Country Director

Job Description

More than 3.6 million people have fled across borders to seek safety in the 1st month since the escalation of conflict in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and over 6.5 million Ukrainians are reported to be displaced internally. As the vast majority of the displaced are women, girls, and boys, this could become the worst humanitarian crisis Europe has seen in decades.

Between February 7-23, 2022, an IRC team undertook a scoping mission covering Poland and Ukraine to better understand the context, humanitarian and civil society landscape, and anticipated service gaps in the event of an escalation of conflict in Ukraine and consequent displacement into neighboring Poland. As of February 24th, the IRC has pivoted to an emergency response, and have identified partner agencies in Ukraine to facilitate immediate assistance that can be used where it is the most needed. Simultaneously, the IRC is establishing operations across Ukraine to complement partner response services either in breadth or scale.

In Poland, the IRC has launched a country program through the emergency response team. The IRC currently has offices in Lublin, and is looking to expand in programme scale, scope and geographic support over the coming months.

This position will be based in Warsaw, with occasional travel to Rzeszow, Lublin and other locations as necessary. As this is a fluid and rapidly changing context, the location of this assignment may change based on the needs of the program. This position will be unaccompanied, with the possibility of review at the end of the first year. Housing will initially be in hotels, or shared, IRC accommodation.

Scope of work

The Country Director for Poland is responsible for overall leadership and management of IRC operations in the country, including stewardship of resources, staff safety and security, program quality and accountability, and performance management. The Country Director is IRC’s principal representative to the government of Poland, donors, international organizations, other NGOs and the media. The Country Director is expected to respond effectively to a constantly changing environment with effective humanitarian and eventual recovery programs, implemented directly and alongside partner organizations. The Country Director will lead country program staff in pursuing the outcomes identified in Emergency Response Strategy, bringing them together to deliver high-quality, cost-effective programming results.

Success in this position requires an individual with exemplary leadership abilities who deploys strong communications and interpersonal skills effectively, both internally and externally. The successful candidate will enjoy developing networks to build partnerships and diversify program resources. Given the operating environment, the Country Director is expected to be attentive to risk management. S/he will be directly responsible for the overall coordination and strategic direction of the country program; providing oversight and coaching for directly supervised senior staff; leading country program teams to identify, design and deliver responsive, high-quality programs; ensuring efficient management of public grants and private funds for results, compliance and focused, timely reporting; and oversight of financial management and compliance systems. The successful candidate will have prior experience with program and systems start-up in complex environments, and who has proven skills leading strategy development.

Based in Warsaw, the Country Director oversees all IRC operations in Poland. Reporting to the Senior Director for Delivery in Emergencies, this position receives support from regional and headquarters staff in the areas of program quality, new business development, safety and security management, finance, operations management, and external affairs. The Country Director is additionally expected to actively participate in defining the IRC’s public advocacy positions.

Specific responsibilities

Leadership and Representation

• Lead the country program by maintaining open and professional relations with colleagues, promoting a strong team spirit and providing guidance, oversight and resources to enable staff to perform successfully.

• Develop and carry out strategies that result in strong representation with: Polish Government authorities at various levels; donors (including instituational, non-institutional and private), European Union; UN and other international organizations; international and local NGOs; and networks such as INGO coordination mechanisms and appropriate working groups.

• Ensure that the IRC becomes a leading agency for quality programming within the response.

• Initiate and sustain strong, mutually beneficial and authentic partnerships with Polish organizations.

• Seek out and pursue respectful and safe opportunities to raise the profile of the work of the IRC and its partners in Poland, as well as the lives and the needs of the people the IRC seeks to serve.

Strategic Direction, Program Quality and Growth

• Set the strategic vision and direction of the country program to serve more people with the most responsive and highest quality programming possible, and secure the resources necessary to do so.

• Ensure the strategic vision and direction of the country program is aligned with IRC’s Strategy 100.

• Align programming to the country program strategy, sectoral expertise and technical standards.

• Develop a deep understating of the geopolitical landscape and remain current on context analysis and develop responsive strategies to ensure the IRC mission can be carried out appropriately in case of contextual changes.

• Identify opportunities for appropriate expansion and growth of programs.

Safety and Security Management

• Take primary responsibility for overall management of safety and security for the country program.

• Oversee the management of all security issues, including appropriate response to emergency situations as they arise.

• Create and maintain a culture of safety and security throughout the country program, including trainings and briefings that prepare all country program staff for security incident prevention and response.

• Keep security, evacuation and contingency plans current and accessible to country program staff.

• Maintain close coordination and communication with the Regional Safety and Security Advisor on safety and security concerns and evolving issues that could adversely affect IRC staff or operations.

Staff Performance Management and Development

• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.

• Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development for IRC staff.

• Oversee the management, coaching and development of national and international staff to build a cadre of skilled, committed and motivated personnel.

• Pursue nationalization of senior management positions, especially as the country programme moves to stabilisation.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.

• Offer leadership support for successful adherence by all staff to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.

• Work with regional HR staff to identify and implement recruitment and retention strategies.

• Undertake regular reviews of labor and salary markets in Poland for the purpose of enhancing the competitiveness of the IRC’s overall compensation package for national staff.

Stewardship and Operational Management

• Drive operational excellence to achieve optimal efficiency and cost-effectiveness in all functions and operations of the country program.

• Oversee the development, deployment and utilization of financial and operational policies, procedures, and systems to deliver compliance with IRC and donor requirements.

• Ensure responsiveness and appropriate levels of in-person and remote support to all offices, especially in the areas of HR, finance and supply chain.

• Provide timely and effective oversight of the Poland country program’s financial position.

• Maintain effective and coordinated budget monitoring processes for grant funds and discretionary funds.

Communications

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct” throughout the Poland country program.

• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff and with partner organizations.

• Maintain open communications with regional management staff, regional technical advisors, and HQ departmental staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Direct reports include the Deputy Director for Programs, Deputy Director for Finance, the Deputy Director for Operations, and other support leadership positions.

Key Working Relationships

Internal: Senior Director for Delivery in Emergencies; Regional Emergency Director for Europe, Vice President for Emergencies.

External: Partner organizations, government officials, public and private donor agencies, international and national NGOs, UN agencies

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

Professional qualifications and requirements

• At least ten years of progressively responsible international work experience, including at least three years in a leadership role at the Country Director level of multi-site, multi-sectoral operations in a complex operating environment

• Experience working on programme and country office start up

• Demonstrated successful leadership and management experience with a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting, including active mentoring and coaching

• Proven experience delivering appropriate levels oversight of a portfolio consisting of a variety of complex, high-value donor-funded projects

• Experience of managing security in a fluid environment;

• Ability to work, live and thrive in a complex environment;

• Skilled at building trusting effective relationships with government officials, donor representatives, staff, NGO partners, community leaders and clients;

• Strong budget and fiscal oversight capacities

• Established capacity to deal with ambiguity in stressful situations

• Ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality outcomes

• Previous experience working in region and/or with IRC preferred

• Fluency in English required. Fluency in Ukranian or Polish are an asset.

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

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