Background/IRC Summary:  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 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 & delivers large, complex programs to meet needs in health, education, protection, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor & conflict-affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and currently works in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.

Job Overview/Summary: The Women’s Empowerment Senior Manager is responsible for ensuring smooth transition of girls in education and livelihoods outcomes, he will also responsible the implementation of Girls shine activities of the project and overall accomplishment of programme’s goals and objective. S/he will provide technical backstopping and direction to the IRC and partners project team, including overseeing the delivery of services and ensuring optimal relationship with the local communities and with relevant authorities. S/he will establish or reinforce existing monitoring, evaluation, quality assurance and accountability mechanisms within the IRC-run portion of the programme. S/he will coordinate closely with the Research team to ensure the research is carried out successfully, as well as with the programme’s local Implementing Partners to ensure harmonic and collaborative programme implementation across partners.  S/he will support the Project Manager in external representation and donor relations activities, including through participation in the development of strategies and proposals.

Major Responsibilities:

1.      Lead the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan within the WPE sector and provide technical backstopping to the team.

2.      Ensure that programming adheres to the IRC’s Outcome and Evidence Framework to achieve outcomes. This includes having evidence based theories of change and project approaches/activities, and a robust M&E framework according to IRC and donor standards. Where evidence is lacking, programming then generates evidence.

3.      Coordinate and support all WPE interventions within IRC Pakistan to ensure timely, effective and quality activity set-up, budget management, implementation, and monitoring, evaluation and learning.

4.      Provide leadership on new program development; actively pursue new program funding opportunities in-line with the program framework and the country program’s strategic outcomes.

5.      Identify gaps in WPE sector and work with the team to develop innovative approaches and mechanisms to address them.

6.      Conduct regular field visits to assess program quality and progress toward objectives and facilitate collective problem solving with staff and other stakeholders to address challenges identified.

7.      Ensure programs and activities are locally led and owned by the individuals and communities who the IRC serve.

8.      Actively identify, build and promote partnerships with INGOs, UN agencies, local and national groups, organizations working on education issues, with the objective of facilitating strong coordination and collaboration.

9.      Internal coordination. Maintain positive and collaborative working relationships with all IRC support departments, to ensure smooth intra-office coordination and efficient program support. Build relationships with other implementing partners and with the WE Research team to ensure harmonic program implementation across provinces and successful research activities.

10.  Community engagement. Supervise community engagement communities where community base facilities are in place, through community activities and information/communication campaigns, to ensure awareness and acceptance of safe space services. Support the team’s work on key outreach activities around women and children’s rights.

11.  Service delivery. Supervise Girls shine component of the TEACH Project and provide technical backstopping to community base education tvet facilities in Pahin, Chaghi, Killa Abdullah, Kharan and Noshki by ensuring their optimal physical conditions, ensuring they are equipped and well supplied for program activities, coordinating teams and services providers – mindful of the needs of the beneficiaries. The services provided in the community base facilities for adolescent’s girls at the moment are: life skills for adolescent girls and their caregivers, GBV case management, literacy/numeracy skills, vocational trainings, legal support, group counseling and recreational activities.

12.  M&E and Quality. Ensure monitoring and evaluation systems as well as quality control systems are in place and are well supported, so they can measure project quality implementation, outputs and outcomes, and inform ongoing program implementation and design.

13.  Analysis. Collect, analyze and disseminate project data and information through regular assessments with women and girls for problem analysis, planning and advocacy with other stakeholders; based on this information, ensure adequate adjustments and changes to programme’s design and implementation in coordination with the Project Manager and Team Leader .

Staff management

Supervise WE staff and volunteers directly, as well as interns and consultants as needed.

Recommend and implement a capacity building plan for WE staff based on documented capacity needs assessment exercise.

Ensure WE staff understand and follow IRC Way and donor Policies and Procedures.

Grant Management and Reporting

Build staff capacity in writing activity and monthly reports to ensure accurate monitoring and documentation of activities.

Participate in all grant opening, mid-term and closing meetings.

Prepare high quality internal and external reports within agreed deadlines.

Manage the project budget; oversee all budget expenditures and ensure they are allowable and allocable according to IRC and donor regulations.

In coordination with the Program Coordinator, contribute in the development of proposals and concept notes for expanding IRC’s Women Empowerment programming in Pakistan

Representation and Coordination

Represent the program at and coordinate activities with the GBV Sub-Cluster in Peshawar and any other relevant fora as required; participate in advocacy initiatives as part of the cluster.

Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders, including community leaders, NGOs, UN agencies, community based organizations and other IRC sectors to enhance multi-agency and multi-sectoral cooperation and coordination.

Represent the program with donors and other key stakeholders in collaboration with the DDP and Coordinator.

Other

Undertake other relevant tasks as requested by the Deputy Director Program.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Deputy Director Program Position directly supervises: N/A

Indirect Reporting:  N/A

Job Requirements:

Education: Master’s degree in gender studies, health, social work, humanities or other related discipline.

Work Experience:

At least 06 years of relevant project management experience, preferably with INGOs.

Demonstrated experience leading multi-year projects that have met targets on time and within budget

Community education/training experience, particularly with low-literate beneficiaries.

Demonstrated experience in training, capacity building and team building of staff

Experience in GBV program management or programming for adolescent girls a strong advantage.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

·         Willingness to travel Islamabad also overnight on a regular basis for meetings and workshops.

·         Thorough understanding of best practices and evidence-based strategies in GBV response (case management, psychosocial support, legal support) and GBV primary prevention and risk reduction;

·         Experience implementing GBV response and prevention programs in collaboration with local partners and providing direct technical support to local organizations

·         Strong and demonstrated  commitment to women’s empowerment and equality

·         Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

·         Demonstrated project management experience: budget tracking, indicator tracking, log frame analysis, etc.

·         Demonstrated experience coordinating with government and partner organizations

·         Ability to provide strategic program oversight and identify areas for program improvement

·         Good interpersonal and team building skills and knowledge of participatory approaches.

·         Demonstrated skill in staff management.

·         Ability to communicate sensitively and without judgment

·         Ability to use good judgment when making decisions and to take accountability for decisions made

·         Emotional maturity and stability to resolve conflicts in non-violent way and maintain appropriate boundaries

·         Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, ethnicity, and age sensitivity and adaptability

·         Excellent training, capacity building and team building skills

·         Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

·         Strong, creative problem-solving skills

Language Skills:

• Must be fluent in Urdu & English languages

Gender Equality:

IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment. Women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.