Open positions:
1. Grants & Compliance Officer, IRC IRAQ
2. Education Coordinator, IRC IRAQ

ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee is a world leader in relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict development services for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. The IRC is currently working in over 25 conflict zones around the world, addressing both the immediate and life saving needs of conflict affected people in emergencies and the reconstruction needs of post-conflict societies. IRC is committed to innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships, and thorough accountability to those we serve. The IRC is an international, non-sectarian agency with headquarters offices in New York and London.

1. Grants & Compliance Officer, IRC IRAQ

BACKGROUND

The IRC restarted programs in Iraq in November 2007 to assist thousands of internally displaced civilians in northern, central and southern districts. The IRC had extensive operations in Iraq from 2003 through 2005, but deteriorating security forced IRC to leave. Since returning to Iraq, IRC has also been providing guidance and support to conflict-affected communities in the sectors of education, water and sanitation, gender based violence prevention and protection.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Grants & Compliance Officer will be the central coordination point for all proposal development and donor reporting, and is responsible for improving staff capacity in data collection and grants management/monitoring and ensuring quality information management related to programs/grants in Iraq. The Grants & Compliance Officer will work closely with the Iraq Program Director and with the Regional team in Amman to help ensure compliance with donor requirements and regulations. The position will report to the Iraq Program Director and work closely with the Regional Grants Coordinator.

- Develop and maintain an intimate knowledge of IRC's Program framework.

- Become fully conversant in all IRC Iraq programs through a thorough review of program materials, orientation with key staff and field visits.

- Lead project design, proposal and budget development process for all proposals to public and private-sector donors for regional and nation-wide emergency and post-conflict development programs.

- Organize needs assessments and data collection as necessary to feed into project design.

- Serve as team leader and primary writer for proposals.

- Organize timely Grant Planning, Grant Opening, Review, and Closing Meetings, and monthly Budget versus Actual meetings with Finance, Operations and Program staff.

- Set up adequate systems for sub-grant tracking and reporting.

- Maintain a report tracking system; directly coordinate drafting of all donor reports; compile and finalize the reports; manage report review and submission processes. Ensure timeliness, accuracy and quality of donor reports.

- Establish and maintain electronic and hard files for all grants as per IRC practices, an electronic photo library, and all relevant internal and external program information.

- Draft program briefing materials, and respond to requests for program information from IRC Regional Management, IRC HQ, donors, and others.

- In coordination with Finance and Operations, monitor and facilitate compliance of programs with donor and IRC commitments and requirements, including program progress and adherence to objectives, submission of timely modification and extension requests, procurement regulations and requests for waivers/derogations, etc.

- Liaise regularly & work very closely with the Program Director, and program, operations, security and finance staff to coordinate program planning.
Undertake other tasks as requested by the Program Director.

REQUIREMENTS

- Degree in international relations or other relevant field (experience can replace academic qualifications).
- 2 years of international NGO experience in a similar position: grant management, project design, proposal development (program narratives and budgets).
- Proven ability to design projects and develop winning proposals to public and private-sector donors. A solid practice of the logframe approach and of incorporating M&E systems in the design is required.
- Excellent written and spoken English essential, Arabic a plus.
- Excellent organizational skills, ability to determine priorities and attention to detail a must.
- Knowledge of institutional donors (United Nations, USAID/OFDA, ECHO, DFID, etc.) regulations, procedures and requirements a plus.
- Proven ability to coordinate, manage and delegate work appropriately.
- Ability to work under stress and with tight deadlines.
- Ability to work in a multicultural context as a respectful team player.
- Willingness to travel to the field on an ad hoc basis.
- High-level of knowledge and practice with Word, Excel and Outlook required.

To apply for this position please go online to http://www.theIRC.org. A recruiter will contact you if selected to interview for this exciting opportunity.


2. Education Coordinator, IRC IRAQ

BACKGROUND

The IRC restarted programs in Iraq in November 2007 to assist thousands of internally displaced civilians in northern, central and southern districts. The IRC had extensive operations in Iraq from 2003 through 2005, but deteriorating security forced IRC to leave. Since returning to Iraq, IRC has also been providing guidance and support to conflict-affected communities in the sectors of education, water and sanitation, gender based violence prevention and protection.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Education Coordinator will be responsible for developing and managing IRC education projects for displaced and other conflict-affected communities in Iraq, with a focus on increasing access to education, provision of remedial classes to increase retention and performance, and provision of accelerated learning programs to enable students to catch up from gaps in their education caused by conflict and displacement. The Education Coordinator will establish relationships and maintain coordination with all key stakeholders; train and manage project staff; ensure successful, quality, and compliant project implementation; lead quality monitoring, evaluation, and reporting; and support the Iraq Program Director in the development of further education initiatives in Iraq.

Reporting directly to the Iraq Program Director, the Education Coordinator will be expected to carry out the following duties:

Building and maintaining relationships with project stakeholders

- Establish constructive relationships with and maintain regular coordination with UNICEF, UNHCR, the MoE, target school administrations, community leaders, other NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.

- Represent IRC when required, including at donor meetings.

- Maintain regular communication with IRC's Regional Child and Youth Protection and Development (CYPD) Technical Advisor, keep him/her informed of project progress, and seek technical support when needed.

- Coordinate with other IRC Iraq sector managers, as applicable, to ensure maximum project impact.

Supporting the Program Director in development of further education initiatives in Iraq

- Assist the Iraq Program Director and Regional CYPD Technical Advisor in research and development of further education initiatives in Iraq, contributing to identifying programmatic priorities, designs, and direction.

- Draft concept papers, proposals and budgets for IRC education projects.

Staff capacity building, technical oversight, and supervision

- Initiate recruitment, training and orientation of project team, as required.

- Supervise national project management staff and conduct staff performance evaluations.

- Develop training plans and provide ongoing training and technical assistance to project staff to build their capacities and ensure they have the knowledge and skills needed for quality project implementation.

Project management, compliance and fiscal oversight

- Lead project planning, organization, and coordination of project staff and activities, strictly adhering to approved project proposals.

- Ensure that projects are implemented in accordance with established Ministry of Education, and international protocols, guidelines and best practices, and IRC's Program Framework.

- Create monitoring plans and ensure monitoring of project progress and quality.

- Create and finalize MoUs with relevant project associates, in cooperation with the Iraq Program Director.

- Manage and track project budgets.

- Alert the Iraq Program Director and Grants Officer in a timely manner to any issues that may inhibit successful project implementation or compliance, and contribute to creative problem solving.

- Plan and facilitate grant opening and closing meetings in cooperation with the Grants Officer.

Reporting

- Compile and track project data.

- Draft and submit monthly activity reports for IRC management, and quarterly and final donor reports on project activities according to IRC and donor templates.

- Draft project promotional materials and promptly respond to any requests for updated or additional information or data on project activities.

- Other related duties as assigned by the Iraq Program Director

REQUIREMENTS:

- Master's degree in Education, International Affairs or other appropriate field
- Minimum 3-5 years experience and success managing Education projects in developing countries;
- Minimum 3 years supervisory experience
- Strong inter-personal and training facilitation skills
- Outstanding communication and coordination skills
- Excellent organizational, analytical and report writing skills
- Demonstrated initiative and creativity
- Fluency in English required; Arabic a plus
- Experience working in the Middle East a plus
- Willingness to travel to the field on an ad hoc basis.
- Computer competency with word processing, spreadsheets and databases

Reports to: Iraq Program Director

This is an unaccompanied position.

To apply for this position please go online to http://www.theIRC.org. A recruiter will contact you if selected to interview for this exciting opportunity.

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. IRC is an equal opportunity employer.