Background/IRC Summary:
Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading international organization working in relief, rehabilitation, protection, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those affected by the world’s worst humanitarian crises. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.
Working in coordination with the humanitarian community and governing bodies within the Syrian Regional Response (SRR), IRC is currently addressing the needs of conflict-affected Syrians from several operational bases in the region. IRC’s activities in the region focus on the direct and in-direct provision of primary, secondary and specialized health care services, and the supply of vital medications and medical supplies, in conjunction with non-food items, water and sanitation efforts and child protection programs. Together, this forms part of an over-arching humanitarian response in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq to assist refugees, IDPs and conflict-affected Syrians in coordination with NGOs and civil society organizations to survive conflict and displacement.
IRC has brought much of its global knowledge forward, and has effectively adapted its response to the Syrian crisis. Backstopping all programming is a robust technical team, with specialties within each sector of intervention. Supplementing technical knowledge and knowhow is an IRC senior management team that draws on regional and global experience. IRC maintains plentiful experience and involvement in various countries, crises and cross-border situations as well as the respective humanitarian Health Sectors/Clusters. IRC has attracted staff with in-depth institutional knowledge of international standards in emergencies for health including (but not restricted to) SPHERE, Global Health Cluster Standards, MISP, IASC Guidelines for Reproductive Health in Emergencies, IASC Guidelines for HIV in Emergencies, Polio response, HIS data systems and ICT systems/platforms.
IRC believes in collaboration and coordination with local agencies/actors to carry out program objectives and project goals. Local partner agencies are regularly consulted throughout the project management cycle and partnership managers form a wide support network for capacity building components driven through IRC supportive technical teams/sectors.
Job Overview/Summary
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 Focal Point and the WOS Health Sector Information Management Officer (IMO) appointed by WHO) to ensure a harmonized, coherent and complementary approach for the response to the needs of Syrian people delivered through the three health sector/cluster groups working from inside Syria, Jordan and Southern Turkey. Working with the WOS Health Sector Focal Point s/he will provide strategic direction/oversight on issues across the affected countries/operational hubs promoting a coherent coordinated approach where appropriate. S/he will also provide technical advice to health sector/cluster partners and assist in leading a coordinated and effective WOS health sector/cluster response to Syrians affected by the crisis inside Syria together with health sector partners and with the international community, with specific attention to
vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Context:
Currently, the WOS approach is being operated from the following hubs/countries:
1 Damascus, where the bulk of the operation is, covering government-controlled, opposition, contested, and hard-to-reach areas. A health sector working group chaired by WHO coordinates the provision of health services to the people in need.
2 Gaziantep, where a health sector working group, chaired by WHO with a co-chair from Save the Children, coordinates the provision of health services to Syrians in northern Syria. Operations in Gaziantep also cover opposition, contested, and hard-to-reach areas.
3 Amman, where a health and nutrition sector working group, is chaired by WHO with a co-chair from the IRC, coordinates the provision of health services to Syrians in Southern Syria. Operations from Amman cover opposition, contested, and hard-to-reach areas.
Working with the WOS Health Sector Focal Point and IMO, both to be appointed by the WHO Emergency Support Team (EmST), the Co-Lead will assist in providing strategic directions on issues across Syria from the current three hubs promoting a coherent coordinated approach where appropriate. S/he will also provide technical advice to health sector partners and stakeholders, and coordinate Health Cluster/sector activities under the WOS Strategic Response Plan (SRP) 2015 (SRP). S/he 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 Co-Lead will perform his/her functions within the context of the Syria crisis as a G3/L3 graded emergency where the Health Sector Groups have been operational in the current three hubs and the Cluster approach may be adopted (formally or informally) to further strengthen coordination efforts and where WHO is the leading agency for the he
alth sector/cluster in each of the current hubs, and Co- Leads being present in two hubs.
With the WOS approach being operated from three hubs in three different countries at the time being, the specific context in each of these hubs/countries should be taken into consideration. The context is more of a health cluster in one hub/country, while it is more of a health sector/working group in others. The Co-Lead will maintain contacts with other Health Sector/Cluster Working Group Coordinators, WOS Inter Sector/Cluster Working Group (ISWG equivalent), NGOS, UN, the WOS Strategic Steering Group (SSG, regional HCT equivalent), and stakeholders in the current hubs to provide information and coordinate activities. Duties also involve reviewing and tracking of funding to the Health Sector in the WOS SRP 2015, and mechanisms that may necessitate pooled funding processes.
