Intern, Global Surge Capacity -Surge Learning

The IFRC Surge Strategic Plan 2024-2028 aims to build on the improvements and optimization processes that have been successfully undertaken over the past decade. It is intended to provide strategic orientation for IFRC Surge teams while supporting and guiding wider membership. The strategic plan aims to tackle persistent issues and build on the successful changes made over the past years while also anticipating current and emerging trends, ensuring the system is flexible and can adapt to projected humanitarian needs and gaps. 

The IFRC Surge Strategic Plan 2024-2028 builds on the improvements and optimization processes undertaken over the past decade. It provides strategic orientation for IFRC Surge teams while supporting and guiding the wider membership in strengthening emergency response capacity.  The plan addresses persistent system challenges, consolidates recent progress, and anticipates emerging humanitarian trends to ensure the surge mechanism remains flexible and able to adapt to evolving operational needs.

The strategic plan harmonizes existing regional and global tools and is guided by overarching Surge Principles, including:

1. The Surge mechanism is part of a wider response system. It is accountable, fit for purpose, able to deploy the right people and services to the right place at the right time, as local as possible, as global as necessary.
2. Staff and volunteers have equal access to joining Surge networks. Members of Surge networks have equal access to deployment based on competences and availability. There are equitable opportunities for progression within the Surge mechanism, based on merit.
3. Roles, responsibilities, and procedures are clear, transparent, known, held in common and adhered to.
4. The Surge mechanism contributes to capacity building and support existing disaster preparedness initiatives.
5. Stakeholders commit to working together towards operational excellence where not achieved. The Surge mechanism will monitor quality, learn, and optimise.

As part of IFRC commitment in engaging youth, an internship provides an avenue for to – be – graduates, or recent graduates to gain experience in an international humanitarian organization. The internship is a formative and guided learning process; it is a period of “learning-by-doing”, an opportunity to be directly involved and know the Federation’s Response System at the international/regional level, as well as an opportunity to acquire professional skills in the management of Rapid Response Personnel.

The Intern will support the Global Surge Learning and development team in the organization of training events, the coordination with training participants and their nominating entities (National Societies, IFRC delegations and Regional Offices), and other learning initiatives that aim to promote a competency-based approach to high-quality learning events.

The Intern will be physically based at the IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office in Kuala Lumpur and will benefit from the support and learning environment of the regional team. However, the Intern will report directly to the Global Surge Learning team and will primarily contribute to global training initiatives and processes, working closely with colleagues in Geneva, Budapest, and across the five IFRC regions.

Key responsibilities will include  the promotion of high quality standards across all training events, communication with facilitators, participants, and other stakeholders (National Societies, IFRC delegations, Regional Offices), the preparation and updating of training-related documentation, such as participant lists and post-event reporting, ensuring adherence to data management policies, the coordination of logistics for training events, and some other Surge-related event-organization and follow up.

By the end of the internship, the intern will be able to:

• Support the planning and coordination of training activities, such as planning, communication and logistics.
• Create and update learning materials (slides, handouts, guides, templates) using consistent branding and quality standards.
• Upload, update, and organize learning content on digital learning platforms (LMS).
• Create visual assets (flyers, infographics) using design tools such as Canva.
• Prepare reports and data extracts on training participation and outcomes.
• Work effectively in a multicultural environment and adapt communication to different audiences.
• Manage time, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines with increasing independence.
• Follow Movement principles and apply basic data protection, confidentiality, and ethical standards in all L&D tasks.

Support to Surge Learning and Training Events

• Support the planning and delivery of global surge learning initiatives and training programmes, including both virtual and in-person events.
• Assist in the coordination of training events such as the Emergency Team Leader training, Coordination Assessment and Planning (CAP) training, Managing IFRC Operations training, Needs Assessment training, Induction to IFRC Operations programme, and Train. Assess. Facilitate. training.
• Support the announcement of calls for applications, respond to participant enquiries, and assist in the selection and onboarding of participants in coordination with IFRC Regional Offices, National Societies, and technical departments.
• Assist with logistical and operational aspects of training events, including scheduling, documentation, and coordination with facilitators and stakeholders.
• Contribute to the collection and analysis of participant feedback and support the preparation of training reports and learning summaries.
• Support monitoring of training outcomes and contribute to improvements in training design and delivery.
• Apply basic instructional design principles in course development and support the design of engaging activities (quizzes, role-plays).

Knowledge and Information Management

• Maintain and update knowledge management systems related to surge learning, including training catalogues, learning resources, and training calendars.
• Support the organization and management of training materials, documentation, and learning tools on shared platforms (e.g., SharePoint and other internal systems).
• Assist in maintaining and updating the surge learning website and other internal knowledge repositories.
• Support the development and organization of information resources related to surge learning programmes and facilities.

Facilitators Network and Learning Community Support

• Assist with the maintenance and updating of the Surge Facilitators Network database, including basic information management and tracking of participation.
• Support coordination and communication with facilitators involved in surge training initiatives.
• Assist in the collection of feedback and lessons learned from facilitators and learning focal points to support continuous improvement.
• Contribute to initiatives that strengthen engagement and collaboration within the facilitator and learning community.

Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Support coordination with IFRC Regional Offices, National Societies, and technical departments to facilitate planning and delivery of learning activities.
• Assist with organizing and supporting meetings and events related to surge learning and surge coordination, including preparation of documentation, note-taking, and follow-up on action points.
• Support the organization of Global Surge Working Group meetings and other coordination meetings (virtual and in-person).
• Assist in coordinating membership engagement initiatives such as webinars and learning series, including scheduling sessions, liaising with speakers, and sharing relevant materials.

Communications

• Contribute to communication products related to surge, including announcements, newsletters, website updates, and intranet posts.
• Assist in disseminating information about training opportunities and learning resources across the IFRC network.

Programme and Administrative Support

• Provide general support to the Global Surge Learning team in the coordination and implementation of learning activities and projects.
• Support of report writing and assist the Global Surge Desk in the preparation of funding proposals and management of reports.
• Support collaboration with the finance team on administrative aspects related to training events when necessary.

Required

A university degree (or ongoing studies) in Learning and Development, Project Management, Human Resources, Data Management, Knowledge Management, Information Management, Organizational Development, or equivalent academic or professional background.

Preferred

Additional training, coursework or professional qualification in event management or training facilitation.

Required

• Experience supporting events or workshops, communicating with diverse groups, conducting research and data management.
• Familiarity with data collection tools, such as KoBo Toolbox or similar mobile data collection platforms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Preferred

• Basic knowledge on web development and Learning Management Systems (Moodle).
• Familiarity with online collaboration and facilitation tools, such as MS Teams, Zoom, Miro, Mentimeter, Padlet and Kahoot.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to exchange while maintaining effective working relations
• Open to learning and committed to acting on learning and sharing experiences
• Ability to adapt and adjust to change, take extra miles to accomplished work task
• Ability to work well in a multicultural team and in a changing environment
• Self-supporting in computers (Email, Internet, spread sheets, word-processing, etc.)
• Ability to be flexible to work in pressurized working environments e.g., disaster affected area

Languages

• Fluently spoken and written English
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)

Competencies 

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.

Deployment conditions and duration

Office environment. 6 months.

Immediate Supervisor

Lead, Surge L&D, Global Surge Unit 

DCC department IFRC Geneva