Regional Operations Manager (Complex Emergency Sudan) –  International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Job Description

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 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.

Sudan has been plunged into a dire humanitarian crisis following the conflict that erupted in April 2023, leaving almost 30  million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The conflict continues to have consequences beyond borders, with  almost 5 million Sudanese refugees fleeing to Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia. IFRC has launched an  Emergency Appeal for Sudan and another one for Neighbouring countries. The appeal is coordinated from Africa Regional  Office, with a cross-regional level with the MENA region. IFRC, ICRC and numerous Partner National Societies are integrating  their capacities to provide coordinated crisis response in Sudan and the neighbouring countries. Operations are led and  coordinated on country-level whenever possible, integrated under existing Country and Cluster delegations, through  Operations Managers reporting to Heads of Country or Cluster Delegations. Where no Country or Cluster delegation exists,  Operations Managers report directly to the Regional Office and the Migration-Program Coordinator for Sudan. Resources to  support all or several impacted countries from a regional level will be integrated into existing structures at the Regional Office

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Regional Coordinator of Operations in the Africa office, the Regional Operations Manager for the Complex  Emergency in Sudan provides overall leadership and coordination and facilitates strategic support to ensure optimal  coordination and management of resources required, mobilized, and allocated for the effective and efficient implementation  of IFRC-supported operations related to Sudan and impacted countries in the Africa Region and MENA Region. The role will  manage the different technical teams assigned for this operations at regional level (3-5 staff) and coordinate closely with the  Regional Management Team and the extended management team in the Africa and MENA Regional Offices, ensuring full  cooperation and coordination on the use of expertise in the operation, which will be fully integrated into country-level and existing Regional Office structures.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Direction and Leadership

• Implement the overall strategic vision, planning, and operational coordination for the Sudan crisis and neighboring impacted countries.
• Lead political, social, military, and humanitarian context analysis, using insights to inform strategic and operational adjustments.
• Ensure alignment with long-term programmatic goals, National Society (NS) capacity building, and sustainability frameworks.
• Represent IFRC at high-level engagements with external stakeholders, including UN agencies, governments, donors, and Movement partners.
• Implement the IFRC Risk Management Framework in collaboration with the Regional Risk Management Officer,
ensuring risk mitigation, monitoring, and reporting processes.
• Guide the transition from emergency response to a long-term, integrated programming approach based on IFRC capacities and funding streams in coordination and collaboration of the Country Cluster Delegations.
• Re-establish and tailor internal IFRC coordination systems to meet evolving operational needs.

Coordination

• Promote and support membership coordination mechanisms at regional and country levels to ensure shared leadership and harmonized approaches.
• Facilitate effective coordination with ICRC to ensure Movement complementarity, in alignment with the Seville Agreement and NS leadership.
• Support alignment of IFRC Network activities with NS-identified needs and priorities through shared analysis and joint planning.
• Support NSs in developing tools and standards for consistent and high-quality emergency response operations.
• Work closely with the DCC Department to ensure appropriate contingency planning and preparedness support.

Operations Management

• Provide strategic oversight and leadership of Emergency Appeals and country operational plans, ensuring synergy with Federation-wide approaches.
• Ensure participatory planning involving Heads of Country/Cluster Delegations, Operations Managers, and technical departments.
• Maintain oversight of appeal budgets to ensure financial alignment with priorities across response, recovery, and development phases.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Resource Mobilization and Allocation

• In partnership with SPRM, develop and implement a tailored fundraising strategy for Sudan and impacted countries.
• Support resource mapping and donor engagement across the membership and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate allocation of appeal income based on needs and priorities, submitting PEARs for SMT consideration and approval.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Ensure systems are in place to monitor implementation progress and adjust strategies in response to contextual
shifts.
• Guarantee timely and high-quality narrative and financial reporting aligned with pledge requirements and
Federation-wide standards.
• Foster collaboration with PMER, Finance, PRD, and operational teams for consistent, accurate, and strategic
reporting outputs.
• Guide the development of shared M&E frameworks, accountability mechanisms, and data collection systems

Education

• University degree in relevant area or equivalent experience required. (Required)
• Training in advanced disaster management (Required)

Experience

• Demonstrated experience of successfully leading and coordinating large-scale
• humanitarian emergency response operations in a variety of contexts, preferably with the RC/RC Movement (Required)
• 10 years of experience in disaster management, including managing staff (Required)
• Experience working in a RC/RC National Society and/or Federation/ICRC (Required)
• Minimum of five years working experience in project management, including proposal (Required)
• development, budgeting, reporting, monitoring and evaluation (Required)
• Experience in working with, or alongside, non-RC/RC humanitarian organisations in
• emergency situations (Required)
• Experience in successful institutional fundraising and managing donor relations. (Required)
• Sound knowledge of, and commitment to, a holistic approach to disaster and crisis
• management, with a particular understanding of cash-based programming (Required)
• Experience in working with UN Humanitarian Coordination Teams and clusters (preferred)
• Certified Head of Emergency Operation (HEOP) or Developing HEOP (preferred)
• Good knowledge and relevant work experience in the regional context (preferred)

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Proven analytical skills and the ability to think strategically and under pressure, without
• access to complete information (Required)
• Excellent political, diplomatic, communication and negotiating skills. (Required)
• Proven skills in strategic and operational planning, budgeting, and reporting. (Required)
• Ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations. (Required)
• Knowledge of grant and appeal management, risk management strategies and resource
• (Required)
• Ability to scan and analyse an organisation’s strength of management, vision, and
• adaptive capacity. (Required)
• Results-oriented and demand-driven. (Required)
• Professional credibility, ability to work effectively across the Red Cross Red Crescent
• Movement (Required)
• Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality. (Required)

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.
• Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.
• Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.
• Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.