Career Opportunities at The International Rescue Committee (IRC) - 3 Positions

Position Summary

The Regional Safety and Security Advisor reduces the vulnerability of IRC staff and programs to the threats and dangers present or arising in IRC's operating environments, serving as a technical resource to regional and country program management and staff – providing risk assessment and analysis, security awareness training, security management technical support, safety and security guidance, and timely advisory information. Directly reporting to the Regional Director, the RSSA is a key member of IRC's ACME regional management team and of the Safety and Security function organization-wide. Key relationships include: Regional Director; Director international Safety and Security, Deputy Regional Director; Country Directors; Deputy Country Directors, Operations; RSSA in other regions;

Under the direct and broad guidance of the Regional Director and under the technical supervision of the Director International Safety and Security (DISS), the RSSA has a substantial level of autonomy in execution of responsibilities. S/he will work with country teams in all countries of the region to ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate to the security environment, and known to staff; and that security plans and measures are developed and maintained current and appropriate to changing security environments. The RSSA will conduct training on-site for both security management staff and other staff, and will regularly provide expert security management advice to all levels of IRC staff in the region, focusing on awareness, planning, practice, management and training in operational safety and security issues. S/he will assess IRC's operating environments; recommend security measures, policies and procedures; support the implementation of security management plans; and provide follow-up on IRC security policies and reporting systems.

The RSSA will maintain contextual knowledge of all countries in the region, including awareness of early warning advisories affecting security situations, and will travel regularly to all countries in the region, on very short notice if necessary. Crucially, the RSSA will mentor and build IRC staff and counterpart capacities to operate more safely and more effectively and contribute actively to reducing IRC's operational vulnerabilities while optimizing access.

Specific Responsibilities

Field Security Management Planning and Compliance:

• Ensure that each country program in the region has current, complete, accurate and adequate security management plans on file at IRC headquarters in New York, the regional office in Nairobi, and each field site of the respective country program, and that each plan is revised and updated as needed but not less than once per year.
• Country security management approaches, planning, policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC's organizational policy, procedure and minimum operating standards.
• Provide security management documents template as required, and provide support, advice and feedback as offices develop or revise country or field office specific SMPs.
• Direct security plan and documents revisions when there is significant change in the security environment.
• Inform RD, DISS, DRD and CDs of any areas of concern, non-compliance, or potential or suspected violations.

Security Orientation & Training:

• Proactively develop security orientation packages for incoming staff and visitors, and monitor compliance with the security orientation policy.
• Support each country program team in ensuring that each new employee, visitor and country staff returning to the program – international or national – receives a safety and security orientation within 48 hours of arrival in-country. Provide a framework for field security orientations and ensure that IRC Connect security information is up-to-date and utilized.
• Through close complementary liaison with the IRC Safety and Security function, HR NY and country program operations teams, ensure that every new international employee receives an appropriate security briefing packet and, when possible, a briefing on personal security, IRC security policies and the relevant country-specific security management plan.
• Create and deliver, in collaboration with the Director International Safety and Security, a security training program that reaches a maximum number of national and international staff. Keep useful records on staff training and report at least annually on training performed at all levels.
• Participate actively in the design and delivery of worldwide safety and security trainings organized by IRC at international level.
• Assist country program offices in arranging ad hoc security training workshops appropriate to security environments.
• Assist in recruitment, selection and orientation processes for international and national security staff.

Advisory & Monitoring Services:

• Monitor all communications from country programs related to security incidents and planning, and provide timely feedback.
• Make a minimum of two visits per year to each country in the region to monitor security preparedness and security management. Provide a follow-up report with clear findings and actionable recommendations after each visit.
• Develop and maintain a database of security incidents in the region.
• Generate monthly activity reports on security, including database analyses, new threats, responses, vulnerabilities and any relevant lessons learned from security and safety incidents.
• Generate a daily report on security incidents, analysis, and possible cause and effect on IRC staff, assets and programs.
• Any other reporting requested by the DISS
• Maintain the network of IRC Security Focal Points at each country program office and conduct bi-weekly update calls with country DDOs and security focal points.

