The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees delivers lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
Background:
Building on a growing body of evidence including IRC’s reports Cycles of Displacement and several Edge Effect reports including The Only Way Is Up – in 2022, the IRC, in partnership with Edge Effect, launched a flagship technical innovation project ‘TRANSFORM’ to develop mechanisms for humanitarian organizations to systematically embed diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) considerations in conflict and displacement response. In this three-year BHA-funded project, the IRC and Edge Effect seek to address the systemic reluctance/capacity issues holding back the humanitarian sector in a way that models deep involvement of diverse SOGIESC CSOs and extends diverse SOGEISC inclusion across the humanitarian architecture. The TRANSFORM project will develop and socialize new approaches to gap analysis, solution generation, partnering and interfacing with community-based response, organizational development, coordination, and standardization in the humanitarian sector and architecture. The IRC and Edge Effect are working in three different types of humanitarian contexts (including El Salvador, Ukraine, and a disaster/DRR). The design of the project is intended to ensure the approaches taken address the frequent exclusion of CSOs and conflict-affected people with diverse SOGIESC in humanitarian settings) and other humanitarian stakeholders.
Job Overview / Summary:
The Program Coordinator will support the TRANSFORM project and will be responsible for the operational aspects of the implementation of all key IRC objectives and deliverables of this initiative.
The Program Coordinator will be based within the TRANSFORM team which sits in the Violence Prevention and Response Unit (VPRU)’s Strategy and Learning Team, and focuses on the development and testing of innovative program models and approaches; development of programming tools, guidance, curricula, and other resources; the generation of evidence through research and learning; and evidence-based advocacy to influence policy and practice in the field of violence prevention and response. The Program Coordinator, as part of the TRANSFORM team, will be based in a sub-team responsible for leading the overall thematic area of Inclusion within VPRU, promoting more inclusive humanitarian programming at the IRC, rooted in a strong analysis of context, power, gender and how intersecting aspects of identity may result in discrimination, oppression, and exclusion.
Major Responsibilities:
In collaboration with the Senior Inclusion Specialist, the TRANSFORM Program Coordinator will be responsible for the implementation of all operational aspects of the TRANSFORM project, including partnerships, financial, and administrative responsibilities. Responsibilities include:
Project Management and Operational Oversight and Coordination:
o Manage the operational, financial and administrative activities and deliverables of the TRANSFORM project
o Support the Senior Inclusion Specialist with the oversight of all programmatic activities and deliverables.
o Actively work with relevant IRC country and headquarters staff and support Edge Effect in the operational delivery of project activities in all three pilot locations, ensuring effective implementation and with particular oversight of activities and deliverables in El Salvador and Ukraine.
o Track and update a work and spending plan for successful implementation of TRANSFORM, in coordination with the Senior Inclusion Specialist and the Grants Manager.
o Support the grant management focal point to produce programmatic donor reports, communications, and participate in meetings/calls as needed to keep the donor apprised of program progress.
o Support the hiring of consultants to support the realization of TRANSFORM activities and deliverables (including interpreters, translators, graphic designers, and learning specialists).
Operational Support around Learning and Impact:
o Support the Senior Inclusion Specialist with documenting evidence and learning from the TRANSFORM Initiative alongside Edge Effect in the three project locations.
o Support the development of all knowledge management aspects (including but not limited to case studies, appraisal package, and training materials) of the TRANSFORM project.
o Support with documenting and sharing learning internally to support better diverse SOGIESC inclusion in programming – linking to IMPACT Standards Adapt workstream, Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion Unit Strategic Objectives FY22 and beyond, EHAU Protection in Emergency conversations, coordinating regularly with the Violence Prevention and Response in Emergencies (VPRiE) Specialist.
o Support, jointly with the Senior Inclusion Specialist, the organizing of regular internal learning exchange/regularized discussion space to link together counterparts across the IRC and share learning from the TRANSFORM initiative (this may include colleagues from VPRU – Country Support Streams, Technical Innovations and the Learning Squad; Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion Unit (GEDI), Emergency and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) – Humanitarian Access and VPRiE), Pride Employee Resource Groups, Airbel Impact Lab, and beyond).
Dissemination and External Representation:
o Ensure ongoing coordination of the advisory group and collaboration with all project team members.
o Support with the packing and dissemination of the growing evidence base, learning, and good practices around diverse SOGIESC inclusion on relevant internal (Kaya Connect, IRC.org; RescueNet).
o Support the knowledge management and appropriate dissemination of resources linked to inclusion in humanitarian response.
o Provide operational and logistical support around TRANSFORM dissemination activities and events.
Key Working Relationships
• Position reports to: Senior Inclusion Specialist, Violence Prevention and Response Unit (VPRU)
• Position directly supervises: N/A
• Regular internal (IRC) contact with: Fellow members of the TRANSFORM Team, Inclusion Team, Strategy and Learning Team, IRC country program staff in selected pilot countries; PRoL, WPE, CP Technical Advisors for focal countries; MEL Advisor; VPRU Operations Team; Grants and Partnerships Team; Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Team.
• Regular external contact with: Edge Effect, TRANSFORM Advisory Group, Global and country-level Protection and Inclusion fora.
Personal Specification:
Skills and Experience:
• At least 4 years of experience managing complex projects in diverse humanitarian settings/contexts and at both the field and global level, and coordinating multi-country and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Experience in knowledge management and development of diverse learning products.
• Excellent communication -written and oral presentation skills and experience representing an organization and building strong relationships at the local, national, and international levels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Experience in managing USAID projects.
• Experience working on a project which is partnership-oriented and managing the partners.
Job Qualifications:
**• Education:**A relevant combination of academic qualifications and extensive experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
**• Language:**Fluent oral and written English is essential for this position. Other language skills, particularly Spanish, Ukrainian, French, or Arabic, would be an advantage for this position.
• Ability to manage a complex and varied workload, work under pressure, and travel to insecure environments.
• Excellent IT skills (i.e. Word, Outlook, Excel).
Working Environment
• Some international travel as needed up to 10% – when deployed, will stay in IRC and/or Edge Effect approved accommodation which may include shared guesthouses.
• If home-based: This role can be based remotely, with candidates working remotely full- or part-time (i.e., telecommuting). Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace where they can effectively complete their work during regularly scheduled work hours. Home-work location must be in state and/or country where IRC is a registered employer.
• This position is required to have flexible work-day hours to accommodate varying time zones to complete required tasks and coordination functions.
Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.
More Information
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