Humanitarian Affairs Adviser

Purpose
The Humanitarian Affairs Adviser enables the delegation to understand, navigate, and influence the wider humanitarian and political environment to advance the ICRC’s humanitarian objectives in the given context. S/he advises on domestic and regional developments, conflict and security dynamics, and their impact on humanitarian action, while designing and delivering effective diplomatic and policy strategies. The role involves shaping the delegation's engagement with humanitarian, multilateral, and regional fora, cultivating high-level networks, and contributing in a networked approach to the ICRC’s global humanitarian diplomacy and policy objectives.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities

Functional Responsibilities

• Contributes to defining the delegation’s overall influencing strategies and translating core humanitarian issues in geopolitical and actionable analysis.
• Advises the delegation on relevant national and regional issues, contextual dynamics, and their interplay with humanitarian action.
• Writes reports, briefing notes, and other documentation to share contextual and humanitarian analyses. 
• Stays acquainted with and analyzes the main views and policy objectives of key stakeholders in the country, including domestic bodies, diplomatic representatives, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, especially for contexts and themes of common interest with the ICRC.
• Designs and delivers the ICRC's diplomacy and policy objectives by helping to shape the delegation's engagement with humanitarian, multilateral, political and regional fora. 
• Crafts, builds, and maintains a strong network of high-level contacts within national authorities, RC/RC Movement partners, embassies, UN/INGOs and other key stakeholders. Facilitates management’s access to these stakeholders.
• Engages with humanitarian coordination structures and multilateral organizations, under the leadership of the Head of Delegation/Deputy Head of Delegation, representing the ICRC in key fora effectively communicating complex policy, political, and humanitarian issues to diverse audiences.
• Interfaces with the policy and humanitarian diplomacy team in Geneva to keep abreast of institutional policy positions. Whenever required, engages with delegations in London, Moscow, Paris, Washington, Beijing, Brussels, African Union (AU) Addis Ababa, GCC and New York to connect with ICRC broader policy and humanitarian diplomacy outcomes.
• Holds briefings on the context and cultural sensitivities for delegation staff.
• Connect with RC/RC partners on policy issues of common interest, providing support whenever required by CAI_MGMT and in coordination with Movement Affairs department.

Scope & Impact

• Shapes the design of the delegation's policy, humanitarian diplomacy, and political engagement objectives. Contributes to achieving the ICRC's objectives at the national, regional, and global levels.
• In close coordination with ICRC Cooperation Coordinator, supports RC/RC Movement partners in their policy and diplomacy efforts, tapping on synergies and harnessing collective impact.
• Participates in the annual planning and budgeting process (Planning for Results), leads on objectives for his/her portfolio, and sets policy/diplomacy direction while monitoring impact and outcomes.
• Geographic remit: national and regional, with a focus on complex/diplomatic operations requiring structured engagement over years with key stakeholders.

Communication and Relationship

• Internally: Interacts with the Head of Delegation (direct supervisor), other heads of department in Cairo, as well as with NAME Policy and Humanitarian Diplomacy Division. Whenever required, engages with delegations in key global hubs (e.g., London, Moscow, Paris, Washington, Beijing, Brussels, AU Addis, GCC and New York), and the Policy and Humanitarian Diplomacy Division at headquarters. 
• Externally: Independently interacts with high-level contacts, including government officials, UN agencies, humanitarian players, Movement partners, and others.