Emergency Field Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the worlds largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees delivers lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If youre a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC’s Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) oversees IRC’s global acute emergency preparedness and response activities. The mission of the EHAU is to expand and improve IRC’s ability to help affected communities survive in acute emergencies and hard to reach contexts by investing in people, systems, and solutions to complicated humanitarian challenges.
The EHAU team achieves this mission through ongoing rigorous risk analysis, investing in capacity strengthening of frontline humanitarians, partnership with local actors, offering collaborative support and technical assistance to teams working in emergencies and hard to reach places, and deploying and supporting world class emergency response staff as they help people affected by acute crisis situations.
The IRC’s Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) oversees IRC’s global acute emergency preparedness and response activities. The mission of the EHAU is to expand and improve IRC’s ability to help affected communities survive in acute emergencies and hard to reach contexts by investing in people, systems, and solutions to complicated humanitarian challenges. The EHAU team achieves this mission through ongoing rigorous risk analysis, investing in capacity strengthening of frontline humanitarians, partnership with local actors, offering collaborative support and technical assistance to teams working in emergencies and hard to reach places, and deploying and supporting world class emergency response staff as they help people affected by acute crisis situations.
Scope of work
Under the supervision of the Project Director, the Emergency Field Coordinator will be responsible for all operational aspects of program implementation in field sites. The Emergency Field Coordinator will work in close coordination with program, operations, HR and finance department based in field. The Emergency Field Coordinator will directly supervise the Supply Chain, Finance, M&E and Liaison team in the field to ensure programs have the required level of operational support for the timely execution of agreed program implementation plans. The Emergency Field Coordinator will be based in Field with regular travel to other field sites and regional/capital offices for better coordination.
Main Responsibilities
Field Management and Program Support

• Promotes strong linkages and exchange between operations and program teams
• Ensures quality coordination and cooperation between and within the various program and operational departments in their field.
• Supports field team function as day-to-day operations including Admin/HR, Finance, Supply Chain, IT and security/access support provided to the program team.
• Closely monitors events in current and potential operational areas (humanitarian situation, politics, and security, etc.) in order to provide regular context updates to the Project Management Team, program leads, HQ and donor when required.
• Advises program team on operational issues affecting project implementation, or key local issues affecting future grants/projects developments.
• Advises and supports program and PMT on security and humanitarian access assessments for new areas/sector expansion and potential response.
• Support the team in strategic and operational government liaison and engagements.
• Works closely with Program Technical Coordinators (TCs) to understand their needs and supports operation team to address them.
• Works closely with Coordinators to ensure operations teams receive high level of oversight and support. Pro-actively identifies operational gaps and advocates with PMT to address them.
• Supports the work of the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) teams in executing their responsibilities to promote accountable programming and maximize impact on beneficiaries.
• Coordinate/Lead various meetings (project review meetings, weekly coordination meetings, etc.) and serves as the main link between programs and operation to enable accountable, smooth, responsive and high-quality field operations.
• Other tasks related to field operation and coordination.
  
  
  

Access, Safety and Security

• Focal point and in-charge of Safety, Security and Access in the field
• Ensures health, safety and security protocols are always followed by field staff, and takes corrective, timely actions as required.
• Ensures the field offices/locations have up-to-date Security Risk Assessment (SRA) and Security Management Plan (SMP) in place. Ensures all field staff are oriented and aware of the SMPs, Stand Operating Procedures (SoP) and contingency plans (CP).
• Supports field team to manage day-to-day access and security issues.
• In coordination with PD and HR Coordinator, lead security incidents in the fields in case of critical security incidents occur in the field.
  

Compliance and Financial Management

• Actively participates in development of local policies, practices and guidelines and introducing measures to maintain compliant procurement and recruitment activities within field office thresholds.
• In close coordination with the program/department leads, oversees development and spending of field office budgets including designing appropriate field structure, setting field staffing levels for operational departments, and budget forecasting.
• Reviews budget vs. actual reports and supports the program team to do accurate commitment and forecasting during BVA and PIM. Where issues are identified, ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely fashion.
• Ensures compliance with IRC and donor finance and operations policies, including all aspects of procurement and asset management.
  

Representation and Coordination

• In coordination with the program and other department leads, ensures full compliance with project/grant agreements and with statutory and technical legislation issued by local authorities.
• Helps maintain a positive relationship with government counterparts.
• Ensures all IRC engagement with government departments and agencies at field levels adheres to best practices, including humanitarian principles and internal IRC guidance.
  

Human Resources and Staff Development

• Promotes team spirit, cohesion, respect, and the IRC Way: Standards for Professional Conduct among all field staff in close cooperation with HR department.
• Trains, supervises and mentors operation team, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Provides a measurable capacity building plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity and exchanging knowledge within the team. Additionally, ensure that all direct reports develop and implement Capacity Building Plans for their teams. Looks for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate.
  

Qualifications & Experience Required

• MBA or College degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Economics or related field
• Excellent professional track record with 5 years of international experience in a conflict/post-conflict environment with program field leadership and coordination responsibilities.
• Excellent organizational and management skills, including experience coaching, capacity building, mentoring and managing staff, developing and implementing work plans and budgets.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Strong cross-cultural communication skills and comfortable working as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, manage stressful contexts, being flexible and adaptable and to prioritise work as per need.
• Good security management skills, preferably in emergency & conflict environments.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian principles and experience adhering to them in conflict environments.
• Excellent interpersonal, coordination and networking skills.
• Highly resilient and comfortable working in insecure and remote settings with limited facility.
• Fluency in English. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Working knowledge of Arabic recommended
  

Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.