify and recommend opportunities for enhancements to processes, procedures and policies.
• Provide regular reports on risk management to the Senior Leadership of the RO when required and to the global risk management function in Geneva
• Respond to requests on risk management in the region, in particular from National Societies, in alignment with the global risk management strategy and the IFRC Risk Management Policy, and in coordination with the global risk management function when relevant.
• Contribute to the work of the IFRC risk management network, in further developing and implementing risk management across the IFRC Secretariat
• Work in close collaboration and cooperation with the Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director, Regional Head of Units, Heads of Delegations, Legal advisor and thematic leads, to help them identify and mitigate risks.

National Society Capacity Enhancement

• Provide guidance and support to the National Societies in the region to establish, implement or improve their risk management framework.
• Be the focal person for risk management development and activities for IFRC.
• Support in initiating and creating a culture of risk focused NSs within the region.

Organizational Accountability

• Keep IFRC regional management duly informed on any material risk developments that could affect the IFRC and movement partners
• Provide regular updates to the Senior Officer Global Risk Management in Geneva on emerging and escalating risk within their region

Key Result Areas

The jobholder’s accountability areas are outlined as follows:

• Implementing global risk management processes at the regional level.
• Facilitating the establishment and review of risk registers at the country (cluster) office and regional office level
• Providing regular risk reports.
• Facilitate the collection and analysis of risk evidence.
• Facilitating management initiatives over risk and control.
• Overseeing regional risk management strategies and regional risk mitigation plans.
• Coordinate with Regional PMER Manager, IM team and CEA team within the PMER and Quality Unit to monitor, develop and integrate risk within plans, reports, CEA and quality assurance.

Developing and monitoring defined risks appetites with IFRC management.

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

Education

• Relevant university education in an area such as accounting, audit, business management, finance, project management, risk management, or another relevant field. – Required
• Risk Management qualification, a member of the Institute of Risk Management, or an extensive background in risk management. – Preferred

Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in the area of risk management, internal audit, compliance, finance, project/programme management or similar areas, in an international humanitarian organization, UN, donor agencies, government, or multinational companies.– Required
• Experience in delivering training and awareness on risk management and control.– Required
• Experience in working in a multi-cultural environment.– Required
• Experience working with the Red Cross or Red Crescent Movement. – Preferred
• Experience in coordinating with senior management, donors and other relevant stakeholders. – Preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Understanding of the principles and application of good corporate governance, business and operational risk management and effective internal controls. – Required
• Ability to work in a cross-cultural and cross-functional environment. – Required
• Ability to establish/maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. – Required
• Ability to plan work and manage conflicting priorities, and handle multiple demands simultaneously. – Required
• Ability to gather, analyse, and evaluate facts, and prepare/present concise oral and written reports. – Required
• Excellent negotiation and diplomacy skills. – Required
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to provide authoritative advice. – Required
• IT literate and self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word-processing, etc.). – Required
• Good knowledge of the MENA region. – Required
• Good understanding of the IFRC Network. – Preferred
• Fluently spoken and written English. – Required
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic). – Preferred.

Competencies, Values and Comments

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.

IFRC provides equal opportunities.