Information Assistant

Job Title: Information Assistant

Employee Type: Regular/fixed term

Location: Milan preferred; home-based from other locations in Italy possible for the right candidate

Duration: 12 months fixed term

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, 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, the IRC aims to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

Following a first assessment conducted in January 2017 in Italy and another one in July 2017, several critical protection gaps were identified within assistance provided to refugees and migrants in Italy: mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), assistance to unaccompanied children, information provision and legal support. To respond to the identified gaps IRC established a small presence in Italy. Programs in Italy include Refugee.Info web-based information platform, child protection programming targeting unaccompanied children and victims of trafficking, mentoring programs for the socio-economic inclusion of refugee youth, WPE and education (social emotional learning and healing classrooms). With the onset of the Ukrainian refugee crisis Ukraine, IRC Italy is ramping up its capacities to respond to protection and MHPSS needs of newly arrived Ukrainian refugees in several locations in Italy.

Job Summary

The Information Assistant supports development and dissemination of information, business development, and reporting materials relating to IRC’s work in Italy. He/she will be required to stay up to date with relevant information for refugees, partner organizations and others, working with the Project Team and IRC Italy leadership to identify relevant information. The Information Officer will be based in Milan and may be requested to travel up to 20% of the time within the country to support program teams working in other locations.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with IRC team, contribute to the setting up of data management systems for protection monitoring purposes to enable effective analysis and monitoring, and keep them updated;
• Organize and manage data input from data collection forms;
• In collaboration with IRC staff, identify needs and protection concerns and draft reports;
• Produce visual information such as tables, graphs and other infographics for reporting and illustration purpose based on data collected;
• Ensure confidentiality and ethical data collection where relevant;
• Under the supervision of the IRC staff, liaise regularly with stakeholders and assess evolving information needs and feedback;
• Identify service providers through online research, social media, information from field teams, coordination meetings, desk research, etc.
• Update the directory of services available.
• Communicate with service providers to ensure accuracy and consistency of information of the service map.

Other

• Participate in team meetings;
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Position Reports to IRC Legal Officer
• Required to work closely with the IRC Italy Program team, and Senior M&E Officer.

REQUIREMENTS

• University Degree, preferably in social sciences;
• Minimum one-year professional experience in communications, protection programming, human rights work, counseling or community/social work, preferred;
• Knowledge of national human rights organizations, local legal aid networks and the protection community preferred;
• Strong computer skills, good knowledge of Excel;
• INGO experience preferred;
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for beneficiaries;
• Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting;
• Strong ability to maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, and work in a difficult environment;
• Personal qualities: Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well;
• Fluency in English (written and spoken).

Reporting Lines

Positions directly reports to: Legal Officer, IRC Italy

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position will be based in Milan. For the right candidate, possibility to work from home from other locations in Italy.

Application:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their Curriculum vitae or resume in English.

We encourage candidates to apply as early as possible. Due to the urgency of recruitment interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis before the deadline. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. 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.