WPE Manager

Job Description

Program Brief

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed, and developing states. In this capacity, we work to restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted, struggling to endure, and wishing to advance on a path of development.

The IRC has been present in Bangladesh since 2017 and obtained registration with the NGOAB in March 2018. Since the IRC obtained registration in March 2018, it has moved quickly to expand its integrated emergency health and protection response through both direct and partner-based programming focused on primary healthcare, women’s protection and empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, child protection, Protection Rule of Law (PROL) and Education. Recently IRC has also introduced Economic Recovery and Development program. IRC will continue working in both the camps and host community, while meeting the significant needs of both refugee and host populations, as already existing vulnerabilities are compounded with cyclical monsoon and cyclone seasons that impose additional threats to the lives and protection of those refugees as well as vulnerable host populations. IRC will grow over time its geographic coverage within Cox’s Bazar and to other parts of the country, thus expanding its’ networks and partnerships around emergency preparedness and response work, reaching beyond the Rohingya refugees, also targeting the vulnerable host groups in Cox’s Bazar and other parts of Bangladesh.

Purpose of the Role

The Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Manager role combines technical and operational-related roles and responsibilities. The WPE Manager will provide technical supervision and support to field-level implementation of WPE Response and Prevention programming including overseeing IRC and/or partner-led WGSS activities, delivering WPE’s capacity development plan, priority donor deliverables and actively contributing to WPE strategic programming and business development. The position requires a personal commitment to advancing gender equality and working on behalf of Rohingya and Bangladeshi women, girls, and survivors of GBV. A major focus is on ensuring GEDI sensitivity across WPE programming.

The WPE Manager will report to the WPE Senior Manager and will directly supervise Senior WPE Officers, who are responsible for implementing response and prevention program activities on the ground. The WPE Manager will work closely with IRC’s other program teams as well as with external GBV and wider Protection stakeholders at field level including government and GBV sub-sector members to improve service delivery and support complementary and, where appropriate, integrated programming.

Major Responsibilities:

- Ensure that all interventions - from GBV prevention and risk mitigation to GBV case management, support work to ensure WGSS objectives, community outreach and engagement - adhere to a women-, girl- and survivor-centered and feminist approach and that staff are supported to build and strengthen their practice in this area. - Provide direct capacity building support to the WPE team and implementing partners to strengthen their skills, competencies, and practice in delivering GBV response and prevention activities that are contextualized and with a particular emphasis on ensuring GEDI sensitivity. - Build the capacity of IRC and partners’ staff on EMAP+, EA$E, Safe at home, and SASA! Together. - Provide technical capacity development on programming for adolescent girls, with a specific focus on the Girl Shine approach. - Provide support to IRC and partner staff to ensure WGSS operate to provide women, girls and GBV survivors with safe and confidential access to life-saving services and options to provide safe and confidential feedback on services available. - Ensure the WPE team use the functional, feminist/survivor centered internal and external referral pathways and conduct safe, confidential, and appropriate referrals in line with standard methodologies. - Oversee and manage dignity kit and other material distributions from planning to post-distribution monitoring. - Ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management is implemented for appropriate data analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy, working closely with the Senior Manager and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team. - Lead in the establishment/ renovation of WGSS. - Liaise with GBV stakeholders at field level including government officials and Protection and GBV sub-sector actors ensure support for program and coordination. - Lead WPE response interventions in areas where an emergency occurs. - Provide support to partners on technical and operational issues to ensure timely implementation.

Staff Supervision & Development:

- Directly supervise the Senior WPE officers responsible for GBV response and prevention interventions - Maintain open, supportive, and professional relationships with all team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing management support and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform their roles. - Convene the team on a regular basis to review programming, progress, successes, and challenges; make timely adjustments to activities and report back regularly to WPE Senior Manager. - Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, probation reviews, appraisals, and annual performance reviews; and provide regular constructive feedback to develop their practice. - Assist with the recruitment of WPE staff. - Ensure regular communication and close collaboration with the Senior Program Manager. - Work predominantly in field locations to mentor and coach WPE and implementing partner staff and provide supervision and other forms of support to respective teams.

Monitoring, Reporting, Budget Management:

- Monitor and consolidate information collected from weekly/monthly and staff activity reports; and actively work with the MEAL Officer to ensure accurate data and information. - Monitor budget spending in line with the spending plans, work with supervisor in developing remedial plans where necessary to ensure budgets are optimally utilized. - Support implementation and ensure adherence to work plans, spending plans and monitoring and evaluation plans. - Contribute to writing high-quality and timely submissions for IRC and donor reports on activities, indicators, and achievements. - Take the lead on supply chain, finance, and logistics tasks in relation to the operations.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

- Maintain open and professional relations with all IRC team members, promoting a strong & respectful team spirit, ensuring effective communication, and opportunities for debriefing. - Consistently and dedicatedly monitor/assess the safety and security of the team, promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment. - Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Deliverables/KPI:

- Supervise the Senior WPE officer following a positive and supportive approach to supervisions to develop a safe and inclusive environment for learning and achievement. - Support the implementation of training. - Support the execution and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of WGSS activities in accordance with the implementation and M&E plans. - Ensure IRC and partners adhere to WGSS guidelines.

Qualifications

- Proven experience in GBV programs for women and girls is essential; and experience in coordination and advocacy is highly preferred. - Demonstrated technical experience implementing in any of these: - GBV case management, PSS activities, GBVIMS, SASA! Together, EMAP, Girl Shine; Knowledgeable in Women Rise and EA$E - Experience in program/project management. - At least 5 year(s) relevant experience. - Practical experience in successfully leading, building, and strengthening a program team in a dynamic, challenging and changing context. - Demonstrated experience in supervising, mentoring, and building capacity of staff. - Knowledge, Skills & Competences (5 to 8 not more than that): - Deep understanding of and a capacity to develop a GEDI analysis of the impact and dynamics of violence against women and girls, based on a solid grounding in feminist, women, and girl-centered, anti-oppressive practice. - Strong ability to respect differences of culture, opinion and lived experiences while upholding rights-based principles and women’s protection and empowerment. - Excellent interpersonal skills, positive and professional attitude, ability to lead and work well in a team setting and with multiple partners.

Language Preference

- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English including capacity to contribute to evaluations, concept notes etc

Specific Educational Qualification

- Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies/ Gender/ Social Science/ Social Work/ Human Rights/ Humanities or any other equivalent degree

Standard of Professional Conduct

IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Are you ready to join the most dynamic team?