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 lives. 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. We began work in Ethiopia since 2000 and currently implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as an equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

Job Overview:

The IRC is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic individual for the position of Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Coordinator. IRC Ethiopia’s WPE provides quality case management and psychosocial support services for GBV survivors and works with and supports community members and structures to build capacity to respond to and prevent incidents of GBV. The services include assessment and contextual analyses, counseling, support, referrals, and enhancing local capacities through awareness-raising, training, and coordination. The IRC WPE also implements programming for adolescent girls to increase their assets and resilience to more fully participate in refugee and local community contexts

The IRC WPE Coordinator is responsible for the overall implementation and management of WPE programming. She/he supports IRC WPE teams in GBV prevention and response, women’s asset building and community engagement, and social networking programming in refugee camps in four field sites across the country (currently Assosa, Harar, Jijiga and Melkedida) and in emergency & local community contexts in Oromia, Somali, Tigray, and Benshangul Gumuz regions. In close collaboration with the Director of Programs, the WPE Coordinator will provide leadership, strategic vision, and technical support to all aspects of the WPE programs. The WPE Coordinator will contribute to the identification of programmatic priorities, design, and direction, and entertain active coordination with the clusters, Protection and GBV sector coordination forums, other agencies, and existing IRC programs.

In addition, the WPE Coordinator will look into integration opportunities with other IRC programs and ensure that the WPE programs are implemented in accordance with IRC Ethiopia Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and related Theory of Changes (ToCs) and global best practices.

This position reports to the Director of Programs and will closely coordinate/work with the WPE Technical Adviser. The WPECO will line-manage WPE program managers and MEAL managers. This position requires 50% travel to the field.

Major Responsibilities: 

The Women Protection and Empowerment Coordinator shall:

Program Strategy, Development & Implementation

• Lead the development and expansion of the IRC WPE sector throughout Ethiopia. This involves conducting periodical quality assessments and research, development of quality concept notes and proposals, and development of new projects and initiatives.
• Support the development and maintenance of a coherent WPE strategy across IRC’s interventions in Ethiopia in collaboration with the other IRC programs.
• Provide technical and management leadership to the IRC WPE program in Ethiopia by best practices and the IRC Strategic Action Plan ( SAP).
• Provide technical advice including supportive supervision to IRC’s staff working on all WPE projects.
• In collaboration with the MEAL team, ensure robust monitoring systems are in place and that reviews are undertaken periodically.
• Adapt and develop where necessary functional GBV systems including GBVIMS, and referral systems.
• Contribute actively to the development, revision, monitoring, and implementation of the IRC Country Strategy and the development of a detailed sector strategy.
• Ensure WPE programs are designed for the needs of women and girls and Country SAP.
• Coordinate the development of proposals and budgets for new projects and extensions of projects in conjunction with the other Technical Coordinators, and the DP:
• Overall responsibility for effective and efficient management of project implementation consistent with the project management cycle, program objectives, activities, and indicators.
• Ensure that WPE interventions adhere to donor agreements and IRC’s core policy documents, the IRC Strategy 100, and IRC’s Safety ToCs
• Ensure progress reports are completed by deadlines/compliance requirements and lessons learned are documented for internal use by IRC technical and program staff.
• Design WPE programming strategy for emergency response, resilience building, and reducing risk to future potential disasters.
• Look into integration opportunities within the WPE program as well as with other IRC programs in collaboration with other relevant program coordinators and the DP.
• Ensure that the WPE team is fully oriented on the project design, activities, budget, and other pertinent details.
• Ensure strategic and technical partnerships with other organizations are sufficiently and effectively developed and supported.
• Liaise, coordinate, and work closely with IRC operational staff (i.e. HR, Supply Chain, and Finance) to ensure timely and effective program planning and implementation, and to jointly address issues affecting program delivery as they arise.
• Ensure the IRC Global Strategy includes the Outcome Evidence Framework, Indicator Selection Tool, and Good and Great standards as well as other tools/strategies are integrated into the design, implementation, and monitoring of WPE projects.

Representation, Coordination and Advocacy 

• Oversee coordination through the GBV/Child Protection sub-clusters in refugee contexts (with UNHCR and GoE), and in emergency response settings (with UNICEF and UNFPA).
• Actively participate in national and regional Protection Cluster, GBV/CP AoR, PSEA Network, and Gender Technical Working Group meetings.
• Represent the IRC’s WPE program in Ethiopia through meetings with external stakeholders such as the government, visitors, and donors, as requested or required.
• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders in Addis Ababa, including the Government of Ethiopia (GoE), UNHCR and other UN agencies, international and local NGOs, donors, and other relevant actors.
• Actively liaise with relevant ministries, and GBV sub-cluster to ensure harmonized and proactive programming.
• Generate GBV data to be used by the senior country management team GBV cluster and other relevant staff to influence donor policies with the purpose of generating more funding.
• Build good relationships with authorities, partners, international and national organizations, authorities in the region and the country
• Provide substantive inputs to knowledge management strategies, activities, and products.
• Coordinate and support the organization of advocacy activities and campaign events, trainings, workshops, and knowledge products.
• Work with the IRC Communication teams to ensure results, success stories, and best practices from the Programme are captured and widely shared.

Financial management 

• Lead the development of realistic budgets for the program both in the short-term and the long-term and identify the areas that require fundraising.
• Effectively manage program budget and staff. This includes among others, regular monitoring of the program finance to avoid major under-spending or over-spending using PowerBi; updating and sharing salary mapping templates; supporting the development and review of sector Operating Budget and maintaining monthly and quarterly spending levels as per the plans.
• Monitor budget implementation and coordinate budget re-alignments/ revisions, as necessary.
• Ensure compliance with donor financial regulations.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Provide technical inputs to the monitoring and reporting system as well as evaluation of the Programme/ project in coordination with M&E teams.
• Conduct frequent field visits to supervise, coordinate, and monitor field-level activities of the Programme
• Produce reports on monitoring missions, Programme results, outputs, and outcomes.
• Provide substantive inputs to the preparation of donor and IRC reports.
• Support in the development of reports, proposals, case studies, and other relevant documentation

Human Resources Management

• Review staff JDs, set performance objectives of your direct reports, and conduct formal and informal performance evaluations.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Discuss job expectations and set objectives for direct reports, and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance, including timely implementation of the annual staff performance management system.
• Clearly define the training needs of direct reports and ensure they can access training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs.
• Work with the WPE managers and WPE MEAL manager to establish development plans for their teams and ensure they can access training and professional development opportunities.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security protocols and policies.
• Consider security implications of all program activities, reviewing all new initiatives with national/ field staff and community leaders and social workers or volunteers.

Safeguarding Responsibilities: – 

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion in IRC [team/office]
• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies