Job Title: Responsive Information Services in Emergencies Specialist, IRC
Job Description
Over the last ten years, the humanitarian community has increasingly accepted the importance of dedicated information services as essential to effective crisis response and as an enabler of fundamental rights. Despite this growing recognition, collective responsive approaches to information services and community engagement still struggle to take hold in humanitarian responses generally and considerably more so in emergency settings. Challenges include three primary gap areas:
1. The absence of an accessible and easy-to-use, frontline focused toolkit that brings together global best practice in responsive information and community engagement fit for purpose for emergency deployment
2. Tools to effectively operationalize meaningful participation of affected populations (in all their diversity) and community/local networks from the start of a crisis, and
3. Tools to support humanitarian actors to implement inclusive responses through an intersectional, analysis-driven approach that examines and addresses the drivers and impacts of exclusion in specific operational contexts from the design phase.
Over a two-year project IRC in partnership with other leading organizations will work to address these gaps and to strengthen the capacity of humanitarian organizations to deliver lifesaving, inclusive and responsive information services and community engagement in emergencies.
Position Summary
The Responsive Information Specialist will collaborate with a diverse pool of humanitarian experts and lead development of a practical frontline-staff-facing toolkit with an eye towards sector-wide uptake. They will be responsible for all project results, including convening the interagency Advisory Group, drafting the consolidated toolkit, and supporting programming elements of two pilot projects where the toolkit will be tested in emergency settings.
Length of Assignment: 2 years, potential to extend
Location: U.S. & UK, must be authorized to work in these locations; Kenya: open to international and national candidates.
Responsibilities
Toolkit development & roll-out
• Lead the development of a consolidated Responsive Information Services in Emergencies (RISE) toolkit, including refining approaches and consolidating, adapting and / or developing practical tools to be adapted and used in natural disasters, outbreaks settings, and mass displacements.
• Conduct desk review, formative learning, and mapping of existing tools and guidance documenting approaches to responsive information services, inclusion and participation of affected communities, across agencies and sectors.
• Organize and facilitate a design workshop with interagency technical specialists who have operational experience providing information services and Communication, Community Engagement and Accountability (CCEA) in acute emergencies.
• Coordinate and address technical inputs from project stakeholders, including Advisory Group members and frontline service providers, throughout toolkit development
• Support field testing of the toolkit, including leading all aspects of contextualization and learning from the toolkit in pilot contexts, and training and liaising with staff on toolkit implementation.
• Coordinate with M&E focal point to document learning from pilots and ensure that the RISE toolkit is refined and adapted over the course of the project according to user feedback.
• Work with designer, translators, and consultant for accessibility audit to finalize the toolkit.
• Develop and implement strategy for dissemination of the final toolkit, including webinars, trainings, and awareness-raising opportunities
Coordination and Representation
• Establish and chair monthly meetings with project technical team and interagency Advisory Group
• Develop agendas, ensure documentation and follow up on action points from meetings with technical team and Advisory Group
• Represent IRC and RISE project in relevant strategic meetings and external coordination
Grants Management & Reporting
• Lead implementation and ensure adherence to grant work plans, budget, procurement and spending plans, and monitoring and evaluation plans.
• Work closely and coordinate with IRC operations, finance and grant staff to ensure timely and quality program activities and expenditures, in line with IRC and donor regulations.
• Produce high-quality programmatic donor reports, provide communications, and participate in meetings/calls as needed to keep the donor informed of program progress.
Key Working Relationships
• Position reports to: Management in Partnership with Information Services Advisor, Senior Technical Advisor VPRiE
• Position directly supervises: N/A
• Regular internal (IRC) contact with: This position will work closely with RISE Project Technical Team, including members from VPRiE, Protection Rule of Law, Signpost, and Technical Innovation. They will also work with Emergency Response teams and/or country teams implementing pilots.
• Regular external contact with: Members of the Advisory Group and related interagency bodies such as the Global Protection Cluster, the CDAC Network, and the Reference Group on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
Job Requirements
• At least 3-6 years of direct experience implementing Community Engagement, CWC, or information services programming in humanitarian and acute emergency contexts;
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, and proven track record to prioritize and deliver on time
• Effectiveness in bridging conceptual frameworks and practical guidance
• Proven experience with interagency coordination or management of interagency projects/programs;
• Strong facilitation skills and understanding of adult learning techniques;
• Strong writing skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex ideas into clear, accessible tools and products;
• Ability to work both independently and in a dynamic, cross-functional global interagency team structure;
• Language: excellent written and verbal English required; fluency in French, Arabic, or Spanish strongly preferred.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires new hires to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for any in-office or hybrid positions. All IRC US offices require full vaccination to attend any in-office functions (e.g., meetings, trainings).
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.
