Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness

Human Appeal•Fairfax, VA

2d•$120,000 - $140,000

About The Position

The Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness leads Human Appeal’s Emergency Response Unit to enable swift and effective responses to emergencies and disasters worldwide. The role supports humanitarian programming and builds the organisation’s capacity to respond in new and existing country programmes, ensuring that appropriate preparedness strategies are in place globally and at country level. It oversees the coordination of emergency response operations, aiming for efficiency, reach, and value for money in programmes serving affected populations. The role develops emergency response strategies and work plans, monitors humanitarian risks, leads responses in disaster-affected areas, and supports country offices through capacity building, resource mobilisation, and partnerships. It provides technical guidance on inclusive humanitarian programming, preparedness, standards, project development, and monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting. The postholder also coordinates with country teams, partners, senior management, donors, and humanitarian forums, and contributes to institutional funding bids and the management of related donations.

Requirements

Degree-level qualification in a relevant field.
At least 8 years of experience in a relevant emergency response, humanitarian, or programme coordination discipline at an INGO.
At least 3 years of experience in a comparable position at an international NGO.
Experience working with and delivering bids from high-profile institutional funding bodies, including the UN, DfID, GIZ, and USAID.
Demonstrable experience developing an emergency response, programme, or field office strategy.
Demonstrable experience managing a field office response during a disaster.
Experience in humanitarian emergency-response project management and conducting rapid needs assessments.
Strong understanding of humanitarian standards, including SPHERE, Core Humanitarian Standards, and Humanitarian Inclusion Standards.
Strong technical knowledge of grassroots disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management.
Demonstrable experience working with networks of organisations on humanitarian preparedness and response.
Experience in emergency preparedness and understanding of the preparedness process.
Experience working in networks and consortiums, particularly with smaller local networks and organisations.
Ability to design project concepts and draft project outlines, proposals, and budgets.
Proven ability to influence others to advance towards successful outcomes.
Experience and capacity in developing research and learning work.
Ability to travel extensively at short notice.
Proficiency with MS Office Suite.
Fluent written and spoken English.

Nice To Haves

Postgraduate degree or equivalent in Humanitarian or International Development studies.
Additional languages relevant to Human Appeal field operations, such as Arabic, French, or Spanish.

Responsibilities

Develop Human Appeal’s emergency response strategy and work plans.
Monitor humanitarian risks in Human Appeal countries of operation and globally.
Lead responses in disaster areas and locations where Human Appeal has no presence, using resource mobilisation and surge-capacity plans.
Support country offices to respond rapidly through capacity building, resource mobilisation, and local partnerships.
Support the development and implementation of emergency response projects for Human Appeal offices and implementing partners.
Provide technical advice on inclusive and integrated humanitarian responses.
Ensure crisis-response planning and implementation meet Human Appeal standards and relevant international humanitarian standards, donor requirements, and accountability obligations.
Ensure country programmes have contextually appropriate and adequately resourced emergency preparedness plans.
Build the capacity of global response personnel and country programme staff who may be deployed to crises.
Provide technical guidance on emergency-response approaches and undertake research and develop internal policies and guidelines as needed.
Lead and support the initial phase of humanitarian responses with partners and country offices.
Develop strategic partnerships with local, national, and international NGOs, networks, and alliances.
Map inclusive emergency response projects with network members and country offices.
Work with the Senior Management Team to develop humanitarian programming aligned with Human Appeal’s global strategic plan.
Provide humanitarian information updates to relevant departments, including situation reports and information for communications and fundraising.
Support field teams to prepare and submit regular programme updates and financial reports, working with Country Directors and Heads of Mission.
Provide programme teams with regular analysis and reporting on humanitarian operating-environment trends and issues.
Coordinate humanitarian missions in allocated countries through daily communication, meetings, and monitoring of field contingency plans.
Represent Human Appeal in humanitarian coordination forums, UN clusters, events, and other coordination meetings.
Contribute to institutional funding bids and manage institutional donations relating to humanitarian and emergency-response projects.
Monitor and assess humanitarian contexts in the field, promptly report disaster risks and challenges, and liaise with external parties as appropriate to maintain and enhance programme security.
Lead project and programme monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting with country offices and implementing partners.
Review field response processes to ensure emergency responses meet humanitarian standards.
Review field policies and procedures regularly to maintain and apply best practice in emergency response.
Develop reporting mechanisms and review and advise field technical staff to support high-quality delivery and reporting.
Perform other duties as assigned.