Humanitarian Director

About IPPF

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. In the last 12-months, IPPF embarked on a profound and transformative strategic planning process, with a new six-year Strategy (2023-2028) focused around four pillars:

• Center care on people
• Move the sexuality agenda
• Solidarity for change
• Nurture the federation

This will ensure the Federation is strategically positioned to respond with agility to the needs of women, girls, and all the people it serves including those affected by crises.

Working for IPPF

IPPF offers a unique opportunity to contribute to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights globally**.** Meaningful work, a supportive environment, professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities around the world. Working for IPPF offers a compelling value proposition that encompasses various aspects:

• Mission-Driven Organization: IPPF is a globally recognised leader in sexual and reproductive health and rights. By joining IPPF, you become part of a mission-driven organisation dedicated to empowering individuals and communities, advancing gender equality, and improving access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare services.
• Impactful Work: Working at IPPF allows you to make a significant impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. You contribute to efforts aimed at reducing maternal mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, combating gender-based violence, promoting comprehensive sexuality education, and advocating for the rights of marginalised communities.
• Global Reach and Influence: IPPF operates in over 150 countries, providing a unique opportunity to work on a global scale. You collaborate with diverse teams, partner organisations, and governments to drive change, shape policies, and implement innovative programs that address the sexual and reproductive health needs of communities worldwide.
• Professional Development: IPPF offers a supportive, inclusive work environment fostering professional growth and development. You have access to training, mentoring, and opportunities for advancement, enabling you to enhance your skills, broaden your expertise, and thrive in your career.
• Collaborative Culture: IPPF values teamwork, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. You work alongside passionate and dedicated colleagues who share a common vision and work collectively towards achieving IPPF’s goals. The organisation encourages respect, diversity, and inclusivity, creating a supportive environment that values different perspectives and experiences.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: IPPF is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work. As an employee, you contribute to building an inclusive and equitable organisation that respects and values individuals’ backgrounds, experiences, and identities.
• Strong Organizational Support: IPPF provides comprehensive support to its employees, including competitive compensation packages, benefits, and resources that enable you to excel in your role. The organisation prioritises employee well-being and work-life balance, recognising the importance of a healthy and fulfilling professional life.
• Continual Innovation: IPPF embraces innovation and creativity in addressing the evolving sexual and reproductive health landscape. You can contribute to cutting-edge programs, research initiatives, and advocacy efforts that push boundaries, challenge norms, and drive positive change.

The Role

The Humanitarian Director leads the development and delivery of IPPF’s global humanitarian programme, which focuses on providing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services in humanitarian crises.

The Director oversees a diverse team of programmatic, communications, technical, safety and security, and operational experts in the field of humanitarian work. This multi-disciplinary team is located across various IPPF Secretariat offices. The Director’s role involves coordinating and enhancing humanitarian capacity across all six regions of the organization. Currently, the humanitarian team is primarily situated in the Secretariat offices located in Kuala Lumpur and Suva. The team supports Member Associations (MAs) to prepare to respond to acute crises by delivering the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health in crisis settings, and to scale provision of essential services for people affected by protracted crises.

The Director oversees IPPF core funds dedicated to the Humanitarian Programme known as Stream 3 funding and a growing portfolio of restricted funded projects in each region. The Director also represents IPPF at external meetings and advocates for the achievement of our mission and the SRH rights of people living in crisis settings. The post-holder will build and leverage strategic partnerships to mobilise resources for IPPF’s humanitarian efforts.

Role Deliverables

• Coordinate the implementation and growth of IPPF’s humanitarian programme and integration of humanitarian work across the development and humanitarian nexus in alignment with the new Strategy (2023-2028), working closely with senior leaders in the organisation at global, regional and MA levels.
• Manage and support Humanitarian Team members and consolidate working approach and capacities across the global humanitarian programme team to strengthen common purpose, technical approaches and collaboration on priority work objectives.
• Support the development of an IPPF Humanitarian Community of Practice which will include members of the Humanitarian Team, Humanitarian Architects of Cooperation, regional Advisors and humanitarian coordinators. The Community of Practice (CoP) will be a platform to share and contribute to Humanitarian Programme scope of work through regular calls and meetings to support a cohesive and standardised approach to humanitarian action across the federation.
• Work closely with colleagues in the Strategic Partnerships Division to mobilise restricted funding to support humanitarian programming.
• Oversee the delivery of various restricted funded projects and strategic engagement with donors including the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is a donor of the humanitarian flagship programme, SPRINT.
• Expand the capacity and capabilities of MAs, supporting them to respond effectively to humanitarian crises and facilitating capacity sharing and peer learning.
• Ensure IPPF publications and approaches (e.g. annual performance reports, technical guidance and quality standards) reflect current trends in the humanitarian sector, best known practices in humanitarian contexts and promote localisation.
• Strengthen financial and operational systems to support the delivery of the humanitarian strategy and the underlying programme through collaboration with Finance, Supply Chain Management and other teams.
• Lead engagement with international humanitarian architecture, including Health cluster and Protection cluster engagement.
• Strengthen global partnerships which assist IPPF MAs to strengthen their preparedness, build their humanitarian response capacities and/or mobilise funding.
• Collaborate with partners in strategic and technical fora including the Inter Agency Working Group on SRH in Crisis, SRH technical cluster working group, and Call to Action on GBV to advocate for IPPF’s policy positions on SRH in crises and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) with key stakeholders.
• Guide IPPF advocacy positioning within the humanitarian space and collaborate closely with the Advocacy team on events and key messages development.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of 16 staff (line and matrix management) including humanitarian specialists in communications, SGBV, clinical SRH service delivery, monitoring and evaluation, operations, safety and security and programme management.
• Oversee a restricted project funding portfolio of more than USD 6m per year and core funding of USD 1.2m per year.
• Ensure gender is effectively mainstreamed within the remit of the post and in line with IPPF’s Gender Equality Policy.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with all members of staff, and contacts within and outside the Federation.
• Provides leadership on developing and implementing an IPPF feminist humanitarian approach.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualifications in a relevant field: international development, public health, health management, social science or equivalent.
• Substantial and significant experience in humanitarian settings, including preparedness, disaster response and recovery, fragility and conflict.
• Advanced application of health, SRHR, rights, and/or protection in humanitarian settings.
• A strong track record of leadership and senior staff management, including developing and inspiring performance of staff from diverse backgrounds and cultures and remote management.
• Extensive experience in programme and project management and budget oversight, with proven ability in producing results.
• Extensive networks within the global humanitarian system and experience with international humanitarian coordination architecture, aid systems and agencies.
• Significant exposure to, or experience working in, clinical settings or with clinicians, with a specific focus on the provision of SRHR services Including SGBV.
• Demonstrated ability to think and operate strategically and transform strategy into results.
• Strong policy and programme development skills, including managing funding by multiple donors.
• Well-established resource mobilization skills, including in preparing technical, humanitarian proposals, bids and tenders for a range of humanitarian donor agencies.
• Strong representation, advocacy and influencing skills at regional and international levels with a proven ability to build consensus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to express technical concepts clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences.
• Fluent in spoken and written English and proficiency in Spanish, French or Arabic is highly desirable.
• Willing to travel internationally, up to 60 days per year.
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others
• An intersectional (pro) feminist, passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights and justice, including safe abortion.
• Supportive of people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of worker’s rights and access to health care in sex work.

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.