Senior Director, Economic Recovery and Development at International Rescue Committee

Requisition ID: req24493

Position Overview

As the Senior Director, ERD, you will provide leadership in several critical capacities:

TECHNICAL LEADER: As the leader of a dedicated group of technical specialists, researchers, and advocates, you will bring vision, cohesion, experience and knowledge to cultivate a strong and inclusive culture of performance and collaboration. The team puts clients at the center of our work and you will help ensure their voices increasingly influence our decisions at all levels. Opportunities to partner with and support the local private sector and strengthen markets and systems will be prioritized. Opportunities to collaborate with other technical leads and teams will be sought out and integrated programming solutions developed. Equality and inclusion will be at the forefront of every decision and action, through thoughtful planning and implementation support for all programs and services. Collectively you will design programs in which interventions are evidence-based where possible and evidence-generating where necessary. Seek cost-effective solutions to achieve results at scale for as many clients as possible.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADER: Collaborate with colleagues across the organization as a key member of the Technical Excellence leadership team, the Crisis Response, Recovery & Development (CRRD) Leadership Group, and a member of IRC’s larger cross-departmental, cross-functional Senior Leadership Group (SLG). Serve as a champion of the new strategy 100 by developing strategic program opportunities, ensuring the quality of programs and partnerships, and driving performance and growth in the sector while actively promoting an inclusive culture and duty of care for all.

STEWARD: Develop and implement strategic business development efforts to support our country programs and enable the ERD team to deliver high quality technical assistance, implement a focused research agenda and stay ahead of relevant developments. Ensure responsible management of ERD funds, partnering with technical and finance colleagues to harmonize planning, budgeting, and reporting.

MANAGER: Proactively invest time and care in the support and development of IRC staff within the ERD technical team and of technical colleagues in IRC country programs. Embrace your responsibility for the recruitment, engagement, and retention of a diverse team of qualified people to deliver superb technical assistance and thought leadership.

ADVOCATE: As the most senior advocate in economic and livelihoods technical areas, regularly communicate the needs and priorities of IRC country programs and clients to donors; participate in high level policy and practice forums; advocate for appropriate policy and practice shifts with donors, implementing agencies, and government counterparts. Demonstrate a deep appreciation for IRC’s dedication to drive fundamental policy and practice changes that will ensure people receive the wide-ranging support they need to survive and in the immediate aftermath of crisis helps them recover and gain control of their future, with a particular focus on climate-resilient, sustainable market-based solutions.

Professional Profile

Success in this position requires an individual with outstanding leadership abilities, and deep expertise in designing and delivering protection programming across the sectors programs.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 15 years of relevant experience, with on the ground programmatic experience in a service delivery organization, NGO or comparable international agency required.
• Experience and familiarity with emergency cash, livelihoods, social protection and economic recovery donors, peer agencies and national contexts required, preferably in humanitarian and transitional, post-crisis contexts.
• Experience and expertise raising funds from bilateral, multilateral, and private donors.
• Leadership and management experience in complex global organizations.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Very strong leadership and management proficiencies including the ability to build a diverse team, foster an inclusive team culture, encourage confidence and trust and lead team in a unified vision and strategy.
• Capacity to communicate effectively with IRC program leadership, technical peers, and colleagues in fundraising, communications, and advocacy.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate a large multi-national organization.
• Deep expertise in livelihoods, social protection and/or supporting small and medium enterprises, with hands-on experience in low resource/conflict affected environments.
• Highly effective strategic planning and execution and ability to make difficult decisions.
• Understanding of the program life cycle and effective practices used by aid organizations to design, implement and measure the progress of interventions.
• Fluency in the relevance and use of empirical evidence to know what works best to achieve meaningful violence prevention and response outcomes.
• Excellent public speaking and writing skills are essential.
• An established and collaborative professional network in humanitarian, development, and economic recovery, social protection, livelihoods technical and policy communities.

Education: Master’s in relevant field required. Sound knowledge of research and research management required.

Language Skills: Excellent spoken and written English essential. Proficiency in additional IRC relevant languages (Arabic, French, Spanish, Kiswahili, etc.) strongly preferred.

Working Environment: Travel up to 25% of time. Preferably based in NYC or one of our international hubs in London, Geneva, Dakar, and Nairobi. Other IRC locations may be possible.