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 world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC has been in Sierra Leone since 1999 at the height of the civil war and provided critical support during the Ebola outbreak between 2014 and 2016, which had a direct impact on more than 14,000 individuals. Since its start, the IRC Sierra Leone has reached millions of clients and continues to provide support to the country’s most vulnerable communities. The IRC Sierra Leone has country office in Freetown and field offices in Bo, Kanema and Kailahun districts but implements currently in 10 districts of Bo, Moyamba, Pujehun, Bonthe, Falaba, Karene, Kailahun, Kenema Kono & Western Urban Area. Currently IRC Sierra Leone programming aims at governance and system strengthening for access to quality healthcare services and improving the education, livelihoods, and well-being of women and girls.

Job overview

The Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) is a member of the Senior Management Team and is integral to the successful implementation of IRC’s programs in Sierra Leone. The DDP will work closely and under the direct supervision of the Country Director (CD), and with a close working relationship with other SMT members and the Regional/HQ technical units. The DDP is responsible for overall program leadership in the areas of strategic programming and planning, ensuring quality implementation. The DDP is the focal point for strategy development, review, and monitoring. The DDP is also responsible for overall business development and fundraising, quality program design and implementation, promoting strategic growth and strong external and internal representation and advocacy. S/he must be able to motivate and lead a diverse staff as well as effectively manage programs, partnerships and budgets. The DDP supervises the Grants Coordinator, Partnership Coordinator, Senior Health Coordinator, WPE Coordinator and MEAL Coordinator. The DDP is responsible for leading and managing the country’s programs, grant management & M&E. The DDP is expected to contribute to high levels of teamwork and inter-departmental and cross-sectoral collaboration.

Through the DDP’s leadership the IRC Sierra Leone country program will develop and implement high quality programs based on the principles of results, data-driven analysis, problem identification and problem solving. The position is based in Freetown with frequent travel to all field locations.

Major responsibilities

Ethics, Integrity and Safeguarding

• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Way (code of conduct) , Safeguarding policies and procedures, and other Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicate through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

• Ensure that programs are designed in ensure integrity and safeguarding are central to all interactions with clients.

• Spearhead the implementation and review of the country program’s Clients’ Feedback and Response Mechanism (CRM) according to IRC’ Global CRM standards. Ensure that complaints are handled according to policies and procedures.

• Ensure all partners under a sub-award contract adhere to their safeguarding policies and procedures and meet donor minimum requirements/standards.

Strategy & planning

• With the support of the Country Director, lead the development and implementation and reviews of Sierra Leone phase 2 SAP taking into consideration the context of Sierra Leone.

• Lead the development, follow up and progress review of the SAP – implementation plan (SAP-IP) and associated budget in collaboration with all departments and key resource persons identified in the SAP-IP, in line with organizational guidelines and country program needs.

• Champion Strategy implementation and ensure all country program colleagues are familiar with the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and that all programs are in line with IRC Sierra Leone’s strategy.

• Follow up on SAP – implementation plan (SAP-IP) actions with key focal points identified in the plan.

• Develop and manage the FY25 SAP budget for the country program, ensuring expenses are reviewed and re-forecasted monthly.

Business Development & Grants Management

• Lead the implementation/operationalization and review of IRC’s country program business development strategy to ensure that individual sector programs, overall strategy and operations are adequately funded.

• Develop donor engagement plan and be proactive in engaging with in country donors to market IRC work and explore opportunities for funding for all sectors in the short and medium term through donor engagements

• Work with technical coordinators to develop technical capacity statements for IRC that can be used to for communication and marketing IRC technical expert to donors and other partners

• Lead the grant management team to ensure IRC Sierra Leone is meeting all institutional donor and internal reporting and compliance requirement.

• In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator and Technical Coordinators, ensure that quality and timely donor reports are generated and submitted to headquarters and donors, ensuring programmatic review and inputs on all reports ahead of submission.

• Lead the technical Coordinators and Grants Coordinator to conduct effective Project Cycle Management meetings, ensuring preparation is done in advance and follow-up actions are implemented in a timely manner.

Program Design and technical Oversight

• Ensure the highest level of quality in program design through robust and in-depth context analysis, development of theories of change and sector level strategies. Through rigorous M&E processes and results-based management, periodic and systematic learning is informing program design and adaptation.

• Lead program design initiatives drawing on evaluations, lessons learnt and identified beneficiary needs in collaboration with Technical Coordinators.

• Lead grant Technical Coordinators and M&E to write high quality proposals, meeting identified needs and donor requirements. The process of proposal development should be inclusive, bringing on board all sectors.

• Promote the use and understanding of IRC’s IMPACT standards and Outcome and Evidence Framework across the project cycle.

• Ensure issues of gender equality and protection mainstreaming are integrated into program design.

• Identify opportunities to diversify the IRC Sierra Leone Country Program’s portfolio working in collaboration with the Grants Unit, Technical Coordinators and Technical Advisors, as well as regional business development colleagues.

• In collaboration with supply chain and finance functions, support Technical Coordinators to develop and update item forecasts, spending plans and M&E frameworks monthly/as needed.

• ensure efficient and effective delivery of program quality commitments through overseeing the development and implementation of tools such as program oversight management plans, spend plans, budget versus actual reports, work plans and in collaboration with Project management teams, lead project reports and etc in a timely manner are taken by relevant units as needed.

• Maintain strong working relationships with Technical Units and Technical Advisors, to ensure adequate remote and in-country support in line with country office needs and strategic direction.

