Emergency Response & Preparedness Manager

WhoWe Are

Human Appeal is a global non-profit humanitarianand development organisation. We deliver life-saving emergency assistance suchas food, medical aid, and disaster relief. At the same time, we runsustainable, community-led programmes in healthcare, education, and livelihoodsto build resilience and self-reliance. Our experienced local teams work invulnerable, hard-to-reach areas. Guided by a vision of a just, caring, andsustainable world, our mission is to save lives, alleviate poverty, and empowercommunities in line with the core humanitarian principles of humanity,impartiality, neutrality, and independence.

Position Overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a EmergencyResponse & Preparedness Manager position within the Programmes department inHQ.

This role offers the opportunity toshape how the organisation prepares before crises happen and to providepractical support when emergencies unfold. The post holder will combinestructured preparedness work with hands-on response coordination, helpingteams, partners, and affected communities benefit from faster, more organisedhumanitarian action.

This role exists to build and maintainthe organisation's readiness to respond rapidly and effectively to humanitarianemergencies, while strengthening the Emergency Response functions capacity tolead and coordinate live responses. The postholder has primary responsibilityfor emergency preparedness, including contingency planning, early warningmonitoring, stock and roster readiness, simulation exercises, andpreparedness-focused coordination with internal and external stakeholders.

Alongside this technical leadershiprole, the postholder will provide delegated support to the Head of EmergencyResponse & Preparedness during emergency activations, surge periods, orperiods of absence. This may include supporting coordination, decision-makingprocesses, representation, information management, and operational oversight asrequired. While the role does not hold automatic line-management or approvalauthority over emergency responses, the postholder may exercise defineddelegated authority during Head of Response & Preparedness absence or activation periods, in accordancewith the organisation's Delegation of Authority framework.

The role therefore sits at theintersection of two complementary functions: leading the organisationspreparedness agenda and providing flexible response coordination support whenemergencies occur. It is best suited tosomeone who can move confidently between structured planning, stakeholderengagement, and the fast-paced demands of humanitarian response operations.

The postholder will ensure thatpreparedness systems and emergency response mechanisms integrate safeguarding,child protection, protection mainstreaming, gender equality, disabilityinclusion, accountability to affected populations (AAP), conflict sensitivity,and do-no-harm principles. The role will work closely with technical teams toensure that organisational readiness and emergency response frameworks meetboth humanitarian standards and donor compliance requirements.

The scope of delegated authorityapplicable to this position will be defined within the organisation's Delegationof Authority framework and reviewed periodically to ensure clarity ofdecision-making responsibilities during emergency activations and periods ofmanagerial absence.

Main Responsibilities

A. Accountablefor Emergency Preparedness (Primary Focus)

Thepostholder has primary accountability for the organisation's emergencypreparedness function and for ensuring readiness to respond effectively tohumanitarian crises.

• Develop, maintain, and regularly test organisational and country-level Emergency Preparedness Plans (EPPs) and contingency plans, in line with recognised humanitarian standards (IASC, CHS, Sphere).
• Monitor early warning information, seasonal risk forecasts, and contextual indicators (including climate, conflict, displacement, epidemiological trends) and escalate emerging risks to the Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness, senior management and relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain and regularly update the organisational emergency response roster, ensuring staff readiness, training currency, and deployment availability.
• Identify partners in key geographies for preparedness and eventual response who fulfil HAs criteria and capacity expectations including visits to the partners for assessment purposes
• Review and develop preparedness of Field offices to ensure HA is prepared to respond (expertise / capacity / financial mechanisms) incl. visits to the field for assessment / monitoring purposes
• Own pre-positioning of core relief items, stock thresholds, supplier framework agreements, and emergency procurement pathways in coordination with Logistics and Supply Chain.
• Lead the planning and implementation of simulation exercises (SIMEX), tabletop exercises, and after-action reviews, ensuring lessons learned are captured and integrated into preparedness systems.
• Maintain preparedness-related systems, tools, and documentation required for rapid response activation.
• Represent the organisation in inter-agency preparedness forums, cluster preparedness working groups, and national disaster management coordination structures.
• Track, analyse and report on preparedness KPIs, including contingency plan currency, roster readiness, simulation completion, and other agreed preparedness metrics.
• Remain available for deployment where experienced emergency response personnel are required to support an effective humanitarian response.
• Ensure Emergency Preparedness Plans, contingency plans, rapid assessment tools, simulation exercises, and response templates incorporate safeguarding, child protection, protection mainstreaming, gender, disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations, and do-no-harm principles.
• Establish and maintain an early warning monitoring and reporting mechanism that provides regular analysis of priority humanitarian risks and triggers for action.
• Coordinate periodic reviews of emergency stock readiness, supplier framework agreements, and procurement preparedness arrangements with Logistics and Supply Chain teams.

B. Responsiblefor Coordinating Preparedness Readiness

Thepostholder is responsible for coordinating preparedness activities acrossdepartments, field offices, and external partners, while workingcollaboratively with technical and operational teams.

