Job Overview
The Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Program Manager is responsible for ensuring smooth and quality implementation of daily project activities and that the programming is in line with project aims and meets GBV best practices and guiding principles. She will provide technical guidance, programmatic direction, and supervision to the WPE team and oversee all service delivery. With technical guidance from WPE Coordinator, the WPE Manager will support WPE program design and development in line with IRC Iraq’s Strategic Action Plan and priorities, and contribute in the conceptualizing and drafting of new funding proposals. The WPE Program Manager will also work closely with key staff in IRC’s other units to promote integrated and holistic programming.
Main Responsibilities
Program Implementation
- Provide leadership and guidance to the WPE team and oversee successful implementation of programs for Syrian refugees, displaced Iraqis and vulnerable host community members.
- Oversee the day to day implementation of IRC’s Women’s Protection and Empowerment program activities including management of the Women and Girls’ Community Center and mobile services.
- Provide technical guidance, oversight and support to the WPE team in provision of quality case management and psychosocial services to ensure the needs of women and girls who experience violence are met in a timely and consistent manner.
- Lead development and oversee implementation of community-based, primary prevention activities to engage all community members including women, girls, men and boys in GBV prevention and risk mitigation.
- Contribute to and inform continuous analyses of program and service delivery data for problem identification, program planning and advocacy purposes and to identify trends and gaps in case management and service provision to help improve programming.
- Develop and lead training of WPE team, GBV actors and service providers in case management, GBV core concepts, GBV tools and resources, psychosocial support, clinical management of rape survivors, and women’s empowerment approaches.
- Actively contribute to the creation and implementation of a WPE sector strategy to meet the needs of GBV survivors in Iraq, including WPE emergency preparedness plan.
- Support development of GBV resources/materials and supervise implementation of community GBV prevention activities to improve women and girls’ participation and increase awareness, acceptance of and access to safe space services.
- Ensure M&E tools and systems are developed, adapted and implemented based on WPE program needs in collaboration with WPE Coordinator and M&E department to track indicators to measure progress.
- Support and supervise implementation and security of program databases and information management systems according to global GBV standards, including the use of the Gender Based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS) /Primero
- In coordination with WPE Coordinator, support integration of Clinical Care for Sexual Assault Survivors’ services.
Human Resources
- Recruit staff in conjunction with Human Resources Department and ensure Performance Management Plan for all staff is in place and followed up regularly.
- Supervise WPE staff directly, as well as interns and consultants as needed, and oversee implementation of staff activity plans to ensure targets are met.
- Develop and lead implementation of capacity building plan for WPE staff based on documented capacity needs assessment exercise.
- Provide ongoing supervision, mentoring, training and technical support and guidance to WPE staff.
- Ensure adequate staffing and coverage of WPE program, manage vacation schedules, and ensure timely submission of WPE staff timesheets.
- Ensure WPE staff understand and adhere to IRC Way and GBV and best-practice principles, including strict adherence to confidentiality.
Grant Management
- Contribute to the development of proposals and concept notes for expanding IRC’s WPE portfolio in Iraqi Kurdistan.
- In collaboration with WPE and Field Coordinators, manage program budgets, develop and maintain work, spending and procurement plans for multiple projects to ensure the program is implemented according to schedule and budgets, and that program objectives and targets are met.
- Prepare high quality internal and external progress reports within agreed deadlines documenting program achievements and impact.
- Review Budget vs Actual reports and bring any over/under expenditure issues to the attention of the Coordinators in a timely manner and support the development of corrective plans.
- Participate in all grant opening, mid-term and closing meetings.
Coordination
- Represent the IRC’s WPE program at and coordinate activities with the GBV Working Group in Dohuk and any other relevant coordination meetings as required; and participate in advocacy initiatives as part of the Dohuk GBV Working Group.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partners, government, other NGOs and UN agencies to establish/strengthen appropriate referral systems and increase access to GBV services.
- Represent the WPE program with donors and other key stakeholders in collaboration with WPE Coordinator.
- Collaborate with other IRC departments and staff to ensure that the WPE program is properly supported and that all programming and activities are conducted according to IRC and donor policies and procedures.
- Maintain cross-sectoral collaboration with other IRC units to ensure integrated programming and the most holistic support to beneficiaries.
Other
- Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Field Coordinator with strong technical line to the WPE Coordinator
Position directly supervises: WPE Senior Officers
Indirect Reporting: other WPE staff, interns, and consultants
Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: close collaboration with the IRC Protection, Child Protection and ERD Teams, as well as with support departments (Supply Chain, Grants and Finance).
External: close collaboration with local actors (local NGOs, UN agencies, government agencies) and services providers.
Qualifications:
- Minimum of 2-3 years experience in the field of gender-based violence response with supervisory responsibilities, preferably working with refugees or conflict affected populations
- At least 2 years experience working directly on women’s rights and empowerment, or with survivors of GBV or developing, implementing or supervising programs for survivors
- Strong understanding of case management, psychosocial support and life skills programming to promote survivor healing and recovery
- Master’s degree in social work, Gender/Women Studies, Public Health, or other appropriate fields; or a Bachelor’s degree in related field with equivalent experience
- In-depth understanding of the root causes of GBV, related international standards, GBV prevention and response strategies, and GBV Guiding principles
- Proven leadership, program management, staff management and development skills
- Excellent communication and analytical skills and ability to present ideas effectively; demonstrated experience in writing progress and donor reports and proposals
- Ability to communicate sensitively and without judgment; good diplomatic skills
- Ability to use good judgment when making decisions and to take accountability for decisions made
- Emotional maturity and stability to resolve conflicts in non-violent way and maintain appropriate boundaries.
- Familiarity with principles and practice of monitoring and evaluation
- Professional maturity, sounds judgment
- Fluency in spoken/written English and Kurdish, Arabic is a plus
- Excellent knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and email/internet software.
