Every year the Swedish Red Cross (SRC) employs around 100 people to work internationally to implement our own bilateral projects in the field, and to support the activities of our Red Cross and Red Crescent movement partners, namely the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). All of our international staff are called delegates.

Types of delegates

Working on SRC bilateral projects are Field Staff Delegates. These delegates typically work as Country Representatives, Program Managers, and specialists within thematic areas. They are a part of the SRC International Department structure, but are based in a field office outside of Sweden. As a Field Staff Delegate, you have a direct reporting line to the SRC HQ in Stockholm. Field Staff Delegate assignments are typically one year long with possibility of extension. Those Field Staff Delegates who work as specialists may be on shorter assignments.

Supporting our movement partners, namely ICRC and IFRC are Seconded Delegates, sometimes referred to as Staff on Loan (SoL or StoL). Seconded delegates range from generalists, near to the start of their humanitarian careers, to technical specialists, working in areas of Health, Water and Sanitation (WaSH) and Protection, with previous experience from the humanitarian sector. Seconded Delegates, while recruited and contracted by the Swedish Red Cross, have their direct reporting line to the receiving organisation. The length of Seconded Delegate assignments is typically one to two years.

SRC also supports the RCRC movement with Rapid Response Delegates to support sudden onset emergency responses. Emergency missions are usually from five weeks up to three months long. Rapid Response Delegates are deployed to any part of the movement (SRC, IFRC, ICRC or another National Society), and they typically work with Health, WaSH or emergency operations management and may be part of our Emergency Response Units (ERU). To be deployed as a Rapid Response Delegate, you must be part of the SRC Delegate pool and be prepared to leave for mission with short notice, usually within a few days after receiving a mission proposal, but sometimes within 48 hours.

Recruitment of Delegates

All SRC Delegates must go through a recruitment process. Recruitments may be to a specific position, or to the SRC Delegate pool.

Field Staff Delegates and Seconded Delegates to IFRC on long term assignments are recruited via recruitment processes for specific vacancies to be filled in the field. We advertise these positions here on our external SRC website. For shorter missions (up to maximum six months), a position may be offered to a member of the SRC Delegate pool, who has already been recruited into the pool.

Rapid Response Delegates and Seconded Delegates to ICRC, are first recruited to the SRC or the ICRC Delegate pool, for the possibility to be offered an international assignment that matches their profile and availability. Recruitments to the SRC Surge pool are made by SRC, and opportunities to join specific pools are advertised periodically on our website.

ICRC recruitments specifically

Recruitments to the ICRC Delegate pool are done jointly between the SRC and the ICRC, based on the needs of ICRC and the capacity of SRC. These opportunities are advertised here on the SRC external website or on the ICRC Career Site. To become an SRC Seconded Delegate to the ICRC you must be a Swedish Citizen or a permanent resident in Sweden.
To read more about working as a Staff on Loan with ICRC, visit: Staff on loan from national societies (icrc.org)

Recruitment Process

All applications must be submitted to recruitment campaigns via this website. Upon deadline for the ad, applicants are assessed against the criteria defined in the vacancy announcement. Applicants who best meet these criteria will be contacted by our recruitment team. All other applicants will receive a message informing them that they were not selected.

The recruitment process begins with written tests and may include Cute-E aptitude testing, written technical competency testing and/or language testing, depending on the position. Candidates with excellent testing results will proceed to the interview stage of the recruitment process. Interviews are conducted in either one or two rounds and involve interviewers from the SRC International Department and SRC International HR team. When recruiting Seconded Delegates, interviews may also take place with the partner organisation that will be receiving the selected candidate.

Due to an often-high volume of applications, only candidates who have been interviewed will receive personalized feedback on their application.

Candidates who are selected for roles with the Swedish Red Cross undergo a background check before an offer of employment is given. As the Swedish Red Cross is part of the Inter-Agency Scheme for the Disclosure of Safeguarding-related Misconduct, one of the three references given must be from the candidate`s current or most recent employer. Final candidates will also be screened against EU and UN sanction lists.

Health Delegates who will be working with patients in the field are required to submit a Certificate of Good Standing verifying that they have a valid license to practice medicine before starting an international assignment.

Candidates applying to work with the Swedish Red Cross as Staff on Loan to the ICRC will also be asked to provide a police record check for working abroad.

Interested in learning more?

For more information on working with SRC as a delegate, you are welcome to check out our Delegate Handbook.
Opportunities to learn more about becoming a Delegate with SRC will be published on our Website and on our LinkedIn Page – give it a follow!

To view vacancies at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) or the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies visit their websites. ICRC job site and IFRC job site.