Thematic Lead, Health and Care

The purpose of this position is to support National Societies on the strategic and operational side of strategic priority of Health and Care of Strategy 2030. More specifically, the position will lead the formulation of the regional strategy of Health and Care, including WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS.

The position holder will work closely with the leads of other four Strategic Priorities of Climate, Emergency preparedness and response, Migration and VPI to ensure Health and Care programmes are informed by and contributing to other thematic areas ensuring an overall integrated approach to programme design and delivery.

Reporting to the Head of Health, Disasters, Climate and Crisis, this role ensures the relevance, coherence, and timeliness of IFRCs regional thematic leadership in the critical area of health and care and position regionally IFRC at the forefront of development of humanitarian competencies of health and care including WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS.

The position holder will coordinate implementation of health and care strategy across all IFRC Secretariat operations in the Asia Pacific region. The incumbent will oversee the design and execution of all related deliverables and coordinate delivery in this important area of work in relation to policy dialogue and capacity building activities.

Strategic Leadership:

• Guided by Strategy 2030, lead the formulation of the regional strategy of health and care and coordinate its implementation across all IFRC Secretariat progarmmes and operations in the Asia Pacific region.
• Provide leadership in the region to tackle effectively new public health threat and health in emergency e.g. needs of ageing populations, non-communicable diseases, migrants, maternal new-born & child health, WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS, in coordination with the global health team.
• Provide leadership for regional roll out of the global flagships on Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Cholera
• Oversee consistent operational reporting on Federation-wide health and care activities at the operational regional level, in line with the newly revised reporting requirements.
• Provide strategic direction to regional National Societies, technical and thematic leaders of WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS, for delivery against key regional results in high quality and accountable manner,
• Coordinate and oversee capacity building activities at the operational level, and directly providing training when relevant. Including set up of health-related networks such as First Aid Hub.
• Oversee the development and implementation of regional WASH programmes, both in developmental and emergency contexts, in coordination with global WASH.
• Facilitate the process of strategic planning at the operational regional level, including the harmonization of country and country cluster plans and alignment with the global Federation planning process including the Strategic Operational Framework for Health.
• Promote and coordinate the development and integration of health components in all sectors in the AP Region and technical support to the National Societies’ emergency health functions.
• Oversee the integration of health and care considerations across all programmes, operations and advocacy, and support capacity building of respective human resources in Asia Pacific, in collaboration with relevant technical and thematic teams.
• Actively participate in and support IFRC’s knowledge and peer-to-peer networks, promote the engagement and utilization of Red Cross Red Crescent reference centres and contribute to “shared leadership” initiatives for better utilization and optimization of technical capacities and resources.
• As an active member of the Global and regional Health Team, contribute to the global Federation Health team effort in addressing public health emergency and development needs

Management:

• Responsible and accountable for the overall day-to day management, administration and coordination of APRO’s Health and Care programmatic functional area activities.
• Accountable to the HoHDCC on achievement of results of the unit’s Operational Plan as a proactive manager and dynamic member of the HDCC management team.
• Select, mentor and manage team members under the programmatic functional area, including ensuring that they have well-defined results-based priority plans and capacity to provide technical support to response operations at any time.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, individual and team accountability in the programmatic functional area by setting individual and team objectives, monitoring team performance and conducting timely performance reviews.
• Ensure that the team prepares accurate and timely monthly operational highlights, quarterly updates on operations and annual updates on operations as well as deliver inputs for standard reports.
• Ensure that the programmatic team works closely across all strategic priorities and crosscutting thematic approaches functional areas of HDCC and coordinates other units within APRO, CDs, CCDs and Geneva as well as with ICRC, Partner National Societies, relevant IFRC Reference centres and key external stakeholders throughout the programming cycle.
• Develop annual plans for the programmatic functional area in coordination with the HoHDCC to mobilize, manage and monitor the use of available financial resources and facilities by the team to ensure that delivery of agreed activities is in line with approved ceilings and finance procedures.
• Oversee regionally implemented WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS, and the timely and quality delivery of all project outputs.
• Identify risks and challenges to the ongoing projects/programmes, raise with regional and country-level counterparts, and provide advice as relevant to the HoHDCC and APRO Senior Management Team on mitigation strategies.
• Support the HoHDCC in ensuring strategic coherence and alignment as well as programmatic and operational coordination between HDCC and other technical units. This may include being acting head of unit in the absence of the incumbent.

Coordination and networking:

• Lead the design and execution of policy dialogue engagements to promote WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS activities
• Oversee coordination and partnerships related WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS with relevant regional stakeholders with and outside the RCRC Movement.
• Build and nurture solid relationships with key regional partners – including academia and the private sector – and promote health and care thinking and strengthened emphasis on WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS as well as on Community Resilience in emergency operations.
• Ensure technical-level engagement with relevant entities of sub-regional bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as essential stakeholders in attainment of global agenda targets including those of the Paris Agreement, Sendai Framework and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Ensures high quality preparation and participation of IFRC network in inter-agency and inter-governmental processes in collaboration with Geneva counterparts, pursue opportunities and explore partnerships for research as a base for evidence aimed at supporting advocacy on expanding investment in WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS programming.

Representation:

• At the request of the HoHDCC and APRO Senior Management Team, represent IFRC – in regional inter-agency events as a key actor, influencing regional policies, advocacy and agenda.
• Responsible and accountable for ensuring that IFRC is represented in relevant inter-agency initiatives and events focusing on WASH, health in emergencies, community health including First Aid, immunization, HIV, TB, malaria, public health and immunization, MHPSS.

Education

University degree in relevant discipline (professional qualification as a health practitioner)

Relevant post graduate degree or master’s in public health

Relevant professional training courses (Red Cross/Red Crescent related, humanitarian and development sector, management, etc.)

Basic Delegates Training Course/IMPACT

Further qualification in Tropical health or SOS/HELP course, FACT training course is preferred

Experience

Minimum of 10 years work experience in an international sector, focused on humanitarian needs.

Work experience with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, including time in the field and with a National Society or a similar organization.

Experience working in a change management situation, preferably as an active participant in that change.

Proven experience in management of a team with a minimum of 3 staff members.

Work experience with other international organisations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agency.

Knowledge and Skills

Ability to lead and manage in a diverse cultural context

Strong knowledge of information sharing tools, and the ability to implement them

Budget and finance management

Demonstrated skills in analytical and strategic thinking

Comfortable working with current donors and communicating with potential donors – in particular, with National Societies

Knowledge of and first-hand experience with the Federation of the Future, including the New Operating Model Agenda and the Framework for Action preferred.

Strong communications and diplomacy skills

Ability to work to tight deadlines and handle multiple tasks

Valid international driving license

Fluent in written and spoken English

Good command of another IFRC official language