Program Assistant

Date of issue: 22-12-2020
Closing date (Geneva time zone): 04-01-2021
Duty station: Hanoi
Country: VIET NAM
Duty station status: Family Duty Station
Accompanied status: Accompanied
Duration: 6 months
Category of Staff: National Staff
Grade: To be determined
Vacancy No: IFRC04727

Background

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, with 192 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
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. The 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. The 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. The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The 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. The Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) leads the support to National Societies of 38 countries – including Viet Nam – through eight Country Offices and five Country Cluster Support Teams. The Country Cluster Support Team (CCST) in Bangkok is responsible for overseeing IFRC support to the Viet Nam RC (VNRC), including in implementing humanitarian and development programmes. The central region of Viet Nam has been experiencing prolonged heavy rain since 6 October 2020. Authorities estimate that a nearly eight million people have been exposed to the storms and some 1.5 million people have been severely affected by the storms and floods. Many lives have been lost and over two million livestock have been killed or swept away. The floods have caused significant damage to infrastructure including roads, schools, health centres and community facilities. It is reported that more than 360 schools have been flooded or damaged while 30,000 hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed. The IFRC has launched an Emergency Appeal of CHF 3.9 million to support 160,000 people (40,000 households) people out 1.3 million affected in the next 12 months with the following major sectoral interventions: Shelter; Livelihoods and basic needs; WASH; Health; PGI; and CEA as well as DRR.

Job Purpose

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. The 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. As one of the five decentralized parts of the IFRC Secretariat, the Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) leads the support to National Societies of 38 countries – including Viet Nam – through eight Country Offices and five Country Cluster Support Teams. The Country Cluster Support Team (CCST) in Bangkok is responsible for overseeing IFRC support to the Viet Nam RC (VNRC), including in implementing humanitarian and development programmes that address the needs of vulnerable people. The central region of Vietnam has been experiencing prolonged heavy rain since 6 October 2020. Authorities estimate that a nearly eight million people have been exposed to the storms, and some 1.5 million people have been severely affected by the storms and floods. According to the VNDMA, at least 214 lives have been lost and over two million livestock have been killed or swept away. The floods have caused significant damage to infrastructure including roads, schools, health centres and community facilities. It is reported that more than 360 schools have been flooded or damaged while 30,000 hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed. The IFRC has launched an Emergency Appeal of CHF 3.9 million to support 160,000 people (40,000 households) people out 1.3 million affected in the next 12 months with the following major sectoral interventions: Shelter; Livelihoods and basic needs; WASH; Health; PGI; and CEA as well as DRR.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The Program Assistant, who works under the supervision of the Operations Manager, supports and assists the operation by providing administrative support as well as interpretation and translation.

• Support the Operations Manager and VNRC team to develop activity and budget plans based on the needs on the ground.
• Provide administrative and logistic support to the Operations Manager
• Draft correspondence on routine matters including minutes/ summary notes for meetings;
• Provide interpretation to the Operations Manager during meetings and field visits and translate documents whenever required.
• Prepare, in close collaboration with the Operations Manager, accurate and timely weekly operational analyses, monthly operational highlights and other updates on the operation as well as deliver inputs for standard reports.
• Ensure that the response is based on frameworks and approaches that are consistent with or have considered national and international standards and guidelines, as well as IFRC policies, procedures and tools.
• Assist the integration of humanitarian priorities and interventions.
• Work with the Operations Manager to support the VNRC in the achievement of planned outcomes and deliverables following quality standards, in a timely fashion, and within budgets.
• Together with the Operations Manager, support to plan and mobilize IFRC resources in support of the VNRC in the assessment, planning, and implementation of the emergency response.
• Provide technical support to relevant VNRC departments in all related programming roles and responsibilities.
• Support the VNRC in establishing an effective information management system for the response, including statistics.
• Support the Operations Manager to develop, implement and review contingency planning for identified threats in operational areas, as well as the development of capacities within the VNRC for emergency response.
• Perform other related tasks/assignments as assigned by the Operations Manager

Education

• Relevant university education or an equivalent of qualifying experience
• At least 2 years of humanitarian work experience.
• Translation and interpretation experience as well as working with NGOs/INGOs in the country.
• Work experience with RC/RC Experience in project cycle management including proposal development, budgeting and implementation
• Effective team and project management skills
• Good analytical skills and solution-oriented
• Good mentoring and capacity development skills
• Ability to work well in a multicultural team
• Excellent stress management skills Demonstrated accountability
• Fluently spoken and written English
• Fluently spoken and written Vietnamese

The Federation is an equal opportunity employer.

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Organization: IFRC
Location: Hanoi
Application deadline: 2021-01-04
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