Senior Officer, Project Performance Support

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191-member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability. IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

The IFRC Kinshasa Delegation covers four countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, the Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. The Delegation supports National Red Cross Societies across a complex, multi-country context characterized by recurrent shocks, cross-border risks, and diverse humanitarian programmes including disaster risk management, anticipatory action, epidemics response through in kind or cash modalities. Within the Country Delegation, the Programmes and Operations Department is responsible for ensuring the effective design, implementation, monitoring, financial stewardship and reporting of programmes and operations funded through a variety of donors and funding mechanisms.

The Senior Officer, Project Performance support serves as the focal point for project quality assurance and performance management. The position provides leadership and coordination of programme finance, planning, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and accountability processes to ensure projects are designed, implemented and reported in compliance with IFRC standards and donor requirements.

The incumbent manages a multidisciplinary team covering Programme Finance and PMER functions and may progressively assume supervision of Information Management capacities. 

Job Purpose

The Senior Officer, Project Performance Support is responsible for strengthening project quality, performance, accountability and compliance across the programme and operation portfolio.

The position ensures effective integration of programme finance, planning, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning processes throughout the project cycle. The role supports programme and operations teams in project design, budget development, implementation monitoring, donor compliance, financial performance management, results measurement and reporting.

The incumbent leads a multidisciplinary team and promotes a culture of quality, accountability, evidence-based management and continuous improvement to maximize programme impact and donor confidence.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Project Performance Support

• Support all the project performance processes across the portfolio.
• Ensure consistency between programme and operations objectives, budgets, indicators, workplans and donor commitments.
• Support project managers during project design, inception, implementation, review and closure in order to standardize and improve process, implementation and reporting.
• Facilitate regular project performance reviews and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Strengthen coordination between Programmes, Operations, Finance, PMER and other support functions.

Project Finance Management Support

• Support project budget development, revisions and donor proposal costing.
• Support the monitoring of budget utilization, spending trends, burn rates and funding gaps.
• Ensure financial performance is regularly analyzed and shared with project managers.
• Support donor financial reporting and ensure compliance with donor regulations and IFRC policies.
• Identify financial risks and recommend mitigation actions.
• Coordinate follow-up of audit findings and compliance recommendations.
• Support project close-out and financial reconciliation processes.
• Coordinate closely with finance department to ensure compliance and transparent control

Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER)

• Ensure quality planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems are established across all projects.
• Oversee development and implementation of monitoring plans and performance frameworks.
• Ensure projects utilize SMART indicators and appropriate data collection methodologies.
• Support the design and implementation of evaluations, reviews and lessons learned exercises.
• Promote use of monitoring data for programmes and operations improvement and management decision-making.
• Ensure timely and high-quality donor, operational and management reporting.
• Facilitate dissemination of evidence, evaluation findings and lessons learned across the delegation and National Society

Performance Management, Learning and Accountability

• Establish systems to track project performance, risks, compliance and results achievement.
• Promote accountability to affected populations and integration of feedback mechanisms.
• Support programmes and operations teams in analyzing performance trends and identifying improvement opportunities.
• Lead portfolio performance reviews and facilitate action planning.
• Promote organizational learning and knowledge management.
• Ensure lessons learned are documented and integrated into future programming.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Information Management and Data Quality

• Ensure project information and performance data are managed effectively and consistently.
• Promote data quality assurance processes and information management standards.
• Support development of project dashboards, tracking tools and performance reporting systems.
• Facilitate availability of accurate and timely information for operational and strategic decision-making.
• Supervise Information Management functions where applicable.

Team Leadership and Capacity Strengthening

• Line manage and support Programmes and Operations Finance and PMER staff.
• Establish team objectives and monitor performance.
• Foster collaboration between technical functions supporting project delivery.
• Identify capacity gaps and coordinate mentoring, coaching and training initiatives.
• Strengthening project management, financial project management and PMER capacities within the delegation and National Society.
• Contribute to the development and rollout of tools, guidance and standard operating procedures.

Development of National Societies

• Support, as necessary, capacity building and development of National Member Societies in areas of expertise (e.g. PMER, IM, budget management, project management).

Education

Required

• University degree in Finance, Project Management, Business Administration, Economics, Monitoring & Evaluation, International Development or related field.

Preferred

• Professional certification in project management, monitoring and evaluation and/or finance.

Experience

Required

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian or development programmes.
• Experience supporting proposal development, project implementation and reporting
• Experience supervising staff or multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing donor-funded projects and grants.
• Experience in emergency operations

Preferred

• Experience in both project finance and PMER/project performance functions
• Experience within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• Experience managing Information Management functions

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Strong understanding of project cycle management.
• Strong knowledge of financial management and donor compliance
• Strong PMER and results-based management expertise
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong report writing and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex environment
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values
  
• Fluently spoken and written in French and English

Preferred

• Knowledge of IFRC systems and procedures
• Experience with ERP systems and project management platforms
• Data visualization and dashboard development skills
  
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building