Global Surge Team Roster : Emergency Cash Coordinator

The International 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 30 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

The IRC’s Global Surge Team (GST) is a roster of esteemed and highly qualified humanitarian professionals who deploy on short notice to non-emergency and emergency contexts to support the IRC’s mission. Members of the GST provide specialist support where talent is most needed for short-term deployments of up to three months. The GST is a flexible employment opportunity for staff, requiring members to be available for deployments only 50% of the year (with opportunities for additional deployments if incumbent is interested). Members of the GST that focus on emergency responses must be prepared to be deployed within 72 hours, as needs arise.

Job Overview:

The Emergency Cash Coordinator will work under the direction of IRC’s Emergency Country Director or designated country emergency lead to comprehensively support Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) in the assessment, design, and implementation of high quality programs to meet basic needs and food security outcomes, most often through cash and voucher (CVA) programs. The Emergency Cash Coordinator will support or lead basic needs and food security interventions, and support other IRC sector teams to incorporate CVA approaches into their programming following the IRC’s global “Cash First” approach. The position will also play a critical role in enhancing operations of CVA programs by strengthening practice and procedure between IRC’s program, finance, and supply chain teams.

Major Responsibilities:

• Be prepared to be deployed within 72 hours.

• Provide strategic direction and overall technical and management support to ERD programs in IRC country programs, focusing on emergency response with considerations for early recovery, and economic development.

• Assist in the assessment, design, set-up, implementation and monitoring of CVA programs. The position is expected to be heavily involved in supporting program delivery, assisting country teams in trouble-shooting implementation challenges, and using monitoring data to improve program designs.

• Undertake, when necessary, feasibility assessments for CVA programming, includes leading field-level data collection and analysis for needs, market functionality, risks, payment mechanisms and transfer modalities; and use that information to support appropriate program design.

• 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.

• Lead in collaboration with operations colleagues, the tender and contracting process for Financial Service Provider (FSP) identification and selection.

• Manage grant/program implementation including staff recruitment and training, workplan development, procurement and inventory planning, and budget management.

• Prepare high quality and timely donor and management reports on grants and sector activities.

• Ensure compliance with IRC policy and procedures throughout the program team and activities.

• Support the development, adaptation and standardization (if appropriate) of operating procedures for CVA implementation, and support linkages with regional finance and supply chain teams to deliver high quality programming.

• Develop tools, resources and program guidance materials as needed in order to support assessments, program implementation or monitoring efforts, including cross-sectoral collaboration around CVA, in close conjunction with program staff and regional M&E and ICT Coordinators.

• Develop and implement a capacity building plan to ensure all program, finance and supply chain staff involved in CVA programming have appropriate knowledge and skills related to market-based programming.

• Support the design, development, piloting and roll-out of measurement and data management systems in close collaboration with monitoring and evaluation and ICT staff at both regional and country levels, to ensure harmonized M&E approaches and efficient data collection and management systems are in place.

• Represent and coordinate with other agencies, local government, donors and other stakeholders to promote deliver of best practice humanitarian assistance.

• Support media and communications activities as requested by the ERT Field Director/CD/in-county emergency lead.

• Provide a comprehensive handover to successor, including ensuring transfer of all related documentation, program monitoring data and staff performance information.

• Support CVA research initiatives lead by country teams and/or regional research/advocacy positions.

Job Requirements:

• Ability to commit to deployment within 72 hours of notification of assignment for a maximum of 12 weeks.

• Undergraduate degree, in international affairs, humanitarian work, food security, agriculture, logistics or related field and technical accreditation or equivalent experience; Master’s degree seen as an asset.

• Shown experience in the humanitarian or development sector with progressive management and decision-making responsibility, including substantial international experience implementing livelihoods activities. Experience working in diverse emergency, recovery post-conflict or development contexts across countries and regions preferred.

• Experience in direct implementation of programs, including CVA and food security.

• Experience in supporting partner organizations in implementing programs.

• Demonstrated skills in effectively running and building programs and/or operations in high-pressure, fluid environments. Leadership and team management skills are crucial.

• Prior success managing in an emergency environment and/or start-up environment as part of a multinational team.

• Excellent communication skills including delivering presentations to professional, lay and donor audiences.

• Shown writing and editing skills, including writing, and editing grant proposals and reports.

• Effective people and program management skills: the ability to train, lead and manage staff productively under stressful circumstances.

• Flexible, focused, and reliable in an environment of changing demands.

• Good digital literacy: Facility with MS Word, Excel, and email/internet software.

• Fluency in English. Working knowledge of French, Arabic, and/or Spanish strongly preferred.

• Excellent interpersonal skills involving listening to, interacting with, and communicating clearly with people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds with a high degree of professionalism and pro-activity.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances

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, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law