Country Director

International Rescue Committee

The IRC launched an emergency response in oPt in 2023, responding to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as expanding operations to the West Bank.

Implementing a diverse, integrated program of health, protection, cash and scaling up in WASH and nutrition, these programs prioritize local partnerships with both public institutions and civil society, and span emergency, humanitarian, recovery, and development modalities, while serving vulnerable Palestinians in oPT

The IRC is working directly and with partners to increase medical aid, empower and protect women, provide essential water and nutrition services and support children in Gaza and working with partners to increase medical aid, health care assistance and capacity strengthening for people in Gaza.

IRC is also working through partners to deliver child protection, women s protection and empowerment and education.

IRC and its partners launched a program to enhance emergency preparedness for health services in the West Bank, in areas worst hit by violence in the last year. We are working to strengthen the health system's capacity and maintain critical health services during crises, saving as many lives as possible.

Major Responsibilities:

Leadership and Representation

• Develop a vision and carry out strategies that result in contextualized high-quality programs that meet the identified needs of clients.
• Lead the country program by maintaining open and professional relations with colleagues, promoting a strong team spirit and providing guidance, oversight and resources to enable staff to perform successfully.
• Initiate and sustain strong, mutually beneficial, and authentic partnerships with oPt organizations.
• Ensure that the IRC remains a partner of choice for major international (institutional and non-institutional) donors.
• Seek out and pursue opportunities to raise the profile of the work of the IRC and its partners, as well as the lives and the needs of the people IRC seeks to serve.

Staff Management, Learning and Development

• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, and providing regular and timely feedback.
• As part of a succession plan, identify, train, and develop the capability and capacity of staff to successfully transition specific roles and responsibilities to national staff.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.
• Develop and be accountable to a culture of psychological safety, inclusion, respect, and teamwork.

Stewardship and Operational Management

• Drive operational excellence to achieve optimal efficiency and cost-effectiveness in all functions and operations of the country program.
• Oversee the development, deployment and utilization of financial and operational policies, procedures, and systems to deliver compliance with IRC and donor requirements.
• Ensure responsiveness and appropriate levels of in-person and remote support to all offices, especially in the areas of P&C, finance, and supply chain.
• Provide timely and effective oversight of the oPt country program s financial position.
• Maintain effective and coordinated budget monitoring processes for grant funds and discretionary funds.

Security Management

• The CD remains the ultimate responsible for ensuring that all security arrangements are in place for staff and partners. Through supervision of humanitarian access and security staff, ensure absolute conformity to security rules and regulations, application of security plans, timely communication to team in case of concern;
• Liaise with the regional office, with peer agencies and use the tools and information portals available to keep abreast of all security-related matters; In case of necessity, ensure adequate roll-out of emergency procedures.

Communications

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the IRC Way Global Standards for Professional Conduct throughout the oPt country program.
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest, and productive communication among IRC staff and with partner organizations.
• Maintain open communication with regional management staff and technical advisors, and HQ departmental staff.