Senior Officer, Immunization

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs 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.

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.

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.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. 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.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The Health and Care Department’s New Strategic Direction 2023 focuses on Health Systems Strengthening and WASH Systems Strengthening through 4 Pillars:

Pillar 1: Global Health Security

Pillar 2: Global Health Protection and Universal Health Coverage

Pillar 3: Global Water Services

Pillar 4: Transformative Partnership

The 4 Pillars under Health Systems Strengthening and WASH Systems Strengthening are supported by 3 Enablers:

Enabler 1: Strengthening National Society Leadership on Health and WASH

Enabler 2: Strengthening IFRC Secretariat Health Infrastructure at Country, Cluster, Regional and Geneva Level

Enabler 3: Digital Solutions and Data

As the world’s largest humanitarian network IFRC and our member National Societies have the capacity to reach children with immunization services in settings where other partners may not. National Societies are uniquely positioned to engage and support local communities to work with Ministries of Health to improve immunization service delivery and coverage, to increase the reach of vaccine services, increase demand and uptake while addressing vaccine hesitancy and refusal.

One of the highest priorities globally is reaching children living in humanitarian settings, including those living in fragile states and insecure areas, with high-quality health services, especially vaccines, eradicating polio, reducing measles morbidity and mortality, and preventing or responding to all VPD outbreaks. 

Job Purpose

The purpose of the Senior Officer, Immunization is to:

1. Lead IFRC’s effort to expand engagement with the Measles and Rubella Partnership and Immunization Agenda 2030, with an emphasis on fragile, last mile communities.
2. Support the development of immunization specific tools which can enhance IFRC’s support to National Societies to expand immunization service delivery in fragile, last mile settings.
3. Support the expansion of Red Cross and Red Crescent’s capacity to deliver immunization services to hard-to-reach communities in fragile, last mile settings.
4. Provide technical guidance on IFRC immunization activities, immunization-related grant applications, and contribution to global immunization reports.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Support Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to engage with in the Measles and Rubella Partnership:

• Support National Societies engaged in routine immunization strengthening activities.
• Support National Societies in the implementation of the 5-Point Plan:

1. 1. Find missed children
   2. Collate information on why children are missed
   3. Work with MoH and other partners to ensure missed children are vaccinated
   4. Scale up social mobilization activities
   5. Evaluation

• Be the focal point within the Health and Care Department for the Measles and Rubella Partnership and act as technical reference point for the IFRC at Regional/Cluster/Country level and with National Societies for the Measles and Rubella Partnership.
• Ensure that IFRC has better visibility on immunization activities implemented by National Societies, including as sub-grantees of UNICEF, WHO, IOM, UNHCR, etc.
• Providing technical guidance on additional immunization activities including preventive or reactive supplementary immunization activities, and vaccine-preventable disease outbreak response by:
  • Supporting National Society immunization activity implementation by leveraging and incorporating lessons learned at global, regional, and country levels.
  • Expanding National Societies engagement with the Measles & Rubella Partnership, including specifically overseeing the Measles & Rubella Partnership with the American Red Cross.
  • Encouraging the Movement, particularly supporting Regional IFRC Offices and National Societies, to prioritize engaging with in-country immunization activities via emphasizing the critical role trusted Red Cross and Red Crescent community-based volunteers can play.
  • Exploring engagement and funding opportunities for Red Cross and Red Crescent to support immunization campaign and catch-up activities.

Technical guidance on measles and rubella immunization and outbreak response:

• Participating in the Measles & Rubella Partnership Outbreak Response Working Group, which provides funding to Ministries of Health for measles outbreak response; and for funded MoH measles outbreak response, coordinate with relevant National Societies to ensure awareness and if feasible participation.
• Supporting countries, when needed, with identifying opportunities for engagement and funding support, developing and implementing activities plan and monitoring when responding to measles outbreaks.
• Provide technical guidance on improving measles immunization coverage in implemented programs overseen by the IFRC Immunization Team.

Strengthening Red Cross and Red Crescents role in supporting the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) partnership:

• Identifying areas for strengthening Red Cross and Red Crescent engagement in better supporting the IA2030 strategic priorities.
• Identifying and actively participating in other relevant IA2030 partnership discussions to ensure broad awareness of the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s ability to reach underserved or marginalized communities with immunization services.

Contribute to an effective, high-quality team within the IFRC Health and Care Department:

• Be accountable by providing regular progress reports on results against objectives and risk analysis.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Be flexible in work definition according to needs and targets and improve team efficiencies and effectiveness within available resources.
• Be a pro-active team member fostering a customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, high performance, and cost effectiveness.
• Foster a co-creative environment with colleagues in the Secretariat, Regions and the National Societies and open and co-operative view to the actors in the relevant external environment.

Duties applicable to all staff:

1. Work actively towards the achievement of the IFRC Secretariat’s goals. 
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

Required

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in health in humanitarian settings or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred

•  Relevant post graduate degree in health in humanitarian settings.

Experience

Required

• At least 5-7 years of working experience in the humanitarian and/or development sector supporting health activities.
• Experience collaborating with and building relationships with key stakeholders that deliver or support primary health care and immunization activities, with a focus on fragile settings. For example: US CDC, BMGF, MSF, WHO, etc. 
• Experience in resource mobilization activities and in building partnerships, especially in the health sector.
• Demonstrated professional credibility in the sector and experience working in an international or cross-cultural environment.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Fluent French and English.
• Knowledge of community and emergency health, including experience in practically applying this knowledge into policy, programmes, and positioning.
• Programme and project management.
• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
• Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive. 
• Professional credibility, able to work effectively at all levels across the organization. 
• High degree of discretion, tact, and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external stakeholders at all levels. 
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary environment. 

Preferred

• Good command of another IFRC official language (Spanish or Arabic).

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.

Application Instruction

Please submit your application in English only.