By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Country Director, Thailand

Bangkok

  • Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
  • Location: Bangkok
  • Grade: Senior Executive level - Senior Executive
  • Occupational Groups:
    • International Relations
    • Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
    • Security and Safety
    • Emergency Aid and Response
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

BACKGROUND:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) 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, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC has been providing humanitarian assistance to displaced people in Thailand since 1975, working on the Thailand-Myanmar border since 1990. 

SCOPE OF WORK:

The IRC Thailand Country Director serves as the organization’s lead representative in country and interfaces with actors from the Royal Thai Government, ethnic leadership communities, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), international governments and missions, and other stakeholders supporting displaced people in Thailand, primarily along the Thailand-Myanmar border. S/he is responsible for humanitarian assistance services carried out in three main field locations and two satellite offices, as well as managing the country program’s operations and financial management functions. S/he is responsible for the country program’s overall annual budget of over USD$20 million, supporting over 200 staff and 1,400 stipend workers, and directly supervises six in-country management staff. The IRC in Thailand plays an active role in the Committee for Coordination of Services for Displaced Persons in Thailand (CCSDPT, www.ccsdpt.org) and The Border Consortium (TBC,www.thebordersonsortium.org). The Country Director reports to the IRC Asia Regional Director. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Strategic Planning and Change Management

  • Working closely with the Regional Director, regional and IRC Thailand team, develop and lead strategic direction, explore new opportunities and implement the five year strategic plan for the country program.
  • Ensure that structures and systems are in compliance with IRC standards, and support high quality programming and efficiency throughout the country program.
  • Work with the in-country senior management team to ensure program and operational structures are adapted to meet ongoing and anticipated retracted needs in short-and long-term and in adherence to the organization’s global standards.
  • Work with regional and senior management teams to ensure emergency preparedness and assure immediate response when emergencies or disasters strike.
  • Participate and assist in driving planning processes for IRC’s current programs along the Thailand-Myanmar border and within South East Myanmar to ensure IRC’s technical competencies, contextual knowledge and partnerships with local aid providers, community groups, governments, donors and civil society are leveraged to provide new and innovative aid programs within the rapidly changing environment in close cooperation with the IRC country office of Myanmar.
  • Assure active participation in regional and sub-regional initiatives.
  • Assure visibility of the country office work both externally and internally. 

Program Quality and Implementation

  • Ensure program strategies are designed in accordance with the IRC’s strategy 2020. Ensure the quality of projects according to the IRC’s frameworks and donor specifications, utilizing consistent assessments, context analysis and available learning and evidence.
  • Actively assure the country programs participation in HQ and Regionally led initiatives.
  • Ensure the quality of implementation with oversight of monitoring and project adaptation efforts of the country team.
  • Promote a team approach and positive learning environment utilizing headquarters, regional, and country program and operations staff and partners to consistently enhance the quality of design and implementation. 

Key Partner and Donor Relations

  • Represent IRC externally with Royal Thai Government, UN agencies, donor, NGO coordination (CCSDPT) and community-based entities and others.
  • Develop and maintain a high level of understanding of donor and private sector priorities, country plans and wider IRC initiatives.
  • Support the development and handover of selected services to local and community-based organizations according to program design and expectations.
  • Explore the opportunity for private funding partnership and engaging in new ways of funding IRC critical work. 

Budget Management

  • Work in close cooperation with all key stakeholders to assure reasonable budget levels for the country program, including possible growth in certain areas e.g. maintaining suffice budget levels for camp work.
  • Ensure submission of appropriate, timely high quality proposals and lead local donor negotiations as required.
  • Provide timely and effective oversight of the finance unit of the country program.
  • Maintain effective and coordinated budget monitoring processes for the country office portfolio (grant funds and discretionary funds). These include regular and consistent monitoring of donor resources and fiscal regulations in accordance with IRC’s global standards, auditing and fiscal processes.
  • Promote coordination and teamwork between program and operations staff to improve quality of budget design, program implementation and service delivery.  

Security & Operations Management

  • In coordination with the regional safety and security focal point, ensure the security management plan for the country program is updated and there is consistent monitoring and analysis of the security environment with staff adherence to protocols and procedures.
  • Working with the country senior management team ensure the development, implementation and monitoring of financial and operational policy and procedures to ensure constant compliance with IRC and donor policies across the program. 

Human Resource Management and Workforce Planning

  • Sustain a positive work environment for all staff supported by a professional level human resource and talent management function.
  • Support and hold management staff accountable for providing staff development opportunities and planning.
  • Actively promote gender equality in relation to all aspects of the country program.
  • Play an active role in workforce planning to ensure compatibility to program need and resource allocation.
  • Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability to the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct.

Requirements

  • Graduate or advanced degree in relevant fields, such as non-profit management, humanitarian or social services, international affairs;
  • At least ten years of work in an international setting, experience working with displaced populations preferred;
  • Experience working in conflict areas / cross border and remote management and empowerment of local civil society preferred;
  • Extensive humanitarian assistance program management, budget development and donor relations experience, prior experience working with European, Australian, United States and other international donors required;
  • Strong human resource management skills including capacity building, workforce planning, cross departmental cooperation and staff mentoring;
  • Experience supervising and managing a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting; solid understanding of gender equality;
  • Demonstrated success in managing large-scale assistance projects; change management, specific experience in adapting operational environment to need and available resources;
  • Previous budget and fiscal oversight responsibilities; management of donor compliance and regulations;
  • Solid understanding of political complexities in the region, knowledge of long term ethnic conflicts in Myanmar and history of Thailand as a host country for displaced persons from Myanmar;
  • Solid English language ability, written and verbal; Thai or Burmese language will be an added advantage.

This position is based in Bangkok with regular travel to locations on the Thailand-Myanmar border, refugee camps and in southeast Myanmar. All IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct: 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.

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: