Women's Protection and Empowerment Manager

BACKGROUND:

The IRC has been working in Myanmar since May 2008, initially supporting emergency response and early recovery interventions for communities affected by Cyclone Nargis. Since then, IRC has responded to natural emergencies as well as conflict, such as ethnic violence, hand is engaged with communities through their recovery and rehabilitation. Over the years, IRC has broadened its portfolio to include health, water and sanitation, livelihoods, and social development programs and aims to employ a holistic approach.  The IRC is committed to a long-term presence in-country with the aim of improving the well being of vulnerable populations living the hard-to-reach areas.  Currently IRC works with the Ministries of Health, and of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. IRC works in several states, primarily focused in the most marginalized areas of the country, including Rakhine, Chin, Kayin, Mon, Kachin, and Kayah States.

Inter-communal violence between Buddhist and Muslim populations in June and October 2012 resulted in at least 140,000 people displaced across Rakhine State - 95,372 of which are in Sittwe Township across 23 registered IDP camps. Displaced from their homes and at risk of violence, women and girls continue to live in fear as has been documented by a number of assessments and stakeholders in Rakhine. Protection and safety measures inside the camps remain critical particularly in terms of addressing the needs of the most vulnerable, such as households headed by single females, as well as widows, elderly and the disabled. Various forms of violence, including domestic violence, forced or early marriage, sexual abuse, including rape and sexual exploitation, and physical violence have been identified as the most common that women and girls experience.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Manager will be responsible for overseeing programming including support and direct supervision of program staff in the implementation of those activities associated with the WPE program. The WPE Manager oversees individual (through the case management process) and group-based psychosocial activities for survivors of GBV, non formal education, skills building and emotional support activities that take place through safe spaces, and community outreach and referral services. The WPE Manager will also oversee information collection and advocacy related to health gaps and other essential service for women and girls. This position supervises the Senior Program Officer, Prevention and Response Officers, M&E/Government Liaison Officer, as well as GBV Caseworkers and Outreach Workers. Key objectives include:

• To plan and oversee the basic case management and psychosocial activities for survivors of GBV in protracted emergency situation
• To support the continued development of a referral process for GBV survivors, including identification of gaps in health service provision.
• To oversee outreach activities designed to provide communities with information on where women and girls can access GBV services.
• To contribute to the country-specific GBV strategy and contribute to positioning IRC as a strong GBV player in Myanmar.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Quality

•  Reinforce adherence to the GBV guiding principles and other international standards to ensure quality of design and implementation of all WPE activities.
•   Ensure response work with survivors, including case management and psychosocial interventions, adheres to best-practice principles when working with survivors of GBV.
•   Assess and analyze GBV situation in Rakhine state to develop a holistic program based on understanding of GBV issues in the country
• Ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in place for analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy.
• Work with the program staff to ensure that field experiences are documented and used for learning and to advocate on behalf of the communities with which we work.

Staff Supervision & Development

• Recruit and support the hiring of staff, in coordination with human resources and others.
• Directly supervise GBV staff including the Senior Program Officer, Response/Prevention Officers, M&E/Government Liaison Officer, as well as Caseworkers and Outreach Workers.
• Mentor and support staff professional development and foster a positive team spirit to encourage innovative and quality programming.
• Identify training needs for GBV staff, and support organization and facilitation of training to meet those needs, in collaboration with the Senior Program Officer.
• Provide guidance and technical support to teams through regular field monitoring visits.

Grants Management

• Prepare and maintain/update detailed work plan(s) that support and achieve program activities.
• Provide accurate and regular narrative and financial reports, as well as document results and maintain detailed records of program activities for timely submission, as required by IRC policies.
• Conduct and draft needs assessment reports and other internal reports as required by Senior Management or as appropriate under the circumstances.
• Draft program briefing materials, and respond to requests for program information from IRC Regional Management, IRC HQ, donors, Myanmar Government and others;
•   Contribute to develop of concept notes, proposals and strategic plans related to the WPE sector in Myanmar 

Coordination & Representation

• Liaise and coordinate with other UN and NGO partners, ministry departments, local authorities, and beneficiaries in planning and response to emergencies.
• Liaise regularly and work closely with program, operations and finance staff in Yangon to coordinate program planning. 
• Support the identification of GBV focal points in health centers and liaise with health actors for the training of medical and non-medical staff.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including community leaders and other implementing partners.
• Regularly attend GBV sub-cluster meetings in the field

Other

• Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with IRC Operational policies.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor of Arts or Science in Social Science, Public Health, Humanities or other related field, desirable
• At least two-three years of experience managing programs overseas; experience in direct service provision or managing programs that focus on violence against women in a humanitarian context preferred
• Clear understanding of gender, human rights, and issues surrounding violence against women and girls
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients
• Knowledge and experience with community outreach and mobilization
• Experience facilitating trainings and workshops and mentoring others
• Experience living and working in a high pressure and conflict context, and provide positive track record of adapting to sensitive contexts (such as attention to language, ethnic tensions, etc)
• Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks, and maintain attention to detail
• Experience supervising a multi-national staff in a complex, insecure emergency setting
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, strong interpersonal skills
• Fluency in English and computer literate

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The WPE Manager position is based in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Myanmar with frequent travel required to potentially insecure project sites in Sittwe camps. The WPE manager may be asked to travel to other sites in the country to support new program development.  This is an unaccompanied post and candidates can expect to share group housing.