Liaison and Networking:

• Maintaining a network of IRC security focal points in the country programs as well as external professional contacts and counterparts, monitor the security environment in the region, identify new threats, assess IRC vulnerabilities and recommend possible responses.
• Provide timely feedback on questions and technical assistance requests from country programs.
• Monitor and provide support and reporting on NGO field security initiatives as required.
• Identify, create and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other security specialists suitable for the region.
• Facilitate regional NGO security coordination through networking, collaboration and coordination with humanitarian actors.

Regional Context Analysis and Early Warning:

• Provide credible information and contextual analysis of localized and regional security situations and incidents along with appropriate advice to IRC managers.
• Ensure daily provision of latest security events and analysis to the region and the Director of International safety and Security.
• As part of a regional early warning system, understand the salient issues for country programs and update the Regional Director and relevant Country Director(s) as operating contexts and security circumstances dictate.

Field Security Assessments:

• Conduct field security assessments examining security management issues related to IRC staff, assets, offices, residences, field sites, projects and partnerships, and compile reports with findings and recommendations.

Emergency Response and Crisis Management:

• As required, support and advise the senior managers (RD, DISS, …) during critical incident.
• Assist with the security component (situation analysis and background information, security assessments) of the Emergency Response Team deployments in the region.

Requirements

Education:

• University degree in a field relevant to security management in a humanitarian assistance context

Professional qualifications:

• Minimum 4-6 years of non-profit or NGO work experience in international safety and security, humanitarian assistance programs, with demonstrated capabilities in planning, organizing and executing security management operations.
• Police/military experience in peacekeeping settings will be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated understanding of humanitarian principles, codes of conduct, and NGO organizational culture.
• Demonstrated context understanding of dynamics in Afghanistan, Pakistan mandatory
• Proven analytical skills
• Thorough familiarity with principles and current approaches to permissive/acceptance models of security management.
• Skilled in influencing and obtaining cooperation of individuals not under supervisory control; able to work as member of multinational team and manage a variety of external and internal relationships to achieve results.
• Advanced knowledge of communications technology, including VHF, HF radio systems, satellite communications, cell phone mediums, etc.
• Substantial and demonstrated prior experience as a trainer, with an effective adult learner training style and the ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to a wide range of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge through mentoring and other non-formal methods.
• Ability to quickly gain a comprehensive understanding of various local, regional, country and international factors that contribute to changes in security environments and risk levels.
• Ability to prepare and present, on short notice, clear analyses of security incidents, political events and their ramifications for IRC operations.
• Position requires flexibility and the capacity to deal with ambiguity in stressful situations.
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively without close supervision.
• Fluency in English are mandatory.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 40% of time.
• Prior experience in the regional context preferred.

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Location: Kakuma

Job Purpose/Objective

Finance Assistant will be responsible for ensuring IRC systems and procedures of internal controls are followed when committing financial transactions in Kakuma and ensuring there is enough cash to implement the program activities

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain petty cash at the set limit ensuring no cash shortage at all times.
• Ensure that all cash payments are fully supported and are authorized at set limits as per IRC Kenya delineation chart before disbursement.
• Prepare the petty cash upload spreadsheet to upload stage ready for review by Finance Officer before submission to Nairobi Finance
• Monitor and track cash advanced to program and support staff on a monthly basis ensuring that liquidation reports are prepared and correction journals raised ready for review by finance officer
• Incentives payments after receiving correctly coded and approved incentives staff payrolls from finance officer
• Perform supervised petty cash counts every Friday
• Ensure that all cash received is duly receipted, coded and promptly banked
• Prepare all check disbursement vouchers. Ensure the payment is fully supported and duly authorized per the authorized delineation chart before writing the check
• Ensure that once checks are signed they are collected by vendors and signed for proper identification of the person collecting and details indicated in the checks release register
• Assist in preparation of bank reconciliation statement on a monthly basis for Kakuma bank account
• Rubber stamping ‘paid’ on all such documents once checks and cash vouchers are signed before filing
• Maintain an organized and well documented (all files must be labeled properly and visibly) and sequential filing system for all cash and cheque disbursement vouchers. Ensure that files with original documentations are sent to Nairobi on a monthly basis and duplicate files are maintained for field use.
• Act as a bank agent for Kakuma bank account.
• Carrying out finance officer duties in his/her absence.
• To represent finance in weekly tender committee meetings when nominated to do so
• Be receptive to the training IRC will give to develop your technical and professional competence
• Be adaptable and flexible with a view to taking on board new tasks and new assignments in due course
• To act at all times in accordance with US and Kenyan Law and Standard accounting practice.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by supervisor.

