PLEASE NOTE This is an update to the job description for the Senior Coordinator, Grants & Operations role at the IRC. The response for this position has been strong and impressive, and candidates who have applied for this role already are in consideration. You will note below that we have requested a Cover Letter along with specific requests. If you have applied to this role and, upon seeing the updates to the job description decide it is in your best interest to update your submission, we will happily review your newly submitted information without prejudice.
Thank you for your interest!
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.” -Albert Einstein
Background/IRC Summary:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. 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. At work today in over 40 countries and in 22 US cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC has defined a new strategic mission and vision, along with initiatives and key processes that will deliver to the strategic objectives. The Strategy Unit will be responsible for actively supporting the planning and execution of those initiatives by the relevant organizational owners, including project management and governance support. The Strategy Unit will also provide problem-solving support to the organization, by supporting particular initiatives or removing barriers that emerge during implementation.
Job Overview / Summary
Senior Coordinator, Grants & Operations
The Governance & Rights Technical Unit is charged with: providing intellectual leadership and vision around governance and rights programming areas; quality technical support to field staff and partner agencies; targeted support on program design and fundraising; developing innovative research and learning opportunities; and public representation on governance and rights-related policy and programming issues.
The Governance & Rights Unit has grown significantly over the last few years, from 9 staff in 2012 to 17 staff currently, with an annual budget of $2.6 million dollars. The Governance & Rights Unit receives direct funding from governments, foundations, and private donors. In addition Governance & Rights Unit provides funding to or has oversight of grants in country programs and other IRC departments.
The Senior Coordinator, Grants and Operations is responsible for supporting the Senior Director – Governance & Rights, and senior staff in ensuring effective and efficient grants and operations management within the unit. This includes development and monitoring of budgets for the Governance & Rights Unit as a whole and for individual grants, human resources administration, management of information and knowledge systems, and oversight of procurement and administrative support to Governance & Rights Unit activities. S/he will ensure that all the necessary IRC systems, policies and procedures are understood, and used by Governance & Rights Unit team members. Where policies and procedures do not yet exist, the Senior Coordinator will be responsible for working with relevant departments and staff to develop them.
The Senior Coordinator will supervise a full-time Governance and Rights Program Officer/Assistant. S/he reports to the Senior Director – Governance & Rights and is part of the Governance & Rights management team, which also includes Senior Technical Advisors managing thematic teams. S/he may be assigned to work with regional and country staff on areas of budget and grants management. S/he will also liaise closely with the IRC support departments to ensure that the Governance & Rights Unit is operating as effectively and efficiently as possible to achieve our objectives.
Job Function & Responsibilities
The following 6 highlighted areas give an expanded sense of the job functions and what it includes
- Systems & Processes
- Act as unit focal point for the IRC standard systems, processes, and procedures applicable to the Governance & Rights Unit including OTIS, TETRA, Rescue Net, Workday, Finance and Supply Chain
- Proactively engage with Governance & Rights Unit staff and develop resources as required to ensure staff understand and use systems and are aware of any related changes
- Identify areas of inefficiencies or gaps in current systems/policy/procedures and work with relevant IPD units and IRC operations departments to develop and implement improvements
- Develop/maintain and implement effective on-boarding processes, monitor implementation to ensure all staff receive timely and appropriate on-boarding and required training
- Grant Management and Budget Development
- Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of Governance & Rights Unit grants, donor compliance and budget conditions and status
- Working with relevant Governance & Rights Unit and IPD Finance staff ensure accuracy of grant financial/budget reports, promptly identify and advise the TU Director and applicable grant leads on areas of concern
- In partnership with program technical staff contribute to the development of TU grant budget proposals including inclusion of appropriate staff and operational costs
- Support in budget development for Governance and Rights Technical Unit-led projects and competitive opportunities where requested, in partnership with program technical staff including inclusion of appropriate staff and operational costs
- Ensure utilization of IRC standard grant management processes (OTIS, opening, review and closing meetings) and if required develop new tools or reporting formats to enhance grants management
- Implement processes to ensure new, and current staff are fully orientated and trained on the IRC grants systems and processes and any changes
- Annual Operating Budget & Finance
- Ensure the Governance & Rights Unit operating budget is maintained on a timely basis and revisions submitted in accordance with the Finance schedule; provide recommendations for addressing any budget issues
- Analyze unit needs and spending patterns to ensure most effective use of funding and identification of any gaps or duplication in coverage
