The International Rescue Committee (IRC), responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive, recover and gain control of their future. The IRC is working to improve people’s safety, health, education, economic well-being, and power in crisis-affected places. IRC’s Economic Recovery and Development programming ensures that clients meet both their short- and long-term economic needs through sustainable and ethical programs such as, but not limited to, cash and voucher transfers, food security promotion, climate-smart agro-pastoral production and enterprise development and employment promotion.
Poland is hosting the largest number of refugees from Ukraine; more than 1.5 mil. have registered for Temporary Protection (70% females and 40% children)1. In the second year of the crisis, more refugees are expected in Poland as the frontlines change and Russia intensifies attacks. The new arrivals are expected to be more vulnerable with increased protection concerns and unmet basic needs. As the needs continue to evolve, the IRC proactively adapts its programming to the context to ensure efficient delivery of assistance. The IRC Poland currently provides Protection, cash, education, and livelihood support to the affected population in Poland.
IRC seeks a dynamic leader and program strategist to fill the Economy Recovery and Development (ERD) Coordinator role. The ERD Coordinator will lead and oversee cash and voucher assistance, basic needs, and livelihoods programming in Poland, including directing strategic planning, decision-making, and staff supervision. The ERD Coordinator will identify specific growth opportunities for ERD programs including cash and voucher programming, micro and small business development and employment support. The ERD Coordinator will identify specific opportunities for local partnerships with municipalities, governments, and NGOs; steer IRCs direct programming to complement this partner-first approach; and develop strategic directions for the country program for cash-based programming, including cash across outcomes. They will serve as the key liaison with local and international implementing partners, the Cash Working Group and other cluster coordination platforms, municipalities, and governmental partners, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
This position will be based in Warsaw, with occasional travel to Krakow, Wroclaw, Lublin and other locations as necessary. As this is a fluid and rapidly changing context, the location of this assignment may change based on the needs of the program.
Main responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Programmes (DDP) and with technical support from ERD Technical Advisors, the ERD Coordinator will
• Ensure the technical quality and effective implementation of a range of IRC Basic Need Assistance and Livelihoods Programming, including Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), employment, and enterprise support for people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, in both partner and direct projects.
• Working closely with the Partnership team, ensure capacity development of partners in ERD programming.
• Design and seek funding for CVA and livelihoods programming that bridges immediate support to the large-scale refugee arrivals and future recovery/resilience needs.
• Conduct extensive partner mapping and contextual assessments, such as value chain, market, and labor market assessments to inform quality activity design. Apply sophisticated methodologies and systemic analysis for solving challenges pertinent to refugee-led businesses in host countries and business innovation.
• Design ecosystem with diverse pool of stakeholders – municipalities, chambers of commerce, public institutions, labor offices, refugee start-ups, retail sector. Identify challenges and propose solutions.
• Foster intercommunity exchange with socio-economic considerations.
• Refine a comprehensive strategic approach to integrating livelihoods programming and CVA across all IRC programming (direct and with partners), in collaboration with other sector leads, taking into consideration cross cutting themes (inclusion of private sector, gender equality) Develop economic diversification strategies, for clients and program alike.
• Provide overall managerial oversight and leadership for the ERD department, including overseeing operational functions for achieving the project’s goals, hiring and staff management, and budget management.
• Provide talent management to ensure that staff is supported and motivated to deliver their responsibilities; this includes mentorship, one-to-one and developing an effective feedback mechanism.
• Foster IRC’s Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative for effective and quality program delivery
• Ensure that gender, protection, and environmental stewardship are mainstreamed in all programming under direct responsibility.
Responsibilities
Program quality/Management and implementation
• Responsible for project coordination with partners and direct program implementation in line with the IRC Country Strategy Action Plan and IRC international priorities, frameworks and policies.
• Provide technical leadership and direction for ERD activities; define and implement context-appropriate activities to achieve the greatest coverage and impact possible for both immediate support to people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine and to support their future recovery and resilience needs.
• Ensure regular communication with Technical Coordinators within IRC Poland, and headquarters-based Technical Advisors for ERD, Protection and Health to integrate appropriate technical unit priorities, the latest evidence, and best practices in program design and implementation.