Key Result Areas

• Timely payments of suppliers and incentive staffs using fully authorized vouchers as per the authority delineation chart
• Timely monitor and tracking of advances and processing ofliquidations
• Maintain up to date filling system for the financial documents and correspondence
• Keep online update of the cash book spread sheets and reconciliation of the cash on a daily basis
• Perform supervised petty cash counts every Friday
• Rubber stamping ‘paid’ on all such documents once checks and cash vouchers are signed before filing

Required Qualifications:

• O’Level (Secondary Education)
• CPA II qualification

Required Experience & Competencies:

• At least three years offinance and accounting experience in a similar post
• Knowledge of fund accounting, procurement and financial management of US and UN cooperative agreements.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills
• Supportive personnel management style and ability to work in and as a team
• Strong leadership skills
• Excellent spoken and written English.
• Fluency in Turkana/Somali will be an added advantage

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Scope of Work:

The Officer will work closely with all program staff to ensure the quality and consistency of program data collection, manage the customer relationship management (CRM) and conduct data analysis to inform program decision making. S/he will be the program data focal point and work with both Livelihoods Resource Center (LRC) staff on mobile data collection via tablets and with program and sector management to conduct analysis of data for reporting, implementation and learning.  This role will also provide ongoing technical support and training to program staff who are conducting mobile data collection, data analysis, and client management (among other use cases).

Specific Responsibilities:

Data Collection and Analysis

• Support data gathering and collection activities, to include:

• Creation of electronic surveys using open source tools like ODK Collect

• Staff training on use of mobile data collection tablets and surveying

• Assisting center staff in approaches to surveying clients at the center and also remotely, providing guidance and feedback on survey data collection.

• Support survey development to respond to program monitoring, reporting and learning needs, monitor the quality of data collection, and provide additional guidance to staff after reviewing collected data.

• Run system based reports to provide program staff and management with updated program statistics on clients registered and by activity that are disaggregated by sex, age, nationality and location. 

Information Management

• Manage the CommCare application used for program data storage and analysis, suggesting needed modifications and updates with the support of the ERD Technical Unit and management

• Train program and center staff on CommCare and entering and using system data

• Troubleshoot any issues with data uploads and synching, and work with program staff to ensure high quality survey data and understanding of data collection procedures

• Coordinate with Information Technology staff as needed on system requirements and needs

Program Monitoring & Reporting

• Coordinate closely with program staff and management on targeting, data collection, data systems and information management

• Work with LRC Center Manager on baseline, interim and endline assessments to ensure high quality data collection.

• Run reports and contribute analysis as directed by ERD management to meet reporting and program monitoring requirements.

• Participate actively in the enforcement of quality assurance, quality control and quality improvement measures for all program interventions

• Support fellow team members in capturing best practices for learning and dissemination

• Contribute to the program Monitoring and Evaluation plan and provide updates to staff and management on progress against the plan.

• Take lead on data analysis and action planning, and review trends to inform adjustments to project implementation

Human Resources Management

• Directly supervise incentive staff workers supporting data collection and analysis.

• Set specific goals and expectations and provide regular, positive and constructive feedback to direct reports

• 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

Other

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs

Qualifications:

• Bachelor degree in information science, computer engineering, research, program management or similar field

• At least two years of experience managing data collection and analysis, with experience with or concrete knowledge of open source tools such as ODK collect, KoBo Toolbox, platforms such as Ona and customer relationship management (CRM) software such as CommCare or other similar platforms.

• Experience training staff on the use of technologies including translating technical terms into common language.

• Demonstrated experience and capacity in reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and using technology and mobile data collection to improve approaches.

• Experience in humanitarian, non-profit or community engagement sectors preferred

• Strong ability to work independently, organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail

• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility

• Personal qualities: promotes collaboration and coordination within and across teams, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, extremely flexible and adaptable, ability to contribute across multiple activities and departments.

• Fluency in English required