Emergency Officer at International Rescue Committee

Job Purpose/Objective

The Emergency Officer will support the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of emergency response and disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities within the country program. The position will assist the Emergency Manager in conducting assessments, implementing response interventions, engaging communities and partners, monitoring crisis triggers, and ensuring timely delivery of emergency response activities in accordance with IRC policies, donor requirements, humanitarian standards, and government regulations.

Main Responsibilities

She/he will ensure that an engagement approach to working with communities and the local authorities, other partners is employed and all activities are carried out in a way that is sensitive to community needs and promotes the full and equal participation of women, men, children and youth. Primary responsibilities include:

Project Planning and Assessments

• Support rapid needs assessments, baseline surveys, and emergency field assessments.
• Collect and analyze information to support identification of humanitarian needs and priorities.
• Assist in the development of project implementation plans, work plans, budgets, and response strategies.
• Support the development and review of technical specifications, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and operational guidelines for emergency response activities.
• Participate in contingency planning and emergency preparedness initiatives

Project Implementation

• Coordinate and implement emergency response activities in assigned locations.
• Monitor daily project activities to ensure quality implementation and adherence to approved plans.
• Support effective delivery of emergency interventions within approved budgets and timelines.
• Ensure beneficiary participation, inclusion, accountability, and protection principles are integrated into all project activities.
• Support procurement processes through preparation of technical inputs, field verification, and monitoring of supplies and services.
• Promote compliance with IRC policies, humanitarian principles, and donor requirements during implementation.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

• Assist in collecting, compiling, and validating project data and indicators.
• Support implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tracking systems.
• Conduct routine field monitoring visits and prepare monitoring reports.
• Track project progress against work plans and targets and promptly report challenges.
• Maintain accurate project records, beneficiary databases, and activity documentation.
• Support accountability mechanisms, including community feedback and complaint response systems.
• Contribute to documentation of lessons learned, success stories, and best practices.

Reporting

• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and other routine activity reports.
• Compile field updates, assessment findings, and response progress reports.
• Ensure timely submission of project documentation and supporting evidence.
• Provide regular updates on implementation progress, risks, and emerging humanitarian concerns.

Community Engagement and Coordination

• Facilitate community mobilization and awareness activities.
• Strengthening engagement with local authorities, community structures, and humanitarian partners.
• Support coordination meetings at community and field levels.
• Encourage participation of women, men, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups in project activities.
• Actively participate in inter-sectoral activities and coordination initiatives.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Monitor humanitarian situations and report emerging risks and crisis triggers.
• Support rapid deployment and scale-up of emergency interventions during crises.
• Participate in emergency preparedness exercises, simulations, and contingency planning.
• Assist in outbreak response, displacement response, and other emergency operations as required.

Compliance and Safeguarding

• Ensure adherence to IRC Code of Conduct, safeguarding, and protection policies.
• Comply with donor regulations, government requirements, and humanitarian standards.
• Promote safe, accountable, and inclusive programming.
• Immediately report safeguarding concerns, security incidents, and operational risks through appropriate channels.

Required Qualifications:

• Degree/Diploma in public health, nursing, community development, clinical medicine or related field.  
• A minimum of Three years’ experience on programming in emergencies, relief or development including implementing a large-scale community-based humanitarian project with evidence of successful implementation of similar projects.

Required Experience & Competencies:

• Minimum of 3 years relevant work experience in ASAL
• Strong skills in project management
• Demonstrated skills in technical design and roll out of humanitarian response and disease outbreaks.
• Experience in community engagement approaches, participatory approaches and community negotiation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with a team
• Good understanding of SPHERE and other international and national standards
• Good computer application skills (MS-Office, application software to engineering designs).