• Collaborate with key staff and senior members of other technical sectors to prepare strategic work-plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans, financial projections and tools for evaluation.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, with target goals and budget management, using effective monitoring and evaluation systems and adaptive management principles to reach desired impacts
• Ensure the integration of cash and voucher assistance activities across outcomes mainly with education and protection (including activities provided by partners).
• Conduct extensive partner mapping, value chain and market assessments to inform activity design.
• Ensure program activities adhere to standard operating procedures and exhibit strong quality controls while being responsive to client feedback.
• Represent the IRC’s CVA and livelihoods programming at technical working group, cluster, and other inter-agency forums, as well as with donors.
Partnerships
• Identify and develop partnerships with local and international implementing partners as appropriate for program design and service to clients based on IRC’s PEERS standards of equal and effective partnership
• Strengthen relationships with national bodies including Polish social protection schemes
• Identify private sector partners and linkages to support livelihoods and employment programming
Team management/Staff Supervision & Development
• Oversee project implementation team and ensure that all staff are following work plans and ERD project activities and outcomes are completed as planned
• Oversee the development and implementation of staff technical capacity building and professional development plans that promotes a culture of learning and continuous training
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions
• Provide continuous performance feedback to staff; identify performance issues and work with staff and Human Resources to document and address issues in a timely manner
• Assist with and as necessary lead the recruitment of ERD personnel
Coordination & Representation
• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key collaborators including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors
• Regularly attend relevant cluster and working group meetings at appropriate levels
• Seek out donor opportunities in line with cash and livelihoods strategy and priorities
• Develop partnership with local private sector actors and municipalities
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)
• Coordinate program evaluations and reviews ensure documentation of lessons learned informing reporting and program development, analyzing and sharing relevant information with the MEAL Coordinator, DDP and other colleagues as relevant.
• Support the MEAL Coordinator and client responsiveness officers in addressing feedback from clients and partners, and utilize client feedback to adapt and improve programming.
Business Development
• Identify gaps and needs in programming areas and proactively source funding
• Facilitate co-design sessions that involve potential partners and are responsive to client needs
• Develop concept notes and proposals related to ERD programming expansion and continuation, including budgets, logical frameworks, theory of changes, and written narratives
Reporting
• Collect, compile and revise ERD program narrative reports and ensure timely submission
• Collaborate with the Grants Team to assure quality of reports to be submitted to donors
• Provide up-to-date information on success stories to Comms and Advocacy team
• Produce comprehensive recommendations and studies
Professional Standards
• Ensure that gender, protection, and environmental stewardship are mainstreamed in all programming under direct responsibility
• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to senior management, and when liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs
• Adhere to the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies as a requirement of the IRC
Job requirements
Education: Minimum university degree in a related field. Advanced degree in International Development, Business Administration, Economics, or Humanitarian Response preferred.
Demonstrated skills and competencies:
• At least 5-7 years of relevant work experience in cash and voucher assistance, livelihoods, social protection, and/or other humanitarian and development programmes with demonstrated experience leading a team and building partnerships to achieve results.
• Knowledge and experience of cash and voucher assistance (secondary), market and value chain analysis, private sector engagement (desirable), livelihoods mapping, access to finance and micro-enterprise support (desirable)
• Fluency in English required; Polish fluency will be an asset
• Previous experience leading programming in complex contexts as well as ability to supervise, coach and mentor staff.
• Proven leadership and strategic planning capabilities, including budget management
• Demonstrated knowledge of gender equality topics and proficiency in managing projects that mainstream gender
• Demonstrated effectiveness in developing and maintaining unbiased and professional working relationships with government officials, civil society partners, and other counterparts and clients
• Proven ability to work well in and promote teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure with professional grace.
• Knowledge of all regulatory, contractual, legal and financial compliance requirements associated with international donor funding
• Willingness to travel to different cities within Poland and Europe.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook
• Demonstrated dedication to an anti-racist and Do No Harm approach, gender equality and inclusion
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality 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 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.