Inclusion Specialist At International Rescue Committee

IRC Summary:

Founded in 1933, International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 46 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. Our vision at the IRC is to be a leader in the humanitarian field by implementing high-impact, efficient programs for people affected by crisis and by using our learning and experience to craft and shape policy and practice. To achieve that vision, our Technical Excellence (TE) department provides technical support to our country staff that implement programs and shares what we learn to build and improve outcomes for our clients and to effect change in policies and influence practice in the wider humanitarian community.

IRC is one of the first humanitarian organisations to bring together specific expertise involved in violence prevention and response (VPR) in conflict affected settings to ensure collaborative and still specialized support to survivors and those at risk of violence. The Violence Prevention and Response Technical Unit (VPRU), houses expertise in the field of protection and rule of law, child protection, and women’s protection and empowerment.

Background:

For many years the VPRU has promoted more inclusive humanitarian programming at the IRC, advocating for interventions that are rooted in strong analysis of context, power, gender, and how intersecting aspects of identity may result in discrimination, oppression and exclusion. The VPRU has prioritised learning around inclusive programming with a specific focus in areas of gender, disability, age, and diverse SOGIESC inclusion.

The Inclusion Specialist will be based within the Violence Prevention and Response Unit (VPRU)’s Strategy and Learning Team (S&L) which focuses on the development and testing of innovative programme models and approaches; development of programming tools, guidance, curriculum 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. Working closely with the VPRU Country Support team, the S&L team focuses on the development and testing of innovative programme models and approaches; development of programming tools, guidance, curriculum, 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.

Job Overview / Summary:

The Inclusion Specialist 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. The Inclusion Specialist will provide direct technical support to a wide range of projects mainstreaming inclusion globally. Our current inclusion portfolio focuses on mainstreaming inclusion in Violence Prevention and Response programming and has recently focused on the inclusion of women, adolescent girls, children, persons with disabilities and older people as well as people with diverse SOGIESC. Under this thematic area of inclusion, the Inclusion Specialist in collaboration with the VPRU Inclusion Advisor holds responsibility related to VPR Program Implementation, Strategy Development, Business Development, and external/internal representation in coordination with relevant stakeholders.

Major Responsibilities:

Reporting to the VPRU Inclusion Advisor – Strategy and Learning Team, the Inclusion Specialist provides project-specific technical support for the thematic area of Inclusion within VPRU. The Inclusion Specialist may directly supervise consultant-based, term-limited positions as needed. They coordinate with and support VPRU Country Support Technical Advisors on Inclusive VPR Programming and also coordinate with and support colleagues from IRC’s Program Quality Support Unit (PQSU), Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU), Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Unit and the AirBel Impact Lab.

Program Implementation & Technical Assistance:

• Provides timely and quality technical assistance related to the thematic area of Inclusion for a variety of Technical Innovation projects with and beyond VPRU.
• As needed, support the VPRU Country Support team in delivering remote or in-person technical assistance related to the thematic area of Inclusion on the functions of program design, business development and technical capacity building of country programs as appropriate.

Business Development:

• Support the VPRU Inclusion Advisor with VPR-focused business development opportunities on the thematic area of Inclusion. This may include developing and writing concept notes or proposals for donors, or other materials to build IRC’s ability to resource this work.
• Supports the development and maintenance of up-to-date portfolio of project ideas / concept notes that contribute to the VPRU strategic priorities.

Support Inclusion Knowledge Management

• Support VPRU and Technical Excellence-level knowledge management efforts including building up and cataloguing a digital resource library based in IRC’s intranet (RescueNet) and BOX alongside relevant IRC colleagues across Technical Excellence, as well as supporting with the development VPR programming-specific Inclusion and Intersectionality Tools.

Internal Representation and Coordination:

• Support the VPRU Inclusion Advisor with coordination and support towards internal representation efforts – ensuring close collaboration with relevant Technical Excellence colleagues and other IRC teams such as the AirBel Impact Lab, IRC’s Program Quality Support Unit (PQSU), the IRC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Unit as well as the EHAU Violence Prevention and Response in Emergencies (VPRiE) team.
• Participate in VPRU Working Groups as required (including the VPRU Inclusion and Intersectionality Working Group), as well as the GEDI in Technical Excellence Working Group (under the direction of the VPRU Inclusion Advisor).

Dissemination and External Representation:

• Represents IRC as needed in external meetings and coordination fora (for example the IASC Disability Inclusion Working Group) as well as related events such as Humanitarian Practice Network Week (HNPW).

Key Working Relationships

• Position reports to: Inclusion Advisor, Strategy and Learning Team – Violence Prevention and Response Unit (VPRU)
• Position directly supervises: N/A
• Regular internal (IRC) contact with: Fellow members of the Strategy and Learning Team including the STAs for Technical Innovations, as well as PRoL, WPE, CP representatives from VPRU’s Country Support team; IRC country program staff in selected countries; VPRU MEL Advisors; TechEx Program Quality Support Unit; IRC’s Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Unit, and the EHAU Violence Prevention and Response in Emergencies (VPRiE) team.
• Regular external contact with: Key Inclusion External Stakeholders; Global and Country-level Protection and Inclusion fora.

Personal Specification:

Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of 3 to 5 years demonstrable, progressively responsible experience in inclusive practice within humanitarian programming including but not limited to gender, age, disability and diverse SOGIESC inclusion and/or protection mainstreaming.
• Understanding of learning and best practice as well as existing external policy and practice landscape around Inclusion in humanitarian response including humanitarian architecture structures for representation at an Inter-Agency level.
• Experience leading capacity strengthening activities around the theme of inclusion as well as working in close collaboration with CSOs, Grass-Roots Organisations and Representative Organizations to build meaningful and equitable partnerships.
• Understanding of (and ideally experience managing) knowledge management platforms to support organisation-wide capacity strengthening around the theme of inclusion in humanitarian programming.
• Proven ability to operate in a complex organisation, across functions and work on own initiative and collaboratively as part of diverse teams;
• Prior work with the thematic areas and a strong understanding of the existing external policy and practice landscape around Inclusion including humanitarian architecture structures for representation at an Inter-Agency level.
• For this position, fluent oral and written English is essential. Ability to work in French or Arabic is desirable due to operating context of the current inclusion portfolio.

Working Environment

• Some international travel (including to insecure environments) as needed up to 25%. When deployed, will stay in IRC 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 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 a flexible work-day hours to accommodate varying time zones to complete required tasks and coordination functions.
• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
• We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.