Southeast Humanitarian Coordinator (National Position)

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and in Myanmar since 2008, assisting crisis-affected people to meet their health, protection, women’s protection, and livelihood needs. Due to the ongoing conflict in southeast Myanmar, people have been displaced within the country and sought refuge in Thailand. IRC provides humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected people in the southeast states of Myanmar and along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Job Overview/Summary:

Leveraging its operations in Myanmar and Thailand, IRC provides humanitarian assistance to crisis-affected populations directly and through partners in southeast Myanmar. The Southeast Humanitarian Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring this assistance is well-coordinated, effective, and timely. This position will be based in Thailand and will have a shared reporting line to IRC Thailand and Myanmar Deputy Director of Programs.

Major Responsibilities:

Information Management and Sharing:
1. Develops and oversees the information management protocols for IRC’s programming in southeast Myanmar.
This includes real time information where IRC is delivering humanitarian assistance, directly or through partners.
2. Oversees the stakeholder analysis for SE Myanmar and is responsible for keeping this information up to date.
This information will be accessible to key stakeholders responsible for making decisions on program delivery and
implementing programs.
3. Collaborates with MEAL, sector focal points, and partners to gather and maintain information on needs and gaps
in the SE. Provides an analytical interpretation of best available information to benchmark progress of the
emergency response over time.
4. Coordinates with program focal points and communication focal points to develop program updates that will be
shared with internal and external stakeholders.
5. Work with the respective country program’s communication coordinator and regional communication advisor to
ensure all external facing communication is in line with IRC’s communication strategy.

Risk Monitoring and Management:
6. Maintains IRC’s risk register and consults with country program SMT to employ risk mitigation strategies.

Internal Coordination:
7. Closely working with Sr. Grants Coordinators to initiate the new funding call meetings and bring in SMT of both
IRC Thailand and Myanmar to make decisions about grants management responsibilities.
8. Develop a joint emergency response activity plan in southeast with clear actions, roles and responsibilities to be
reviewed regularly so as to develop common understanding of the ongoing and any new activities, follow up on
any delays, develop remedial actions to mitigate any risks and provide each other with support as needed.
9. Chairs the monthly SE pipeline and partnership meetings between IRC Thailand and Myanmar country program
focal points.
10. Keeps track of progress and the challenges of project implementation, cooperation with partners (in
coordination with partnership managers), changes in the context in Myanmar and Thailand and any government
coordination related challenges and risk.
11. Consolidate and gather information from stakeholders, analysis of the information and suggest possible
implementation plan for both countries with regard to supporting programming within the southeast.
12. Facilitate monthly coordination meetings between IRC Thailand and Myanmar. The Southeast Humanitarian
Coordinator will take the responsibility of leading this coordination mechanism.
13. By cooperating with the IRC MM and TH Grants and Program teams, facilitates proposal design discussions
across two CPs; uses information available on needs, stakeholder mapping, and IRC’s value add to inform
program design. Contributes to proposal writing and budgeting. Involves relevant partners in program design
discussions.
14. Coordinating across the two country programs, collaborates with functional departments from respective
country programs to remain informed of project progress and any implementation issues and gaps.
15. Organizes bi-annual program review meetings.

External Coordination:
16. Maintains a network with key stakeholders operating in SE Myanmar. Maintains two-way information flow with
IRC’s Field Coordinators, safety and access focal points and sector leads to remain apprised of the changing
conflict dynamics.
17. Participates in the SE Working Group and other appropriate coordination mechanisms; gathers information from
relevant colleagues ahead of the meeting and shares appropriate information from the coordination meetings
with relevant IRC stakeholders.
18. As appropriate, participates in donor meetings to keep them informed of context, program progress, challenges
and existing needs. Supports SMT in preparation for meetings with donors and key stakeholders.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) IRC Thailand and DDP for IRC Myanmar

Position directly supervises: No direct supervision responsibilities

Other External Contacts: Representatives from implementing agencies and other actors, Inter-Sectoral
Coordinator and other Sector Coordinators (WASH, Food, Shelter, NFI, etc...) in Thailand
and in Southeast Myanmar