The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and at the same time promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation in order to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.
The ICRC Information Environment Strategy (IES) has a strong focus on the digital interaction between ICRC and affected populations. The new Digital Transformation and Data (DTD) Office has tasked a Challenge Team to plan, design, explore, build and test a new Digital Humanitarian Platform for affected populations and potential beneficiaries, which will enable the exploration of new digital humanitarian services and the integration of current ICRC services into a single user-centric and trusted platform.
Reporting to the Leader of the Challenge Team of the Digital Humanitarian Platform, the Strategic Technology Adviser of the Challenge Team is accountable for all the technical/technology aspects related to the plan, build up and testing of the Digital Humanitarian Platform. This is done through a series of minimal viable products (MVPs) following an agile methodology.
This position manages the dependencies with the Platform’s supporting assets (digital identity, data matching and analytics and transversal case management, trusted data hosting policy and model, privacy and security by design digital services) enabling ICRC accessibility to people, in line with the ICRC Information Environment Strategy (IES).
It also leads the technological watch related to the a/m aspects and advise DTD on the level of maturity, as well as the opportunities, challenges, risks and impact of new technologies, and technology partners or vendors.
To ensure a proper development, deployment, hand over to the métiers and integration of the solutions which will meet the specific needs/requirements of the métiers and ICRC standards, this position ensures that its direct contributions, as well as the exploration, testing and technical deliverables and deployment of the development team:
a) meet the prioritized requirement list within the defined methodology, timeboxes, resources and quality;
b) are in line with the directions given by the head of project or the Leader of the Challenge Team, and are coordinated with CIM_ICT;
c) take into account from the start, and all along the development cycle, ICRC specific data protection, data security, ICT architecture and information management standards, and a digital identity foundation which reflects IES value proposition.
This position ensures a good level of communication, co-ordination and engagement of/with the internal and external stakeholders, such as the project and development teams, technology partners, ICT HQ and field managers and experts.
1. Lead the watch of technologies, as enablers for the Platform and its supporting assets:
This will be done in co-ordination and with the contribution with/of ICRC experts and external partners;
2. Advise the Leader of Challenge Team and DTD on the opportunities, challenges, impacts, risks and level of maturity brought by state of the art technologies, technology partners and vendors;
3. Identify, mobilize, co-ordinate and manage the relationship and specific contributions with/of technical/ICT experts provided internally and externally, through partnership or a more classical contractual mode, in co-ordination with CIM_ICT and DTD Technology and Integration Adviser;
4. Define and validate the key technical requirements which will be part of requests for proposal for the Platform’s MVPs, and participate to requests for proposal to select the vendor/developer;
5. Ensure that a suitable development methodology is followed by all participants of the project, for the integration of the technical components and the quick and efficient delivery, testing, deployment and integration of the technical requirements of the solutions and its increments, following an agile project methodology; ensure that the engagement of the development team follow this approach and work to improve it:
6. Define, validate and improve the architecture / ICT foundations of the solution, in co-ordination with CIM_ICT, with the contribution of the relevant experts, and in line with ICRC data security, data protection, information management and ICT architecture standards;
7. Define and improve a digital identity foundation for the platform enabling to build privacy by design, efficient, secure, innovative and scalable digital services; this shall shall take into account best practices and state of the art technology but also the needs of interoperability and to position ICRC, as a trusted manager of sensitive information
.8. Propose and validate the technologies required for the Platform, together with ICT and the development team, in line with the instructions of the head of project or leader of the Challenge team and ICRC standards;
9. Define, validate and prioritize, all along the project cycle, the key technical requirements of the evolving solution but also the specific technical requirements of each of the solution increment, together with the development team, to meet the business requirement within the specific time box, quality and resources provided or required; ensure that these key technical requirements are implemented as part of the solution.
10. Ensure that the deliverables for the Platform and specific increments/sprints meet the quality, technical standards and key requirements (must, should and could have), as required by the solution, within the defined scope, timebox and resources, and take timely and appropriate corrective measures or instructions to meet the requirements and improve the deliverables;
11. Contribute to the workshops and high level documents/deliverables led by the head of project or leader of the Challenge team, such as prioritized requirements lists, feasibility studies, delivery plan (or project roadmap), prototypes and User Experience workflows, deployment and integration plan;
12. Contribute to the workshops and documents which guide every iteration by the development team such as the sprint planning and the product backlog.
13. Plan, organize, co-ordinate and validate the technical tests and their results for each project increment and for the final deliverables;
.14. Ensure a good level of internal communication, co-ordination and engagement by:
a. ensuring the technical documentation of the solution is available, is clear for different audiences, is understood and shared with all stakeholders.
b. engaging constantly with:
15. Organize field trips, consultations and surveys to collect in the field technical requirements;
16. Liaise with ICRC delegations, and with ICT staff in the field and at HQ, to prepare deployments of minimal viable products; establish the technical support model and set up for deployment, and draw lessons learned.
· University degree in a relevant field like computer science, engineering or related field.
· 12+ years of professional experience in technology, including in the design of innovative solutions and digital services for external users.
. Broad technical knowledge, including -but not limited to:
. Experience in technology in humanitarian, human rights or development organizations a very strong asset
· Experience as technology adviser coordinating different experts or as head of ICT/digital projects.
. Experience in project management.
. Agile certification a strong asset
. Experience building and operationalizing software solutions.
· English, French: fluent.
· Arabic, Spanish: an asset.
· Excellent analytical, synthetic and communication skills.
. Proven ability to manage different stakeholders and facilitate agreements and conclusions.
. Good understanding of challenges related to technological solutions applied to Humanitarian and Development contexts.
· Good understanding of privacy and security by design
· Will to travel to areas affected by armed conflict where the ICRC is active (20%).