Job Description
Job title
Disaster Management Coordinator
REQ0000007YA
Job band
SAM
Department
Programmes & Partnerships Division
Reporting to
Head of Region
Location
UK Office
Duration
Permanent
Last updated
September 2015
Ref
International
Scale and Scope
Direct
Budgetary
Staffing
Indirect/overall
Up to £1 million for emergency
response within the Region.
Only when providing surge Advisory role in relation to
capacity to manage an disaster management element of
emergency
integrated budget for the Region
Assets
Accountability &
Decision Making
Reach & Impact
 Accountable for the effectiveness, efficiency, quality and
strategic fit of BRC support to regional Movement disaster and
crisis response operations.
 Accountable for any non-partner National Society DM-related
activities in the region.
 Acts in an advisory capacity, in collaboration with the Head of
Emergencies and other specialist colleagues (Technical and
Advisory) to Country Managers in partner National Societies’
DM-related activities.
 Accountable, within the Region, for ensuring disaster
management response capacity building activities are
compliant with legislation, regulations, codes of conduct,
standards and best practice.
 Deliver quality disaster and crisis response interventions
within the region, in support to Head of Region or Country
Managers.
 Work with Movement partners to coordinate disaster
response activities on a regional level.
 Monitor and analyse the disaster preparedness and response
capability needs of non-partner national societies and the
wider Movement within the Region.
 Contribute to the development and implementation of the
Regional strategy in relation to disaster management.
 Work with regional Movement DM colleagues to effectively
define and coordinate appropriate responses to unmet
disaster management needs.
 Work collaboratively with Country and Programme
Managers and emergencies colleagues within a
responsive and fluid matrix structure.
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Context
The British Red Cross (BRC) helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are.
We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters
and individual emergencies.
We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand
emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to
recover and move on with their lives.
We are part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world’s
largest independent humanitarian network and are committed to, and bound by, its
principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and
universality.
The Disaster Management Coordinator is responsible for developing, coordinating and
advising on the BRC and Movement Partners’ disaster management activities within the
Region. The Disaster Management Coordinator will be line managed (solid line) by the
Head of Region and receive professional and technical support (dotted line) from the
Head of Emergencies. The post holder will work collaboratively, within a matrix
structure, with colleagues and partners in the Region, and specialists within the
Emergencies teams and Technical & Advisory staff; the post can be either operational
or advisory, depending on the context.
Overall Purpose of the Post

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


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To ensure effective, efficient and appropriate use of BRC resources in support
to disaster and crisis responses with non-partner National Societies in the
Region.
To lead, in collaboration with other technical advisors, on regional movement
disaster management capability.
To provide advisory support to Country Managers, in collaboration with other
technical advisors, on disaster management capacity building in partner
countries.
To work with other regional Movement actors to facilitate coordinated disaster
management support to vulnerable communities and National Societies.
To work collaboratively with senior colleagues in the Region and the
Emergencies & Technical & Advisory teams, in a matrix structure, to ensure the
capacity to manage small/medium scale disasters within the Region.
To act in an advisory capacity to the Head of Region on the direction of travel for
implementing DM-relevant elements of the regional strategy.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Disaster Management Coordination & Capacity Building
1. Lead, in collaboration with technical advisors, the analysis and evaluation of key risk
factors, on-going scanning and ‘early warning’ analysis within the Region.
2. Support the Head of Region to integrate disaster management into the overall
Regional Strategy in order to achieve the BRC strategy and enable capacity building
and support within BRC’s programmes and partnerships.
3. To manage or support emergency responses, mobilising and allocating BRC
resources in the most effective and efficient way.
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4.
Temporary (as delegated by Head of Region and in collaboration with Head of
Emergencies) management responsibility for set up, assessment and planning of
BRC bilateral recovery programmes within the Region (until specific additional
capacity is in place).
5. Engage with the Movement on regional DM capacity building efforts in support of the
Regional Strategy.
6. Provide advisory support, as required, to Country Managers in the building of partner
National Society DM capacity.
