Technical Advisor, Protection & Rule of Law

Job posted by: International Rescue Committee (IRC)-USA - Mon, 1 Sep 2014

Job Details:

Organisation: International Rescue Committee (IRC)-USA

Deadline Mon, 27 Oct 2014

Job type: Permanent

Location: United States

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The International Rescue Committee (IRC) provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of oppression and violent conflict around the world. IRC has worked for over seven decades and today is involved in over 25 conflict zones around the world.   Our programs are focused on achieving long term solutions for people affected by conflict.  The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership and innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and thorough accountability to those we serve.  

The Governance and Rights Unit (GRU) works in a range of complex contexts to establish and re-establish the interface between citizens and state institutions, with a view to promoting social dividends, realizing people’s rights and improving the quality of services delivered to the population. Under the GRU unit, the PRT/RoL teams are implementing programs in 15 countries including on information/protection monitoring, promotion of access to justice, supporting community safety initiatives and protection mainstreaming support. The GRU works alongside other technical units in the IRC, namely Health, Children, Youth Protection and Development (CYPD), Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), and the Research Evaluation and Learning (REL) Unit. Technical units are responsible for the development of policy and practice, technical support to field programs and act as the quality assurance agents for the agency.   


SCOPE OF WORK

The Technical Advisor (TA) Protection/Rule of Law, based in New York, will be part of a global Governance and Rights Unit. As part of the Technical Unit, S/he will be responsible for:

  • Supporting the development of the strategic direction of IRC’s work in the field of Protection / Rule of Law and supporting its implementation;
  • Supporting the development of a “research agenda” for Protection/Rule of Law, including on tools and programmes to help measure program impact, to identify ‘best practices’ and incremental ‘value for work’.
  • Providing technical assistance to countries that are implementing programmes that protect human rights, increase access to justice, and mainstream protection principles into IRC’s work;
  • Providing guidance and support on the development of program tools and methodologies for IRC protection and rule of law programs, paying special attention to developing tools in new programming areas, like community-level protection initiatives;
  • Promoting IRC’s protection work to external audiences with a view to influence policy, practice and advocacy agendas
  • Helping to expand the funding base for protection/rule of law programs;

By working closely with country teams, the Technical Advisor will support the development of new proposals and planning for program growth to effectively address the needs of this sector of the population. S/he will also play a role in liaising with and influencing donors and peer agencies. The Technical Advisor will also work with staff from other sectors to ensure the incorporation of protection principles into their respective areas of work.

The Technical Advisor will report to the Senior Technical Advisor for Protection/Rule of Law. The position will be based in New York.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Strategies and Tools Development

  • Contribute to the G&R Unit’s development of new program areas, particularly in the areas of access to justice, community-driven protection work.
  • Contribute to the development/ revision of best practice guides, manuals and other technical resources to improve the quality of IRC's Protection/Rule of Law programs. Refine protection and rule of law programming methodologies, tools and guidelines for field staff and local partners.
  • Upon request from Regional Units /Country Programs, lead/assist in the development of country-specific strategies for protection/rule of law programming and support efforts to ensure that protection principles are mainstreamed in IRC country programs through training, coaching and ongoing technical advice.
  • Provide support to members of the G&R unit to ensure that the unit’s strategic objectives are achieved.

Technical support and Advice

  • Provide technical expertise and guidance to a portfolio of protection and rule of law field programs. The range of support functions includes program design, conducting/developing assessments, crafting log frames, monitoring and evaluation, and assistance with staff recruitment, training and mentoring. The support will be provided through desk-based technical advice (mail and phone/skype), field visits to monitor program implementation, and HR support in recruitment for international protection staff positions in the field.
  • Support the development of business development strategies for Protection/Rule of Law in assigned counties, including by contributing to stakeholder analysis, identifying potential partnership opportunities, and developing or supporting proposals grounded in evidence and context.
  • Work with the other members of the G&R Unit on the roll-out of protection mainstreaming tools in selected country programs – in close consultation with the Protection Mainstreaming Technical Advisor

Representation and Advocacy

  • Effectively represent IRC on P/ROL-internally and externally.
  • Participate in working groups, inter-agency task forces and academic conferences that focus on protection, rule of law, and/or advocacy on relevant issues. This includes representation at InterAction, in particular at the Protection Working Group (and the thematic areas on protection mainstreaming, urban programming and results-based protection programming)
  • Contribute to the development of protection/rule of law-related advocacy, in consultation with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Build and maintain relationships with institutional donors in the field of protection, with an emphasis on OFDA and BPRM, including on protection mainstreaming initiatives and urban displacement programming.

Research and Learning

  • Contribute to the body of global knowledge and promote evidence-based programming through initiating and supporting rigorous field research, partnering with academic researchers when required, and disseminating learning.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Post-graduate degree in international studies, human rights, law or other relevant subject;      
  • A minimum of 5 years relevant working experience in the field of Protection/Rule of Law program, including proven program implementation experience, proposal development and report writing;
  • A solid understanding of protection, rule of law issues and governance concepts as they relate to people affected by conflict and the ability to communicate clearly these concepts and issues to a lay audience;
  • Proven leadership, strategic thinking, and coordination skills;
  • Strong organizational skills: Ability to coordinate and manage a diverse array of responsibilities;
  • Prior work experience with coordinating and undertaking independent field travel to conduct assessments, provide technical advisory support and review programs;
  • Strong interpersonal, team work and diplomatic skills;
  • Proven familiarity with international UN and donor processes;
  • French language skills highly desirable.
  • Estimated travel time: 30% 

Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=a2ltbC4xMDA4Mi40ODEwQGlyYy5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20


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