WPE Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee is an international organization specializing in emergency and humanitarian programming. Since the fall of 2012, the IRC’s emergency Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) program has provided gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services to Syrian refugee women and girls, as well as women and girls from the Lebanese host communities, in various locations in the Northern and Beka’a Governorates. In addition to Women’s Protection and Empowerment programming, the IRC also has robust programs in Economic Recovery and Development, Child Protection, Education, and Protection. The WPE Program Coordinator will be responsible for managing and overseeing the activities associated with supporting the provision of holistic care for survivors of GBV, case management, referrals for specialized health care, psychosocial support, and risk reduction.

Job Overview/Summary:

The WPE Coordinator will be responsible for overall leadership, coordination and technical support to maintain and expand IRC's WPE programming in Lebanon. This includes:

1. Ensuring quality case management, psychosocial support and empowerment activities for vulnerable women, girls, and GBV survivors;
2. Continuing to support the expansion of programming to include mobile services to reach those that cannot access WGCC;
3. Strengthening community engagement and outreach including GBV risk mitigation activities;
4. Providing trainings and technical support to WPE staff and partners to build skills and expertise in GBV response services and mainstreaming GBV prevention across sectors;
5. Support GBV coordination at the national and sub-national levels and lead advocacy efforts on identified priorities.

The Coordinator is responsible for overall management of WPE staff, providing any and all support necessary to ensure successful implementation of WPE sector programming. The Coordinator also plays a key role in program development through contributions to new concepts and proposals, including design and writing of technical proposal sections, with support from the IRC Technical Unit and relevant departments of the Lebanon country program and HQ.

Major Responsibilities:

Technical Quality

• Provide clear technical support, supervision, training and mentoring to the WPE team, including training needed to build specialized skills in GBV case management, psychosocial support and GBV risk mitigation.
• Ensure that WPE staff and services adhere to GBV best practice, professional standards and principles.
• Lead and support integration and collaboration of WPE programming across other IRC sectors, including Economic Recovery and Development, Child Protection and Protection.

Human Resources Management

• In collaboration with HR, support recruitment of program staff.
• Build and supervise a WPE team with specific technical expertise in relevant areas and meet technical program needs. This includes creating detailed work planning (including spending plans and budgeting).
• Build capacity of the team under his/her supervision in the different selected program methodologies, and provide ongoing coaching and support of staff to ensure high-quality program implementation.
• Take responsibility for discussing job expectations, performance, and objectives on an informal, quarterly basis with all staff and as a part of the annual Performance Review and Planning Process
• With team members, identify individual training needs and ensure access to training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs.
• Identify staff performance issues where applicable and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies
• Overall responsibility for staff timesheets, work plans, vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities
• 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.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures

Strategy and Business Development

• Identify gaps in existing WPE programming and work with the team to develop innovative approaches and mechanisms to address them.
• Lead WPE sector specific strategy development and review to address emerging priorities.
• Lead the design and development of new and potential funding opportunities for WPE programming in line with IRC Lebanon’s Country Strategy.

Grant and Budget Management

• Responsible for the overall achievement of grant activities, deliverables, and budget compliance within donor guidelines.
• Produce high quality donor reports and other materials as required.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Provide direction and monitor staff in their implementation of work planning, program budgets and spending plans to meet desired objectives.
• Develop and maintain a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for WPE programming in Lebanon, including quality control and reporting systems, regular staff reports, case management checklists and GBVIMS monthly reports.

Coordination, Representation and Advocacy

• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.
• Develop strategic partnerships with local organizations, wherever possible
• Maintain productive working relationship with GBV Taskforce and field level working group meetings
• Ensure key field concerns are brought to relevant stakeholders to advocate for standards that systematize how GBV is implemented and promote the delivery of inclusive and high quality GBV services.

Partner Management

• Oversee IRC’s relationship with implementing partner(s) specific to WPE interventions.
• Ensure regular performance monitoring of partners to achieve the set project’s objectives, and provide technical support and guidance.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the 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.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Advanced degree in Social Work, Women’s Studies, or other related field
• Minimum of 3 years professional experience in implementation of emergency GBV programming.
• Proven experience working in emergency contexts
• Proven experience supervising and providing case management services and support.
• Prior international experience working in emergency settings or insecure environments; regional or in-country experience preferred.
• Strong program/technical and budget management skills
• Solid experience with planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Thorough understanding of gender-based violence response protocols and service provision.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties
• Must be capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others
• Proven track record in working with teams, showing high performance in a multi-cultural environment, demonstrating flexibility, and able to handle pressure with professional grace.
• Fluency in English required; spoken French or Arabic an asset.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The Coordinator will be based in Beirut with frequent travel to the sub-offices. Accommodation in Beirut will include modest individual housing. This position is unaccompanied. Accommodation in the sub-offices will include overnights in Qobayat and Zahle, as per security requirements determined by management. Security protocols for Beirut and the field offices will be determined as needed prior to any site visits.