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 50 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 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 Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Today, 16.7 million people in Syria – more than half of the country’s population – are in need of humanitarian assistance with needs increasingly being exacerbated by economic decline. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.
IRC is implementing a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis through a well-established portfolio, supported by more than 1000+ staff in Syria Country Program. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria in the fields of health, protection and rule of law, child protection, early childhood development, women’s protection and empowerment, cash assistance, and livelihood and agriculture programming. As the context in Syria continues to shift, IRC is also looking to increase our efforts in early recovery, resilience and systems strengthening programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.
Job Overview/Summary
The IRC plays a leading role in health sector coordination through the Whole of Syria framework. The WoS Health Sector Co-Lead coordinates humanitarian health action through the active hub level Clusters and Working Groups in Gaziantep, Damascus, and North-East Syria (NES). Close engagement with local actors through established coordination structures across the country helps bridge the gap between senior level UN/INGO decision making and the needs and priorities of actors implementing programs inside of Syria.
The Whole of Syria (WOS) Health Sector Co-Lead will work together within the Whole of Syria (WOS) Health Sector Coordination Team (i.e. the WOS Health Sector Coordinator and the WOS Health Sector IMO appointed by WHO) to ensure a harmonized, coherent and complementary approach for the response to the needs of Syrian people delivered through the health sector/cluster groups working from inside Syria (Damascus), northwest Syria (Gaziantep), and northeast Syria (Hassakeh). He/She will act in accordance with principles laid out in by the Global Health Cluster, the IASC guidance for Cluster Coordination and the Transformative Agenda protocols.
The Whole of Syria (WOS) Health Sector Co-Lead will report to the IRC Deputy Country Director for Programs, and will be based in Amman, Jordan.
Major Responsibilities
The main role of the WoS Health Sector Co-Lead falls within the six core Cluster Functions: (1) Effective service delivery; (2) Inform strategic decision making; (3) Plan and develop strategy; (4) Monitor and evaluate performance; (5) Develop contingency plan/preparedness; and (6) Advocacy.
He/She will be working with the WOS Health Sector Coordinator and the WOS Health Sector Information Officer (both appointed by WHO) to perform the following duties:
• Coordinate with other WoS Sector/Cluster coordinators at the regional level and other regional stakeholders. Contact with hub level stakeholders and existing coordination mechanisms, including international NGOs and civil society, is done through the relevant health coordinator at the hub level.
• Hold regular inter-hub coordination meetings with the leads/co-leads of the health sector working group/clusters at the hub level every 3 months, where feasible.
• Ensure health sector/cluster hubs respond in a harmonized, coherent and complimentary manner to the health needs of all Syrians across the country and independently from their location of residence or socio-cultural background.
• Assist in proactively coordinating cross-line and cross-border programming to ensure complementarity of assistance.
• Support in developing and generating the necessary public health information products and analyses at the WoS level, particularly products aimed at improving response monitoring and advocacy.
• In coordination with the hubs, identify humanitarian health needs of the target populations by planning and coordinating joint, WoS multi-sectorial assessments, as needed and determined by the Inter Sector Group (ISG).
• Support in developing the WoS health advocacy strategy, and align messages and resource mobilization actions in accordance to the finalized strategy.
• Collate from each hub and disseminate common plans of actions and other information related to the health sector in regional sit-reps and/or regular Health Bulletins and other information products.
• Represent the WoS Health Sector at the ISG at the regional level, contribute to jointly identifying critical issues that require multi-sectoral responses, and plan the relevant synergistic interventions with the other clusters concerned.
• Assist in leading joint WoS Health Sector contingency planning for all hazards, in line with health cluster standards for contingency planning.
• Assist in providing support and strategic direction to WOS health cluster/sector in the development of the health sector components of HNO (Humanitarian Needs Overview), PMR (Periodic Monitoring Report), FTS (Financial Tracking Service), HRP (Humanitarian Response Plan), and other interagency planning and funding documents that are part of the IASC Humanitarian Program Cycle.
• Provide surge coordination support to hub level cluster/sectors as required.
• Promote adherence to standards and best practices by all health cluster/sector working group partners in the hubs taking into account the need for local adaption. Promote use of the Global Health Cluster Guide to ensure the application of common approaches, tools and standards.
• Identify urgent training needs in relation to technical standards and protocols for the delivery of key health services to ensure their adoption and uniform application by all Health Sector/Cluster partners in the hubs and coordinate the dissemination of key technical materials and the organization of workshops or in-service training.
• Ensure appropriate links among humanitarian actions and longer-term health sector plans, incorporating specific risk reduction measures.
People Management and Development
• Line manager of IRC-hosted health coordination-based positions, as identified based on need and IRC capacity
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members across the Syria country program, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions
• Take responsibility for discussing job expectations, performance, and objectives on an informal, quarterly basis with IRC Syria program staff
• Ensure team members have clearly delineated function, work tasks and responsibilities to enforce accountability and clarity in role
• Overall responsibility for staff timesheets, work plans and vacation schedules
• With team members, identify individual training needs and ensure access to training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs
• Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability on the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct
Required Experience/qualification/Skills:
• Post graduate degree in public health, medicine or related health field
• Minimum of 5 years proven experience working on health emergency response and coordination in humanitarian environments, including provision of technical advice to field teams;
• Excellent understanding of health issues in emergency situations and detailed knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines and laws and the Cluster system
• Experience leading, or co-leading health cluster/sector meetings, with Health Cluster Coordinator training preferred;
• Strong facilitation skills and experience of developing facilitation skills in others;
• English spoken and written fluency, including report writing skills.
• Demonstrable experience in advocacy and high-level negotiation skills.
• Strong experience with information management as related to the health sector, including maintaining standards of impartiality and confidentiality with data of a sensitive nature
• Excellent leadership, coordination, capacity building, planning and analytical skills;
• Excellent representation skills including the development of strong interpersonal relationships to facilitate communication within the cluster;
• Able to work successfully under pressure and ability to make timely decisions;
• Excellent written and spoken English, Arabic is an asset;
• Experience in Syria and/or in the region is preferred.
• Travel to Iraq (Erbil), Lebanon, Syria (Damascus, NES) and Turkiye, up to 30%.
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development
• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must.
• Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.
Key Working Relationships
• Position Reports to: Deputy Country Director for Programs
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: N/A
• Position directly Supervises: NES Emergency Outbreak Coordinator
• Key Internal Contacts: Director of Public Affairs, IRC Health Technical Team, Regional Health TA
• Key External Contacts: Whole of Syria Health Sector Coordinator (WHO); Whole of Syria Information Management Officer (WHO); WoS public health consultant, hub level Health Cluster Coordinators and information management officers (IMOs), Co-Leads (WHO and co-lead agencies); OCHA Regional and Hub Offices; other WoS Coordinators and Co-leads from different sectors; Global health Cluster (GHC), NES forum, SIRF and NGO forums, Health Partners in other neighboring countries as necessary, Donors representatives
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
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.