Director, Design, Innovation, and Learning

The Design and Innovation Director will spearhead the Airbel teams that design and inform the implementation of user-centered, evidence based, behaviorally-informed, cost-effective and scalable solutions across IRC. This position will lead the design, behavioral insights, and evidence to action teams and work across technical sectors, regional teams and country programs. This senior leadership role requires a dynamic individual with a strong background in innovation, evidence-based design, and a commitment to high impact, scalable interventions in humanitarian contexts.

Major Responsibilities:

Lead teams in designing solutions and decisions that significantly improve client outcomes and increase impact and scalability

● Provide strategic direction, leadership, and oversight to Airbel’s Design Practice, Behavioral Insights, and Evidence to Action teams.

● Oversee the development and implementation of user-centered, evidence-based, and behaviorally informed design and innovation from idea generation through scale in the innovation pipeline

● Promote user-centered methods to uncover clients’ needs, values, biases, and existing behaviors to build and test solutions.

● Oversee initiatives to identify, compile, and assess the best available research evidence on impact, costs, and implementation to inform decisions to improve program quality and implementation. Work closely with research teams and BUR to incorporate best evidence and costs.

● Build collaboration between cross-functional teams to integrate user and behavioral insights and feedback into the design process.

● Integrate AI into design and learning where appropriate to improve effectiveness and efficiency of solutions and teamwork

Promote use of team capabilities across the organization and prioritize opportunities to drive impact and scale

● Define a clear service offering to the organization and socialize this offering across the organization

● Prioritize opportunities based on potential for impact and scale

● Support country program teams and optimize service offering to build and test new solutions to improve impact for the most clients

Manage teams and internal partnerships

● Provide strategic support, clear accountability for ambitious goals, coaching and professional development to team leads.

● Cultivate and support passionate team members, creating a space of belonging, growth, and excellence across a geographically dispersed team.

● Represent and present on design, innovation and learning strategies and solutions to senior leadership across departments.

● Serve as a senior leader on the Airbel team, contributing to vision and strategy, and supporting departmental goals and priorities; Ensure team alignment with department and organizational strategy and priorities.

● Cultivate strong partnerships and maintain effective collaboration across departments, technical units, and country/regional teams, in support of IRC’s commitment to being evidence-based and evidence-generating.

Oversee business development and financial health of team

● Oversee budgets, financial health, and workforce planning for the team. Identify and communicate gaps or concerns in a timely manner, and proactively seek out viable solutions.

● Lead and collaborate on the development of proposals, integrating design, behavioral insights, evidence and innovation priorities and resource needs.

Represent Airbel externally to increase profile and develop strategic partnerships

● Develop and maintain effective partnerships for priorities at country, regional and global level that will amplify IRC’s ability to design and implement high impact and scalable solutions.

● Present, publish and represent Airbel and IRC at events and meetings to raise profile, funding and influence key stakeholders.

● Advance connections, partnerships, and opportunities for collaboration across the private sector, academia, donors, and organizations in the fields of evidence-based design and humanitarian development.

Job Requirements:

Education: Master’s degree in field related behavioral science, development, and/or humanitarian intervention, or equivalent experience.

Work Experience: 10+ years in research, with significant experience in humanitarian or development contexts.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

● Experience leading design and innovation strategy across a large, complex international organization.

● Extensive experience in one or more of user-centered design, behavioral science, and/or evidence-based design.

● Ability to lead a cohesive vision and strategy across cross-functional teams.

● Experience driving use and adoption of best practices across an organization.

● Strong leadership and people management competencies, including demonstrated success in matrix management, overseeing remote teams, and an ability to bring together people from diverse backgrounds.

● Strong record of partnership building and professional network in the humanitarian field.

● Excellent public speaking and writing skills.

Language Skills: Fluency in English is required; Proficiency in French, Arabic or Spanish is a plus.

Working Environment: Travel up to 25% of the time

Compensation:

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

US Benefits:

The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.

Qualifications