Livelihoods Delegate (Morocco EQ Response)

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 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 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. 

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Morocco on September 8, killing and injuring thousands of people and causing widespread destruction. The Moroccan Red Crescent Society (MRCS) responded immediately, providing first aid and psychosocial support, helping transport the injured to hospitals, evacuating people from damaged buildings and providing dignified burial management. Through this appeal, the IFRC is supporting MRCS to meet the immediate and early recovery needs of 500,000 affected people. Priorities include providing food and safe water, essential household items, shelter support, health and mental health services, and cash assistance. 

Under the oversight of the Deputy Operations Manager in Morocco, the Livelihoods Delegate will work with the National Society and other Movement partners based in Marrakech and support other regions to provide technical expertise for the development of the livelihoods interventions within the Earthquake Operation (EQ Op) recovery strategy in response to the Earthquake in Morocco that occurred in 8^th September 2023.

Specifically, the purpose of this position is:

1. To lead IFRC support to the Moroccan Red Crescent Society (MRCS) in the coordination, planning, and implementation of livelihood activities that contribute to the achievement of the Recovery and exit Strategy.
2. To ensure that livelihoods activities are market-driven, and include climate change adaptation.
3. To ensure an integrated approach implementation of livelihoods activities that contribute to building community resilience, particularly through the coordination actions with the disaster risk reduction (DRR), WASH, Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) and Protection Gender and Inclusion (PGI) to respond to the needs of the affected communities by the earthquake
4. To develop appropriate operational procedures (or guidance) for the implementation of livelihoods interventions to ensure timeliness, accountability, and quality.
5. Represent the IFRC in cross-sectoral working groups and coordination forums (formal and informal) related to livelihoods in Morocco and build relevant partnerships.

In addition, the delegate will guide the Livelihood MRCS team (1 Technical Referent as counterpart and 3 Officers as Agronomist, Livestock and IGA activities) to develop an appropriate framework, supervise their activities and contribute to their capacity building in livelihoods programming.

Technical Support

• Lead the livelihoods sector implementation within the EQ Op recovery forum coordinating the interventions with MRCS, other sectors of implementation and other Partner National Societies.
• Ensure adherence with IFRC FSL strategy, tools, guidelines and international standards.
• In alignment with the suggested EQ Op recovery strategy and emphasizing the integrated approach, monitor the implementation of the livelihoods interventions to facilitate the achievement of the proposed outcomes within other sector, including DRR, Shelter, WASH, PGI/MHPSS. Important to note that the livelihoods interventions are not implemented in isolation but rather are developed in an integrated approach and enabler to achieve broader cross-sectoral objectives.
• Support the implementation of activities to enhance agropastoral production of the affected communities in coordination with the pre identified areas of the DRR sector, ensure the action including climate change mitigation measures and are linked to water feasibility.
• Support the Resilience sector and CBDRR in designing long term and replicable activities as Field Schools which integrate anticipatory action and climate change adaptation in the livelihoods activities.
• Undertake market study or research to understand and recommend the most promising market-based income-generating activities (IGAs) and employment opportunities, prioritizing women's economic empowerment linked to improved mental health and well-being.
• Develop a targeting protocol / guideline and oversee its implementation to reach specific groups or individuals that would benefit from the Livelihoods interventions based on their vulnerability criteria.
• Support the MRCS in developing operational procedures or guidance documents that will steer the implementation of identified livelihood interventions (e.g. how to implement IGAs; how to implement livestock restocking).
• Support MRCS to ensure consistent application of minimum standard commitments to gender and diversity and close coordination with PGI.
• Review and implement to anticipate the challenges defined on the risk analysis related to the livelihood component, with a focus on climate change, and incorporate the development of mitigation measures. Support MRCS to integrate the climate smarter livelihood approach.
• Guide MRCS staff in ensuring community participation in all the steps (including the selection of livelihoods intervention locations, activities, targeting criteria, and work plans). Together with the CEA Coordinator and officers, develop a CEA plan and ensure key messages are effectively disseminated to recipients and relevant stakeholders and appropriate feedback mechanisms are established following the IFRC's respective guidelines.
• Advocate for CVA in Livelihoods with local authorities and NS leadership, by designing, when appropriate, and sharing the advocacy messages with concrete and real evidence from different similar contexts.