Major Responsibilities:
Management and Coordination
Working with the WOS Health Sector Focal Point and the WOS Health Sector Information Officer (both appointed by WHO) the Co-Lead will perform the following duties:
1 Identify and make contact with other WOS Sector/Cluster coordinators at the regional level and other regional stakeholders. Contact with hub level stakeholders and existing coordination mechanism, including international NGOs and the civil society is done through the relevant health coordinator at the hub level.
2 Hold regular WOS coordination meetings with the leads/co-leads and with the health sector/working group/cluster partners from the hubs when necessary, building when possible on existing health sector coordination fora.
3 Feed into WOS Health Sector Strategic Advisory Group meetings when conducted.
4 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.
5 Assist in leading the harmonization of health information management tools and products of the three hubs.
6 Develop in light of the OCHA SIMAWG (WOS IM group, the Syria Information Management and Analysis Working Group) guidance and in consultation with the hubs the information sharing protocols, including data protection and sharing of sensitive information and ensure compliance by the hubs.
7 Oversee, compile and analyze key health indicators and data from all hubs to ensure production of knowledge to steer the strategic and operational planning for the WOS health response. This includes the: WOS 4Ws, HeRAMS, EWARS/N, and WOS joint health cluster assessment analyses.
8 In coordination with the hubs, identify humanitarian health needs of the target populations by planning and coordinating joint, WOS inter-cluster/multi-sectoral cluster assessments, as needed and determined by the Inter Sector/cluster Coordination Group (ISCCG) and SIMAWG.
9 Ensure, through involving health sector cluster/working group coordinators at each of the hubs, partners’ active contribution to and involvement in joint monitoring of individual and WOS common plans of action for health interventions.
10 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.
11 Represent the WOS Health Sector in WOS ISCCG 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.
12 Assist in leading joint WOS Health Sector contingency planning for potential new events or set-backs, when required.
13 Assist in provision of support and strategic direction to WOS health cluster/sector at the hub level and the SSG in the development of the health sector components of SRP, CERF proposals, and other interagency planning and funding documents.
14 Assist in collation of information from hubs to financially track and determine status of Health Sector funding under the WOS SRP 2015
15 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.
16 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 essential workshops or in-service training.
17 Ensure appropriate links among humanitarian actions and longer-term health sector plans, incorporating the concept of -building back better’ and specific risk reduction measures.
Job Requirements:
* At least 5 years of relevant experience at national and international level, including experience in managing and coordinating health humanitarian programs in conflict or post-conflict countries.
* 3-5 years experience working for an international NGO in humanitarian and emergency response, preferably in the Middle East
* At least one year of working as a health cluster coordinator or co lead preferably in a complex emergency setting
* In-depth knowledge of emergency relief policies and procedures with the UN, the IASC, the CCG, donor agencies, national and international NGOs.
* Sound knowledge of Cluster Approach and Health Cluster mechanisms.
* Sound knowledge of disaster prevention and preparedness programs.
* University degree in health and Master’s degree in Public Health and/or other health related field
* Post graduate studies in emergency management, international aid, humanitarian principles, health system recovery, and health cluster coordinator training.
* Experience in working with donors in humanitarian context.
* Excellent knowledge in written and spoken English.
* Conversational ability in Arabic strongly preferred
* Working knowledge of a second international/ UN and/or local language. Arabic language will be an asset.
* Proficiency in MS Office
Competencies
* Building and promoting partnerships
* Communicating in a credible and effective way
* Fostering integration and team work
* Producing results
* Respecting and promoting individual and cultural difference
* Working Environment: Standard office environment in Amman. Extensive travel to Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey, up to 60%. Post will be based in Amman for six months followed by Gaziantep for six months.
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* The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian relief and development organizations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC today responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps uprooted people survive, recover and rebuild their lives in the aftermath of armed conflict and natural disaster. We are committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and thorough accountability to those we serve
