TEMPLATEJOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Senior Coordinator for Humanitarian Learning

Reports to:Director – Adaptive Programmes

Location:UK, with some international travel

Grade: 5

Salary:£44,000 p.a.

Contract:22 months starting March 2017

Hours: Full time

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.

The International Rescue Committee UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its headquarters in New York and London. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through 22 regional offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the US and become self-sufficient.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

The IRC, together with IDSand Crown Agents have established a Humanitarian Learning Centre (HLC) in support of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. The HLC will be led and hosted by IDS, with IRC providing an important thought leadership, learning generation and uptake role. Please see the Humanitarian Leadership Academy website for more details.

IRC-UK

OurEuropean headquarters, IRC-UK, were established in London in 1997 to support the organisation’s global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocatewith European policy-makers on behalf of the people we serve. Since its establishment IRC-UK has grown rapidly and is now acknowledged for its high quality project management, technical expertise in governance and rights and economic recovery, and innovative thinking on early recovery and gender based violence. The IRC also has offices in Berlin, Brussels and Geneva.

IRC-UK comprises approximately 90 staff across five departments.

The Purpose of the Role

The Senior Coordinator for Humanitarian Learning to be the primary focal point for the IRC in the Humanitarian Leadership Centre. The Senior Coordinator will play an important role in fostering collaboration within and between learning and practice networks. S/he will lead the identification of existing IRC learning materialsfor use by HLA and co-lead the development and testing of new HLC-generated learning products. The Senior Coordinator will ensure the quality, contextual and inter-organizational appropriateness of HLC learning products. The post holder will coordinate and support the engagements of IRC identified experts in the development of learning products and processes. The post holder will lead on the field uptake and assessment of the utility of different learning products.

Key Working Relationships

This position reports into the Director of Adaptive Programmes and will have links to IRC’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit, Research Evaluation and Learning unit, and other Technical Units. Within the consortium, this position will have strong functional links to the Centre’s Director, IDS Coordinators and Researchers. This position will also foster strong relations with a number of other agencies who will be part of the wider humanitarian learning network.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

The post holder will be part of a small team and will be required to act with a high degree of autonomy in decision making regarding the identification of learning priorities.

The post holder will be responsible for coordinating and managing the assignments of knowledge pool technical advisors as commission by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.

The Senior Coordinator will be required to take responsibility for identifying when decisions need to be referred up the line management chainand taken by the Centre.

Responsibility for Resources:

The post holder will manage the IRC’s portion of the HLC budget.

The post holder will have a high level of responsibility for thought leadership resources, including for the quality of research publications.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

The following accountabilities will be reviewed and maybe revised based on consortium discussions during the inception phase:

-In coordination with the HLC, identify opportunities for new learning products or processes for development by the IRC and/or partner organizations.

-Lead the IRC’s product development process for HLA commissioned learning products, coordinating the technical inputs of colleagues and partners and, when required, lead the writing of products.

-Lead the identification ofexisting IRC learning resources of benefit to the wider sector for curation and dissemination through the HLA. In coordination with IRC technical advisors and HLC colleagues, identify and make changes to existing IRC resources to make them appropriate for the wider sector and specific target audiences.

-Ensure quality control and peer review of IRC products to be shared with the HLA.

-Oversee the inputs of consultants engaged in product development process.

-Encourage and track learning uptake of HLA resources within the IRC.

-Coordinate within the IRC and external network of partners to identify the needs and demands of local responders. Coordinate with a range of stakeholders to assess the utility and usability of learning products / processes.

-Lead budget management for IRC resources.

-Depending on inception phase discussions, provide functional / line management of IRC colleagues assigned to specific tasks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

  • Masters Degree in relevant field required (e.g. Development, Anthropology, Sociology);
  • Excellent analytical skills and understanding of humanitarian learning priorities;
  • Organizational aptitude and leadership qualities, with the ability to drive change processes with relative autonomy;
  • Strong understanding of IRC’s thought and practice leadership;
  • Established network within the humanitarian sector;
  • Demonstrated flexibility, creativity and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment;
  • Strong oral and written communications skills in English;
  • Ability to travel to complex environments.

Experience:

  • 5-7 years work experience in the humanitarian sector;
  • Experienced in managing or coordinating the development of technical products or learning materials;
  • Experienced in collaborating with academic partners; and
  • Experience of managing projects and budgets.

Desirable:

  • Experience of disseminating high level publications;
  • Strong networking skills; and
  • Strong facilitation skills.

To Apply

Please send a CV (two pages maximum) and cover page (two pages maximum) to:

Please state clearly in your cover letter:

- Your reasons for applying

- How you meet the skills, knowledge and experience specified in the person specification part of the job description

- Where you saw the job advertised

- Current salary

The closing date is: 10:00 am 3rd February 2017.

Interviews will be held between 8th and9th February 2017.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

IRC-UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.