The IRC has been active in The Central African Republic (CAR) since 2006 and has been implementing emergency response programs since early 2013. The IRC has four field offices in the north – Bocaranga, Kaga Bandoro, and Zemio and Ndele – in addition to a central office in Bangui. Since 2007, it has built close relationships with local communities, community leaders, local authorities, and other local and international actors. Today, the IRC is one of the top tier humanitarian actors working in the prefectures Ouham Pende, Nana Gribizi, Bamingui Bangouran and Zemio, implementing programs in health, Women Protection and Empowerment, Child protection and Protection rule of law and Early Recovery and Development. The IRC has proven its ability to efficiently implement health and protection programming, improving beneficiaries’ access to healthcare and providing survivors of violence with safe, confidential services to help them recover and reintegrate into their communities. The gained technical expertise, logistical abilities, and local knowledge and understanding has laid the foundation to expand and deepen these services to reach more people and respond to the emergency need at a greater scale as additional funding is secured.
Job Overview:
The Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Coordinator will be responsible for strategy development, program design, technical support to ensure quality implementation, standardization, monitoring and evaluation of all activities in the field of ERD. Therefore, he will lead the quality implementation of all aspects of the cash transfer program, livelihoods promotion and support, cash-for-work programming, broad of agriculture and livestock, skills training, small business grants and IRC’s research and learning agenda in accordance with IRC’s CAR strategy. Primary duties will include leading the continued growth of the ERD sector and then provide technical oversight of the sector at all implementation sites by pursuing direct implementation and actively exploring strategic partnership opportunities with local NGOs in CAR. Focus is on program quality, with program progress being monitored and evaluated against quantifiable benchmarks, and business development, to ensure sufficient funding for multi-year robust programming.
The ERD Coordinator reports to the Deputy Director of Programs and is based in Bangui with regular travel to the field.
Major Responsibilities
Program Development and Management
• Provide strategic direction, leadership, and overall technical and management support to ERD programs in CAR spanning emergency response, early recovery, and economic development in line with the Strategic Action Plan (SAP), IRC global strategy plan and relevant theories of change.
• Oversee the project design process for any new ERD programming, including the development of budgets, proposal narratives, logframes, and other supporting documents.
• Lead the ERD team to implement timely, effective, and relevant activities in line with identified needs and established objectives.
• Ensure that stated project objectives are regularly evaluated and achieved.
• Coordinate closely with the DDP and grants department to ensure timely and responsive grant management and compliance with donor requirements.
• Produce and use regularly updated project management tools, including workplans, implementation plans, procurement plans, and accurate financial forecasts.
• Ensure the implementation of existing M&E systems, provide guidance where needed to improve the effectiveness of these systems and work alongside the MEAL department to ensure output and impact data are available and used to optimize program quality and identify efficiencies.
• Actively participate in Grant Management Meetings.
• Ensure that all internal and external reports are submitted on time and to a high-quality standard.
Technical qualities
• Ensure all ERD activities including cash transfer, livelihoods, cash-for-work, agriculture livestock, skills training, small business grants, research and learning are implemented in accordance with the IRC’s technical guidelines and global best practices.
• Lead planning and implementation of relevant assessments to settle contextual realities and client needs, to include labor market assessments, cash feasibility studies, post-distribution monitoring, and other studies as needed to initiate and advise programming.
• Provide technical assistance including supportive supervision to IRC’s staff and partners working on all ERD projects.
• Regularly review MEAL data to improve program quality. Ensure all programs are data-driven.
• Ensure that programming adheres to the IRC’s Outcome and Evidence Framework to achieve outcomes, ensuring the use of evidence-based theories of change and project approaches/activities.
• Collaborate closely with ERD Global Technical Advisor(s) on a regular basis to ensure approaches are aligned with global standard methodologies, use existing tools, and contribute back to the global base of knowledge
Team Leadership and Management
• Coach, mentor, and lead the ERD teams to implement programs to a high standard of quality.
• Be responsible for the timely recruitment, comprehensive onboarding, and the sustained professional growth of team members.
• Ensure all team members are well-versed in job expectations and have clear performance objectives. Conduct regular management meetings with all direct reports and ensure the same is done throughout the team management structure.
• Identify training needs and develop capacity building plans for ERD staff.
• Promote and monitor staff care and wellbeing.
Coordination and representation
• Ensure consistent IRC representation in the Food Security & Agriculture Cluster, Cash & Markets Working Group, and other relevant government bodies to ensure IRC approaches are aligned with local standards and government regulations.
• Oversee regular communication, negotiations, and engagement with partners and government entities.
• Work closely with field managers and the humanitarian access & security team to ensure concerns and challenges at the service delivery level are addressed appropriately.
• Proactively collaborate with other IRC sector technical leads to promote program integration and ensure effective internal referrals.
• Other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor to further IRC programs.
Key working relationships
• Position reports to: Deputy Director, Programs, with management-in-partnership with ERD Technical advisor.
• Direct reporting : ERD Senior Manager
• Other internal contacts: County Director, Deputy Director of Operations, Deputy Director of Finance, Finance Controller, HR Coordinator, MEAL Coordinator, program Coordinators, Supply Chain Coordinator, Security, Safety and Access Coordinator, Grants Coordinator, Partnership Coordinator
Job Requirements:
• University degree in an appropriate field such as agriculture, nutrition, food security, management, international affairs or a related subject.
• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in humanitarian response, with specific experience in livelihoods and enterprise development approaches
• Prior experience working in emergency settings or insecure environments preferred
• Strong program/technical and budget leadership skills, planning, reporting.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties
• INGO experience required, experience with coordination systems or advocacy preferable
• Must be capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and leadership skills to others
• Personal qualities: works well in and promotes collaboration, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well, has a strong sense of humor
• Fluency in French and English required.
Working Environment:
The ERD Coordinator will be based in Bangui, in CAR, and will travel throughout the country. The security situation in CAR is still unstable, although the signing of the Khartoum peace and reconciliation agreement in February 2019 is still seen as a source of hope for the country to return to peace. The candidate must be prepared to work in insecure environments. This is an unaccompanied position. The ERD Coordinator will live in shared accommodation.
Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.
Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality: IRC acknowledges and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. IRC is also committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits.
Returning National Candidates: IRC strives to attract and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the IRC has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply.
CVs to be submitted in English or French
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
More Information
- Job City Bangui
