Deputy Director of Programs

The International Rescue Committee 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, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

BACKGROUND

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 6.5 people are internally displaced and 9.3 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. Today’s 3.2 million refugees are expected to increase to 3.5 million by the end of 2014. IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. With an annual budget in excess of $100 million and a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1100 staff in the region, IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, education, women’s protection and empowerment, distribution of and core relief items, cash assistance, water and environmental health, and economic recovery. 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.

The IRC Jordan program was established in 2007 and is currently operating programs in Jordan and Southern Syria with an annual budget of $36 million. The IRC is currently providing humanitarian assistance in the sectors of child protection, health, women’s protection and empowerment and economic recovery and development through a team of over 200 staff. The IRC has a field office in Mafraq and implements programs across the governorates of Mafraq and Irbid; the main office is in Amman.

POSITION SUMMARY

T he Deputy Director for Programs (DDP) provides overall leadership to the development, management, implementation and growth of IRC’s programming portfolio inside Jordan, with particular emphasis on responsiveness to needs, program quality and evidence of impact. In coordination with the Country Director, the DDP builds and sustains strong donor relationships. Reporting to the Country Director and a member of the Senior Management Team, the DDP supervises a total of nine staff including program, grants and field coordinators as well as the advocacy and communications teams. The DDP is responsible for ensuring that programs are driven by needs, based on evidence, monitored closely and resourced appropriately.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Representation

• Provide leadership to the country program as a key member of the Senior Management Team.
• Drive the quality implementation and support of the Jordan programs, informed by the country program’s monitoring and evaluation systems and Technical Unit support.
• Supervise senior program staff as well as communications and advocacy staff.
• Ensure program staff compliance with security, procurement, HR and financial management protocols.
• Represent the country program to donors, UN and partner NGOs, and national and local government officials.

Program Strategy, Design and Fundraising

• Working in collaboration with regional staff and the Country Director, provide leadership in the development and implementation of a comprehensive and dynamic needs-based strategy for IRC’s programming in response to the Syria crisis and its effects on Jordan. Work to ensure that all programs are designed with the spirit of this strategy incorporated.
• Working in collaboration with in-country Program Coordinators and HQ-based Technical Unit staff, ensure that programs are designed and carried out according to IRC and industry best practices.
• Position IRC for future donor resources by initiating assessments or studies, and by leading public learning events to showcase IRC’s high-quality, impactful programming.
• Working in collaboration with the Country Director, proactively identify opportunities for new programming and funding to support it.
• Lead and support Program Coordinators to collaborate with the M&E, Grants and Finance teams to develop responsive, competitive, evidenced-based and cost-efficient funding applications.
• Provide guidance to program staff regarding tools and strategies for programming that is based on input from communities, a thorough understanding of the context, and technical best practices.
• Lead the development and implementation of integrated programming initiatives so that technical sectors complement one another for greater impact.
• Promote protection, child protection and gender equality considerations in all programming.
• Lead the development and updating of sector strategies that are complementary and relevant to IRC strategies at the country, regional and global levels.
• Support the development of promotional materials related to IRC’s work in Jordan.
• Participate in country program collaboration with SRR colleagues to deliver regional programming and advocacy.

Program Implementation

• Provide overall leadership and management of IRC Jordan’s refugee response programming portfolio, ensuring strategically coherent program direction, well-managed growth, and compliance with IRC and donor regulations.
• Drive close and effective management of program implementation through the development of structured work plans, indicator tracking sheets and monitoring plans.
• Coordinate with other members of Senior Management Team on appropriate management, compliance and performance standards, as well as effective systems for budget management, knowledge management and risk management.
• Review M&E and accountability data with programming staff to identify and address areas for operational improvement.
• Regularly travel to the field to visit projects.
• Regularly review progress against indicators.
• Promptly communicate implementation challenges to donors.
• Promote effective use of ICT4P where appropriate, feasible and cost-effective.
• Build IRC staff capacity in partnership, so that all program staff are aware of IRC partnership principles.
• Work with senior program staff to ensure that protection information is used effectively for advocacy and the development of new programming.

Budget and Risk Management

• Master and support adherence to IRC programming, administrative and financial procedures and systems.
• Promote risk reduction management as a part of all staff’s responsibilities.
• Ensure that program staff are well trained to properly manage project budgets.
• Supervise program staff’s stewardship of the financial health and performance of all projects.
• Guide staff to ensure donor intent is respected and regulations followed.
• Meet with program, grants and finance staff regularly to review budget comparison reports.
• Approve release of resources for projects as per approved budgets, implementation plans, achievements and agreements.
• Assist Finance Controller to prepare annual budgeting documents and reforecasts.
• Ensure program staff follow finance procedures to rapidly process payments.
• Mitigate risk by collaborating with the Finance Department to ensure that programming staff fully understand financial and administrative processes involved in project budget cycles.
• Ensure that risks limiting achievement of objectives are reported and rapidly addressed.

Staff Performance Management and Development

• Create a supervisory environment focused on the achievement of team and individual results that emphasizes the importance of learning, productivity, accountability, openness about challenges, and adjustment to new information and new realities.
• Communicate regularly with staff and promote positive conflict resolution among team members.
• Provide guidance and supervision to all direct reports; discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback on performance of direct reports, including timely implementation of performance management system.
• Hold regular programming team meetings.
• Lead and model use of IRC’s performance management system, providing regular, timely and thoughtful coaching, feedback, performance assessment, and professional development for all direct reports, while making sure that they do the same for their direct reports.
• Build capacities of program staff in key project management principles, tools and approaches and ensure that these new skills are utilized on the job.
• Manage recruitment, hiring and development of high-performing national staff to assume greater levels of responsibility.
• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct.”
• Promote constructive, collegial teamwork between program staff and operational support staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities 

9 direct reports, including  the Economic Recovery and Development, Health, Child Protection, Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Grants and Field Coordinators, the M&E Manager, the Communications and Information Officer and the Senior Advocacy Officer.

Key Working Relationships

Internal : Country Director; Jordan Senior Management Team; SRR regional team; other SRR DDPs; HQ staff in various departments

External : Jordanian Government officials, public and private donor agencies, international and national NGOs, UN agencies, partner organizations, foreign governments.

Professional Standards

IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Graduate degree in relevant field a plus.
• Must have at least six years of progressively responsible international management experience, including technical staff supervision. 
• Proven ability to develop successful proposals for a variety of donors.
• Previous experience managing programs financed by US government agencies, DFID, EU, UN, foundations and private donors, with previous experience in competitive RFA/P environments a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects to completion on time, in compliance with donor requirements, within budget, and with the anticipated results.
• Successful leadership of multi-disciplinary teams in cross-cultural settings, including active mentoring and coaching.
• Demonstrated strengths in relationship management.
• Extensive experience with monitoring and evaluation tools and systems for complex programs
• Established capacity to deal with ambiguity in stressful situations.
• Ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality outcomes.
• A keen understanding of political complexities in the Middle East region.
• English fluency (spoken and written) required; Arabic language skills strongly desired.
• Proven ability to work and live in a sometimes insecure environment while maintaining a positive attitude.

This position is based in Amman and is limited accompanied with individual accommodation in an apartment.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.