Communication Development Delegate, Afghanistan, 1 year At Finnish Red Cross

Finnish Red Cross is looking for Communication Development Delegate (Safer Access Framework, SAF) to Kabul, Afghanistan, in cooperation with the ICRC. The position is for 1 year with a possibility to extend for 1 additional year. Preferred start date is the beginning of 2024, exact date to be negotiated.

Purpose

The Finnish Red Cross (FRC) supports its partner Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Societies in reaching out to the most hard-to-access populations and people living in countries of protracted crisis with Safer Access Framework (SAF: saferaccess.icrc.org) approach with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). SAF is a set of interlinked elements designed to increase the National Societies’ acceptance among different stakeholders, their security and access to communities in vulnerable positions. This is done via strategic and consistent communication to maintain their image as neutral, impartial, and independent humanitarian actors.

The SAF Communication Development Delegate is a joint FRC and ICRC position to support National Societies operating in sensitive and insecure environments such as protracted crisis and conflicts in Operational Communications (OpComs). The support is implemented in contexts where there is a need of additional RCRC Movement resources to develop OpComs and where FRC’s and ICRC’s complementary expertise and mandate can have added value in strengthening the capacity of the National Society’s staff and volunteer networks to carry out their dissemination and public communication work and achieve greater access to, and impact for affected people.

The SAF Communication Development Delegate will be seconded by FRC and based in the ICRC Delegation in Kabul, Afghanistan, and will closely work with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) to strengthen the capacities and system of the NS Communication department in OpComms as agreed between the ICRC and FRC. The delegate will be an integral part of the ICRC Delegation’s Movement Cooperation Department and will work closely with other relevant departments of the ICRC Delegation and with FRC HQ. This initiative follows ICRC operational planning priorities in Afghanistan for 2024 and is consistent with FRC’s commitment to strengthening the capacities of the ARCS’s in delivering humanitarian services complex and insecure environment.

The work of SAF Communication Development Delegate involves extensive engagement with ARCS staff and volunteers. The delegate will support the ARCS in different aspects of OpComms as per the elements identified in a previous scoping analysis and on a specific OpComs Plan of Action (PoA) that will be developed with ARCS, tailored to meet specific operational contexts and existing capacities.

The SAF Communication Development Delegate is expected to have an advisory role in relation to the ARCS and within ICRC Delegation while focusing on the strengthening of the ARCS Communication department’s capacities and existing systems. The role will include the drafting and management of a joint capacity building plan, providing guidance on a strategic level, establishing and reviewing strategies/policies and guidelines, as well as coaching and training of National Society staff and volunteers to ensure ownership. The Movement Cooperation Coordinator of the ICRC Afghanistan Delegation will be the line manager and supervisor of the delegate, while the Delegate will work in close coordination with the ICRC Communication Coordinator. The SAF Communication Adviser will work closely together with the FRC HQ SAF Lead and the wider, global team of persons working on the SAF Coordination file with the FRC.

Main Responsibilities

• To lead, in coordination with the ICRC Movement Cooperation Coordinator, the roll-out of ARCS/FRC/ICRC joint Operational Communications capacity strengthening plan.

• To support and facilitate the ARCS in the development of an Operational Communications strengthening PoA in line with ARCS’s existing SAF and NSD plans.

• To provide technical support and advice to the ARCS’s Communication Director and relevant staff in the implementation of the Operational Communications strengthening PoA; including developing adequate monitoring and quality control practices, and development and application of contextualized tools.

• To ensure that relevant gender, inclusion and protection considerations are taken into account in the roll-out of ICRC/FRC’s joint Operational Communications strengthening support to ARCS

• To provide on-the-job coaching and training for the strengthening of the ARCS’ communication structures and systems in the areas relevant to the Operational Communications PoA.

• To support the ARCS Communication department to ensure good coordination with IFRC to promote coherence in wider communications development.

• To contribute, as required, to the in-country Movement coordination and cooperation within the area of Operational Communications.

• Support FRC SAF Coordination file with participation to relevant internal development activities, training and support missions as separately agreed between ICRC line manager and FRC SAF Lead.

Specific duties, responsibilities and accountabilities

• To work in full adherence to the Movement Principles.

• To work towards the achievement of the defined goals and objectives.

Reporting

• Ensure that lessons learnt and good practice from the ICRC and FRC partnership are compiled and used further to improve future planning, programming and implementation of other relevant initiatives, and that these lessons learnt are shared within the ICRC and FRC for wider dissemination.

• Support ARCS to prepare regular technical progress reports as stipulated in the Cooperation agreement between the ARCS, the ICRC and FRC.

• Draft internal technical and management reports as required by ICRC and FRC.

Target Profile

1. Education

• University degree in relevant field (professional qualifications in Journalism, Communications, or similar field)

2. Experience

• At least 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in the humanitarian sector in a position related to communications, including crisis communication and/or social media management related duties.

• Experience in capacity building, training and coaching of (international) partner organisations and its staff and volunteers

• Experience in building organisational capacities in crisis communications or social media management in difficult contexts is an asset

• Experience in working or volunteering in Civil Society organisation, preferably within the Red Cross Movement

3. Skills and knowledge

• Capacity to plan and facilitate trainings and to develop tools, materials and methods.

• Capacity to develop tools, methods and strategies and facilitate learning by conducting/commissioning assessments, analysis, evaluations etc.

• Capacity to coach and mentor a partner

• Project management skills and proven skills in financial and narrative reporting

• Good communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills

• Intercultural and gender sensitivity

• Self-supporting in computers

• Flexible, able to adapt to changing working conditions

4. Languages

• Fluent in written and spoken English

• Knowledge of Pashto or Dari is an advantage

5. Competencies

• National Society relations

• Teamwork

• Coaching and mentoring

• Results focused and accountability

• Communication

• Professional standards

• Managerial effectiveness