Director, Technical Excellence Strategy & Performance

Job Description

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is among the world’s leading non-profit humanitarian relief and development organizations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC’s mission is to assist those whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control over their lives. The organization has been at the forefront of virtually every major humanitarian initiative for the last 85 years. At work today in over 35 countries and 25 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.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this role is to support the Vice President of Technical Excellence in achieving their strategic and managerial mandate. The role will establish and manage core routines for the technical excellence pillar of the Crisis Response Recovery and Development (CRRD) department, focused on performance management, coordination, and collaborative delivery. The role will devise and manage strategic projects critical to the success of the pillar, support the VP’s management and communications needs, including the planning and execution of internal communications in partnership with other department support functions. The role will help the VP articulate and measure performance for Technical Units (TUs), Technical Directors (TDs), and the pillar at large, and support TDs by providing the data and analysis to inform their decisions. As part of leading on core routines, the role will lead governance and coordination of the Tech Ex Strategy 100 commitments, ensuring all project work is on track, and that the VP is engaged appropriately.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The specific categories of responsibility of this position include:

Strategic Project Leadership

Balancing efficiency with broad engagement, the role will conceptualize, lead, structure, project-manage, and deliver results on key strategic projects and special assignments critical for the future of the Pillar. Priority strategic projects include:

§ Updating technical support models

§ Developing options for the regional alignment of technical support

§ Advancing TE REDI work and other DEI initiatives within the pillar

§ Scoping and advancing work around Pathways for Progression within the pillar

The role will demonstrate strong strategic leadership with minimal oversight and support and will ensure consistent communication and engagement of the TE Leadership team and CRRD Leadership Group and/or SMT, as relevant, on strategic projects.

Strategy Coordination and Implementation

As part of broader pillar governance, this role will coordinate and manage cross-departmental efforts to advance S100 workstreams that are TechEx owned (i.e., principal accountability is with TechEx) or TechEx relevant. This would include establishing appropriate mechanisms to:

§ Ensure ongoing information sharing and engagement at the working level;

§ Shift from conceptual to operational integrated delivery/support;

§ Ensure visibility and accountability of the VP.

Governance and Performance Management

This role will lead on governance and performance management for the pillar, working closely with the CRRD Director of Policy and Planning to align and integrate with the Departmental Performance Framework and ecosystem. The role will:

§ Partner with GOAT and TDs to identify key management and other relevant metrics, inclusive of S100 metrics.

§ Monitor and communicate performance and financial health across the Pillar

§ Provide data and insights for CRRD Departmental Quarterly reviews and support the VP around the QSR.

§ Support the VP on funding request prioritization.

§ Establish overarching routines for the pillar for tracking, coordination, discussion, and debate.

§ Support VP’s cross-departmental engagement and participation in other governance bodies, e.g., CRRD-R&I Monthly meeting; AMU-BD Steering Committee, etc.

Thought Partnership

Serve as a thought partner, sounding board, and writer/idea crafter for the VP. Create written and presentation content to advance the VPs major needs and requests. Support stakeholder management and presentation strategy with senior stakeholders. The role will help raise the profile of TechEx as a thought leader and driver of Impact and Scale for cilents through:

§ Development of key meetings/series with senior stakeholders, e.g., CEO ‘Solutions Series’ meetings in partnership with the Director of Policy and Planning

§ Supporting external speaking events

§ Serving as a working group representative or stand-in when the VP is interested in staying engaged but cannot commit time to a particular initiative.

Communications and Culture

Support the VP to communicate consistently and effectively with the TE pillar and wider CRRD department. Work closely with other CRRD pillar leaders to ensure a one-CRRD approach to messaging, while also meeting the pillar-specific needs of TE. Examples could include ghost writing or commissioning content for internal communications, support agenda preparations for TE-wide meetings, determining survey approach (if any) for obtaining consistent TE colleague feedback, and collaborating with other CRRD internal communications staff/focal points on key issues like newsletters, email listservs, cascading policies, etc.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the VP Technical Excellence, and will supervise 2-3 roles (precise posts under discussion but will include these functions: data analyst, REDI project lead, TE communications focal point). The post will work closely with the CRRD Director of Policy and Planning and other planning/strategy & performance counterparts in the Department (in EHAU and Program Delivery).

REQUIREMENTS

Essential

- Exceptionally well-organized and structured work planning and execution - A proven track record in driving and delivering organizational change - A proven track record in collaborating across diverse roles, functions, and geographies to devise and drive change - Excellent presentation skills - An ability to rapidly and accurately distil information, data, and opinion to draw out key messages and critical details - Excellent spoken and written English

Desirable

- 5+ years’ experience in management - 5+ years’ experience of work in the humanitarian or development sectors - Masters level education in subjects related to organizational and change management - Working knowledge of Arabic, French, and/or Spanish

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, 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.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, Egalite, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.

Qualifications