Health Technical Advisor

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive, recover 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 leads the way from harm to home. The IRC’s vision is that the impact of our programs and the influence of our ideas empowers those caught in crisis to make lasting change in their lives.

To support achievement of this vision, the IRC’s Technical Excellence (TE) unit provides technical assistance to IRC’s country program staff and shares what we learn to influence policy and practice. The TE unit supports technical excellence through the following ways:

1)Guide program design to achieve outcomes by incorporating the best available evidence

2)Build technical capacity of country program staff to implement, measure and continuously improve programs

3)Influence the IRC, peer agencies and donors to use proven interventions and generate new evidence to achieve change in peoples’ lives

The TE Unit is comprised of five technical Units, all of which have deep expertise in their respective sectors: Education, Economic Wellbeing, Governance, Health, Violence Prevention and Response, while cross-cutting work happens with the Gender Equality Unit and the Research & Innovation Unit. The health technical unit (HU) is organized in three sectors; Health (integrating general primary healthcare including sexual and reproductive health, child health, chronic care, mental health & Psycho-Social Support), environmental health and nutrition. The structure emphasizes a clear division of roles between technical assistance core and important functions versus other specialized support functions in order to best meet the needs of country programs and regions. In 2020 the health technical unit supported programming in 6 regions and 34 countries.

Job Overview / Summary:

The Health Technical Adviser (Health TA) is responsible for ensuring high quality health technical support for strategic areas of health programming that are HQ led and those linked to delivery of strategy 100. Key areas of work will include Business Development, roll out of the HU quality improvement framework, delivery of the quality standards, the OEF and work on IRC’s partnership ambition. She/he will work closely with thematic leads in the Health Unit, with STAs and other Health Unit TAs and the HU M&E team to support work in country programs. The Health TA will provide cover for Health TAs for periods of time as the need arises. This role will require a good global overview of IRC’s health programming around the world and involve donor engagement, business development and advocacy.

Major Responsibilities:

1.Provide leadership and coordination for development and delivery of key HU strategic priorities and HQ initiatives to advance program quality.

2.Work closely with the HU quality improvement task team and country facing TAs to develop a work plan for roll out of the quality improvement framework in FY22, working with HU M&E team to develop a system for monitoring progress on quality improvement and quality of care.

3.Work with Director for Health Country Support and STAs to map out how HU teams support to delivery of IRC’s IMPACT standards, partnership ambition, OEF roll out and program design work can be integrated within technical assistance delivered by EH, Health and Nutrition TAs.

4.Support business development within the HU, coordinating development of health unit-led project proposals as well as supporting management of partnership with public and private donors.

5.Provide in-depth technical leadership including writing technical narratives for strategic business development opportunities

6.Work with HU Director for Partnership and Program Development, STAs and SMT to contribute to the health TU’s work on private sector and local partnerships.

7.Work with the HU SMT & STAs as well as the HU capacity building team to plan and coordinate delivery of group capacity building, identify asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities for HU and country program technical staff and map out resource needs for external facilitation of technical learning opportunities.

8.Provide cover for Health TAs during absences, making sure planned activities in support of country programs can continue without disruption when Health TAs are on leave and other cover cannot be arranged.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:Director, Partnership and Program Development-Health Unit

Other Internal contacts: This position requires a collaborative working relationship with health unit teams, other technical units, Awards Management Unit, Private Fundraising, country programs and regional offices and departments – particularly with other HU TAs, STAs in the health unit and other technical units, HU M&E team, Deputy Directors for Programs in country offices and Deputy Regional Directors.

Job Requirements:

1.Health or other related degree plus MPH or equivalent;

2.At least 5 years public health experience in technical and management positions, including provision of remote technical support. At least three years of residence in low- and middle-income countries with humanitarian response;

3.Demonstrated expertise in multiple areas of public health programming and program management and fund-raising (e.g., program development, proposal writing, monitoring & evaluation, and management of donor relations, local partnerships, capacity strengthening).

4.Ability to work within a team, motivate others and promote productivity, resolve conflict, and contributes to a pleasant work environment.

5.Excellent communication skills - the ability to write professional documents and create and deliver presentations to different audiences.

6.Solid organizational skills - the ability to be flexible and work well under pressure, dealing with competing priorities, in a fast-paced team environment.

7.Professional-level fluency in English; French, Arabic or Spanish proficiency will be a huge plus.

8.Ability to travel approximately 30% of the time.

Working Environment: “Standard office work environment” as per IRC policy. Regular travel will be expected to provide technical assistance to some country programs and monitor and improve quality of Health teams’ technical assistance.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, Egalite, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.