Senior Technical Advisor, Emergency Health at International Rescue Committee

Responsibilities

Emergency Response (40%)

• Provide solid technical and strategic leadership for the initiation and quality delivery of new classified emergencies and outbreaks per the QiE technical assistance model.
• Provide response support, technical leadership, and strategic direction to the health ERT.
• Ensure program quality, accountability, and consistency in emergency & outbreak response programming by providing remote and on the ground technical support for country program-led responses and ERT/EST and GST during deployments.
• Directly supervise ERT & GST coordinators, providing ongoing mentoring and technical strengthening during and when not deployed for ERT.
• As required, deploy to lead emergency health programming or outbreak response start-up in complex or large-scale emergencies (30% of time and maximum 6 weeks for single deployment). This is inclusive of, but not limited to, responsibilities such as:
• Rapid needs assessments, evaluation efforts, or other accountability support functions;
• Short-term Deputy Direct of Programs (DDP) or emergency leadership roles;
• Technical coordination and strategic leadership within a complex response;
• Provide technical coordination and strategic leadership within a complex response; and ensure a smooth transition of technical assistance for QiE Supported and EHAU-led responses to Health Unit Technical Advisors.
• Liaise closely with other appropriate technical advisors and support IRC WatchList countries and countries where the IRC is starting new emergency response programming.
• 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.
• Work closely with the deployment team to identify appropriate emergency health staff to be deployed to support responses as needed.
• Ensure all emergency health response tools and resources are current and available to response teams.

MEAL, Advocacy, and Strategy (30%)

• Lead development and implementation of the emergency health strategy and framework, working closely with QiE and Health Unit leadership.
• Support development of systems and processes to facilitate the measurement of the impact and quality of IRC emergency and outbreak responses.
• Work with Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) leads in EHAU and the Health Unit to ensure appropriate processes and tools are in place during health responses.
• Support the development of integrated programming for emergencies and other more innovative programming areas identified by respective technical units and ERT/EST
• Ensure IRC is represented in technical forums or networks within respective global sectors as needed and monitor the effectiveness of IRC’s participation.
• Contribute to the annual QiE work plan and project prioritization in collaboration with the MEAL team and EHAU STAs which is driven by the EHAU strategic priorities and Implementation Plan.
• Participate in the QiE Leadership Team to ensure cohesive decision-making and learning.
• Lead cross-collaboration and coordination between EHAU QiE and the Health Unit.

Emergency Preparedness (10%)

• Work closely with Health Unit and Regional Emergency Directors to identify areas of technical capacity building, operational and systems set up in preparedness for health emergencies in Watchlist Countries.
• Support the emergency response capacity strengthening for members of IRC Country Programs/Regional technical advisors as needed.
• Provide remote and on the ground technical and systems support to watchlist countries, classified country programs/regions for preparedness/readiness/contingency planning, and as needed, deploy for strategic support, including on-site mentoring and technical assistance.
• Reinforce program quality through regular (+/- remote) capacity strengthening and skills-deepening for members of the ERT, EST as well as Technical Unit Advisers, ensuring the ability to operationalize the IRC’s emergency strategy and response package.
• Ensure that IRC program models and emergency strategies advance organizational commitments to gender equality outcomes.
• Collaborate with the EHAU to maintain deployment capacity on the ERT and GST.
• Lead design and development of integrated/joint program models and approaches in emergencies with relevant STAs for Emergencies within the QiE multi-sector team.
• Manage and maintain current emergency response tools and update them according to industry standards and best practices while also supporting iterative and adaptive learning from ongoing responses.
• Orient all new ERT/EST/GST to Emergency Health in emergencies.

Business Development and Grant management (10%)

• Provide technical support for development of emergency response proposals, working closely with other EHAU colleagues, ERT and GST.
• Lead the development, review, and submission of strategic proposals and concept notes around IRC’s programming related to health in emergencies.
• Provide technical quality assurance for the Crisis Response Fund in coordination with relevant Technical Advisors and EHAU Sections.
• Provide oversight of TU-led emergency response and preparedness grants as needed.
• Ensure appropriate budget allocation for IRC to support partners in alignment with the overall response / program design.

People Management and Development (10%)

• Provide day to day line management to members of the health ERT as well as GST when they deploy for emergencies (working in close collaboration with their deployment managers).
• Ensure that ERT and GST teams maintain high performance, collaborate effectively and are accountable for quality of work.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Senior Director, Quality in Emergencies (management in partnership with Deputy Director, Health)
• Position directly supervises: Emergency Health TA, Health, Nutrition, WASH and Reproductive Health Coordinators,
• Works closely with: EHAU Section Directors, Deputy Directors and STAs, TU global and regional practice leads/TAs, country and regional staff

Requirements

• Work Experience: 8-10 years of experience in emergency public health programs including outbreak response implementation in low resource settings, and emergency (conflict, disaster/crisis and outbreak) settings.
• Field experience in emergency public health and outbreak response strategy development, program design and implementation, working across sectors or disciplines, and in coordination/team leadership roles is required.
• Field experience in leading strategy and implementation for conflict and/or outbreak preparedness & response is required. Proven skills in development of operational guidelines and tools, delivery of training/on-the-job mentorship, and in program monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in representation, advocacy, communications, and resource mobilization.
• Master’s degree in public health, global health, health service management or equivalent is required; First degree in health care (eg. Doctor, Nurse, Midwife) is desirable. Additional experience may substitute for advanced qualifications in public health.
• Demonstrated expertise in humanitarian emergency health, nutrition and WASH assessments, strategy development, program design, operational planning, proposal development, implementation, and in monitoring.
• Demonstrated expertise in bridging conceptual frameworks and operational guidance, ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable action.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and supervise teams; Ability to provide technical assistance and transfer knowledge and skills, either through formal/informal training, on the job coaching and mentoring, adapting to needs and level.
• Highly organized, with excellent skills in prioritization and multi-tasking. Proven project management experience.
• Outstanding capacity to understand country and emergency contexts.
• Demonstrated success in working with donors, partners, and media, at global and field level.
• Demonstrated abilities to build consensus among and facilitate decision making across multiple stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to facilitate effective collaboration, communication and teamwork
• Ability to work with multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams and proven ability to develop positive relationships with global, local and remote team members.
• Structured thinking, excellence in oral and written communication.
• Proven ability to deliver results under the pressure and tight deadlines.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English required; and working knowledge of at least one additional language, French, Spanish or Arabic, desirable.