Provincial Head - KP/FATA

IRC Background

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 the displaced and 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. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for over 30 years, and manages and delivers large complex programs to meet needs in health, education, protection, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor & affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and currently works in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.

Job Summary

Under the supervision and guidance of Deputy Director Programs, the Provincial Head acts as the IRC’s representative in the province to key Govt counterparts, UN/Donor agencies. S/he provides leadership to IRC Programs and Support functions at province level that includes supervision of programs implementation, reporting, decision-making, coordination with Govt, partner organizations/other stakeholders, beneficiaries’ feedback/complaints and monitoring & evaluation of programs. Provincial Head supervises the IRC programs i.e. Health, Environmental Health, Education, Protection, Food security/Livelihoods, Conditional Cash Grants/Cash for Work as well as support functions including Finance, Human Resources, Security and Supply Chain.

Being member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the job holder works with senior management to contribute and achieve the goals of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP). S/he liaises with other technical staff to ensure that the cross-cutting issues of gender, protection, and learning and accountability to beneficiaries are addressed in timely manner.

Major Responsibilities

Strategic

As a member of Senior Management Team, the Provincial Head is required to:

·         Manage and implement the changes planned for realizing SAP at provincial level

·         Manage staff’s expectations as per changes in the structure and ensures the clarity and timeliness of communication

·         Ensures the efficient and effective implementation of key deliverables and commitments to achieve the outcomes outlined in the SAP

·         Promote a culture to support strategic initiatives of Effectiveness, Best Use of Resources, Scale & Reach, Speed & Timeliness and Responsiveness

·         Contribute in cultivating a culture of accountability, transparency, high-performance and team work

·         Support to maintain and reform the organizational structures as per the changing dynamics of programs, contexts, donors’ base and organizational priorities

·         Support the country program in maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders particularly government, donors, UN agencies and other I/NGOs

As Provincial Head:

• Represent the IRC at external meetings with Government, donors and other stakeholders at provincial, national and international levels as and when required
• Ensures a strong coordination with all key stakeholders and represent the IRC at high level coordination meetings as one of the leading humanitarian actor in the field
• Proactively engage with critical government departments like PDMA, FDMA, FATA Secretariat etc. to represent IRC’s work, progress, plans and for broader coordination
• Play a strong and value-added role by ensuring an effective representation of the IRC in humanitarian coordination at various levels

Programmatic Management

·         Place and ensure compliance to strong performance management against key deliverable and commitments through strong monitoring and corrective action plans for improvement

• Develop program’s operational plans, organize periodical reviews to reflect on progress and support projects’ leadership in managing budgets and delivering against the targets

·         Ensure programs’ quality through extensive engagement with technical leadership of the programs and extensive field visits

• Ensure monthly, quarterly and annual project reports are produced at field level that should maintain high quality and shared with respective sector coordinator for review. This includes adherence to agreed-to implementation and spending plans.
• Assist awards management unit in timely submission of donor reports
• Ensure IRC project goal and objectives compliment the IRC Program Framework and ensure implementation follows core programming principles.
• Ensure program/staff adherence to the IRC Way, ‘principles of professional conduct’ and humanitarian principles.

·         Work with sector coordinators to integrate program activities across sectors and districts to promote cohesion, efficiency and to maximize overall performance.

·         Work with Ethics & Compliance/MEAL unit to ensure beneficiary accountability is included in project implementation.

·         Contribute to the preparation of proposals, budgets and presentations as and when required.

·         Monitor budget allocations and expenditures to ensure sound management and compliance with IRC and donors’ financial requirements and policies.

Operational Management

• Ensures Country Program’s relevant Policy & Procedures (e.g. HR Handbook, Finance Manual etc.) are fully complied by field supply chain, HR and finance staff
• Oversee the HR, supply chain, security, IT and finance ensuring the timely and effective support is available to programs and the highest transparency is maintained across the sections in day to day operations.
• Ensures that supply chain manages fleet with quality ensuring maintenance and insurance, that goods and services procured are cost effective and high quality, that the best deals with vendors are made, that records are well-maintained with a strong control of inventory and all prerequisites are taken care as per auditory requirements.

Staff Management and Leadership

·         Ensure appropriate staffing at the provincial office including programs and operations – particularly maintaining a cautious and critical balance of staffing in both with respect to programmatic portfolio

·         Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role in any emergency or sudden crisis

·         Manage Program and Operations team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly

·         Ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff

·         Effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations.

·         Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities. 

Other Internal and/or External Contacts

·         Internal: Program and Program Support teams at country office

·    External: Government counterparts, Local Partners, IRC vendors, Program beneficiaries

Position Requirements

·         Master’s degree in social sciences or international development from a recognized University

·         Minimum of 10 years programming experience in humanitarian and development context, with a specific focus on Education, Livelihoods, Health, Protection as well as cross cutting areas like Gender, M&E

·         A proven successful experience of oversight management of supply chain, security, administration and finance departments at the field level

·    Strong networking skills with proven track record of maintaining high-level coordination and extensive engagement with high profile government and donor representatives

·  Significant knowledge of international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management

·    Substantial experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and managing grants from major institutional donors

· Solid project management skills related to organizational development projects and international, cross-functional teams with a proven history of delivering results

·         Highly developed analytical and communication skills, including excellent oral and written English and Urdu

·         Proven experience in training and capacity-building of staff

·         Demonstrated interpersonal skills, sound judgment, planning, team building and facilitating skills

·         Competence in using information technology including experience with word-processing, spreadsheets and database software

·         Interest in sharing professional skills as well as learning from others

·         Willingness and capacity to work and travel to project field areas

·         Proven track record of quality performance in highly pressured environments;

·         Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours, and work with new teams/surge capacity in the event of major emergencies

·         A good sense of humor