Requisition ID: req59482 Job Title: Senior WPE Officer Sector: Women Protection & Empowerment Employment Category: Regular Employment Type: Full-Time Open to Expatriates: No Location: Idlib & Homs - Syria Work Arrangement: Job Description Background/IRC Summary: The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syria’s NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context. With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency. Protection The IRC has been delivering protection programs in the northwest since 2013 and in the northeast of Syria since 2014, focusing on Protection/Rule of Law (PRoL), Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and Child Protection (CP). These efforts include specialized case management, PSS, protection monitoring, service mapping, and advocacy. Collaborating with partners, IRC improves access to protection services, raises community awareness, and strengthens referral pathways. Protection capacity building, community outreach, and rapid response through mobile protection teams have also been provided since 2017. Job Overview/Summary: As part of its Syria response, the IRC has programs to support women and girls throughout Idlep and Homs, , and governorates in Syria. The IRC provides psychosocial support (PSS) and case management services to women and girls throughout northeast Syria. The WPE Senior Officer is a roving position and will require regular weekly travel to field locations, directly supporting at least two sites of WPE activities. This position will oversee and support the day-to-day WPE activities in their designated sites in static centers and/or mobile locations. They will provide technical support and mentorship to the WPE team and, working closely with the WPE Manager/Senior WPE Manager, ensure quality services and implementation of PSS and group activities aimed at building social support networks, case management for women and girl GBV survivors, risk mitigation and risk reduction activities, community-based interventions and mobilization aimed at strengthening community acceptance and support for the program and prevention. This position is based in Idleb and Homs and will cover WPE activities directly supported and supervised by Protection Manager, with technical support from the Senior WPE Manager. Responsibilities: KEY RESPONSIBILITIES + Reinforce adherence to the technical standards that exists around violence against women programming including guiding principles throughout all GBV activities. + Support the WPE Officers, caseworkers and hospital staff in the provision of clinical care for sexual assault survivors’ services (specific focus on their adherence to internationals standards) + Provide training on case management, clinical care, psycho-social support, referral pathways, and survivor-centered approaches to local partners’ staff to ensure programming meets best-practice principles when working with women and girls who have experienced violence. + Support safe and ethical data collection, documentation and storage of all information related to GBV programming (both for IRC and local partners) + Develop key partnerships with local actors and establish partnerships based on an in-depth and detailed understanding of the working environment. + Work with other sectors to recognize the risks that exist for women and girls as well as enhance their protection and empowerment through multi-sectoral approaches. + Participate in conducting relevant assessments to inform future growth and direction of programming. + Prepare and compile quality monthly and quarterly project progress reports, as well as the final donor reports, and feed in other information as required. + Ensure progress reports are completed in accordance with deadlines and lessons learned are documented for internal use by IRC technical and program staff. + Assist in the program development and design process through assessments, proposal writing, and budget development. Technical Quality + Supervise and support the running of the WPE activities in your sites of operation through - + Ensuring that WPE program activities are women, girl, and survivor-centered, and adhere to standard methodology and GBV guiding principles, flagging any concerns to the WPE Manager in a timely manner. + Conducting regular weekly in-person field visits and providing remote support to supervise the successful implementation of WPE activities in the designated area of operation, which may include camps, clinics, urban women’s centers, and mobile locations. + Ensuring monthly site collaboration plans and weekly activity schedules are in place and updated, supervising progress with the WPE Officers, and ensuring weekly follow-up of activities against produced work plans. + Supporting the WPE team to continuously supervise and assess risk across all their services, activities, and sites of operations, raising any concerns immediately in line with procedures. + Meet regularly with the site teams to discuss, design, and plan community outreach, mobilization, and engagement activities; and support the team to identify, train, and mentor teams of community volunteers. + Meet regularly with the other WPE Senior Officers and Managers to discuss programming progress, successes, challenges, and responsiveness of our program; putting in place an action plan and follow up. + Support the team to develop Dignity Kit distribution plans and post-distribution monitoring; and provide as-needed support in distributions on site. Staff Supervision and Development + Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies. + Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths the teams in Syria. + Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews. + Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. + Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews. + Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, minimally on a monthly basis. + Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths. + As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies. + Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. + Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff. + Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment. Grants Management + Support the WPE Senior Manager and the IP manager to develop/update detailed work plan(s) that support and achieve overall grant requirements and commitments. + Monitor monthly expenditures and track budgets to ensure that all spending is in line with approved budgets and timelines, including developing procurement plans, monthly program spending plan, and cash forecasts. + With MEAL teams, ensure all monitoring activities are fully documented, including systematic and timely collection of information from program staff. + Contribute to IRC and donor reports as per set schedules according grant activities, indicators and successes. + Ensure that GBV activities and program development plans respond to a clear analysis of the problem, causes, contributing factors, and issues specific to women to girls, as identified through regular monitoring and evaluation activities. + Participate and oversee program budget development and budget expenditures to ensure effective use of resources against planned activities and expected outputs. + With MEAL team and GEDI manger ensure that client feedback mechanism are established and supported to collect client feedback, analyze and respond to concerned clients. Inter-agency Coordination and Representation + Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including community leaders, government actors, and other implementing partners. + Coordinate with and/or advise peer agencies, local government, and other stakeholders to promote delivery of inclusive and high-quality response services for women and girls. + Attend coordination and other relevant meetings upon request and as advised by the WPE Manager. Ensure adherence to response and referral protocols for women and girls through development of networks between service providers Coordination and referrals + Meets on a regular basis with other services providers and ensure quality, open and smooth coordination with them. + Act as main focal point for referral of non-GBV cases and protection concerns within the area of responsibility + At the direction of the IP Manager and the WPE senior Manager, effectively represent the GBV Working Group and other area-based coordination meetings. + Coordinate work with other GBV service providers and other humanitarian actors in their area of responsibility. Required Experience/qualification/Skills: + A university degree in social work, psychology, humanities, other social science, or related field. + Clear understanding of the impact and dynamics of GBV on women and girls. Demonstrated interest, enthusiasm, and commitment to working with women and girls, and their rights, safety, empowerment, and improving their access to resources and services. + 4 years direct experience in providing basic counselling, psychosocial support, case management, and delivering services to women and girls GBV survivors. + Experience providing training and mentoring to others. + 2 years Experience in supervising staff, activity design, planning and monitoring, and supervising direct services. + Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients. + Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting. + Ability to organize and priorities work and competing tasks, meet deadlines, and maintain composure. + Excellent communication, listening and observation skills, including ability to create trust, support, respect and interact with women, girls and survivors of all ages, background, and diversity. + Ability to discuss sensitive issues with respect, empathy, and professionalism. + Strengths in listening, empathy, flexibility, and creativity. + Knowledge and experience with community outreach and mobilization. + Familiarity with principles of monitoring and evaluation; experience in writing brief narrative reports and data reporting. + Good computer skills and familiarity with Word/Excel. 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. + Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience. + 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 and a sense of humor is a must. + Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies. Language/Travel: + A good command of English and Arabic are required. + Travel: 15% to field sites as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings. Key Working Relationships: Position Reports to:Protection Manager Indirect Report to for technical guidance:Senior WPE Manager Position directly supervises:WPE Officers and GBV Caseworkers Position provides technical support and mentorship to: WPE Officers, GBV Caseworkers (and Adolescent Girls Assistants, Community Mobilisers, depending on the base location) Other Internal and/or external contacts: Internal: Other WPE Senior Officers, WPE Admin and IM Officer External: Other local and international actors, camp management Professional Standards:IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs. Accountability to Clients:IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.