Deputy Director of Programs - Amouda, Northeast Syria

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 7.6 million people are internally displaced and 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with 4.8 million in hard-to-reach areas. There are 5 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. With an annual budget in excess of $140 million and a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 2,000 staff and workers in the region, IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, education, women’s protection and empowerment, NFI and food distribution, cash assistance, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

SCOPE OF WORK: Under the supervision of the IRC Deputy Country Director (DCD), the Deputy Director of Programs for Northeast Syria (NES) will directly supervise and provide strategic leadership for a dynamic, expanding, multi-sector program team across Northeast Syria covering Hasakeh, Raqqa and and Deir-ez-Zour governorates. S/he will supervise the Health, Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Integrated Protection Coordinators as well as the Grants and MEAL Coordinators. The DDP is responsible for ensuring high quality implementation of a wide range of programming across emergency to early recovery contexts and conducting day to day team management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Manage Program Coordinators to ensure quality program design and timely implementation according to IRC’s Strategy Action Plan (SAP) and the Outcomes and Evidence Framework (OEF)

• Ensure programming is aligned with the SAP and OEF including program planning, project design, communications with staff, and orientation.
• Monitoring program progress against SAP through monthly/quarterly SAP implement plan reviews and quarterly reports.
• Manage Program Coordinators to ensure partnership plans that maximize the opportunities for collaborative partnerships with Syrian actors in NES are maintained and updated, consistent with the IRC’s Strategy Action Plan.
• Ensure new business development and program design are consistent with those partnership plans and the Strategy Action Plan (including through the Go/No-Go review process).
• Collaborate closely with the IRC Northwest Syria team to ensure a ‘One Syria’ programmatic approach, particularly for countrywide projects and initiatives including Sesame Seeds.
• Work with Program Coordinators and MEAL Coordinator to ensure ongoing monitoring of progress and accurate data collection are being conducted and consistently used to adjust program direction as needed by field program staff.
• In conjunction with the DCD, liaise with the IRC HQ-based Technical Units to ensure regular flow of communication between field and headquarters, appropriate implementation of Technical Unit recommendations, and facilitate technical oversight of programs.
• In conjunction with the DCD, develop learning initiatives that support the generation of new evidence.

Oversee program development, fundraising and grants management

• Supervise the Grants Coordinator in the development of quality concept notes and proposals for all IRC Northeast Syria programs.
• Support Grants Coordinator and Grants Unit with development of a funding strategy, diversifying and strengthening donor base.
• Actively participate in grant meetings, including all Budget vs Actuals Meetings, Grant Opening, Mid-Term, and Closing Meetings, ensuring follow up on action points.
• Ensure Program Coordinators budget accurately and realistically, and consistently spend and implement in a timely fashion, including procurement of program supplies in accordance with approved procurement plans, while meeting targets.
• Support the Grants Coordinator to ensure that all IRC Iraq NES programs are compliant with their respective donor regulations.
• Coordinate with DCD, Program Coordinators, operations leads, and Grants Unit on all grant modifications, with a focus on identifying and troubleshooting potential issues well in advance.

Lead delivery of IRC’s partnership approach in NES

• Chair multi-departmental partnership working group to promote a coherent ‘one IRC’ approach with respect to partnership.
• Supervise the partnership and sub-award management functions in NES, ensuring effective utilization of SPMS, and promoting appropriate SMT and field office engagement in partnership planning and decision making.
• Ensure program teams are appropriately structured and resourced for success in partnerships.
• Ensure achievement of partnership ‘Good’ standards in accordance with SAP, establishing IRC as a partner of choice among civil society organizations in NES.
• Lead strategic engagement with IRC’s civil society partners in NES.

Oversee Monitoring & Evaluation (inclusive of management of the MEAL Coordinator):

• Oversee MEAL staff to identify and address needs for project monitoring and reporting strategies/templates, as well as to design/improve upon and implement processes related to data quality (including qualitative) and documentation/communication of program learning.
• In collaboration with the Beneficiary Feedback Team and Program Coordinators, ensure that all beneficiary and project stakeholder feedback is addressed appropriately, and in a timely manner.
• Support multi-departmental tracking/monitoring tools and processes to improve and streamline IRC operational and project tracking systems.

Staff Management and Development

• Coach staff with the aim of strengthening their technical and management capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, ensure identification, training and capacity-development of national staff to successfully transition senior manager and coordinator role and responsibilities to national staff within a reasonable timeframe.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being.
• Lead and model successful adherence to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.

Emergency Response focal point

• Establish Emergency Preparedness Plan and serve as emergency team lead when an emergency situation arises; bring together emergency focal points from teams and ensure an emergency SMT is in place to be able to quickly respond, assess and fundraise.
• Ensure resources are brought in from the Emergency Unit in HQ when emergency or surge support needs are identified.
• Coordinate with communications and advocacy staff at Regional Office to ensure timely sit reps and information flow.

Coordination and Representation

• Represent the IRC in NGO Coordination mechanisms, with donors, and with ministries as needed at the national and Governorate levels as necessary with support of the DCD.
• Ensure strong participation in and contribution to the Whole of Syria coordination framework and close collaboration with the IRC-hosted health and protection working group leads.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Deputy Country Director – Northeast Syria

Position directly supervises:ERD Coordinator, Integrated Protection Coordinator, Health Coordinator, MEAL Coordinator, Grants Coordinator

-Indirect Reporting: Deputy Regional Director
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

-Internal: Operations department, Humanitarian Access team, Human Resources, Finance team, Compliance team

-External:Technical Units, Deputy Regional Director, Regional Public Affairs team, Regional Partnerships Director, NES Forum, IRC-hosted NES Working Group leads

REQUIREMENTS:

• Experience in ensuring timely and quality implementation of large projects in unstable environments, through both partnership models and direct implementation.
• Demonstrated budget management expertise, including development of cost effective and accurate budgets as well as successful oversight of project spending.
• Successful experience writing and coordinating high-value proposals for major donors (USG, UN, DFID, EU, etc), including development of key project documents such as logical frameworks and monitoring tools

• Experience directly managing and leading diverse teams and achieving positive results.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in an international NGO in similar role/with similar responsibilities.
• Previous experience as a member of senior management team preferred
• Excellent English writing and spoken skills are mandatory
• Arabic language skills a plus

Interpersonal specifications:

• Ability to work in unstable security environment and abide with the security policies.
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain professional poise while managing a large workload.
• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks.
• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Working Environment:

Based in Amouda, Northeast Syria, in shared housing with frequent travel to field locations.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Attention Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.