Health Programme Officer

Job Description

Organizational context (where the job is located in the Organization)

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people each year through its 192 member National Societies. The Organization acts before, during and after disasters, crises and health emergences in order to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. Our work is guided by seven fundamental principles (humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality), policies and by Strategy 2030, which voices our collective vision and determination to move forward in tackling the major challenges that confront humanity in the coming decade. The IFRC Secretariat has a decentralized structure: five regional delegations (each with several country cluster delegations and country delegations reporting to it) covering the globe and responsible for frontline delivery through National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, backed by the Secretariat HQ based in Geneva.

The IFRC is currently present in Nepal through a Country Delegation (CD - first established in 1965 with a presence through regional representation at times), providing support to Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) programmes and capacity building. The longer term mission of the Nepal Delegation is to facilitate organisational growth, technical capacities, partnerships and resource mobilisation that enable Nepal Red Cross Society to deliver on its humanitarian mandate in the country through the provision of technical support, advocacy, representation and coordination functions, in accordance with Strategy 2030 and annual Operational Plans.

Under the guidance of the Programme Manager, the Health Officer is responsible to oversee the overall health programme of the delegation, including the current COVID19 operation. The Program Officer is expected to provide operational advice to the NRCS in line with the technical guidance received from the IFRC regional office while overseeing the day-to-day implementation of activities at field and NHQ levels.

The Health Programme Officer reports to the IFRC Programme Manager of the IFRC Nepal Country Delegation. 

Job purpose

Aside from the current COVID19 operation, NRCS is implementing a wide range of health and WASH initiatives with support from the IFRC network and in close collaboration with health authorities. As part of the IFRC programme team, the Health Programme Officer will support NRCS and its counterparts (including health authorities and partners) in planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of such initiatives with a focus on quality assurance and knowledge transfer to NRCS staff and volunteers, also contributing to the accountable delivery of such projects. Across all the health initiatives, the Health Programme Officer will provide technical support and actively work jointly with NRCS to achieve the project objectives while building the health preparedness and response capacities of the NRCS.

Job duties and responsibilities

Programme / project management

1. Lead on the identification of the health programmatic priorities of the Delegation, as part of the annual operational planning and under various operations. 
2. Ensure proper management of operations/pledges and projects under responsibility, including in (1) planning, (2) monitoring and (3) reporting (narrative and financial) as per IFRC and donor requirements. This includes the ongoing COVID19 operation which constitutes the major part of current programming. 
3. Assist NRCS in the design of detailed implementation plans throughout the projects cycle under the overall project agreements to build organizational capacity and enhance project quality and effectiveness, in line with existing IFRC policies and guidelines. 
4. Organize trainings/orientation on health issues for NRCS and in-country partners based on own expertise and mobilizing trainers or facilitators from the IFRC network as required. 
5. Supporting in working in close collaboration with various units in NRCS to facilitate internal coordination as required. This includes taking cross-cutting issues into consideration such as Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), National Society Development (NSD), etc. 
6. Monitor and report on implementation – output, timeline, finance, and quality – of the projects, and recommend solutions to NRCS project teams as well as IFRC Senior Management Team where required. 
7. Undertake field visits as required for monitoring and technical advice purposes.
8. Support the capacity building for staff and volunteers at various levels in various project, including facilitating trainings if necessary
9. Work with the Programme Manager and other IFRC Programme team members to improve quality and effectiveness of the various initiatives (including in providing technical advice in case of health components within other thematic projects, such as DRR, etc.)

Partnership and Coordination

1. Coordinate with NRCS Health Service Department and ensure participation in national level forums, meetings like regular coordination with Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC), Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), WHO and other UN agencies, specially related with COVID-19 response. 
2. Represent IFRC Country Delegation in the National Health Cluster meetings as well as other coordination mechanisms related to health issues. 
3. Support technical coordination in the field of health with the other members of the IFRC (in-country partners and others supporting from the distance as applicable) as well as ICRC, promoting mutual learning and synergies in support of NRCS. 
4. Regularly coordinate with the health department of the IFRC AP Regional Delegation and ensure alignment in programming as well as technical guidance being provided to the NRCS. 
5. Together with NRCS, participate in regional and global health events organized by the IFRC and its members as relevant
6. Ensure that relevant health policies, guidelines and tools from IFRC and other credible health organizations are disseminated among all colleagues (NRCS, PNS, IFRC, ICRC, etc.) 
7. Promote knowledge sharing and peer to peer learning in the field of health, with the particular attention on ensuring that our programming is based on scientific data and well-tested approaches. 
8. Ensure that lessons learnt and good practice from operations and programmes are compiled, used to improve future planning, programming and implementation and shared within the region as well as with the relevant stakeholders for wider dissemination.

Other Tasks

• Act as focal point for Staff Health in the delegation, in close coordination with the HR colleagues. 
• Provide strategic advice to the IFRC Senior Management Team as required.
• Any other tasks specific to this position to be identified and agreed upon by the job holder and line-manager

Duties applicable to all staff

Position Requirements