Senior Field Manager

Background/IRC Summary:  

Today, almost 11 years since the crisis began, 13.4 million people in Syria - more than half of the country's population - are in need of humanitarian assistance. The devastation wreaked by over a decade of conflict has been exacerbated by widespread economic collapse and most recently the Covid-19 pandemic. Stretching increasingly vulnerable people’s coping mechanisms to their very limit. More than 6.8 million refugees and asylum-seekers have been forced to flee the country, the vast majority now hosted by neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis via a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1000+ staff in the Syria Country Program. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, early childhood development, education, women’s protection and empowerment, non-food items and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, protection and rule of law, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Senior Field Manager Hassaka office and Derek office and all areas under Hassaka and Derek Office, including the camps(Hol, Areesha, Washokani, Serekani, Roj, Newroze ) Camps will report to the FD in NES. The Senior Field Manager will be responsible for all field management of IRC’s work in the Hassaka and Derek offices and lead in partnership with senior operations staff. The Senior Field Manager will supervise all field management and supply chain-related aspects of IRC’s work in the Hassaka and Derek offices. Specifically, the position will directly line-manage the field management teams will lead the Supply Chain team and admin teams, and ultimately handle Managers for department heads in the field (HR, Finance, HAS, Partnerships, Grants). They will be responsible for ensuring that field operations are functional and effective, in turn chipping in to consistently high-quality programs. In close coordination with the FD, they will actively participate in the design of IRC programs in the Hassaka and Derek offices from an operational and feasibility perspective and work with the program lead (Program Manager) to ensure IRC programs are implemented in an integrated approach during regular and emergency implementation.

Responsibilities:

Operational Support and Finance:
In close collaboration with the FD relevant support departments and input from the Senior Field Manager(s):

• Ensures that all policies, procedures, and practices align with IRC, donor, and national requirements.
• Supervises procurements in close cooperation with Supply Chain staff.
• Promotes team spirit, cohesion, respect, and the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct among staff in Hassaka and Derek offices area in close collaboration with Human Resources.
• Partners in investigations of misconduct when required and actively collaborates with FD and Human Resources Coordinator if disciplinary measures are required, taking into consideration the safety and security of IRC staff, programs, and assets in the respective area.
• In close partnership with the Humanitarian Access and Security department and FD, promotes safety and security practices and adherence to IRC global security principles; supports in development and review of Field Security Management Plan for each region in NES.
• In close partnership with the security department, advises and oversees security and humanitarian access assessments for new areas of program implementation and IRC response.
• In close collaboration with IT department, promotes and ensures compliant use of IRC equipment and communication resources, including adherence to BIS licenses, confidentiality, and storage of data and similar.
• In coordination with Finance, be responsible for the development and submission of the consolidated monthly spending plan for the field activities.
• In coordination with Finance, Supply Chain, and programs, leads the communications with the Hawala service provider to secure the required liquidity for covering IRC activities in the field mainly distribution of salary in the camps.
• Oversees the processing of the field payments among the supply chain and the finance departments to ensure smooth and timely delivery of payments.
• Work daily with support staff; to ensure proper daily support functions and compliance with IRC and donor policies.
• Ensure adherence to IRC administrative procedures by support and program; Supervise support to daily office and program activities in the area.
• Ensure that IRCs’ procurement activities are legal and moral.
• Assist Program and Operational personnel in regular procurement planning meetings.
• Assist staff as needed on the timely completion of purchase requests and other documentation.
• Supervise the gathering of quotations and bids from the market for PRs as per IRC standards and formats.
• Interact with contractors in coordination with the Program & Supply chain team.
• Ensures that the required documentation of supplies and transactions are completed to IRC standards.
• Coordinate with the Finance Department to ensure that payments to vendors are made on time and without any unnecessary strain on the financial systems of IRC.
• Maintain a file on market prices for commonly bought items.
• Review Master Agreements for goods and services.

Program support

• Serves as point person for operational support to programs inside the Hassaka and Derek offices and camps and in coordination with the FD, provides strategic leadership to overall programming in the designated area of operations.
• Oversees the Program managers and the work of the relevant field teams during the preparatory work, assessments, technical requirements, and selection of external entities in support of the specific projects/program.
• Promotes strong linkages and exchange between operations and program teams, including in the field and other offices, to ensure the sharing of standard methodologies and expertise.
• Advises the FD about strategic programming directions, opportunities, and issues affecting project implementation or key local issues affecting future grants/project developments.
• Ensure that IRC implementation is responsive to/ targeting in-need communities and coordinated with partners, other implementing agencies, and clusters.
• Engage in the design phase of IRC programs and enable programs to adapt to context changes and conflict environments.

Humanitarian Access and Security (HAS):

• The FM and the HAS Manager(focal point)ensure the HAS Coordinator cooperates within their area of responsibility and jointly collaborates closely with the relevant area/camps authorities.
• Liaise with International and local NGOs and officials/authorities, as required.
• Advise, as required, on the policies, procedures, and interactions with the authorities in the areas of operations.
• Represent IRC with local authorities, donors, and other meetings in their area of operations and the related area/camps.
• Support and liaise with HAS coordinator on access plans and stakeholder mapping.

Human Resources:

• Form partnerships across all units within the hub and deliver valuable services that match the organization's business objectives and meet the strategic requirements of IRC workforce.
• Support the HR team in the planning and execution of global, regional, and county HR initiatives for the country program.
• Collaborate with HR team members in the field and area offices to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of work practices, as well as consistent standards across the program. This includes but is not limited to, timely submission of completed Timesheets, ensuring legal statutory payments in the field where applicable, daily attendance to duty station, and ensuring that all department heads have completed a thorough leave plan for their respective departments to ensure minimal disruption in field operations, and FM should be enabled to access all HR files that need.
• Provide backup support to the field offices upon the need for onboarding of new staff, with the goal of ensuring new hire and orientation practices are implemented in accordance with IRC standards.
• Provide support in recruitment efforts and convey crucial needs and requirements in the field that must be addressed promptly in collaboration with HR Coordinator designee in the field and Talent Acquisition Unit lead for Their area of operation. This includes, but is not limited to, obstructions and changes in recruiting methods carried out by local authorities.
• Upon need, handle employee relations disputes with relevant HR representatives, complaints, and conflicts in a professional manner with the goal of empowering employees and supervisors to have the necessary tools, resources, and knowledge to resolve conflicts in a positive reinforcement manner.
• Model, promote and uphold a culture of values as reflected in our code of conduct, The IRC Way: Standards for Professional Conduct – Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Emergency Response Support:

• Closely supervises the context developments in the field to identify any significant movement of IDPs, the spread of epidemics or natural disasters in areas of IRC operations, and other ways for possible expansion based on need.
• In coordination with the Program Manager, supports FD decision to initiate an emergency response when the situation requires.
• Leads coordination with the field emergency response team and ensures that clear plans are set and communicated to the field team and supports the field team in addressing any implementation challenges.

• Collaborates with program focal points to issue Situational Reports.

Coordination and Representation

External

• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with all stakeholders, to enhance partnership and coordination between organizations. (Remotely and in person)
• Represents the IRC, participating in NGO Forum meetings as well as sectoral working group meetings and camp management meetings as appropriate.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Develop and implement remote management capacity-building approaches to build the strengths of teams.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to perform in their positions successfully.
• Approve and manage time, attendance, and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.
• 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 in collaboration with HR. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff!