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 one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC is continuing to scale up programming in the West Bank and Gaza working closely with partners and implementing directly in health and nutrition, protection, WASH, early childhood development, food security, and cash programming to meet the most critical humanitarian needs.

Position overview

IRC seeks a dynamic leader and program strategist to fill the Economy Recovery and Development (ERD) Coordinator role. Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) and with technical support from global and Regional Advisors, the ERD Coordinator will lead and oversee the IRC’s emergency oPt response in cash and basic needs delivered both directly and with local partners, including multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA), emergency food assistance, emergency livelihoods and market recovery programming. 

The ERD Coordinator will identify specific growth opportunities for the IRC including in future market-based recovery programming for livelihoods and agriculture sectors, and develop strategic directions for the country program for cash-based programming, including cash across outcomes. The ERD Coordinator will identify specific opportunities for local partnerships with CSOs and NGOs in a partner-first approach. They will serve as the key liaison with local and international implementing partners, the Food Security Cluster, the Cash Working Group and other cluster coordination platforms, municipalities, and governmental partners and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities: 

Program Strategy

• Provide strategic direction and overall technical and management support to ERD programs in oPt focusing on emergency response with considerations for future post conflict, early recovery, and economic development work.

• Advise and assist in designing new programs, including identifying business development opportunities, supporting the conceptualization/design of program activities, drafting or providing substantial input into technical proposals, concept notes, designing M&E systems, and budgets for international donors, and responding to any requests for additional information as needed. 

• Refine a comprehensive strategic approach to integrating cash and voucher (CVA) across all IRC programming (direct and with partners), in collaboration with other sector leads.

• Provide overall managerial oversight and leadership for the ERD department, including overseeing operational functions for achieving the project's goals, and budget management.

Program Quality, Management and Implementation

• Responsible for project management and coordination with partners and direct program implementation in line with the response strategy and IRC international priorities, frameworks and policies. 

• Provide technical leadership and direction for ERD activities; define and implement context-appropriate activities to achieve the greatest coverage and impact possible for both immediate support to people affected by conflict in oPt.

• Develop any required standard operating procedures and program guidance in line with the IRC’s internal policies and global program standards.

• Directly participate in Partner Capacity Analysis (PCAs) and the subsequent development of partner support plans for emergency cash, food assistance, emergency livelihoods and market recovery program activities 

• Ensure regular communication with other program Technical Coordinators, global and regional-based Technical Advisors for ERD, Protection, Education and Health to integrate appropriate technical unit priorities, the latest evidence, and best practices in program design and implementation.

• Work with IRC staff and partners to generate better contextual understanding by conducting required needs, market, and other sectoral assessments to inform quality activity design and share with other humanitarian actors. 

• Adapt IRC direct implementation emergency tools and systems for partner use in line with identified needs and requests.

• Collaborate with key staff of other technical sectors to support in the design and implementation of sector-specific cash assistance, prepare strategic work-plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans, financial projections and tools for evaluation.

• Ensure program implementation is on time, with target goals and budget management, using effective monitoring and evaluation systems and adaptive management principles to reach desired impacts.

• Ensure program activities adhere to standard operating procedures and exhibit strong quality controls while being responsive to client feedback.

• Monitor the spending burn rate and control project costs and expenditures, ensuring financial efficiency.

Equitable Partnerships 

• Champion a culture of effective and respective partnerships across emergency responses. Promote partner-led programming in line with IRC’s “why not partner?” approach. 

• Identify and develop partnerships with local and international implementing partners as appropriate for program design and service to clients based on IRC’s PEERS standards of equal and effective partnership.

• Working closely with the Partnership team, ensure adequate support to partners to facilitate quality program implementation and provide capacity development, where needed.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Lead the recruitment of new ERD program staff and ensure they have the knowledge and resources to succeed in their work as funding becomes available

• Oversee project implementation team and ensure that all staff are following work plans and ERD project activities and outcomes are completed as planned.

• Oversee the development and implementation of staff and partner technical capacity building and professional development plans that promotes a culture of learning and continuous training.

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

• Provide continuous performance feedback to staff; identify performance issues and work with staff and Human Resources to document and address issues in a timely manner.

• Provide trainings to ERD and other IRC staff and partners on CVA and other relevant knowledge.

Coordination & Representation

• Represent the IRC’s ERD programming at technical working groups, clusters, and other inter-agency forums, as well as with donors. 

• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key collaborators including government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.

• Regularly attend relevant cluster and working group meetings at appropriate levels.

• Seek out donor opportunities in line with cash and livelihoods strategy and priorities.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in place for appropriate program analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy.

• Review partner technical tools, reports, and data; recommend adaptations or process improvements as required.

• Coordinate with the MEAL team to maintain an effective monitoring, evaluation, and planning system.

• Coordinate program evaluations and reviews ensure documentation of lessons learned informing reporting and program development, analyzing and sharing relevant information with the MEAL Coordinator, DDP and other colleagues as relevant.

• Support the MEAL Coordinator to develop any needed client responsive mechanisms.

Business Development and Grants Management

• In collaboration with grants teams, seek funding for emergency cash and basic needs, livelihoods and economic recovery programming.

• Ensure that partnership considerations are incorporated in program design and proposal development and that cash partners are proactively engaged in program development efforts. Ensure appropriate budget resourcing for partner projects. 

• Identify gaps and needs in programming areas and proactively source funding.

• Facilitate co-design sessions that involve potential partners and are responsive to client needs.

• Develop concept notes and proposals related to ERD programming expansion and continuation, including budgets, logical frameworks, theory of changes, and written narratives.

• Collect, compile and revise quality ERD program reports and ensure timely submission in collaboration with the Grants team 

• Provide up-to-date inputs to monthly sit-reps and information on success stories to Comms and Advocacy team. 

Professional Standards

• Ensure that gender, protection, and environmental stewardship are mainstreamed in all programming under direct responsibility.

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to senior management, and when liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

• Adhere to the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies as a requirement of the IRC.

• Foster IRC’s Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative for effective and quality program delivery.