Senior Governance and Rights Coordinator

Job Description

This role is only open to current IRC employees.

Iraq is emerging from over six years of fighting against the Islamic State and remains one of the most complex operating environments in the world. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades and the destruction of communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

Over 5 million Iraqis have returned in the past years, but 1.1 million remain displaced. Over 230,000 Syrians continue to seek refuge in the Kurdish region. The new government is struggling to build trust and restore basic services.

Since 2003, the IRC has been at the forefront of providing humanitarian aid and assistance in Iraq. Over the past five years, post the conflict with the so-called ISIS group, our focus has evolved towards offering integrated services across the humanitarian-peacebuilding-development nexus. Operating in seven governorates, we extend our support to internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities, aiming to facilitate recovery and build resilience across the country. Over the past 8 years, 2.5 million Iraqis have benefitted from IRC services directly and indirectly.

Our strategic positioning allows us to scale our efforts across the nexus, with a keen emphasis on durable solutions, development and system strengthening, localization and partnerships, evidence-based policy and advocacy approach. Building on our successful localization efforts, we are committed to addressing the medium to long-term needs of communities, irrespective of their displacement status.

Job Overview/Summary:

The IRC is seeking a skilled and dynamic Senior Governance and Rights Coordinator who will provide overall leadership, technical guidance and strategic oversight to the Governance and Protection & Rule of Law (PRoL) portfolios in Iraq under the supervision of the Deputy Director for Programs.

The Senior Governance and Rights Coordinator shall serve as the most senior technical and program expert on governance and PRoL programming within IRC Iraq, and provide leadership, guidance, coordination, and technical support to IRC’s governance and PRoL teams. The Governance and Rights Coordinator will be a key member of the IRC Extended Iraq Country Senior Management Team (ESMT).

The Senior Coordinator will technically lead the implementation and development of the governance and PRoL programs and will benefit from the support of the IRC’s global Governance and Protection and Rule of Law Technical Units. The ideal candidate for this position should have strong knowledge and experience in governance, protection, rule of law, access to justice, peacebuilding and social cohesion, climate change, community-driven development, and civic engagement of citizens in the public sphere.

Major Responsibilities:

Strategic Direction, Program Quality and Growth

• Ensure the strategic vision and direction of the Governance and PRoL programs are aligned with IRC Iraq SAP and Strategy 100

• Ensure the PRoL and Governance program strategies are of quality, implemented, and guide decision-making.

• Ensure high program quality is consistent throughout PRoL and governance sectors.

• Actively seek out and pursue opportunities to expand humanitarian, early recovery and resilience, and development programming in Iraq, in terms of populations and areas served.

Program Development, Management and Coordination

• Business development: Lead and oversee proposals development within the Governance and PRoL sector, including through designing and writing quality proposals, while supporting program development within other sectors and through partners by integrating governance approaches in proposals and projects where relevant.

• Technical Supervision: Lead and oversee the implementation of governance and PRoL projects as well as all governance activities following implementation strategies, procedures, work plans, and donor requirements to achieve project deliverables.

• Team Management and implementation: Manage and provide technical support to Governance and PRoL program staff, including through regular field visits, and develop their capacity through adequate mentoring, performance management (setting of objectives, appraisals, and development plans), and training as required.

• Financial and compliance management: Support development of annual program budgets and spending plans; be ultimately responsible for the program’s budget management; ensure implementation of governance and PRoL activities are in line with approved budgets and spending plans; work with the Grants Unit to ensure all program activities are implemented in compliance with IRC and donor requirements.

• Representation: Represent IRC Iraq in external governance and PRoL-related forums; actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders in Iraq including government actors, donors, UN agencies, and international and local NGOs; identify governance and rights-related advocacy issues in consultation with the country management.

• Coordination: Coordinate with another program (e.g. ERD, WPE) to strengthen joint planning and implementation of projects, ensure integration across sectors, and enhance program implementation”

• Coordinate with the Feedback and Accountability (FARM) team to strengthen the quality of implementation and eventually client feedback and responsiveness.

Technical Leadership and Support

• Support the various IRC Iraq programs in conducting context and conflict analysis to identify promising entry points and better inform program design and implementation.

• Provide technical leadership and oversee the design and implementation of governance, social cohesion, peacebuilding, protection, access to justice, rule of law, rights and community-driven development projects.

• Contribute to the development of knowledge and capacity in the country office around decentralization, social accountability, institution strengthening, access to justice, legal empowerment, and other related governance and rule of law themes and support the integration of those themes into other sectoral programs.

• Liaise regularly with technical advisors from the Governance and PRoL Units on proposal development, programming, and implementation approaches.

Staff Management, Learning 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.

• Oversee the management, coaching, and development of staff to build a team of skilled, committed, and motivated staff.

• As part of a succession plan, identify, train, and develop the capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition roles and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Iraq Deputy Director of Programs.

Position technically supervised by: Technical Advisors - Governance and PRoL

Position directly supervises: Senior Governance Manager, Consortium Senior Manager and PRoL Coordinator.

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: HQ Technical Advisors, other IRC programs, and support departments.

External: all relevant donors, NGOs, DPOs, partners, ministries, stakeholders, and government agencies.

Job Requirements:

• University Degree in Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management, Law or Social Science. Master’s Degree preferred.

• Over 5 years of experience in developing, managing, and coordinating governance, social cohesion, peacebuilding, climate change, community-driven development, access to justice, rule of law, and stakeholders/civic engagement programs in conflict, post-conflict, or development settings.

• Previous experience and capacity to conduct Political Economy and Conflict Analysis

• Strong program management skills, including assessment, planning, budgeting, and monitoring skills.

• Previous demonstrated experience in working with local partners.

• Demonstrated strong proposal and report writing skills.

• Ability to work in a very demanding and fast-paced environment managing conflicting priorities and deadlines.

• Good organizational, interpersonal, time, and people management skills.

• Strong communication, presentation, and training skills.

• Must be comfortable working in a complex, fluid, and very demanding management environment.

• Ability to travel frequently to project sites for monitoring visits.

• Fluency in written and spoken English, Arabic is an asset.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated creativity, ability to apply innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent analytical, communication and representation skills.

• Ability to navigate interpersonal and inter-departmental organizational dynamics to keep focus on goals and products.

• Ability to work well in unstable security environments, and under significant administrative and programmatic pressures.

• Flexible to adapt to changing requirements.

• Culturally sensitive, able and interested in working with a multi-ethnic team.

• Strong commitment to the IRC’s mission, purpose and values.

• Must be able to work independently while being a team player.

Qualifications