Inside Syria, 6.2 million people are internally displaced and 11.7 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with 5 million in acute need. There are 5.3 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.
IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis with an annual budget in excess of $140 million and a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1,250 staff in the region. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, education, women’s protection and empowerment, NFI and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.
Within Northeast Syria, IRC’s fiscal year 2020 portfolio is 28 million USD with an additional 10 million USD in the pipeline. IRC provides services across all three governorates in Northeast Syria—Al Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa and Deir ez Zoir—focusing on basic health services, food and non-food items, livelihoods assistance, and protection services for vulnerable populations including women and girls, unaccompanied and separated children, the elderly and the disabled. IRC provides health services in static and mobile facilities, and conducts community outreach, within camp and non-camp settings.
Job Overview/Summary
The Senior Program Quality Coordinator is responsible for leading the programmatic quality and effective implementation of multi sector humanitarian activities within the IRC portfolio in Northeast Syria through direct implementation and Syrian partners. Under the supervision of the Deputy Director for Programs (DDP), the Senior Quality Coordinator participates in the Extended Senior Management Team and will drive program implementation, which requires effective coordination with the all departments across the country program.
Key responsibilities:
• Manage technical program coordinators to ensure timely program delivery and implementation according to IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework (OEF), Quality Standards and organizational global best practices.
• In collaboration with DDP and technical program coordinators, contribute to participatory and inclusive proposal design and development processes, ensuring that projects are data-driven and aligned with the IRC Syria Strategy Action Plan (SAP), IRC2020’s Global Strategy and IRC Theories of Change.
• Ensure budgeting is realistic and project implementation deliverables can be achieved to deadline.
• Liaise with the IRC Regional and HQ-based Technical Units to ensure regular and consistent engagement with the country program to provide technical oversight of programs.
• Ensure consistent collaboration with Field Management Team to ensure program implementation is collectively planned and coordinated
• Promote inclusive approaches to programming that promote women and girls, people with disability, and elderly people to ensure assistance reaches the most vulnerable populations
• In conjunction with the DDP and technical program coordinators, develop learning and research initiatives that support the generation of new evidence.
• Actively participate in regular grants meetings, including all Budget vs Actuals Meetings, Grant Opening, Mid-Term, and Closing Meetings, ensuring follow up on action points.
• Ensure Technical Program Coordinators budget accurately and realistically, and consistently spend and implement in a timely fashion while meeting program targets.
• Develop close working relationship with Grants Coordinator to ensure IRC program implementation is compliant with the respective donor regulations.
• Coordinate with DDP, Technical Program Coordinators, Operations leads, and Grants Unit on all grant modifications, with a focus on identifying and troubleshooting potential issues well in advance.
• In coordination with Technical Program Coordinators and Grants Coordinator, ensure timely utilization of tracking of budget management tools such as spending and procurement plans per grant.
• Develop a close working relationship with the Partnership Coordinator to ensure that projects implemented by Syrian partners are provided with the necessary support and collaborative problem solving to meet program deliverables
• Work closely with M&E coordinator to ensure all the complaints and issues related to low quality programing is addressed and data-driven decisions are taken and implemented to assure consistent quality of programs.
• Work closely with counterpart in NWS to make sure the Syria programmatic strategy is harmonized and uplifted
Partnership Coordination and Capacity strengthening
• Champion robust partner relationship management characterized by the core partnership principles from IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS) of responsibility, results-oriented approach, equality, transparency and complementarity
• Ensure appropriate proactive and reactive communications and engagement with IRC partners to implement sub-grant agreements and complete program deliverables through regularly scheduled partnership management meetings
• Design, lead, and/or participate in relevant workshops and meetings to support coordination and collaboration, including partner monitoring visits and training events
Staff Management and Development
• Coach staff with the aim of strengthening their technical and management capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, ensure identification, training and capacity-development of national staff to successfully transition senior manager and coordinator roles and responsibilities to national staff within a reasonable timeframe.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.
• Lead and model successful adherence to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.
• Champion Staff and Clients safeguarding policies in the workplace at all levels
People Management and Development
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members across the Syria country program, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions
• Mentor direct reports and other staff on technical learning and partnership engagement
• Take responsibility for discussing job expectations, performance, and objectives on an informal, quarterly basis with IRC Syria program staff
• Ensure team members have clearly delineated function, work tasks and responsibilities to enforce accountability and clarity in role
• Overall responsibility for staff timesheets, work plans and vacation schedules
• With team members, identify individual training needs and ensure access to training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs
• Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability on the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct
Requirements
• Experience in ensuring timely and quality implementation of large projects in unstable Environments.
• Successful experience writing and coordinating high-value proposals for major donors (USG, UN, DFID, EU,ECHO, SIDA etc.), including budgeting skills
• 5 – 7 years in Program development and management experience mandatory, including development of key project documents such as logical frameworks and monitoring tools.
• Experience directly managing and leading diverse teams and achieving positive results.
• Previous experience with remote management and/or implementation through partners a plus
• Experience in implementing systems and standards to enhance program quality and effective planning (ex: data-driven, client-based) highly desirable. Minimum of five years’ experience in an international NGO in similar role/with similar responsibilities.
• Excellent English writing and spoken skills are mandatory
• Arabic language skills a plus
Interpersonal specifications:
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain professional poise while managing a large workload.
• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks.
• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Being a team player and builder is mandatory
Work Environment: The position will be based in Derek – Al-Hasakeh governorate with travel to field offices within Northeast Syria. Accommodation will be in shared housing, which includes basic amenities including internet and electricity.
Returning National Candidates: 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 Middle East Region 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. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of 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, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.
Gender Equality: IRC is 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 and allowances.
Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.
IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.
How to apply
https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/18889?c=rescue