Economic Recovery and Development Coordinator

Job Description

IRC began working in South Sudan in 1989. South Sudan declared independence in July 2011 following decades of brutal civil war rooted in disputes over religion, ethnicity, resources, governance and self-determination. The security situation remains fragile and testing operational challenges abound. IRC-South Sudan operates a country office in Juba, and field offices in Lakes, Unity and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states. Currently, IRC South Sudan implements programs in primary health care, community case management, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection and access to justice and economic recovery and development.

Job overview

The Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Coordinator is responsible for strategy development, program design, technical support to ensure quality implementation, standardization, monitoring and evaluation of all activities in the field of ERD. Primary duties will include strengthening the ERD program and providing technical oversight of this program across all sites of implementation. Focus is on program quality, with program progress being monitored and evaluated against quantifiable benchmarks, and business development, to ensure sufficient funding for multi-year robust programming.

The ERD Coordinator reports to the Deputy Director of Programs and is based in Juba with regular travel to the field.

Main responsibilities:

1. Program Management & Development

• Oversee the technical aspects of the implementation, providing support to the program managers to develop work plans to guide implementation of approved grants and ensuring all interventions are of quality and in compliance with the project proposal, the IRC’s response strategy as well as humanitarian standards such as those defined by the SPHERE Project.

• Support the program managers and field teams in the implementation and monitoring of the work plans ensuring that activities reflect the commitments IRC made to the donor and the community.

• Work closely with the M&E department to develop and/or improve monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the ERD program, ensuring that ERD teams in the field actively monitor set indicators and evolving concerns of the target communities.

• Work closely with the M&E department, technical sector coordinators to propose integration where possible and implement initiatives to improve the overall quality of the basic needs, food security and livelihoods activities and monitoring activities.

• Coordinate and participate in the development of new proposals and initiatives for the ERD Country program in accordance with the country program strategic plan, IRC program framework and IRC ERD strategies.

• Coordinate and participate in the development of budgets for program proposals in conjunction with the grants and finance departments.

• Work with the Deputy Director of Programs to strengthen the ERD program in IRC South Sudan, defining the strategic direction of the ERD programming and establishing a Country Sector Strategy in line with the IRC South Sudan Strategic Action Plan.

• Provide technical leadership on adoption of cash and markets-based programming approaches across IRC South Sudan Country Program sectors while ensure routine review and update of the country Cash Relief Operation Procedures -CROPS

• Liaise regularly with the EDR Technical Unit as well as other relevant HQ technical units to understand global technical strategies and priorities, pilot new approaches in the South Sudan context, represent IRC South Sudan’s work in global technical forums and support strategic business development.

2. Staff Support

• Provide ongoing training and technical support and guidance to the program managers, and ensure all ERD staff adhere to best-practice principles in all aspects of program implementation.

• Establish regular and direct communication lines with all the program managers.

• Conduct technical interviews of candidates for ERD program manager positions.

• Work with the Field Coordinators/Managers to ensure technical aspects of the Performance Management System documentation for the program managers is in place and followed up regularly.

• Support Field Coordinators/Managers to ensure that program managers put capacity development plans in place for the ERD teams based on documented capacity needs assessments exercise.

3. Grants Management and Reporting

• Review progress in achieving program objectives and targets in collaboration with the programs managers.

• Perform all Project Cycle Management functions for allocated multisector grants, leading all implementation review meetings, and supporting field teams to harmonize best practices for integrated projects and Program Based Approaches.

• Review technical aspects of internal and external reports prepared by the ERD Managers within agreed deadlines using IRC and donor formats, as required.

• In collaboration with program managers, review Budget vs. Actual expenditure for ERD programs on a monthly basis.

• Bring any over/under expenditure issues to the attention of the Field Coordinators/Managers and the Program Managers in a timely manner and jointly develop corrective plans in collaboration with the DDP and the Grants team.

4. Representation and Coordination

• In coordination with the DDP actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders in South Sudan including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, the private sector and other relevant actors.

• Maintain a strong IRCs position with technical leadership in the Food Security and livelihood Clusters working groups (ATWG, CCD and CWG forums)

• Maintain the currently strong networks with UN, INGOs, and local partners to promote technical capacity and develop strategic partnerships, including active participation in national and subnational cluster meetings.

• Participate in inter-agency ERD forums at national and international levels.

• Represent the ERD program with national authorities, non-state actors, UN agencies, NGOs, and donors.

• Upon request by the Senior Management Team, organize and facilitate field visits for stakeholders interested in IRC’s ERD programming in South Sudan.

Job requirements

• University degree in an appropriate field such as agriculture, nutrition, Food Security, management, international affairs, or related topic; additional advanced degree in any of economic development, agriculture or agribusiness, development studies, community/rural development, or related field preferred.

• A Master’s degree in the field of rural agriculture and food security is desirable or any other development studies

• Minimum of 5 years overseas experience, preferably in complex humanitarian and/or emergency, and recovery settings.

• Strong skills in Food Security and Value Chain development, Entrepreneurship and employment program design and management.

• Knowledge on climate change, and disaster risk reduction programming is a plus.

• Fluency in English required (oral and written).

• Excellent program management, project planning, budget management and organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Knowledge of and experience in working with and coordinating with international and national partner organizations.

• Must be able to work independently while being a strong team player with proven management and leadership skills.

• Ability to work long hours in stressful, often insecure environments;

• Additional qualities: ability to multitask, ability to handle pressure well, ability to improvise, flexibility, cultural and environmental sensitivity.

Working environment: Security level orange - The situation in the country in general is calm but remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include criminality, presence of armed troops, and looting. There is recurrent intercommunal conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.

The position is based in Juba. Lodging is a private bedroom in a shared IRC guest house – with electricity, internet and cable TV. Food is the individual’s responsibility. Field office housing is more basic, i.e., in traditional huts or tents with separate shared latrines and showers.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of 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, Harassment-Free Workplace, Diversity Equality and Inclusion (DEI), Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Narrowing the Gender Gap: The International Rescue Committee is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including a flexible hour (when possible), maternity leave, transportation support, and gender-sensitive security protocols.

Equal Opportunity Employer: 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, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws

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