Partnership Specialist (Inter-American Development Bank)
Washington, DC
(Only US citizens or Green Card holders will be considered)
JOB PURPOSE
As it has been doing for the last 160 years, the ICRC is exploring and seeking partnerships that help it improve on the delivery and live up to the spirit of its mandate to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence, and to provide them with assistance. Such partnerships enable combining the resources and capacities of different actors and coordinating practical and context-adapted responses on the ground.
Many humanitarian issues tackled by the ICRC in Latin America and the Caribbean are closely linked to the development challenges countries in the region face, resulting in the importance to connect with development actors, have a good understanding of them as well as of the development agendas of States, including in the domain of the SDG’s. Therefore, in Latin America, the ICRC’s exclusively humanitarian and needs-based approach takes into account as pertinent in its quest for sustainable humanitarian impact, wider development narratives.
In line with the 2020-2030 Institutional Resource Mobilization Strategy, the ICRC 2019-2022 Institutional Strategy and the Americas Regional Strategic Framework, the ICRC intends to further engage with the IDB on its strategic direction where both organizations’ paths overlap based on ICRC’s three streams of engagement with multinational banks and development actors : (i) shaping humanitarian-related development policies and agendas; (ii) leveraging respective knowledge and expertise exchanges; and, (iii) exploring operational collaboration potential.
In 2017 the ICRC and the IDB began discussions on possible areas of collaboration and joint engagement, and in May 2019 a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions was signed. The ICRC and IDB have been exchanging at the field and headquarters levels. The ICRC is now looking to expand this engagement further; the core driver of our engagement with the IDB is to improve and expand the impact the ICRC can have on conflict and violence-affected communities.
Building upon the above, the Partnership Specialist will coordinate, guide and support the ICRC’s institutional engagement with the Bank, integrating the different facets of the partnership’s ambitions. S/he will help support interaction at the leadership levels with the IDB at headquarters and with country offices, help build and sustain working relationships at headquarters at the expert and administrative levels to promote policy/humanitarian diplomacy efforts, as well as knowledge and expertise exchange, and operational collaboration where applicable in coordination with delegations in Latin America. The position holder will also analyze relevant IDB documents and reports, and link up with ICRC experts, provide, and coordinate feedback from the ICRC to the IDB, reinforcing the progress between the two institutions as per the MoU and existing Plan of Action in the spirit of advancing the partnership.
MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARNERSHIP SPECIALIST
Under the supervision of the Inter-American Affairs Advisor in Washington DC, as part of the Inter-American Affairs Team, and in contact with the Americas Operations team (the regional team in Geneva and delegations in the field), the Diplomatic Advisor for the Americas, and the Resource Mobilization Country Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean based in Geneva, this position is to support and strengthen the ICRC’s ongoing and foreseen engagement with the IDB:
General:
Act as the focal point to monitor, build, sustain, and deepen network of relevant relationships (e.g. executive directors, managers, and sectoral and country experts) across the IDB, prioritizing those with areas of overlap with the ICRC.
Maintain, facilitate, develop and sustain systematic and pro-active communication, support to and engagement with ICRC colleagues in Washington DC, Geneva (e.g. the Americas region, resource mobilization counterparts, the diplomatic adviser and operational sector leads) and in Latin American delegations in carrying out all job responsibilities. This triangulation will require information sharing, aligning and re-aligning on a continual basis with all concerned parties.
Facilitate, advance and sustain dialogue as well as create opportunities for IDB engagement – at the executive, management, and sector-levels – with ICRC colleagues – in Washington DC, Geneva, and in Latin America to increase familiarity with the ICRC and promote the exchange of information and expertise.
Progressively explore and connect relevant policy domains for humanitarian diplomacy engagement, whether at the thematic or country level.
Support delegations and Geneva in both identifying and harvesting operational collaboration opportunities, in close collaboration with resource mobilization colleagues.
Specific:
Create linkages for engagements with various ICRC colleagues at different levels – both in the field and at headquarters – as pertinent, whether in the domain of policy engagement, knowledge and expertise exchange, or operational collaboration.
Serve as a guide and information resource to relevant ICRC colleagues to provide understanding and support to advance any ICRC-IDB engagement in the field.
