Program Officer

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries, the IRC seeks to be an operational and inspiring leader in matters of resettlement, asylum, and integration, demonstrating its credibility and expertise as a leading service provider, partner and advocate across the arc of the global displacement crisis.

Across Europe, the IRC delivers programs that address acute humanitarian needs of asylum-seekers and other vulnerable migrants who are newly arrived, stranded or in transit, and programs that address their longer-term integration needs.

In response to the increased number of people on the move from 2015, the IRC began responding in the Balkans to assist vulnerable refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. Since the conflict in Ukraine started and consequent displacement into neighboring countries from February 2022, the programs are established to address the most pressing needs of people on the move across the South-east Europe. IRC continues to use its voice and expertise to increase safe and legal pathways, ensure protection and improve the quality of resettlement, asylum and integration services. The programs are implemented in close partnership with local non-governmental organizations and governmental institutions.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Program Officer will be responsible for supporting IRC-led implementation of programming in South-east Europe, with a main focus on the support provision to people on the move fleeing Ukraine and other countries. The Program Officer will support the Program Manager to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of program implementation and accountability, strengthen harmonization between national initiatives and interventions delivered in the field, and ensure timely implementation of project activities. This is a full-time national staff position based in Belgrade and reports to the Program Manager (PM) and Head of Programs.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Project Implementation

• Support project implementation including logistics support and organization of IRC-led activities - trainings, meetings, and workshops for partners, service providers, and stakeholders, in line with donor requirements

• Work with IRC advisors to strengthen implementation of technical guidance and recommendations for program interventions in the field.

• Support PM to ensure that all of the IRC led activities are documented in line with donor requirements (including drafting and collecting minutes of the meeting, monitoring visit reports, agendas, attendance sheets for the events, creating photo documentation, case studies, etc.)

• Support the PM in ensuring that meeting action points and agreements are followed-up and actioned upon, including support to coordination and communication among/between IRC, partner, and relevant stakeholders.

• Develop and maintain effective and productive working relationships with key stakeholders.

• Report on performance and attend regular team meetings aimed at ensuring activities of the team members are coordinated and performed in a timely manner.

Monitoring and reporting

• Support project monitoring and evaluation, including support to data collection and analysis for the baseline study, other assessments, M&E and field data management.

• Provide support to the PM in monitoring project progress against programmatic and budgetary targets and performing monitoring visits, and reporting.

• Collecting inputs for donor and other reporting per request from PM.

Other responsibilities

• Provide support to country program wide business development efforts by carrying out assessments, reviewing / inputting on proposals in pipeline, gathering and compiling inputs from program / partnerships colleagues to support fundraising.

• Attend coordination working group meetings as needed, ensuring that information and minutes from interagency meetings are shared with relevant colleagues.

• Ensure IRC and donor visibility in project activities is in line with IRC and donor policies/requirements.

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to ensure that goals and objectives of projects are met and to support IRC program implementation.

Professional Standards

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct - Integrity, Service, and Accountability

• The IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Qualifications

• University degree, MA strongly preferred, in social welfare, international relations, and/or other relevant field.

• Minimum of 4 years of experience working with I/NGOs providing support to project implementation.

• Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required.

• Prior experience working in a humanitarian response and working with refugees.

• Knowledge of protection guidelines, including child protection and GBV preferred.

• Experience in monitoring protection trends and changes in the context, and using this analysis to inform programming and advocacy.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, excellent relationship-building, effective in representation and liaison with external actors, team player and comfortable in a multi-cultural environment.

• Ability to work under pressure and to handle sensitive situations diplomatically.

• Willingness and ability to travel across South-east Europe if needed.

Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with position.

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