Women's Protection and Empowerment Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee is one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies. IRC provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support in 42 countries. IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation and creative partnerships.

The IRC has long-term programs based in Baghdad and Erbil, as well as emergency response programs supporting Syrian refugees and war-affected Syrian internally displaced persons (IDPs). The IRC is seeking dynamic individuals to support it in the delivery of services and support to communities affected by conflict in Syria.

Working in coordination with the humanitarian community, the IRC currently addresses the needs of Syrian IDPs and Iraqi Refugees. Our activities in northern Syria focus primarily on the supply of vital medications and medical equipment, non-food items, food and vouchers and form part of an over-arching humanitarian response in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Syria that seeks to assist those in need to survive conflict and displacement.

As part of its regional effort the IRC is now expanding its operations inside Syria by establishing programs for health, protection, economic and food support to vulnerable families in Al-Hassekah Governorate, Syria.

IRC Iraq is currently looking for a Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Coordinator to be based in Dohuk, in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. The ideal candidate has excellent coordination and networking skills, the capacity to innovate and solve problems efficiently and the ability to work effectively across programming teams operating within the overall context of insecurity and access challenges in Iraq.

SCOPE OF WORK:
The WPE Coordinator will be responsible for overall leadership, coordination and technical support to maintain and expand IRC's WPE programming in Al-Hassakeh, Syria. This includes:

• Ensuring quality case management and psychosocial support activities for vulnerable women, girls, and GBV survivors, and working with the reproductive health team to improve clinical care for survivors
• Continuing to support the expansion of programming in Al-Hassakeh governorate
• Strengthening community engagement and outreach including GBV risk mitigation activities
• 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
• Ensuring robust M&E system in place that contributes to program development

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 Iraq country program, Cross-Border team, and HQ.

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, Health, and Protection.
  • Design program responses and strategy, including geographic areas of intervention, in coordination with internal and external actors.
  • Ensure M&E system is integrated into program development and implementation.
  • Develop technical proposals and budgets for international donors, work in close collaboration with IRC grants and finance staff to finalize proposals and respond to any requests for additional information.
• Human Resources Management
  • Directly recruit and supervises all health program staff.
  • 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.
  • Overall responsible for program organizational chart, staff workplans, work and vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities.
  • If/as required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
  • Deliver and execute a plan to hire, train and build capacity of staff.
  • 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.
  • Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures.
• Strategy and Business Development
  • Develop strategic plan for WPE in NE Syria.
  • 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.
• Grant Planning & Implementation
  • Responsible for the overall achievement of all WPE grants in eastern Syria.
  • Has significant budget authority to pre-approved limits and responsibility for budget development, management and compliance.
  • Responsible for ensuring the achievement of the overall grant timeline and completion date.
  • Provides direction and monitors staff in their implementation of the workplan and quality of technical activities.
• Grant Monitoring & Reporting
  • Development/ maintenance of effective and efficient oversight, support, quality control and reporting systems and processes.
  • Ensure regular field monitoring and modifications as required.
  • Ensure IRC and donor reports as per set schedules (monthly, quarterly and annually) on grant activities, indicators and achievements are produced in quality.
• Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Provide direction and monitor staff in their implementation of work planning, program budgets and spending plans to meet desired objectives.
  • In coordination with the M&E Sr. Manager, develop and maintain a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for WPE programming in Syria, including quality control and reporting systems, regular staff reports, and case management checklists.
• 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.
• Finance and Budget
  • Responsible for tracking budgets and expenditures, monitoring spending and identifying and potential budget concerns.
  • Responsible for developing budgets and procurement plans for new grants and revising budgets for ongoing grants as needed.
• Other
  • Contributes to the development of country program strategy and plans.
  • Leads sector specific strategy development and technical proposal design.
  • Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
  • Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

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.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Deputy Director, Cross Border Programs
• Position directly supervises: 6 National Syrian Staff

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal: Country Director, Senior Management Team; SRR regional Team, WPE Technical Unit, Health Coordinator, Protection Coordinator, ERD Coordinator, M&E Senior Manager, Cross Border Sr. Grants Manager, Turkey Country WPE Program team
• External: Regional government and Iraqi Government officials, public and private donor agencies, international and national NGOs, UN agencies, partner organizations, foreign governments

REQUIREMENTS:

• BA/S or equivalent in health, social science, humanities or other related degree required; MpH, or MA/S in related field a plus
• Minimum of 3 years professional experience in implementation of emergency GBV programming
• 3 years successfully leading and managing cross-cultural teams
• Thorough understanding of gender-based violence response protocols and service provision
• Proven experience working in emergency and insecure contexts
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building and mentoring of national and international staff
• Solid experience with planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Proven experience managing multiple funding sources, producing donor proposals and reports
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties
• 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
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Fluency in English required; spoken Arabic or Kurdish an asset

SECURITY SITUATION / HOUSING:
The security level is yellow in Dohuk, other parts of the country are orange, or red if clashes are ongoing. The majority security concerns is the presence of armed men across the spectrum of regular armed forces, volunteer militias and armed opposition groups. Staff in Iraq must comply with all IRC security policies and procedures applicable to international staff.

Shared housing in a guest house will be provided. The position is unaccompanied.