National Society Capacity Development

• Guide the National Society on the integration of the livelihoods sector within the Resilience department by reinforcing livelihood expertise and capacities within the MRCS branches acknowledging and reassessing the capacity gaps that may need to be addressed to ensure quality implementation of livelihoods interventions.
• Facilitate relevant training as guided through the NSD outcome, as well as piloting the livelihoods intervention and collecting the results in a case study which will define the MRCS National Strategy.
• Supervise the Food Security and Livelihoods MRCS team through on-the-job coaching, and mentoring to enhance the capacity other relevant MRCS staff and volunteers.

National Society Capacity Development (second part)

• Support MRCS to develop the Livelihood / Recovery long term strategy as part of the NS Development Plan and any other long-term planning of the National Society.
• Support MRCS in the development of other non-EQ Op proposals to enhance the Community Resilience interventions by integrating successful livelihoods context adapted activities.

Coordination, cooperation, networking and partnership

• Coordinate closely with Partner National Societies that are directly supporting MRCS/IFRC operation strategy and provide technical support as and where appropriate.
• Together with MRCS, participate in and represent the IFRC in relevant coordination meetings (informal or informal) as well as liaise with local public authorities, UN agencies, and international and non-governmental organizations to ensure consistency of approaches and build relevant partnerships when appropriate.
• Keep relevant communication with the regional Thematic Units.
• Trigger processes with Logistics, Procurement and HR to ensure the required resources to implement the
• planned activities under the Morocco set up. Similarly, s/he will prepare cash requests and treasury needs to inform Finance and request the adequate support service.

Project management including PMER

• Livelihood delegate is responsible for ensuring proper Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (PMER) for the Livelihood sector, respecting the PMER EQ Ops global framework. Livelihood delegate is also responsible for ensuring proper budget monitoring regarding livelihood sector :
• Together with MRC team, outline the PMER plan and adapt the necessary Livelihoods M&E tools from the Livelihoods Resource Centre toolkit. This includes supporting MRCS to ensure that minimum data collection, monitoring, and evaluation tools and processes are in place to measure the results and impact of livelihood interventions.
• Contribute to the IFRC reporting processes (operational situation reports and updates, standard and donor reporting) according to PMER requirements requested by the PMER delegate, SPRM delegate, or Deputy/Operations Manager.

- University degree in relevant area or equivalent qualifying experience 

- Training in Livelihoods Programming Course (LPC), HES, Livelihoods Assessments (ERLA), Market based-Livelihoods Interventions, or equivalent

- Qualification in development studies or a related area (such as food security, livelihoods, economics)

- At least 3-5 years of livelihoods program management experience

- Experience integrating livelihoods programmes with a community resilience approach 

- Experience in working in both emergency and developmental contexts (especially in community-based approaches)

- Experience in project cycle management including proposal development, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation

- Experience in managing and coaching teams in multi-faceted projects, including recruiting and building the capacity of national and local staff and volunteers 

- Knowledge and understanding in the use of participatory tools in community planning approaches

- Knowledge of different Livelihoods, Cash and programme modalities, as well as the challenges and risks involved with implementing such programmes. 

- Demonstrated staff management and development skills

- Proven project management skills. 

- Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets).  

- Ability to work in a cross-cultural, multilingual and cross-functional environment

- Good analytical skills and solution-oriented

- Excellent communication, mentoring and advocacy skills

- Ability to multi-task and work with tight deadlines

- Ability to prepare reports, information updates, press briefings, plan of actions, operations update, emergency appeal etc

- Demonstrated accountability

- Fluent spoken and written French or Arabic 

- Good command of written and spoken English