Program Officer, Asylum & Protection At International Rescue Committee

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work today in over 40 countries and 28 U.S. cities. The IRC’s Resettlement, Asylum and Integration (RAI) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable migrants to survive and thrive in Europe and the US. RAI serves more than 100,000 individuals each year in Europe and the US, including thousands of newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers as well as the broader immigrant community, through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at five core outcomes: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education and Power.

SCOPE OF WORK: The Program Officer, Asylum & Protection supports IRC’s strategic objectives in asylum by providing accurate and timely data analysis and support to the Asylum & Legal Protection team within IRC’s Resettlement, Asylum & Integration (RAI) Department. The Program Officer supports a wide range of functions across the department, including technical assistance, training, policy research and grants management, by ensuring all efforts are data-driven and contextually accurate. The Program Officer reports to the Senior Director, Asylum & Legal Protection, and works closely with a wide range of RAI colleagues, both at headquarters and across country and program offices.

Major Responsibilities:

• Support the IRC’s strategic objectives to deepen its impact in the field of asylum
• Develop a solid understanding of RAI’s asylum & protection program portfolio, including cross border collaboration with the LatAm region, by supporting cross-cutting and cross-departmental efforts to bridge knowledge and enhance collaboration
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports for internal and external audiences related to RAI’s asylum and protection portfolio
• Support drafting of reports for funders on specific areas of IRC’s asylum & protection portfolio
• Respond to ad hoc report requests from internal IRC departments or funders
• Support the Asylum Policy Director in the development of policy research or recommendations by conducting desk research, such as on global statistics related to asylum and migration, and conducting analysis of RAI program data
• Collaborate closely with other members of the Asylum & Legal Protection team, including the Cross Border & Asylum team, the US Legal Services Unit, and the Technical Advisor, Legal Protection for Europe in support of the development of program materials, tools, guidance, and training curricula
• Closely liaise with a wide array of IRC departments and units that serve asylum seekers to facilitate and enhance two-way communication on situational trends, available and needed resources and training, and other topics of mutual interest
• Develop and manage all aspects of the Cross Border & Asylum team’s Intranet page, including by surveying program colleagues across RAI Europe and RAI US offices to better understand resource needs and usability of the site, collaborating with colleagues to ensure relevant materials are uploaded and accessible, and ensuring information is current
• Enhance data visualization and contribute to graphic design of internal and external materials and presentations
• Special projects and other duties as needed

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Position reports to: Senior Director, Asylum & Legal Protection
• Position directly supervises: n/a
• Other internal and/or external contacts: Asylum & Legal Protection team colleagues; the Safety & Wellness Unit; Research, Analysis & Learning Unit; Policy unit and Advocacy unit, global crisis analysis team; program colleagues at RAI Europe and RAI US offices

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as migration studies, international development, or law required, advanced degree a plus
• Minimum 3 years progressive work experience in asylum/migration, ideally focusing on context analysis, programmatic research & evaluation, policy research, and/or other data-driven or context-driven work
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and partners; written and oral communication skills in Spanish or a RAI Europe language (German, Greek, Italian, or Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian) highly desirable
• Knowledge of the Common European Asylum System and global asylum and migration normative frameworks highly desirable; knowledge of US asylum and immigration system desirable
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to juggle multiple tasks, set priorities, effectively manage time, and meet deadlines; exceptional attention to detail
• An innovation mindset and ability to consistently improve systems and processes
• The ability to be flexible and work well under pressure in a fast-paced team environment; aptitude for ongoing learning and adjusting to frequent changes in processes

__________________________________________________________________________________

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, 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.

Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirement.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires new hires to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for any in-office or hybrid positions. All IRC US offices require full vaccination to attend any in-office functions (e.g., meetings, trainings).

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. 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.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.