Technical Director

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. The IRC has been working in Bangladesh for over 5 years implementing direct programming in the areas of WASH, education, livelihoods, reproductive health, gender-based violence, and child and youth protection and development. With an annual operating budget of over $ 1 billion (2021), IRC successfully runs a global portfolio of both humanitarian as well as development interventions and has significant experience implementing large-scale programs requiring substantial and sustained collaboration with multiple actors.

Position Summary

The IRC is seeking a Technical Director for the five-year, $50 million USAID-funded Host & Impacted Community Response Activity (HICRA). This project will encompass a set of innovative interventions, with an overall goal of addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges in the hosting Rohingya Refugee and impacted communities of southeastern districts of Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban. The challenges are most acute in the communities directly responsible for hosting the refugee camps. The overall development assistance is expected to be delivered in the following sectors: access to jobs, financial inclusion, WASH, nutrition, natural resource management, agriculture and government services with specific focused emphasis on the major social and economic challenges.

The Technical Director (TD) will oversee all program areas of the project. S/he will work closely with the Chief of Party, the project leadership team and the specialists’ team to develop an overall programmatic vision, design program strategy and oversee implementation of this multi-sectoral program. S/he is expected to have expertise in project management, design and implementation of economic growth projects. Experience or knowledge of specific areas such as employment, financial inclusion (informal and formal), WASH and access to government services etc. will be an advantage. S/he will also take on additional coordination roles and ensure to take all consortium partners together in technical delivery.

Responsibilities

TD will be responsible for leadership, oversight and management of a range of programmatic themes within the project with support from the Chief and Deputy Chief of Part. H/she will also ensure efforts to broaden partnerships between the various stakeholders, the Government of Bangladesh and the IRC to create strategic partnerships capable of securing the sustainability of the program. Some of the specific responsibilities are listed below:

• Design and deliver overall project design against all the priority outcome areas as indicated in the donor’s description

• Ensure integration of all cross-cutting themes particularly Protection as IRC’s core area of expertise

• Lead the team of Specialists in all technical areas to ensure an overall integrated design and delivery of the envisioned program

• Provide strategic guidance to the Specialist team by ensuring inputs from the project leadership, the donor, the partner organizations and all relevant stakeholders

o Maintain close collaboration with relevant stakeholders; particularly the relevant government departments to ensure ownership and sustainability of the interventions.

o Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with stakeholders including private sector enterprises, chambers of commerce, trade associations and others.

• Oversee and lead sector-driven interventions that strengthen market systems, expand access to social services, integrating gender, technology, climate change and other cross-cutting issues.

• Ensure interventions reflect high technical quality and international best practices

• Ensure that direct reports have the necessary capacities to contribute towards meeting project targets. Develop staff capacity within project team and ensure overall team motivation.

• Lead the development and review of project work plans and reports

• Ensure the program adaptively responds to changes in the operating environment to meet the desired objectives

• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning; project communications; and project reporting

• Other duties, as assigned

Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in business, agricultural discipline, economics, International Development or a related discipline with a minimum of 10 years of experience in senior management roles on a similar team/project

• Experience working on large-scale, economic growth related, donor-funded projects (preferably USAID) strongly preferred

• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in implementation of projects with a focus on private sector engagement and workforce development

• Experience working and collaborating at senior management level with government, businesses, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, stakeholders, and sector associations in Bangladesh

o Excellent skills in stakeholder mapping, outreach, engagement, and partnership development in support of program activities

• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and respond to emerging opportunities and overcome barriers

• Demonstrated track record of working in teams, managing senior level staff and fostering partnerships

• Strong leadership and communication skills required. Fluency in written and spoken English, proficiency in Bengali desired.

**Local applicants and women strongly encouraged to apply**

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional 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, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

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Qualifications