The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
This role is open to current IRC employees only.
The Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Unit is a strategic unit and organizational change lever responsible for developing a GEDI vision and strategy for the IRC, and empowering IRC departments to deliver on the DEI Strategy and the GEDI Action Plan. The Unit establish IRC’s approach to GEDI to strengthen our people, program quality, and influence foundations through a feminist lens.
Job Overview/Summary
Reporting to the Chief GEDI Officer, as the GEDI Director for Crisis Response, Recovery and Development (CRRD) and the Senior Director, People & Culture, CRRD, you will lead transformational activities and inspire change across CRRD by challenging existing practices, creating space for bottom-up learning and influence. You will serve as a thought partner to both the Chief GEDI Officer and the Senior People & Culture (P&C) Director for CRRD to devise departmental wide strategy and tactic to change management, challenge existing paradigm to ensure effective delivery on relevant parts of the GEDI Action Plan for CRRD/P&C, working in an integrated way with other departmental plans. .
We are looking for a team leader and creative, solution-driven GEDI expert with deep experience in translating feminist principles into organizational practices and policies to reach impact at scale. This is an exciting opportunity to advance IRC feminist commitments across our people and operation efforts by supporting leaders to embed intersectional feminist practices, taking antiracist and decolonial approach in their roles, the workplace, and within their teams.
GEDI Strategy and team leadership
•Lead and support the GEDI workstreams within CRRD P&C teams to achieve IRC GEDI goals. This includes identifying annual departmental wide GEDI s/priorities and ensuring delivery
•Serve as a member of CRRD People & Culture leadership team and as as thought partner to CRRD Senior P&C Director and CRRD Senior Leaders to ensure that people and operational priorities of the IRC GEDI Action Plan are embedded in CRRD strategic priorities including adequate resourcing through annual planning and budget process.
•Ensure effective management of departmental wide GEDI projects and strategic initiatives by proactively identifying, prioritizing, and planning for GEDI needs across CRRD.
•Build and oversee the CRRD GEDI team to ensure effective and timely support to strategic intervention across all CRRD (Regional and HQ teams including Tech EX and EHAU)based on identified priorities and oversee day to day management of GEDI work.
•Lead and coordinate the CRRD GEDI team to provide technical support and capacity building to CRRD regions and country offices in designing and implementing core staff facing GEDI initiatives/projects, including activities to strengthen leadership diversity, inclusion and belonging for staff.
•Serve as assessor of progress, develop and implement tools and processes to measure GEDI progress and aggregate outcomes to inform decision making including accountability framework and prioritization.
Technical support
•Working with CRRD Regional People & Culture Directors, P&C Partners and Senior GEDI Advisors, lead the development and implementation of new tools, policies, and processes to advance GEDI initiatives within CRRD such as tools, solutions, and programs to enable inclusion and promotion of key underrepresented employee groups through the employee life cycle (ex: women, SOGIESC, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+, underrepresented and racial minorities).
•Provide coaching and support to leadership and staff on GEDI issues, helping to address challenges and foster an inclusive culture.
•Lead partnership with CRRD P&C teams to integrate GEDI principles into recruitment, retention, and professional development processes.
•Identify and co/design with CRRD P&C team departmental wide programs/initiatives for staff, managers, and leaders to develop inclusive practices and cultural competency skills needed to navigate and lead diverse teams successfully, embody IRC’s values and feminist principles in their work and professional relationships.
•Provides expertise and technical support to P&C functions and relevant operational teams to review, design, and implement departmental wide GEDI-related policies and functional-specific interventions that eliminate inequities and enable an inclusive workplace culture.
Knowledge management, communication and representation
•Actively monitor and evaluate GEDI initiatives to capture robust learning and promote innovations to achieve GEDI goals, in partnership with CRRD GEDI senior advisors and P&C business partners.
•In collaboration with GEDI, CRRD P&C teams and appropriate leadership, analyze, and report data on inclusion related outcomes, identifying areas for improvement and making data-driven recommendations Represent CRRD in IRC Global GEDI coordination mechanism and community of practice across the organization to ensure alignment and cross learning.
•Develop and manage GEDI communication plan to effectively disseminate information to CRRD leadership, staff, and other stakeholders in a timely manner and maintain a two-way communication with CRRD staff.
•Working with the employee experience team, devise and support the implementation of a strong collaboration with CRRD employee groups and leverage employee voices to ensure that CRRD GEDI efforts center the voices of the most marginalized staff.
•Convene and facilitate workshops and conversations with CRRD senior leaders to support exchange of knowledge, experiences, and learning opportunities.
Key Working Relationships
Reporting to: Chief GEDI officer
Management in Partnership: Senior Director P&C – CRRD
Direct reports : GEDI Senior Advisors CRRD
Internal: Regional People and Culture Directors, CRRD SMT, RVPs;
External: IRC Organizational Partners, Feminist network. Gender and D&I focused organizations.
Job Requirements
Education: Graduate degree or years in additional work experience
Work Experience:
•10 + years of related experience that includes:
•Direct experience leading and influencing organizational leaders and partner to adopt intersectional feminist principles, antiracist and decolonial approach as core to all organizational processes, policies, and activities.
•Experience leading and supporting change management to embed an inclusive workplace culture.
•Demonstrate experience building and leading multicultural team working across different contexts.
•At least 3 years in the humanitarian and/or international development sector and at least 5 years of experience in one or more CRRD regions (Africa (East, West, Central), Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Latin America).
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies
•Deep commitment to and knowledge of strategies to advance GEDI in different organizational contexts and equal participation in the workplace.
•Knowledge of and ability to speak fluently about existing and needed evidence about how to achieve meaningful change for women, structurally marginalized group and taking antiracist and decolonial approach in development and humanitarian organizational contexts.
•Deep cultural sensitivity and experience of how to operate and put forward ideas and plans in a global organization with varying contextual needs.
•Receptive and collaborative approach that contributes to a positive team environment; builds and maintains strong relationships with people from all backgrounds, genders, cultures, and viewpoints.
•Experience in crafting and implementing departmental wide strategies according to organizational priorities, considering a variety of country contexts.
•Ability to work independently and efficiently in a dynamic and fast-paced multifaced environment.
•Ability to work effectively and with impact through matrixed relationship and to engage, inspire to action, and influence people outside of direct reporting lines.
•Experience in developing and administering trainings, ability to communicate technical expertise and standards, and implement best practice approaches.
•Excellent English verbal and written communication skills. Proficiency in at least one of the IRC core languages (French, Arabic, Spanish)
Working Environment
•Combination of standard office working environment and working remotely (i.e., telecommuting). Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace they can effectively complete their work from during regularly scheduled work hours.
•Some travel as needed up to 30%.
Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.