• Coordinate preparedness assessments of existing and prospective partners in priority geographies, including conducting field visits where required to assess emergency response capacity and readiness.
• Coordinate reviews of field office preparedness and surge capacity, including staffing, operational systems, financial mechanisms, and emergency response capabilities.
• Coordinate the maintenance of rapid-response toolkits and template packages, including situation report templates, proposal and budget templates, response checklists, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Coordinate preparedness-related engagement with Logistics, Supply Chain, Programmes, MEAL, Finance, Security, and other relevant functions to ensure organisational readiness.
• Work with Logistics and Supply Chain teams to monitor preparedness arrangements for emergency stocks, supplier framework agreements, and emergency procurement pathways.
• Represent the organisation in preparedness-focused inter-agency forums, working groups, and coordination mechanisms as required.

C. Supports Emergency Response Activations

The postholder contributes to live emergencyresponses by providing coordination and technical support under the directionof the Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness or designated responselead.

• Support rapid needs assessments, situation analysis, and information management during the initial emergency response phase.
• Contribute to the development of response strategies, concept notes, funding proposals, response plans, and operational updates during activations.
• Support the consolidation of situation reports, operational information, action trackers, and coordination products.
• Support monitoring of response implementation, budget utilisation, procurement progress, and donor compliance requirements in collaboration with relevant departments.
• Provide surge support to country offices and response teams, including deployment to emergency operations where required.

D.Delegated Emergency Response Cover

Whenformally delegated by the Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness orduring periods of authorised absence, the post holder may provide temporaryemergency response management cover within agreed limits of authority.

• Support coordination calls, stakeholder engagement, and response management processes during activations.
• Represent the Emergency Response function at internal and external meetings when delegated.
• Manage escalations and facilitate timely decision-making within agreed delegated authority levels.
• Provide continuity of coordination and operational oversight during periods of Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness absence.
• Escalate decisions, risks, or matters that fall outside delegated authority in accordance with organisational policies and the Delegation of Authority framework.

Other Duties:

• Perform additional tasks as assigned by the direct supervisor (Head of Emergency Response & Preparedness).

Candidate essential criteria

Education: Bachelors degree in a relevant field, such as SocialSciences, Business or International Development

Experience: Demonstrable experience in humanitarian emergencyresponse and/or preparedness planning, ideally 8+ years.

Languages: Written and verbal command on English is required

Essential Criteria

• Working knowledge of humanitarian coordination architecture and standards: cluster system, IASC, CHS, Sphere, and rapid assessment methodologies.
• Proven ability to produce clear, structured planning documents (contingency plans, SOPs) under time pressure.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities.
• Sound judgement and composure in high-pressure, fast-changing environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; confident representing the organisation externally.
• Willingness to undertake short-notice field deployments, including to insecure or hardship locations.
• Demonstrable understanding of safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, accountability to affected populations (AAP), gender-sensitive programming, disability inclusion, and do-no-harm approaches in emergency settings.
• Experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including country offices, clusters, UN agencies, NGOs, and government counterparts.
• Strong understanding of emergency donor compliance requirements and humanitarian funding mechanisms.

Desirable Criteria

• Prior experience acting as a deputy, focal point, or second-in-command within an emergency response team.
• Experience designing or facilitating simulation exercises or after-action reviews.
• Familiarity with early warning/risk monitoring tools (e.g. Disaster AWARE/PDC, ACAPS, INFORM).
• Additional language relevant to the organisation's operating contexts (e.g. Arabic, French).
• Relevant qualification in disaster management, humanitarian action, or a related field.
• Experience managing institutional donor-funded emergency programmes (FCDO, ECHO, UN agencies, USAID/BHA or equivalent).

Working Conditions

• Work in office, with regular travel to field/country offices during preparedness missions and emergency deployments.
• Expected to be reachable and deployable at short notice during on-call rotations.
• Expected travel: approximately 2540% of working time, including international travel to country programmes and emergency response locations.
• Participation in an on-call rota during periods of elevated risk, seasonal emergencies, or active humanitarian responses.
• Emergency deployments may occur at short notice and typically range between 26 weeks in duration.
• May be required to work outside standard hours during emergency activations.
• Deployments are subject to organisational security risk assessments, safeguarding requirements, and duty-of-care protocols.

How to apply

We are keen to appoint the rightperson for this position as soon as possible and will be consideringapplications as they are received. To maximise your opportunity, please submityour CV by clicking the link provided to apply. We look forward to receivingyour application and hearing from you.

Disclaimer:Human Appeal is committed todiversity, social inclusion, and gender equality/balance, and stronglyencourages applications from underrepresented groups. The organisationmaintains a zero-tolerance policy toward Sexual Exploitation and Abuse andSexual Harassment (SEA/SH), with all staff required to comply with PreventingSexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (PSEA/SH) standards andsafe recruitment procedures.