• Ensure the Country Program adheres to IRC’s Global partnership policy, Partnership Excellence for Effectiveness and Results System (PEERS).

• Support the identification of strategic partnerships and foster strong relationships; including providing capacity building support as needed.

Partnership Management

• Ensures the Country Programs adherence to IRC’s Global partnership policy, Partnership Excellence for Effectiveness and Results System (PEERS).

• Supports the Sector Coordinators to identify strategic partnerships and foster strong relationships.

• Provide strategic and/or capacity development support to partners, especially local partners, as needed and as identified via due diligence processes under PEERS.

• Ensure that the staff manage partners according to PEERS and in line with IRC partnership values and principals with specific regards to joint designs, grant management, approach, communications, and decision making.

• Raise all potential risks related to partnerships to SMT to ensure proper mitigation steps are determined and implemented.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning and Client Responsiveness

• Ensure all projects have monitoring and evaluation plans in place from the outset, which are reviewed at regular intervals.

• Support the M&E Coordinator to ensure the M&E team stays up to date on IRC M&E practices through regular communication with the Regional Measurement and Action Coordinator (RMAC) and training on the MEAL handbook.

• Ensure adequate budgeting of M&E, accountability and learning activities in all proposals.

• Support the MEAL Coordinator and Client Responsiveness Manager to roll out Client Response Mechanisms in line with the Client Responsiveness and Safeguarding Mechanisms SOP.

Advocacy and Communications

• Working closely with the CD and SMT, represent the IRC with donors and government institutions, at interagency meetings, conferences, seminars or other events.

• Develop a Communications & Visibility Plan to improve and highlight IRC’s programs in Sierra Leone

• Lead and contribute to advocacy efforts on relevant sectoral policies and on programmatic issues.

• Lead the development and updating of informational materials such as brochures, fact sheets, articles, posters, audio-visual materials, etc. to promote the work of IRC among various stakeholders and constituencies, in particular donors, international organizations, NGOs, and IRC headquarters.

• Working in collaboration with HQ communications team, ensure that the Sierra Leone page on the IRC Global website is updated.

• In coordination with the Country Director and the SMT, ensure an effective communication mechanism is in place to facilitate access to information by all staff to enhance inclusive participation and empowering work environment.

Country Leadership

• Contribute to the effective leadership of the country program as an active member of IRC Sierra Leone Senior Management Team and Country Leadership Group.

• Encourage constructive and productive relationships between program staff and operations, finance and field staff and promoting high quality program development and design and quality assurance role of the Technical Coordinators and other program staff.

• Act as CD when and as delegated by the Country Director when he is out of office

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Where relevant hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.

• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promote a strong team spirit and provide oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

• Approve and manage attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.

• Hold high-quality meetings with direct reports on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.

• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.

• As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs.

• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.

• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, safeguarding policy and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Key working relationships

Position Reports to: Country Director

Position directly Supervises: Senior Health Coordinator, WPE Coordinator, Grants Coordinator, MEAL Coordinator and Partnership Coordinator

Key Internal Contacts:

• Country Program: SMT, Senior Health Technical Adviser, Finance Coordinator, SC Coordinator, Senior HR/Admin Manager and Field Manager

• Region/Global: Deputy Regional Director, Award Management Unit, HQ and Regional Technical Units/TAs

Key External Contacts: Donors, Central Government, District Local Authorities Technical Line Ministries, UN Agencies, INGOs, National Organization, and consortium partners

Job requirements

Education:

• Masters in development, international relations, social sciences, community Development, Economics or relevant fields

Work Experience:

• At least seven years of international experience in management of complex recovery and development programs in Africa or similar context.

• Demonstrated skills and experience in program design and delivery, including proposal development.

• Demonstrated ability for rapid, accurate analysis of complex issues, strong decision-making, and translation of programmatic priorities into operational strategies.

• Extensive representation and fundraising success, including prior experience with European, US and international donors.

• Successful experience delivering appropriate levels of oversight for a portfolio consisting of a variety of complex, high-value donor-funded projects.

• Proven capacity in staff management, multi-tasking, time management and diplomacy.

• Must be an innovative and creative problem solver, and a team player, with experience working with multi-cultural teams.

• Demonstrated successful leadership experience managing a multi-disciplinary team and cross-cultural dynamics.

• Proven track record of leading and developing multi-location teams.

• Solid skills and experience in program design and delivery, proposal development and monitoring and evaluation.

• Strong oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders.

• Expertise and knowledge on a diversity of programs and working in consortia.

• Motivated, positive individual who excels at taking initiative and is able to motivate team members to produce results under pressure.

• Strong commitment to IRC’s vision, mission, and core values.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills

• Must have good multitasking skills and copes well with pressure and adapts and learns from adversity.

• Problem Solving & Judgment effectively uses critical thinking in solving problems.

• Results Driven: sets challenging and clear expectations to meet organization priorities.

• Good teamwork and leadership skills are essential to motivate different groups of people to fulfil their responsibilities within a given time frame.

• Demonstrates well-developed interpersonal skills, excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, as well as negotiation skills.

• Ability to work with multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams.

• Diplomatic both within the organization and with external interactions.

• Values diversity, inclusion, people with disabilities and minorities groups

• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations with minimal supervision and without compromising on deadlines or quality.

Languages:

• Fluent English (Written and Spoken)

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Ability to Travel: 40% of travel time to various program locations.

**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.