- Ensure financial requirements and documentation related to Governance & Rights Unit travel, conferences, advances and reimbursements are fully understood and complied with so that transactions are completed on a timely basis and correctly charged. Work with IPD and HQ finance staff to address any recurrent or systematic problems
- Staff Management
- Provide Direct Line Management for the Governance and Rights Program Officer/Assistant: Directly supervise the recruitment of the program assistant/officer including writing all TOR documentation, designing interview questions and tests (as applicable), interviewing and selecting candidates and developing program assistant work plans. Supervise the deliverables and outputs of the Governance and Rights Program Assistant/Officer, including completing Performance Appraisals with the Program Assistant/Officer, and monitoring progress against objectives and targets for each appraisal completed
- Maintain and promote a positive work environment for direct reports including providing timely support, encouraging learning and skills development, providing effective feedback and holding regular staff meetings
- Ensure staff understand the roles and responsibilities of their position, have agreed performance objectives for each year and receive required training on IRC systems and processes to be effective
- Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability to the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct
- Operations & Administration
- Monitor planning and progress on Governance & Rights Unit procurement activities of goods and services (travel, conferences, equipment, consultants etc) and liaise with the related HQ Unit to resolve any delays or roadblocks
- Oversee and coordinate with the Governance and Rights Program Officer/Assistant, HR administrative processes including on-boarding, time-off requests, exit process, time and effort reporting and related TETRA processing for Governance & Rights Unit staff
- Support the technical staff in maintaining and developing accessible and relevant information
- Work with IT to make the most of the existing information management and communication systems and if required identify options for more effective systems.
- Actively engage in and promote a spirit of co-operation and team work within the unit and across departments
- Oversee Tools and Strategy Development
- Monitoring and management of Governance and Rights Frameworks and Strategic Plans – managing the process of product completion, and holding members of the technical unit to account on deliverables as identified by the G&R Director, and STA for Governance and STA for Protection and Rule of Law
- Coordinate sector-specific tool development and publications including managing the process of product delivery including logistical time-management and work planning, sourcing content, design, editing and printing consultants, and leading in the organization of translating sector specific tool documents
- Coordinate organizational learning and dissemination around new sector-specific products including coordinating information dissemination around sector-specific research, evaluation and learning outcomes produced through the work of the Governance and Rights Unit
OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Support the G&R Program Assistant/Officer to ensure an effective communication flow between G&R Unit staff in Bangkok, Geneva, London, Nairobi, New York, and other locations as appropriate, and between the G&R Unit and sector field staff, donors, and third parties. Build strategic relationships with staff across the organization to improve organizational understanding about the work of the G&R Unit
- Participate in special projects as requested by the Senior Director, Governance and Rights Technical Unit
Job Requirements
Successful candidates will most closely meet the following requirements
- Education:
- Either College or University Degree in Business or Public Administration, Finance, Management or related areas;
- Or College or University Degree in an unrelated area and a proven track record in grant management and administration
- Work Experience:
- 5+ year’s finance and/or administration managerial experience including staff supervision, budget management, systems and procedure development and implementation
- Non-profit and grants management experience highly preferred
- Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to successfully work in a fast paced environment, within and across departments/functions and develop positive relationships with locally and remote based staff
- Excellent organizational skills: the ability to work independently & productively in a fast-paced environment and ability to effectively see projects through from start to finish
- Aptitude for and interest in providing creative means of training and developing staff in organizational systems and procedures
- Strong Microsoft Office skills and experience with organizational information and financial systems needed
- Desirable: Proven interest & commitment to humanitarian and development issues and a demonstrable understanding of conflict/post conflict development contexts including one or more of the key areas of Governance and Rights sector programming
- Language Skills:
- Fluency in English, both verbal and written is required; language skills in French would be a strong asset
Working Environment
- The position will work in the New York City Headquarters location and is expected to be on-site.
- Standard office work environment
To Apply
To apply for this position, please submit your resume along with a brief *cover letter, all as 1 single MS Word or PDF document will be the best way to submit your information. In your cover letter please include the following 3 points:
1 Your current salary & your salary requirements / salary expectations
2 Your experience as it directly relates to requirements noted in this job description
3 Why you want to work for the IRC
*Those candidates who provide the requested cover letter will be given priority
Please apply through our website at www.rescue.org/careers and please let us know where you found our post!
Original Post: December 12, 2014 / Updated: February 20, 2015
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