Monitor and maintain up-to-date general environmental awareness and influencing opportunities including by researching and reporting on IDB news, events and projects, and updating mappings of ICRC-IDB areas overlap and strategic information as they evolve/change, such as country strategies, sector framework documents, focal points and stakeholders, the Bank’s structure, and any other information pertaining to initiatives which may be of interest to the ICRC operational and humanitarian diplomacy priorities; and disseminate and socialize IDB analyses and reporting broadly as pertinent.
With resource mobilization colleagues, help identify and develop the mechanisms with the IDB to develop, build, manage, and scale IDB-ICRC operational collaboration/technical cooperation initiatives, taking into consideration both IDB and ICRC’s institutional planning and budgeting timeframes and cycles.
Policy engagement: Scout and map, as well actively propose and weave both regional and in-country opportunities for policy engagement/humanitarian diplomacy on themes and topics of joint interest on which the IDB as an actor of influence might provide the ICRC’s advocacy efforts an added echo chamber.
Knowledge and expertise exchange: Develop and/or advance strategies and action plans for convening and deepening knowledge, furthering information exchanges: e.g. technical workshop, peer exchanges, broader specialized exchanges via teleconference.
Operational Collaboration/Technical Cooperation: Assist field, resource mobilization and other relevant colleagues in furthering joint programmatic endeavours, whether through interfacing with key stakeholders at the IDB HQ and/or guiding colleagues in the field, surfacing potential areas of collaboration, acting as ‘translator’ between institutional cultures, supporting the drafting proposals for technical cooperation and, reporting documents, providing analysis, etc.
As part of the Inter-American Affairs Team, maintain and update the institutional memory of ICRC-IDB collaboration; monitor and report as required in relation to ICRC-IDB engagement for/in delegation-wide processes; contribute to the delegation’s annual planning cycle and results monitoring reporting; and respond to relevant petitions by other staff members of the delegation.
Support ICRC headquarters’ execution and communication of partnership strategy and delivery, conceptualisation and dissemination of information through Geneva and to field, etc.
Support leadership and expert-level visitors’ engagement with the Bank; prepare in a timely and concise manner written reporting on activities and meetings which involve the IDB.
Contribute to ICRC’s learning agenda on engagement with development actors.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Experience
At least 5 years of relevant experience with the IDB, with solid knowledge of its organizational culture, structure and processes, as well as familiarity with its work in a variety of its sectors and on partnerships, particularly those that are close to the mandate of the ICRC;
Familiarity with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the ICRC, and other international humanitarian and/or development organizations an asset;
Track record in developing analysis of humanitarian and development-related trends and IDB policies related to key issues for ICRC (international humanitarian law, forced displacement, protection, essential services in conflict, etc.);
Knowledge of and experience in humanitarian aid programming and in armed conflict and/or violence affected environments;
Skills
Strong analytic and reporting skills; experience with IDB programmatic documents, project design process, M&E an asset;
Excellent networking experience and pro-active relationship building, grit and resilience in engagement and drive;
Independent, proactive and motivated team player, self-starter with strong organisational, communication and interpersonal skills;
Excellent professional oral and written English and Spanish required; French and/or Portuguese an asset;
Relevant graduate-level academic background in (e.g. international relations, development economics or closely related field or discipline;
Ability to travel between Washington DC, Geneva, and ICRC field delegations in Latin America, COVID-situation permitting in 2021.
GENERAL DUTIES
- Have awareness and an understanding of the ICRC’s objectives and activities globally and particularly in the Americas
- Know about and be able to explain the differences between the three components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
- Apply the delegation's security and Code of Conduct rules at all times
- Respect and observe staff regulations of the ICRC
- The employee may be asked to perform duties and tasks not covered in this job description as well as to provide support to other departments when necessary
Interested candidates should, by Sunday 10 January 2021 before 23h/11pm EST, send to lmacabrey@icrc.org:
Letter/cover email of motivation in English;
CV in English detailing relevant qualifications to deliver on the above;
Writing sample in Spanish;
Information on availability;
Information on travel/work status for the USA;
Expected salary in USD for this position.
Our Diversity Commitment. The ICRC is committed to creating a diverse, multicultural environment and strongly encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ to apply.
How to apply:
Please send resume, letter of motivation and Spanish sample to lmacabrey@icrc.org