7. Work with Emergencies and the Technical & Advisory departments to capture and
disseminate learning in relation to disaster management, including learning from
evaluated practice and external bodies
8. In coordination with Head of Emergencies and other DM Coordinators, promote
quality assurance, including identification and dissemination of appropriate global and
thematic standards and ensuring systems for monitoring delivery against the
standards.
9. Work with Disaster Risk Reduction and other Advisors, to ensure that a common,
joined up approach and vision is defined and used consistently across the BRC
International Division in the area of DM.
10. Participate in and/or create internal opportunities to look at innovation in disaster
management capacity building.
11. Work closely with other members of the regional team and other DMCs, to build
internal capacity on disaster management, promoting consistency and good practice.
Internal and External Relations
12. Act as the primary focal point of contact within the Region in relation to disaster
management expertise, including for National Societies, the Federation and the ICRC.
13. Develop and maintain relationships with professionals, other agencies and institutions
in relation to disaster management in order to ensure that the BRC approach is
informed by current thinking, research, innovation and best practice.
14. Provide briefings and reports to support the Head of Region and other senior
colleagues in influencing DFID, other relevant government departments and donors’
understanding of the importance and impact of the disaster management (including)
through National Societies and Movement partners within the Region.
15. Provide briefings and reports to support the Fundraising Division to maximise the
resources available to support disaster management in the Region.
16. Represent BRC at fora relating to disaster management in the Region, including
Movement meetings, inter-agency coordination and with corporate and private
donors.
Planning, financial & resource management
17. Provide input and support to the annual planning and budgeting process within the
Region and monitor implementation in relation to disaster management.
18. Contribute to the development of donor funding proposals for disaster management,
including working collaboratively with colleagues from Fundraising and DFID
relationship teams.
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19. Seek to demonstrate value for money in the use of BRC’s funding for RCM partners’
activities.
Organisational development and line management
20. Support Head of Region with the management of UKO based regional staff
21. Ensure that DM-focused activities within the Region reflect the overall strategy and
values of the BRC and the International Division.
22. Act as security focal point for BRC staff and delegates travelling within the region as
requested by Head of Region.
Other
23. Ensure that any risks to BRC, within disaster management coordination, and
associated with its relationships and resourcing of RCM partners are identified and
appropriately addressed.
24. Strengthen synergy and learning between BRC’s international and domestic
programmes.
25. Undertake other reasonable duties as delegated by the Head of Region or Head of
Emergencies.
26. Uphold the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
and work within the Society’s equal opportunities policy
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Person Specification
Job Title: Disaster Management Coordinator
Education/
training
Ref:
Band:
>
Degree level or equivalent technical qualification within a specialist
technical or professional field relevant to disaster management
> Substantial experience of working in the development, delivery
Experience
and coordination of Disaster Response programmes, including
significant exposure to overseas work**
> Needs assessment and developing operational plans, in an
emergency response context**
> Managing operational budgets**
> Building organisational partnerships and organisational capacity
> Advising decision makers and exerting influence where required
> Working with local partners to build capacity or share skills**
> Working with institutional and high-profile donors
> Representing an organisation
> Analysis and programme planning.**
Knowledge/
> Monitoring, evaluation and needs assessment.**
technical skills
> Knowledge of issues and complexities of disaster response
programming, recovery and resilience.**
> Understanding of dynamics related to sudden onset, chronic and
conflict response and recovery programmes.**
> Budget and funding proposal development.
> An appreciation of the IFRC’s global disaster response tools,
regional response mechanisms and means of managing these.
> Security management training and/or experience.
> Other languages relevant to the region would be an advantage.
> Working in Partnership
Competencies
> Embracing and leading constructive change
(to be reviewed –
> Supporting service users
not yet agreed)
> Communicating and influencing
> Commercial awareness
> Information seeking
> Personal impact and self-management
> Problem solving
> Leading and engaging
> Developing yourself and others
> Able to travel for up to 90 days per year and operate in a physically
Special
demanding working environment.
Circumstances
> Willingness to work out of office hours when necessary.
> Willing to work in situations of political insecurity.
**Minimum short-listing criteria. N.B. All disabled candidates who meet these criteria
must be short-listed for interview in line with our commitment under the two- tick symbol
scheme
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