Senior ERD Manager

The International Rescue Committee 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, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Contextual Background:

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 4 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 3,000 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, water and sanitation, 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.

Job Overview/Summary: The Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Manager, under the direct supervision of the ERD Coordinator, will be responsible for providing operational and programmatic support for the effective and successful design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the IRC ERD Programs within northwest Syria. These programs include cash and basic needs programming consisting of unconditional multi-purpose cash assistance and temporary income programming through cash for work; agriculture and livestock support programming; and livelihoods programming including vocational training and apprenticeship placements and business grants provided through two static Livelihoods Centers. He/she will work closely with the ERD Coordinator and the relevant program Managers in the overall strategic planning and design of ERD activities, as well as the day to day project management of ERD programs.

Major Responsibilities: **

IRC ERD Program Management

· Project strategy and planning: Work with ERD Coordinator on the continuous development and improvement of the IRC ERD program strategy for northern Syria.

· Assessments: In collaboration with the ERD Information Management team and Syria Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team, lead in the development and implementation of markets assessments including labor market assessments and value chain assessments.

· Project Management: Support project management of the ERD program portfolio, including livelihoods activities, temporary income activities, cash, and agricultural activities, by providing technical and operation support; developing program design along with program Managers; and ensuring all direct or partners implementation is in line with best practices and IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework.

· Monitoring and Evaluation: Track and ensure programmatic targets are being met within the pre-established deadline. Ensure project tracking tools feed into the ERD databases in close coordination with the ERD Information Management team. Support Managers with adjustments to programming based on feedback from formal and informal monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Ensure programming is in-line with IRC’s Monitoring for Action strategy.

· Budget Management: Ensure smooth management, implementation and integration of project work plans and budgets (budget forecasting, development of spending plans, procurement plans, and budget follow-up), ensuring best use of resources across activities and analyzing value for money.**

· Grants Management: Write donor reports as required for the project working with Program Managers, MEAL, and Grants team staff to provide up to date information, disaggregated data, and provide updates on successes and challenges in implementation.

· Program Learning and Quality: Develop learning documents per project based on program success, challenges, beneficiary and staff/partner feedback, and MEAL analysis on outcomes. Ensure projects are continually adapted to this leaning across projects, in order to develop responsive and evidence-driven programming.

· Partnerships: Support the ERD team in expanding program to include local partners for certain sub-sectors, ensuring quality in technical and operational design, implementation and outcomes and supporting partners with learning and any needed capacity building.

· Proposal and Program Development: Support the ERD Coordinator in the development of quality proposal budgets, logical frameworks, and technical narratives to support continued program strengthening in response of the needs of communities IRC is serving.

· Team Management: Directly manage staff; provide ongoing support, coaching and capacity development opportunities. Identify issues, problems and/or concerns affecting the program with the project teams and, as needed, present recommendations to the ERD Coordinator.

· Coordination and Representation: Represent IRC at coordination meetings, including but not limited to Syria Resilience Consortium meetings, Whole of Syria and North Syria Cluster and Technical Working Group meetings. Engage with key stakeholders, being able to represent the IRC in donor meetings and meetings with partners when required.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: ERD Coordinator**
Position directly supervises: Senior Livelihoods Officer, Senior CFW Officer, Senior Agriculture Officer, Information Management Officer, Cash for Work Program Assistant

External relationships:

• Syria Resilience Consortium members and partner organizations in northern Syria

• Cluster coordinators, co-leads, and partners agencies at the Whole of Syria and Gaziantep level

Job Requirements:

Education:

· Required: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, international development, or a related field

· Advanced degree in a relevant field valued but not required

Work Experience:

· Minimum 5 years of experience working in the humanitarian sector with an international NGO or UN agency, preferably focusing on livelihoods, cash, or economic recovery and development programs with minimum 3 in managerial level.

· Demonstrated experience managing budgets, developing proposals, coordinating inputs from partners/sectors, reporting and compliance

· Experience leading and coordinating activities across a range of organizations, e.g. at the U.N. cluster level, or coordinating the work of local partners organizations

· Experience managing projects and budgets of at least $1 million USD

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

· Technical knowledge in livelihoods programming areas preferred (e.g. employment, self-employment, microenterprise, cash-based response, cash for work, market recovery, agricultural livelihoods, etc.)

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to articulate clearly and concisely

· Strong understanding of humanitarian principles and of inclusive-livelihoods programming

· Strong ability to facilitate discussions, lead meetings, and coordinate amongst partner organizations

· Strong project management skills, ability to keep one’s self and others organized

· Excellent organizational and time management skills

· Experience setting up and using detailed project work plans

· Self-starter, able to identify problems or issues and develop and implement solutions

· Experience to work remotely with colleagues from multiple hubs

Language Skills:

· Fluency in English required

· Arabic languages skills valued but not required

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of 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, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

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.

Working Environment: The overall security situation in Jordan is relatively calm, especially in Amman. The Jordanian government is stable, and civil unrest is largely peaceful. However, Jordan’s generosity in hosting refugees from Palestine, Iraq and now Syria have created huge strains on the country’s economy and infrastructure. The IRC office is in a modern professional building.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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