SENIOR SYSTEMS STRENGTHENING & POLICY MANAGER

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. 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.

IRC COLOMBIA

A combined two decades of economic mismanagement, a drop in oil prices, and the deterioration of democratic institutions has resulted in a humanitarian crisis inside Venezuela. Insecurity has manifested following protests in April 2017 against the president and his government, particularly for failing to address the growing inflation rate which lead to large-scale food insecurity. The demonstrations were initially peaceful but grew in severity of violence as time passed. Venezuela’s economic devastation worsened in the last half of 2017. This caused a massive migration of Venezuelans into neighboring Colombia in search of affordable food, medicine and work. The number of Venezuelans living in Colombia has increased to more than one million people.

In response, the IRC has launched emergency programming in Colombia, focusing on an integrated response involving child protection, women’s protection and empowerment activities, primary and reproductive healthcare, and cash transfer programming. The IRC is in the process of delivering these and future activities directly in Colombia, and in partnership with local civil society organizations in Venezuela. In Colombia, IRC currently has operations in Cucuta, and Medellin, and is soon to expand to Bogota and Barranquilla. The IRC is now in the process of beginning education programming.**

Position Summary: Senior Systems Strengthening and Policy Manager for a multi-year, multimillion dollar USAID-funded project in Colombia aimed at empowering women and girls by reducing GBV, positively transforming gender norms and attitudes, and engaging the private sector to create economic opportunities for women.

The Senior Systems Strengthening and Policy Manager will directly support the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) in the design, roll-out and day-to-day management and implementation of technical program interventions and analysis. This position will provide leadership and technical expertise on the components of the program concerning improving awareness of gender-related policies and services and building capacity of institutions and civil-society actors that that provide protection assistance to women and girls. The Senior Systems Strengthening and Policy Manager will be responsible for design and implementation of tools, guidance, and project policy to ensure achievement of technical program results.

This position is contingent on the IRC being awarded funding and is anticipated to begin in September 2021.

Responsibilities

The Senior Systems Strengthening and Policy Manager will be responsible for ensuring that this program is implemented in accordance with work plans, logical frameworks, cooperative agreements, donor regulations, and IRC policies. S/he will ensure that the program delivers high quality work and solid results and will likewise represent IRC to all internal and external key stakeholders as well as government officials and donors. S/he will lead program advocacy and will work closely with donors, prime and other partners, and practitioners to provide project updates, discuss strategies, obstacles, performance plans, and overall progress. S/he will also provide regular on-site monitoring visits and continuous support to the implementing team in Colombia to ensure that all interventions are technically sound, follow international best practices, and are appropriate in meeting the needs of survivors of violence and affected communities. This position will report to the Deputy Director of Programs for Colombia.

Program Quality and Technical Oversight

· In collaboration with program staff and the in-country GBV Advisor, oversee the quality of design, monitoring and evaluation of the FEMPOW results related to improving awareness and implementation of gender-related policies and services in Colombia, including programming conducted through local partners; regular technical visits to program sites will be required to ensure program quality and cohesion across regions.

· With the support of the in-country GBV Advisor, and a team of organizational and technical capacity building specialists develop key technical program tools and develop/adapt existing IRC technical training materials as needed to support the introduction of new programming approaches for relevant government and civil society actors to improve both quality, reach and uptake of GBV response services.

· Identify technical assistance related to improved GBV prevention and response service delivery needs for relevant institutional and CSO actors and oversee the development of appropriate and tailored capacity-building plans.

· Closely work with the implementing team to improve program monitoring and to generate evidence for improving program quality and influencing policy.

· Together with the Information Specialist ensure that tailored user-driven information on gender-related policies, available GBV services is accessible and widely disseminated via Signpost.

Sector Strategy and Program Development

· Lead the development of strategic work plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans, and financial projections.

· Work with program consortia staff to align relevant theories of change, as well as to develop new and update existing program components that align with the overall program strategy.

· Collaborate with and strengthen the linkages between various program areas across the consortia.

· Participate in analysis and planning as required and provide guidance to other program partners to maximize uptake in utilization of GBV response services for women and girls and increase awareness of cross-cutting gender policies.

Program and Budget Management

· Oversee overall implementation of the program, including financial and grants compliance to ensure the best use of resources by maintaining sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, providing appropriate budget projections, and ensuring timely submission of quality financial and narrative reports to prime.

· Ensure program management systems, including reporting, monitoring, budget management are in place and functioning for IRC program deliverables.

· Manage sub-agreements with partners where needed and support provincial WPE Program Coordinators to ensure that all sub-grant projects are adequately monitored and are completed in a timely manner in accordance with all IRC and donor programmatic and financial protocols and regulations.

Coordination and Advocacy

· Represent program and the organization to external audiences regularly as requested by the DCOP, including the dissemination of information about program achievements and lessons learned and contributions to advocacy and communication strategies and materials as needed pertinent to IRC deliverables and SoW.

· Represent the IRC to donors and address donor inquiries in relation to active grants and contracts as requested by the DCOP.

· Develop and maintain solid cooperation with consortia partners, institutions, organizations and government officials where appropriate.

· Define and lead program strategies and activities and participate in coordination mechanisms as relevant to IRC’s Scope of Work.

Human Resources

· Supervise directly the Organizational Strengthening Specialist and the Information Services Specialist, ensuring that best practices and international standards are applied as well as ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in-place to collate and analyze data for problem analysis, planning and advocacy.

· Provide regular technical feedback to direct reports and contribute to their performance reviews as required.

· Assist with the recruitment of program level staff as needed.

· Contribute to and foster the healthy functioning of the consortium program, research, and M&E teams across sites and regions, including supporting team-building activities and monitoring issues surrounding staff well-being.

· Maintain open and constructive communication and relations with DCOP, Regional Offices as well as key support staff in Finance, Administration, and Operations departments.

Other

· Ensure regular communication with the GBV Technical Advisor in-country and represent IRC interests and input in the consortia.

· Assist with representation in the field during donor or HQ visits as necessary.

· Contribute to the preparation of program reports and other information as required by donors, the DCOP and regional office.

Skills/Experience:

· Advanced degree in public health, social work, public policy, or another related field.

· At least five years of GBV/VAWG programming experience, including 3 years of international management experience in GBV/VAWG programming that utilizes partnership-based approaches to service delivery.

· Exceptional sector-specific technical skills and knowledge and demonstrated ability to design/develop technical materials and capacity-building, including understanding of core GBV survivor care principles and ethical concerns surrounding the collection, management, and sharing of sensitive survivor data.

· Demonstrated skills and experience in complex program design and monitoring; strong analytical and strategic planning skills; experience developing and monitoring budgets, workplans and other program management tools.

· Demonstrated team management skills with medium or large size teams, experience with remote team management a plus.

· Ability and interest to work with a diverse and multicultural team in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner, strong inter-personal communication skills.

· Fluency in both Spanish and English, spoken and written.

· Solid understanding of the Colombia context helpful, with previous experience in Colombia or the region preferred.

· Experience with the development and management of USAID programs, as well as information management systems and data analysis a plus.