The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC recognizes that people affected by crisis and the actors closest to them are best placed, have the right, and should have the power and resources to respond and drive lasting change. We commit to increasing the share of funding channeled to local actors in emergencies, ask ‘Why not partner?’ whenever we plan programming, and partner as equals.
The IRC worked in Haiti from 2010 through 2016, initially launching an emergency response to the earthquake and later delivering child protection, water and sanitation, health, women’s protection and empowerment, and economic recovery programs in Port-au-Prince and beyond. Even with the closure of its country office in 2016, the IRC has continued to provide operational, technical, and financial support to a small number of Haitian NGO partners, including in response to the 2021 earthquake. Haiti was identified as one of 20 countries at greatest risk of a major new—or significantly worsened—humanitarian crisis over the year ahead in IRC’s 2023 and 2024 Emergency Watchlist given its political instability, gang violence, rising food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks that could drive rapid escalation of the humanitarian crisis. In early 2023, IRC re-opened its Haiti operations and scaled up its emergency response with a fully partner-led response in Port-au-Prince and surrounding communities. The focus has been on neighborhoods highly affected by gang violence as well as limited access to healthcare and services for survivors of violence and/or cholera hotspot issues. IRC is also engaging with partners in the Artibonite and Ouest Departments to service unmet needs in those areas.
The IRC Emergency Humanitarian Access Unit (EHAU) led the initial emergency responses and support establishing a country program that can be fully transitioned under the Latin American (LATAM) region.
Scope of work
The Deputy Director for Programs (DDP) provides strategic leadership, decision-making, and coordination for program development and delivery, overseeing the effective implementation and technical quality of IRC’s programs in Haiti. The DDP ensures that programs are evidence-based and needs-driven, monitored closely, and funded appropriately. The position reports to the Country Director (CD) and is a member of the Senior Management Team. The DDP directly supervises grants, partnerships, MEAL, and all technical coordinators, currently inclusive of health, WASH, and protection, with the potential to expand into additional technical areas.
This position has close working relationships with the EHAU Quality in Emergencies team, the LATAM Deputy Regional Director, the LATAM Regional Emergency Director, and other members of the EHAU and regional support teams.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
• Provide overall leadership and management of IRC Haiti programs, maintaining and enforcing strategic program direction and growth.
• Oversee the implementation of Haiti’s emergency response plan and lead the eventual transition to the development of a country program Strategy Action Plan (SAP).
• Drive IRC’s efforts towards a partner-led program approach and foster a network of local Haitian partners, empowering those entities to lead key decision-making and service delivery, and positioning IRC as a partner of choice.
• Participate actively in-country program management, coordination, and strategy meetings with other members of the senior management team.
Partnership Management
• Champion a culture of effective and respectful partnerships. Promote partner-led programming in line with IRC’s “why not partner?” and “partner as equals” approach.
• As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), prioritize and promote IRC’s internal capacity to partner.
• Develop staffing structures with the appropriate number of staff to effectively manage partnerships and ensure quality.
• Represent IRC with the leadership of partner organizations.
• Ensure that partnership considerations are incorporated into the overall emergency response plan and that local partners are actively engaged response design and program delivery.
• Oversee IRC staff provision of partnership project support and other capacity sharing commitments in the areas under program management responsibility.
• Ensure that partnership risk management actions are effective and aligned with the emergency context and nature of the partnership.
• Lead and/or support collaborative project and budget design with partners.
• Ensure each program design defines IRC’s emergency approach based on how we can best support, reinforce and complement local actors.
• Ensure appropriate budget allocation for IRC to support partners in alignment with the overall response / program design.
• Actively participate in the Partnership Working Group (PWG).
Program Quality
• Ensure programming is aligned with the emergency response plan, eventual SAP priorities, and IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework (OEF), including program planning and project design.
• Liaise with HQ technical advisors and ensure technical coordinators apply relevant guidance and best practices in new program design and implementation.
• Ensure high-quality and adaptive technical program support and guidance to partners.
• Support the development of measurement tools to assess program impact and involvement of client groups in program design. Ensure the alignment of the IRC Haiti programs with the MEAL Handbook and the use of established stringent monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Champion an organizational culture where data and client input are routinely used for decision-making and program adaptation. Promote systems that ensure that evidence is used to inform proposal design and theories of change.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to improve client feedback mechanisms to ensure responsive programming.
Program Delivery
• Maintain a sound understanding of IRC Haiti’s programs and activity plans. Ensure continued oversight of both partner and direct delivery.
• Support and supervise the implementation of strong Project Management Cycle processes and tools in accordance with standard IRC tools.
• Ensure program teams develop, implement, and regularly update detailed work plans, procurement plans, spending plans, and staffing plans.
• Actively contribute to and/or chair project implementation meetings as required to review progress of programs, including but not limited, to progress indicators, work plans and spending. When required, coordinate the development of corrective measures to ensure projects finish on time and on target, ensure timely follow-up on any agreed actions.
• Ensure the office consistently promotes and effectively uses IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS) and that partnership decision-making and action is driven by IRC’s partnership principles.
Business Development and Grants Management
• Work with colleagues in the country program, region and HQ to identify funding opportunities and develop competitive, responsive proposals that are strategically aligned and donor compliant.
• Provide strategic direction for new program design in close coordination with the grants and technical coordinators.
• Ensure that strategic partnership considerations are incorporated in program design, including in Go / No-Go funding discussions.
• Ensure the proactive engagement of partners in program development and project design efforts.
• Review and assure the quality of concept notes and proposals.
• In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator, ensure program compliance with donor regulations, local government regulations and IRC internal control procedures.
Representation and Coordination
• Maintain a strong working relationship with donors. Lead external representation with donors as required.
• Actively, systematically, and regularly ensure ongoing communication with various partners in the country.
• Ensure that IRC Haiti’s program interventions are planned and coordinated within the broader humanitarian effort.
• Ensure IRC is represented at sector coordination groups, including the clusters.
Staff Performance Management and Development
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, and establishing a supportive environment while emphasizing accountability.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Develop cohesive teams through regular department meetings, individual meetings, and the promotion of a collaborative working environment.
• Coordinate performance management within the department and ensure a culture of high performance through staff engagement and accountability.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.
• Work with regional HR staff to identify and implement recruitment and retention strategies.
• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct” throughout the Haiti country program.
Job Requirements:
Work Experience: Excellent professional track record with at least 8 years of experience in conflict and humanitarian environments with significant program leadership responsibilities
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
• Successful experience delivering programs in a complex security environment and situations of restricted humanitarian access is strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to think strategically, prioritize and meet deadlines in a challenging emergency setting.
• Demonstrated ability for rapid, accurate analysis of complex issues, strong decision-making, and translation of programmatic priorities into operational strategies.
• Familiarity with IRC Haiti’s core programming areas including health, WASH, and protection.
• Excellent leadership, people management, interpersonal and negotiation skills, and a demonstrated ability to develop harmonious teams.
• Demonstrated ability in coordination, networking, and relationship building with key partners including government, donors, INGOs, national and local organizations, and UN agencies.
• Extensive representation and fundraising success, including prior experience with European, US, and other international donors.
• Excellent oral and written English and French skills, including the ability to write and edit complex technical documents for external submission with minimal oversight.
• Excellent MS Office skills.
• Self-motivated, honest, and highly responsible.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Language Skills: Fluency in English and French are required.
Working Environment: IRC’s office in Port-au-Prince with local travel to partner project sites as security and access permit.
Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.
