Officer, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Response and Prevention

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 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.” 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 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 four main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Coordination, (ii) Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization, (iii) People and Strategy, and (iv) Legal, Governance Support and Accountability.

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

This position is situated in the Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) team in IFRC HQ Geneva, within the Ethical Practices Department under the People and Strategy Division. The team includes 5 regional coordinators and a cadre of 16 PGI staff based in IFRC offices worldwide. This role focuses on strengthening Sexual and Gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and response capacities across National Societies (NS), with a special focus on NS in humanitarian crisis, enhancing quality SGBV response, referral quality, data collection, analysis, and advocacy within the Movement and with external stakeholders. The particular focus of this role is aligned with IFRC strategic approach to PGI; ensuring a person-centred approach to prevention, mitigation and response to violence, exploitation and abuse that reflects the acknowledgement of such issues being cyclical, interlinked and highly affected by inequality and power-structures, and that their risks are increased by shocks and crisis.

The position is currently set to run until 31 December 2026, with potential for extension.

The Officer for SGBV Response and Prevention provides support to strategic leadership to enhance SGBV prevention and response capacities across health, protection, and standalone interventions, as well as SGBV risk mitigation in shelter and WASH. The role emphasizes improving quality survivor-centred response, coordination at various levels, referral pathways, gathering evidence and case studies. In addition, the Officer, SGBV Response and Prevention will enhance skills and capacity on SGBV and drive coherent SGBV advocacy and policy alignment.

Strategic Leadership and Coordination:

• Coordinate SGBV initiatives across health, shelter, WASH, and standalone interventions within National Societies, with a priority on crisis affected countries. —ensuring high standards of response, safe referral mechanisms and prevention efforts.
• Strengthen and improve referral mapping, systems, and usage to enhance survivor access to quality services and protection – in at least all of the National Societies that have active SGBV programs.
• Work with the logistics team on PEP procurement and other supply chain management systemic issues.
• Co-Chair and participate actively in the SGBV in Movement Working Group and improve its effectiveness and capacities to work strategically to better outcomes.
• Oversee and manage the SGBV -Red Links Service Hub (if funded)
• Collaborate closely with the health team to integrate GBV response into IFRC health approaches, ensuring SGBV is systematically addressed across all health interventions.
• Coordinate strategic engagement with the GBV Area of Responsibility (GBV AoR), the Call-to-Action initiative, and the Humanitarian Diplomacy (HD) team.
• Provide technical leadership to PGI teams in regions and country teams.
• Provide dedicated support to SGBV SOPs in emergencies for all Red Emergencies at IFRC and to National Societies SOPs, where needed.

Data Collection, Analysis, and Knowledge Management:

• Contribute to the refinement of SGBV-specific indicators for National Societies and IFRC Secretariat, ensuring robust data collection and analysis to inform global strategies.
• Build capacity of field staff and National Society partners on ethical and safe SGBV data collection and analysis.
• Produce and disseminate high-quality case studies and evidence to inform improved SGBV prevention and response practices.
• Ensure SGBV data, case studies and lessons learned are systematically integrated into broader reporting, learning, and advocacy processes.

Advocacy and Partnership Engagement:

• Advocate for improved Movement coherence and strategic alignment on SGBV policies, standards, and frameworks, particularly with the IFRC membership, and also within the Movement, and external partners.
• Strengthen relationships with key actors including the GBV AoR, Call to Action, and other international platforms to advance strategic priorities.
• In collaboration with the PGI Team, lead engagement with National Societies to enhance SGBV prevention and response capacities, including within health, shelter, WASH, and standalone interventions.
• Represent IFRC and contribute to joint advocacy messaging, as needed.

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Work actively towards the achievement of IFRC’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.
   

Required

• A relevant university degree in Social Work, Health, Psychology, Gender Studies, or a related field, with demonstrated specialization in gender-based violence prevention and response programming in a humanitarian context. A combination of equivalent education and work experience may also be considered.

Required

• At least 3-5 years of experience in humanitarian or development settings, focusing on SGBV prevention, response, and coordination across various operational settings.
• At least 3 years work on SGBV in emergencies or in health or other specialised settings such as domestic violence prevention or response programmes.  
• Experience in end-to-end development, quality checks, and implementation of survivor-centred referral systems. 
• Demonstrated experience providing technical leadership and coordination on SGBV Programming across sectors such as health, WASH, Cash, and/or shelter. 
  Excellent knowledge of protection standards, and cluster and GBV AOR or key actors in sector and their policy positions and functions in the humanitarian landscape. 
• Previous involvement in training and mentoring field staff or National Society partners on SGBV-related topics.
• Experience working with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement or similar humanitarian networks on joint positioning. 

Required

• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to identify problems and propose solutions.
• Experience working on response to men and boys as survivors, as well as LGBTIQ+ survivors.
• Knowledge on the issue of mandatory reporting laws and how these impact survivor-centred principles. 
• Demonstrated understanding of survivor-centred approaches and ethical data collection related to SGBV in humanitarian settings.
• Strong ability to navigate politically sensitive environments and maintain neutrality and impartiality.
• Conscientious and efficient in time management, project management, and in meeting deadlines and achieving results and communicating results.
• Strong inter-personal skills, to represent an organisation externally and also appropriately across organisational hierarchies.

Preferred

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).
• Proficiency in writing reports, proposals, and technical documents in a non-English IFRC language - French, Spanish or Arabic.

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.