CEG Head of Emergency Operations

Care International’s (CI) shared emergency response group (CEG), based in Geneva, is tasked to coordinate the implementation of CARE International’s emergency response and preparedness strategy, which has 2 objectives:

1. To establish across CI an overall humanitarian policy and strategy that will guide the confederation’s response to humanitarian suffering.
2. To strengthen organisational capacities and capability in emergency response and preparedness.

CARE International’s Head of Emergency Operations (HEO) provides leadership to the CARE Emergency Group’s (CEG) role in coordinating, supporting and guiding CARE’s emergency response operations globally. The HEO works closely with country offices, CI members, and partners to support all aspects of country level assessment and response start up in-line with CARE’s policies, guidelines and standards and advises the Emergency Response Director (ERD) on response oversight & decision-making. Specific operational support functions which this position coordinates include implementation of preparedness plans, early warning, assessment, personnel deployment, management/activation of CARE’s emergency response fund, information and financial management, and other areas as required. The position manages and guides CEG’s operations team, including regional emergency coordinators, global response team members, and the emergencies officer. The HEO contributes to external humanitarian policy and advocacy and in representing CARE with the UN and other partners. In between emergencies the HEO works closely with relevant CEG and CARE International members to contribute to the strengthening of emergency preparedness and response capacities of CARE office worldwide. The HEO visits the field to monitor and guide emergency responses, and may be deployed to support particular CARE emergency response operations.

The head of emergency operations should be an exceptional individual with a high level of knowledge and experience in humanitarian response operations, preferably for large international non-government organizations. The HEO should have significant experience in both humanitarian and development programming and an understanding about strengthening the linkages between the two.

The position requires excellent (English) communication, with fluency in another major language (French or Spanish) preferred. Strong management, teamwork and inter-personal skills are required. The position reports to the CARE International ERD, is based in Geneva, with approximately 30-50% travel required.

Interested and qualified candidates should send an application letter and CV to Jonathan Mitchell, CI Emergency Response Director to cegrecruitment@careinternational.org by June 25th, 2008. Please write the job title in the subject header of the email. CARE promotes diversity and encourages applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.