Syria: Economic Recovery & Development Coordinator

Feb 5, 2019 | International Rescue Committee
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The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. The IRC serves people forced to flee from war, conflict and natural disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities.

Working in coordination with the humanitarian community, IRC currently addresses the needs of war-affected Syrians from several operational bases in the region. Our activities focus primarily on the supply of vital medications and medical equipment, non-food items, water and sanitation, integrated protection services and form part of an over-arching humanitarian response in the region that seeks to assist refugees, IDPs and war-affected Syrians survive conflict and displacement. 

In northeast Syria the IRC implements health, basic needs, livelihoods, and integrated protection programming.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Economic Recovery and Development Coordinator will provide overall strategic direction for the program in Northeast Syria. This role will manage continued growth, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of basic needs and livelihoods programs in Northeast Syria. The portfolio includes a continuation of direct implementation alongside proactively exploring the potential for partnerships with Syrian NGOs for cash and in-kind assistance and livelihoods interventions, in accordance with IRC’s Syria strategy. The IRC’s ERD programming relies on a market-based approach to the greatest extent possible. This means meeting urgent priority basic and livelihood needs of displaced populations without compromising existing market structures and mechanisms in addition to seeking opportunities where future livelihoods development opportunities exist.

Working closely with the Deputy Director for Programs and sector leads, the ERD Coordinator will oversee the implementation and growth of the ERD portfolio in line with the country Strategic Action Plan. This will ensure ERD needs-based programs are coherently delivered in Northeast Syria and synergies with other sectors are maximized. The ERD Coordinator will have a strong emphasis on program development, management and implementation, team management, capacity building of national staff, and technical support to partners to ensure successful and high quality implementation of programmatic activities.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

  • Provide strategic direction, leadership and overall technical and management support to basic needs and livelihoods programming in northeast Syria, ensuring it is needs-based, context-appropriate, responsive and operationally feasible
  • Ensure smooth management, implementation and integration of project work plans and budgets (budget forecasting, development of spending plans and budget follow-up), ensuring best use of resources across activities
  • Ensure projects and activities are of high technical quality, meet humanitarian standards, mainstream protection, align with IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework, and respond to community and monitoring feedback
  • Plan, organize, recruit, supervise and develop the team and individuals needed to achieve program goals and maximize national ownership and leadership
  • Ensure that all internal and external reporting requirements are met, that reports are of a high quality and are submitted on time
  • Ensure timely procurement of supplies and materials in compliance with donor and IRC rules and regulations through timely planning, specifications development and collaborative relations with Supply Chain colleagues
  • Proactively identify, assess, monitor and implement measures to reduce or control risks that may impact program delivery, quality or compliance
  • Engage and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders and coordination structures relevant to northeast Syria, Whole of Syria and locally including NGO, UN, technical and government actors
  • Ensure alignment and coherence with IRC country and regional strategy, local Health and Protection programs, and cross-border responses from other hubs

Program Development

  • Proactively continue to grow the Northeast Syria ERD portfolio through development of concept notes and proposals to existing and new donors, maintaining a coherent ERD strategy across IRC’s areas of intervention in Syria.
  • Support the identification of opportunities for ERD programming initiatives in support of service delivery and/or through leadership in collaboration with country program senior management, business development staff and TU advisors.
  • Collaborate with Syrian partners on the identification of business development opportunities, and the design of new interventions.
  • Anticipate, plan and manage programmatic and structural transitions.
  • In collaboration with the MEAL team, support ERD staff to develop relevant monitoring tools and adapt them to context.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

  • Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of ERD team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
  • Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
  • 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.
  • Approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.
  • Hold high-quality meetings with direct reports on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
  • As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
  • Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions for staff care needs for national and international staff.
  • Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the team in Syria.
  • Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.
  • Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Research, Learning and Analysis

  • Lead ERD assessments and context-appropriate research aimed at generating a strong evidence base for IRC Economic Wellbeing programming, as well as informing IRC advocacy.
  • Support the greater sharing and use of research and learning within IRC’s program sectors, including by contributing to program development and design, to ensure interventions are responsive to needs and informed by a sound understanding of the environment(s) in Syria
  • Identify, monitor and report unmet needs.  Explore the potential of the IRC to address those needs within the parameters of the Strategic Action Plan and sector priorities.

Coordination & Representation

  • As needed and in coordination with other protection sector leads and country program management, represents IRC in inter-agency forums and discussions.
  • Regularly coordinate with internal program and operational stakeholders, the Economic Recovery and Development and other IRC partners.
  • Participate in relevant working groups both within and outside of the UN cluster system, including Food Security and Livelihoods, Shelter and NFIs and Cash Based Response Working group.
  • Attend relevant donor meetings and present on ERD activities
  • Lead responsibility for the strategic development and maintenance of partner relationships with Syrian organizations.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Economics, International Development, or related field. Advanced degree preferred;
  • Minimum four years experience implementing similar programming in an emergency or complex emergency context; 
  • Strong technical knowledge in at least one of food security, livelihoods or cash/voucher programming;
  • Strong team and people leadership, management, organizational and development skills;
  • Strong program and budget management skills including planning and reporting across multiple grants; 
  • Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties;
  • Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure effectively and productively;
  • Fluent in spoken and written English.