Women Protection and Empowerment Senior Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the worlds largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees delivers lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If youre a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future. Duty station: Odesa

Key working relationships:

• Position Reports to: WPE Manager, Ukraine
• Internal collaborations within IRC: Child Protection team; Protection team; Economic Recovery and Development team; Health team.
• External collaborations to IRC: GBV actors, organizations and agencies

The Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Senior Officer will work with WPE staff and IRC’s implementing partner(s) to ensure that activities are provided following IRC – WPE standards, including policies and strategies. She will oversee the provision of safe and appropriate GBV response and prevention services and interventions to reduce risks faced by women and girls. The WPE Senior Officer will provide technical guidance, training, and support to the IRC WPE staff and IRC’s implementing partner staff. Specifically, the WPE Senior Officer will be responsible for:

1) Program implementation and quality: Reinforcing adherence to the GBV guiding principles throughout all WPE and partners activities, specifically:

• Plan, supervise and oversee provision of prevention and response activities for women and adolescent girls.
• Oversee the referral mechanisms, and lead on the maintenance and regular/timely updating of the service mapping and referral pathways, and training of referrals service providers on the referral pathway and appropriate referral
• Assess implementation progress and identify technical quality issues or other concerns, to be flagged to the WPE Manager, and propose solutions.
• Identify material needs and work with WPE Manager and Integrated Protection Program Officer to make the necessary procurements, in consideration of budget limits
• Facilitate the program activities with the partner staff.

2) Program monitoring and reporting: Ensure all program activities and services are fully documented using agreed monitoring tools for systematic and timely data collection on activities, specifically:

• Support the maintenance of the IRC’s Information Management System(s) in line with data protection, collection and sharing standards, and GBV guiding principles.
• Submit the updated weekly report and tracker on activities led, success stories, lessons learned, etc. to the designated IRC WPE focal point on agreed-upon deadlines.

3) Staff supervision and development: Directly supervise WPE staff by providing regular supervision, coaching, and guidance on GBV prevention and response activities, specifically:

• Directly supervise WPE staff by providing regular supervision, coaching, and guidance on GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and response activities
• Mentor and support staff’s professional development and foster a positive team spirit to encourage innovative and quality programming
• In collaboration with the WPE Manager, identify capacity building needs and support the organization and facilitation of trainings to meet those needs
• Monitor field work to ensure staff meet program goals and utilize appropriate time management.
• Ensuring comprehensive documentation of all program activities and services using agreed monitoring tools for systematic and timely data collection. Directly supervising staff, providing regular supervision, coaching, and guidance on GBV prevention and response. Mentoring and supporting staffs professional development and fostering a positive team spirit to encourage innovative and high-quality work.

4) Coordination & representation: Work closely with WPE Manager and IRC partner(s) and other service providers on the provision of GBV prevention and response activities, specifically:

• Identify concerns related to and support adherence to GBV referral protocols by all service providers and relevant stakeholders.
• Advocate with peer agencies and other stakeholders to promote timely and quality responses for women and girls on protection and empowerment.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with other service providers and relevant stakeholders including community members and other implementing partners.
• Actively participating in network structures, working groups, and other events aimed at knowledge and experience sharing in the field of GBV. Supporting the documentation and dissemination of successful practices, lessons learned, and innovations, and ensuring their utilization within the program.

5) Other: Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the WPE team, promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC Security department and management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the environment for IRC programs.

Requirements:

• Language: Ukrainian, English
• Masters degree in social work, human rights, social sciences, public health, legal education, humanities, or other related field
• High level of knowledge and practical experience in GBV case management, PSS, and life skills to promote recovery and restoration of survivors
• Proven knowledge of responding to gender-based violence, promoting gender equality, advocating for human rights Training for trainers welcomed
• Demonstrated understanding and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients/beneficiaries
• Previous experience leading GBV response teams and risk reduction, IPA strategies for at least one year
• Professional experience working with budgets, reports in a humanitarian context
• Excellent communication skills
• Positive and professional attitude, including the ability to lead and work well in a team
• High degree of flexibility and strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks, and pay attention to detail
• Computer literacy, including Microsoft Word and Excel

Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.