Technical Officer (Based in Barbados)

Technical Officer

Background

________________________________________________________________________________

The Red Cross Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Reference Centre (CADRIM) has been operational since late 2010 and is located at the Barbados Red Cross Society Headquarters.  It was developed at the request of the Caribbean Disaster Management Network, which represents the region`s Red Cross National Societies and works to promote effective disaster management in the Caribbean.

The Center builds on experiences and best practices of two existing Red Cross Reference Centers; the Regional Reference Center for Community Resilience (CRREC) located in Costa Rica with a focus on Community education and the Regional Reference Center for Institutional Disaster Preparedness (CREPD), located in El Salvador with a focus on institutional preparedness.  The Caribbean Reference Center also aligns its activities with these two Centers within a broader vision of building community resilience through early warning and early action.

The main objectives of the Center are as follows:

• Tools and Methodology Development: Develop and adapt tools and methodologies used to build community resilience and reduce risk through early warning and early action that fit the Caribbean context
• Technical Exchanges and Internships: Promote the development, piloting and revision of materials through exchanges and internships for Red Cross Society staff and volunteers
• Knowledge Management and Information Sharing: Maintain a digital inventory and web library of high quality resource materials on community based disaster risk reduction relevant to the Caribbean

The Technical Officer (TO) is responsible for coordinating, implementing and monitoring the activities of the Reference Center towards the development and adaptation of tools specific for the Caribbean context 

• Research, analyse and gather data for the development of methodologies, materials and tools in collaboration with key partners such as the National Societies and their Networks, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), academic institutions and others. 
• Provide technical support, coaching and quality control to Caribbean National Societies regarding the tools available at the Reference Center
• Coordinate and facilitate training activities and maintain an updated and detailed file of these activities 
• Collect lessons learned, practices and recommendations for updating materials, methodologies and tools and informing case studies
• Coordinate, prepare and support internships and technical exchange processes
• Update the knowledge related to the methodologies of community service, proposed by the different actors of the international Red Cross Movement and other NGO´s 
• Coordinate and participate in regional or continental meetings assigned by the Coordinator with representatives from the IFRC Zone office, National Societies, NGOs and public or private institutions.
• Prepare mission reports related to meetings, trainings and other events in which the TO has participated.
• Support the Coordinator in the preparation of interim and final reports of projects implemented at the Regional level and propose corrective actions for each of the projects if necessary.
• Participate jointly with the Reference Center Coordinator in defining and developing strategies for the improvement of the actions executed by the Reference Center
• Conduct assessments for units of work, techniques, procedures, rules and functions, that optimize the achievement of objectives of the Reference Center
• Conduct, research and collect information about existing materials and methodologies in the region, which support the actions executed by the Reference Center
• Update and maintain the information management systems (virtual library, database of regional trainers etc.)
• Collaborate in studies, inventories, and behavior analysis, trends and prospects in the area of ​​Risk Reduction
• Collaborate in developing the annual operational plan and the planning of each of the projects that the Center implements
• Represents the Center Coordinator (when delegated) in official meetings, making decisions, training events, logistics, among others.
• Provide support and technical advice on the identification, formulation, implementation, and evaluation of projects executed by the Reference Center.
• Seek appropriate technical training (nationally and internationally) as a form of personal development and discuss with the Reference Centre Coordinator or their Line Managemer in the Learning and Innovation Unit, the possibilities of career development and self improvement.Understand and practice the Principles of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement

SUPPORT TASKS: additional duties that support the IFRC Caribbean Regional Representation Office (CRRO) as a team

1. Where required, represent the CRRO at partnership meetings
2. Provide programmatic updates, as required, and contribute to information-sharing between CRRO and CADRIM and extended offices and Units
3. Be familiar with the Caribbean Regional Representation Office (CRRO) programs and objectives.

LATERAL RELATIONSHIPS

1. Establish and ensure effective working relationships with the other local staff and delegates.
2. Ensure effective working relationships with the Host National Society (NS) staff and volunteers and country delegation delegates as well as regional NSs, as required.
3. Ensure effective working relationships with technical and service departments at regional and

Geneva Secretariat level, as required.

Person specification

ONLY SUITABLE MATCHES WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION