Head of Office- Serbia

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is among the world’s leading nonprofit 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 80 years. At work today in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

Alongside its significant global humanitarian portfolio, the IRC aspires to be an operational and thought leader in matters of resettlement, asylum, and integration, leveraging its credibility and expertise as a leading service provider, partner and advocate across the arc of the global displacement crisis. IRC uses its voice and expertise both in Europe and in the US to increase safe and legal pathways, shape systems and improve the quality of resettlement, asylum and integration services, as well as to promote innovative approaches and solutions to address the growing global need for resettlement.

The IRC delivers programs across Europe that address acute humanitarian needs of asylum-seekers and other vulnerable migrants who are newly arrived, stranded or in transit, and programs that address the longer-term integration needs of asylum-seekers and refugees. The current portfolio is focused on working with partners to deliver programs that improve safety outcomes (anti-trafficking, gender-based violence, online information provision, protection monitoring, mental health and psychosocial support), economic wellbeing outcomes (employment and self-employment), and education outcomes (working with school systems to bring social emotional learning to their curriculum).

In response to increased migrant arrivals into Europe in 2015, the IRC began responding in Serbia and later expanded to other countries in the Balkans to assist vulnerable refugees and migrants. The programs are implemented in close partnership with local non-governmental organizations and government institutions.

Job Overview/Summary:

We are looking for a Head of Office for IRC Serbia, who will be responsible for the overall leadership and supervisory management of IRC operations in Serbia as well as all IRC Serbia partnerships in other countries (currently in 5 Eastern European countries). This includes program quality and accountability, stewardship of resources, staff well-being, and performance management, and being IRC’s principal representative to local governments, donors, international organizations, and other NGOs. The position holder is expected to respond effectively to the rapidly changing needs of asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable host populations in the area of responsibility of IRC Serbia, including through program-based advocacy.

Success in this position requires an individual with demonstrated team leadership abilities; representational (including media relations), communications and risk management skills; and a facility for developing networks to build partnerships and diversify program resources. They will be directly responsible for overall coordination, providing supervision and mentoring for direct reports; 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 high-quality, timely reporting; and oversight of financial management systems.

Leadership and Representation

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

• Develop and carry out strategies that result in strong representation with: government ministries and local authorities at various levels; donors; UN and other international organizations; NGOs and other civil society actors.

• Ensure that the IRC remains a partner of choice for major national and international donors.

• Develop and maintain a high level of understanding of donor priorities and planned funding.

• Initiate and sustain strong, mutually advantageous and authentic partnerships with other organizations.

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

• Play a leadership role in efforts to improve humanitarian response coordination in Serbia and countries with active IRC Serbia partnerships.

• Lead country program collaboration with colleagues in the wider Europe Region to deliver regional programming and advocacy.

• Maintain an excellent contextual and geopolitical understanding, allowing for the early identification of new developments and trends.

Program Quality and Growth

• Lead and implement the IRC Serbia strategic action plan, setting out a vision that is aligned with the IRC’s global strategy, to deliver the highest quality programming possible and secure the resources necessary for realization.

• Ensure program quality through consistent use of rigorous assessment, design, and proposal development and review processes; comprehensive monitoring & evaluation, accountability and learning systems; and staff development investments.

• Remain current on national and regional issues impacting the program and partners and develop responsive strategies to ensure the IRC’s presence in country can be carried out appropriately in changing contexts.

• Ensure country program alignment with and involvement in meeting regional objectives.

• Find opportunities for appropriate expansion and growth of programs, supported by the acquisition and investment of human resources.

• Ensure timely submission of competitive, responsive and high-quality proposals, and support colleagues in negotiations with donors.

Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI)

• Ensure implementation of the GEDI Action Plan including all programming integrated with a GEDI lens, facilitating an inclusive environment, supporting affinity and ERG groups among staff, support efforts to include our clients voice in our programming.

• Ensure that issues of GEDI are fully integrated into SAP, data analysis and planned studies.

Safeguarding

• Uphold and promote a culture of safeguarding.

• Ensure accountability and progress on IRC’s safeguarding minimum standard actions for the office and field sites.

Advocacy

• Lead the development of a strategy for program-based advocacy.

• Identify and pursue opportunities to advance IRC’s advocacy objectives.

Stewardship and Operational Management

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

• Lead the 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 program’s financial position.

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

• Closely monitor potential funding shortfalls with finance/grants management; ensure corrective action undertaken as necessary

• Seek opportunities to introduce efficiencies and eliminate redundancies in existing business processes.

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.

• Lead the management, mentoring and development of staff to build a cadre of skilled, committed and motivated personnel.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of staff.

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

Safety and Security Management

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

• Lead 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.

• Coordinate GEDI-sensitive considerations for RAI safety and security in cooperation with Regional Safety & Security Director.

• Ensure that GEDI principles are integrated into RAI Safety and Security management plans and protocol.

Communications:

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

• Maintain a balanced 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.

Job Requirements:

• Postgraduate degree in Political Sciences, Social Sciences or in other relevant field

• At least ten years of progressively responsible relevant work experience; prior experience of leadership at the Head of Office or equivalent level of multi-site, multi-sectoral operations is strongly preferred

• Experience of building personal networks at a senior level, resulting in securing new opportunities for the organization

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

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

• Extensive representation and fundraising success.

• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and work with public and/or governmental partner organizations. 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

• A keen understanding of political environment in Serbia and the wider Western Balkans region.

• Serbian (or other regional) language skills required in combination with highly proficient English verbal and writing skills

This position is based in Belgrade, Serbia with an estimated of 20% time spent traveling in the region.

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 law.

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Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: rescue.org