Location: Budapest, Hungary (with flexibility to be based in IFRC Regional Offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia or Panama City, Panama, depending on the successful candidate)
Contract: Fixed term contract (8-months). Approximate contract dates: 01/04/26 to 31/12/26
Hours: 35 per week
Salary: £34,032 per annum pro-rata, plus monthly allowances of £1,617 per diem (per diem varies by duty station; the amount shown reflects current Hungary rates)
Status: unaccompanied position
This is a unique secondment with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), supporting the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), a vital mechanism for rapid and reliable funding in emergencies.
About the Role
This role leads key workstreams that strengthen and advance the anticipatory pillar of the IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). As the Anticipatory Action Officer, you will provide high‑level technical and analytical support across anticipatory and imminent DREF operations, ensuring coherent, timely and evidence‑based decision‑making. You will play a central role in shaping guidance, improving operational processes, and promoting consistent anticipatory approaches across the IFRC defined regions.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead technical review and coordination of anticipatory and imminent DREF operations to ensure high‑quality, evidence‑based and coherent response.
- Provide expert guidance throughout the Early Action Protocol cycle, strengthening forecasting, trigger monitoring and data‑driven decision‑making.
- Drive learning and capacity‑building by turning operational evidence into practical guidance, tools and advanced training.
- Enhance reporting and coordination across teams while acting as a key technical focal point for regional and national stakeholders.
What We’re Looking For
We’re seeking an analytical thinker and technical expert with a strong track record in humanitarian disaster management systems. You’ll bring:
- Strong technical expertise in anticipatory action, disaster risk financing and humanitarian disaster management systems.
- Advanced analytical skills, with the ability to interpret risk data, forecasting products and operational performance information.
- Excellent communication, coordination and organisational abilities, with confidence working across diverse global stakeholders.
- Experience in producing high‑quality narrative and financial reporting, proposals and evidence‑based recommendations.
- A proactive, solutions‑focused approach, able to identify systemic issues and drive improvements across complex operations.
About the team
The IFRC’s secretariat focuses on setting norms, standards and guidance, ensuring consistency, coordination and accountability for performance, knowledge sharing, and influential representation with global level partners. It is organised in three Divisions: National Society Development and Operations Coordination (NSDOC), Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization, Management Policy Strategy & Corporate Services. This position is located in the NSDOC division, as a part of the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) Team.
The DREF is the International Federation’s pooled Fund for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to access reliable international funding for anticipatory action and emergency response to small and medium scale disasters. The DREF has two pillars, the anticipatory action pillar and the response pillar. Each one with different funding options to support National Societies in anticipatory action and response. The DREF 2020-2025 strategic ambition outlines its intention to grow the fund allocations to CHF 100 million out of which 25% will support anticipatory action.
As a member of the International Directorate you will be part of a directorate responsible for BRC’s international humanitarian response and disaster management, support to resilience programmes and organisational development of our partner Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world. The work of the International Directorate also includes humanitarian policy and advocacy activities and upholding and promoting International Humanitarian Law. British Red Cross' international work is carried out in coordination and partnership with the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement.
Please read the full Role Profile/ Job Description for more information about this vacancy including responsibilities and full person specification
Closing date for applications is 23:59 GMT, 01 March 2026.
Interviews will take place on week commencing 09 March 2026.
Should you have any questions on this role please email us at [email protected] quoting the job title.
We offer a wide range of staff benefits, these include: