Communications Consultant, DREF Pledging conference At International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies

1. ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network. The IFRC is a membership organization established by and comprised of 192 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) was established by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 1985 to provide immediate financial support to National Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, enabling them to carry out their unique role as first responders after a disaster. The DREF has grown significantly; from 2003 when 3 million Swiss francs were allocated, to 2010 when grants and loans together totaled 22.5 million Swiss francs to 2020 when the fund reached 34 million Swiss francs.

2. BACKGROUND

National Societies are uniquely placed as first responders to crises. Every year small and medium-sized disasters often occur in silence, with little attention in mainstream media, and consequently do not benefit from the required financial support. Last year the DREF defined its 5-year ambition (2020-2025) with the target to scale up commitments from donors to CHF 100 million per year by 2025. The expansion of the Fund is underpinned by a commitment to provide urgent financial support to National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for scaling up their anticipatory action and response, improving the effectiveness of DREF allocations made for slow-onset, complex and protracted situations.

To support reaching the defined target, the IFRC has developed a workplan which includes a pledging conference to scale up donors’ commitment to the DREF as tool for the localization agenda.

The ambition of this pledging conference is to reach up CHF300 million over the next 3 years starting from 2022.

It is envisaged that the DREF pledging conference is a multi-donor event that includes governments, private sector and multilaterals and will take place in October, 2021. It will either be in person or virtual depending on the COVID situation. It would include presentation by the IFRC, and National Societies followed by orchestrated statements from different categories of donors on the contributions that they will be able to announce. We would envisage a 3-to-4-hour event with the following main blocks:

• The scale of the problem (presentations made by National Societies)

• How do we solve the problem together (pledges made by donors with statements)

• Press conference after the event with the co-chair

3. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE

The objective of this consultancy is to coordinate and provide communications support for the DREF pledging conference.

4. PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY

The consultant will be embedded within the Strategy and Global Network Unit in the Communications Department of the IFRC in Geneva (working remotely) which will allow the individual to have easy access to IFRC staff and National Societies as well as donors.

The consultant will be part of the DREF internal working group and participate in discussions, provide updates, and prepare materials pertaining to communications.

5. TASKS

The consultant shall be the main liaison with the Partnership and Resource Development Department (PRD) and the DREF team to source for information and content, coordinate communications support, and ensure the development of communication materials according to the planned activities within the agreed timeframe:

1. Coordinate the implementation of a communications plan and the activities outlined in the plan, leading up to, during and immediately following the pledging conference, ensuring close monitoring and follow up of the implementation, adequate consultation at all levels, and regular updates to the plan when required.
2. Familiarize herself/ himself on the DREF tool and its procedures, functionalities, and priorities, with emphasis on the DREF strategic ambition and how the tool could work by 2025. This should also include current communication efforts and content produced to promote DREF operations.
3. In coordination with the PRD Department, the DREF team and IFRC regional communications teams, source for relevant information and content, and prepare communications materials (i.e., Updated Key Messages, Guidance Q&A, suggested social media posts for various spokespeople and key representatives, etc.) to build a comprehensive narrative with substantive content on DREF that can be used for advocacy and highlighting/ positioning the fund in the weeks leading up to the conference, during and well as after the event.
4. Working closely with the Strategy and Global Network team, reach out to communications focal points of relevant partner National Societies, coordinate discussions and share updates to ensure that they are on board with and contribute to the communications plan and activities, and are part of the implementation.
5. Coordinate with the X-Media and Media and Advocacy teams in Geneva as well as partner National Societies’ communications teams to explore visibility and communications engagement opportunities, to reach out to media partners to promote and highlight DREF support to climate-related disasters and small-medium scale disasters, its benefits to affected communities, in traditional and digital media
6. Prepare a donor visibility package composing of photos, stories of people and communities supported by DREF, leadership endorsements, etc., and ensure that they are regularly updated and available for donors who have made funding commitments to the DREF pool.
7. Support the coordination and organization of media briefings and media interviews with relevant spokespeople.
8. Provide any logistics and administrative support required to deliver on the communications activities, and for the day of the event.
9. Monitor and report back on the public communications coverage received and ensure that milestones are reached, and deliverables produced within the agreed timeframe.

6. DELIVERABLES

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

· Regularly updated communications plan with activities and delivery timelines

· Required communications materials to support media and social media efforts in promoting DREF and engaging with relevant donors (i.e., Updated key messages and guidance Q&A, draft press releases when required, source for photos and content, a standard presentation template that PRD and DREF teams can use to present to donors etc.)

· Regularly updated donor visibility package for donors who have made funding commitments

· Report from the pledging conference for external circulation.

· Well run and attended press briefings, and well-organized media interviews leading to the publication of high-quality articles and reports in key media outlets (in other words targeting key donors).

7. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILL SET

Education

· University degree in communications, journalism, marketing or equivalent (required)

Experience

· At least 5 years of recent experience working in the field of communications, media and journalism or marketing

· At least 5 years of experience working with a humanitarian or development organization**

· At least 3 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations and partnership development

Knowledge, skills, and languages

· English: fluent written and spoken

· Fluency in French, Spanish and/or Arabic is an advantage

8. TIMELINE AND CONSULTING DAYS

The consultancy should take up to XXXX working days (XXX months) including compiling and writing of a communications report documenting the communications coverage and reach achieved in the lead up, during and immediately following the pledging conference.