Job Description
Regional Director, Great LakesThe International Rescue Committee (IRC) is among the world’s leading nonprofit humanitarian relief and development organizations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC’s mission is to assist those whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control over their lives. The organization has been at the forefront of virtually every major humanitarian initiative for the last 80 years. At work today in over 40 countries and 29 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 seeks experienced candidates for the position of Regional Director, Great Lakes. The Regional Director (RD) will have significant management and international experience, a passion for humanitarian relief and development work, relevant language skills, and be capable of thoroughly understanding and successfully leading program teams and operations in three countries currently (Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Tanzania) and potential new programs in the region. The RD will ensure the quality of IRC’s operations, develop new program opportunities, and drive performance and results in the region. S/he is expected to be an outstanding communicator and team leader, and a committed humanitarian.
This position is responsible for an annual budget in excess of US$ 42 million and a team of over 900 staff across the region. The RD will be based in Nairobi and report to the Senior Vice President, International Programs. This is an accompanied post.
Position Overview
The Regional Director will hold overall responsibility the oversight and management of IRC’s country programs in the DRC, Burundi and Tanzania. S/he will be an ambassador for organizational priorities and goals to these country programs and supporting country programs to implement IRC’s Strategy 2020. Equally, the RD plays an important role in representing field priorities to HQ departments.
Reporting to the Senior Vice President, the RD will be a key member of the International Programs Department leadership team, and will collaborate closely with the full range of HQ stakeholders, across the technical support, operations, finance, fundraising, awards management, advocacy, communications, compliance and legal functions. As part of the IRC’s Senior Leaders Group, the RD will play an important role in organizational leadership discussions, and will be expected to represent not just the Great Lakes region but the International Programs Department more broadly in these fora.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Programs:
* Oversee implementation of IRC’s Strategy 2020 across the regional portfolio. Ensure all country program Strategy Action Plans (SAPs) guide program design and operational decision-making, and are tracked and reviewed regularly.
* Exercise overall responsibility for successful delivery and management of the regional portfolio, comprised of over 30 separate grants or contracts with an estimated annual budget in excess of US$ 42 million.
* Ensure that programs are designed and implemented in support of IRC’s vision of cost-effective, outcomes-driven and evidence-based interventions which are responsive to the local context and the priorities of our beneficiaries.
* Support country teams to strengthen their partnership with relevant local civil society and government actors as an integral part of their program strategies.
* Support
the development of country business development plans which marry the priority outcomes identified in each country SAP with the priorities of existing and new donors.
* Oversee the development of a robust measurement system across all country programs which drives better program implementation, reporting and decision-making.
* Monitor the operating context in the Great Lakes region and ensure that programs respond new developments in a timely fashion - both through timely emergency responses in line with our global emergency strategy, and by adapting programs to stabilizing situations as appropriate.
* Participate actively in organizational (HQ) efforts to coordinate and support delivery and improvement of Strategy 2020, representing both the Great Lakes region and the wider International Programs Department as appropriate.
Team Leadership & Development
* Directly supervise three Country Directors (DRC, Burundi & Tanzania) and the Great Lakes regional team. Indirectly oversee over 900 staff in 17 locations across the three countries.
* Ensure a consistently high level of team performance across the region by recruiting and retaining experienced, motivated, qualified staff. Work with Country Directors to develop proactive learning and development plans and to ensure that compensation and benefits are competitive in attracting and retaining talent.
* Personally lead efforts in the region to address key issues arising from IRC’s Employee Engagement Survey and to promote greater diversity in the workforce (with a particular emphasis on gender diversity).
* Through setting clear expectations and through personal example, foster an environment of cross-functional collaboration and a ‘One IRC’ way of working both within the region and between the region and HQ.
* Cultivate a safe and protective working environment for all staff, combining locally-led initiatives with wider organizational efforts related to Duty of Care and Safety & Security.
Financial, Operational & Risk Management
* Foster a balanced and diligent approach to risk management across all country programs: ensure that the IRC fully meets our obligations (including compliance) to donors and governments while supporting staff to take necessary and appropriate risks in the service of our humanitarian mission.
* Ensure that all country finance, human resource, supply chain, and IT functions are managed in accordance with IRC and donor policies and standards. Promote a metrics-driven approach to accountability and improvement, including through the use of scorecards.
* Actively partner with the Ethics & Compliance Unit to strengthen IRC’s efforts to prevent, detect and respond to issues of fraud and misconduct. Ensure staff are aware of our expectations and their obligations under the IRC Way and our corporate policies. Work closely with ECU and others to maintain donor confidence in the IRC’s discharge of our fiduciary responsibilities.
* Identify and monitor a full spectrum of risks across the region, ensure HQ is regularly informed, and implement mitigating actions as appropriate. Support the development of an Enterprise Risk Management framework.
* Oversee country operating budgets and the financial health of programs. Communicate gaps or concerns in a timely manner, and proactively seek out viable solutions.
* Represent the needs and priorities of the Great Lakes region to HQ support departments and advocate for necessary support. Understand (and influence) the organizational priorities of HQ teams, and support their roll-out in the region.
Representation, Influence & Partnership
* Represent the IRC to local, regional and global stakeholders - including governments, donors, and civil society partners - both directly and through support to Country Directors.
* Support IRC’s business development and fundraising efforts through cultivating a strong network of donor contacts, engaging with the HQ fundraising team, and ensuring that country teams build and maintain strong donor relationships at their level.
* Identify priority policy issues which impact our beneficiaries or our ability to deliver our programs; develop creative, impactful approaches to address these, both locally and in concert with the global advocacy team.
* Raise IRC’s profile through engagement with the media (including social media), working closely with the global communications team.
* Cultivate strong working partnerships with like-minded organizations with clear benefits for the IRC’s programs, profile, influence or funding.
Qualifications
* Relevant university degree required, graduate degree preferred.
* Professional-level fluency in English and French required.
* Extensive field experience leading humanitarian and post-conflict development programs with demonstrated ability to manage complex and often insecure working environments.
* 10 or more years of senior management experience with increasing levels of responsibility. Demonstrated success in overseeing sizeable, multi-year projects ($40 million+).
* Demonstrated ability to plan strategically and implement long term goals while remaining adaptive and nimble to changed circumstance.
* Demonstrated ability to motivate, retain and develop staff.
* Strong financial and operational analysis and management skills, including project management.
* Excellent diplomatic skills: the ability to effectively manage a variety of internal and external relationships, including donor relationships.
* Ability to travel frequently, including to insecure and unstable environments.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
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 or disability.
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About the Organization
TheInternational Rescue Committee (IRC) 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, 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.
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