What we do
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and at the same time promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation in order to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.
Background
Violence against health care in armed conflict or other emergencies continues to be a serious humanitarian concern with devastating short and long-term consequences for the wounded and sick, affected communities, health care facilities and transports, and for the thousands of health care personnel who seek to provide assistance precisely when it is needed most.
Since the 31st International Conference in 2011, States, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement the health-care community and civil society have mobilised around the Health Care in Danger (HCiD) initiative to take steps to address this issue, including through changing the practice of militaries and armed groups, adapting national and local policy and legal frameworks, building preparedness of healthcare systems and changing the behaviour of the general public to better protect health care.
The Norwegian Red Cross has been a leading National Society working on protection of healthcare from violence and attacks. Under Strategic Partnership Agreement between the ICRC, the Norwegian Red Cross and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway protection of healthcare continues to constitute a major priority.
Purpose of the position
Under the ICRC Health Care in Danger strategy 2020-2022 the ICRC directorate has prioritised the practical field-level implementation of measures to protect healthcare and determined the partnership with healthcare actors and with the Movement as the main modus operandi to achieve its objectives.
Under Strategic Partnership Agreement the Norwegian Red Cross is devoting significant resources to supporting National Societies in 12 priority countries to implement practical measures to protect healthcare.
Bearing in mind the alignment between the objectives of the NorCross and those of the ICRC and the potential dividends from strong coordination and joint action, it is proposed that a position be established for the duration of the three years between 2020-2022 in order to assure that best possible protection outcomes are achieved.
Strategic objectives of the role
- Support ICRC delegations, NorCross offices and National Societies in the practical implementation of measures to protect healthcare – robust programming is implemented;
- Strategically promote selected components of HCiD towards the broader RC/RC Movement – HCiD is integrated in key Movement initiatives;
- Support the mobilisation of healthcare actors through regional platforms – regional meetings take place successfully.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Promotes HCiD tools, publications, approaches and strategies towards operational stakeholders with a particular focus on National Societies in priority contexts through the existing channels;
- Regularly travels to the field to directly support operational partners in implementing measures for protection of healthcare and to assess the implementation of those measures in real-life contexts;
- Maintains an overview of operational work on HCiD ongoing in the field, provides bilateral support to delegations on all HCID-related operational aspects;
- Regularly briefs relevant delegates passing through the headquarters on their way to the field;
- Serves as the focal point for strategizing, coordination and information sharing between the HCiD file holder in Oslo, the HCID team at the ICRC HQ, ICRC delegations and regional NorCross offices;
- Serves as the project manager and is accountable for the organisation of two regional HCiD meetings per year bringing together ICRC HCiD focal points, NorCross representatives, National Society focal points and representatives of the HCiD Community of Concern, also represents and promotes HCiD in external foras;
- Establishes frameworks for and actively supports the creation and functioning of country-level tri-partite coordination mechanism between NorCross, ICRC and the host National Society;
- Actively promotes the good practices and achievements of NorCross-ICRC collaboration on HCiD towards donors and the broader Movement;
- Monitors relevant initiatives and workstreams within the RC/RC Movement with the view to creating synergies and integrating measures for protection of healthcare in existing work;
- Develops and implements the strategy of engagement with key National Societies to promote the inclusion of HCiD tools into their healthcare programming and to stimulate peer-to-peer sharing of experience and expertise.
Relationships
- Internally interacts with divisions/units at our headquarters and various departments in the field related to issues of violence against health care;
- Externally, interacts with a strong network of interlocutors, (RCRC movement, health-care professional organisations, States, academia, etc) interested or working on the issue of violence against health care.
Education and experience required
- A Master’s degree in a relevant field (international relations, peace research, political science, sociology, public health);
- Typically 10-12 years of experience in a relevant position;
- ICRC or Movement field experience is a prerequisite;
- An excellent command of English. Additional languages (e.g. French, Arabic, Spanish) are an asset.
Desired profile and skills
- An interest for humanitarian action and Red Cross work;
- Strong understanding of RC/RC Movement;
- Experience of establishing and managing partnerships;
- Team player with strong communication and intercultural skills;
- Interest and facility to establish and maintain contacts with internal and external interlocutors;
- Ability to adapt to varying workloads and to work under pressure with very short deadlines in a constrained environment;
- Flexibility to travel on short missions to ICRC Delegations or elsewhere for events and meetings.
Additional information
- Location: Geneva
- Length of assignment: 3.5 years
- Activity rate: 100%
- Estimated start date: July 2020
- Application Deadline: Wednesday, 20th of May 2020
How to apply:
Follow this link to our Career Site: https://careers.icrc.org/job/Geneva-%28GVA%29-Operations-and-Movement-Adviser-15155/600274501/