BACKGROUND:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The Ukraine crisis could become the worst humanitarian crisis Europe has seen in decades. More than 5.3 million people have fled across borders to seek safety in the 1st month since the escalation of conflict in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and over 6.5 million people are reported to be displaced. Reports indicate almost all arrivals in Poland are women and children, including those that are unaccompanied and separated, as well as older persons.

Between February 7-23, 2022, an IRC team undertook a scoping mission covering Poland and Ukraine to better understand the context, humanitarian and civil society landscape, and anticipated service gaps in the event of an escalation of conflict in Ukraine and consequent displacement into neighboring Poland. As of February 24th, the IRC has pivoted to emergency response, and has identified partner agencies in Ukraine and Poland to facilitate immediate assistance that can be used where it is most needed. Simultaneously, the IRC has established operations across Ukraine and Poland offering a robust humanitarian response to complement partner response services either in breadth or scale.

IRC Poland’s goal is to ensure the survival of the affected population in a way that enables their safety, dignity, and empowerment. Working in the program areas of education, economic recovery and development and Protection/safety, the IRC in Poland works to see that 1) People affected by the war in Ukraine are able to meet their immediate and basic needs with safety and dignity and avoid harmful coping mechanisms and 2) People affected by the war in Ukraine are protected and supported to recover from the consequences of violence and displacement through equitable access to services and information. A signature part of IRC’s strategy, Protection includes WPE (Women’s Protection and Empowerment), ProL (Protection and Rule of Law) and CP (Child Protection) programming which benefit to varying degrees from both partner-led and direct implementation.

Job Overview/Summary:

Key working relationships:

• Position Reports to: WPE Coordinator, Poland
• Position technically supports: GBV Case workers, WGSS Facilitators, Integrated Protection Managers (Katowice and Gdynia Integrated Protection Centers)
• Internal collaborations within IRC: Child Protection (CP) Coordinator; Protection and Rule of Law (PROL) Coordinator;Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Coordinator
• External collaborations to IRC: GBV prevention and response actors, organizations and agencies

The Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Manager will be responsible for managing the implementation of IRC’s WPE program in Poland that is responsive to emerging protection risks and needs for women and girls related to the Ukraine crisis. This will include providing technical support to IRC’s GBV Case Workers, WGSS facilitators, Integrated Protection Managers and teams in Katowice and Gdynia to implement, monitor and evaluate project activities. The WPE Manager will also support the monitoring of WPE activities implemented by IRC’s local partners, providing technical support and ensuring a good relationship with the partner. He/she will oversee that all interventions are adapted to the context and will engage actively with key strategic stakeholders in order to promote the WPE program outcomes, standardize processes, support local capacities, and advocate on behalf of vulnerable women and girls to ensure that GBV risks are reduced.

Specifically, the WPE Manager will be responsible for:

1) Context evaluation: Working with other sector teams, monitor unfolding events in Poland, specifically:

– Continually identify areas of displacement, high need and emerging GBV risks, feeding into protection analysis and contextual background tools/briefs

– Support stakeholder analysis: continually review existing actor mapping with a view to establish/strengthen partnerships focused on the delivery of GBV response and prevention services

– Support the strengthening of inter-agency Standards Operating Procedures and tools to ensure timely and quality assistance to GBV survivors

– Feed into available inter-agency referral pathways and oversee the timely and effective referrals of WPE program clients

– Identify opportunities to advocate for affected populations with a focus on women and girls and formulate advocacy messages to feed into the IRC wider advocacy strategy

2) Program design: Based on emerging needs in Poland, work with potential partners/partners to design quality and responsive GBV response and prevention interventions, specifically:

– Collaborating with partners in the design and implementation of GBV services, based on needs and context

– Facilitating, co-designing training sessions with partners, other sectors, and other relevant stakeholders

– Implementing and updating the response strategy to identified GBV risks and needs, outlining a problem statement, response modalities, activities and required funding

– In collaboration with other protection streams and other sectors, ensuring complementary and aligned interventions, through partnerships and direct implementation

– Provide inputs in funding proposals to institutional and private donors to support WPE programs

– Build in exit strategies in program design and project development with partners to promote WPE program localization, ownership and sustainability

3) Program management and delivery: Support WPE program start-up, periodic review, and adjustment (through direct implementation and support partners), including:

– Recruitment and training of WPE staff where relevant

– Technical support for Warsaw, Katowice and Gdynia, including preparation and facilitation of trainings, to partners and staff (as needed and requested). Training content may include but is not limited to group psychosocial support (PSS) interventions, women and girls safe spaces (WGSS), GBV case management, referrals, etc.

– Procurement planning and management

– Budget planning and management

– Development and monitoring of work plan

– Development of a monitoring and evaluation plan, in collaboration with the monitoring and evaluation team

– Conduct program monitoring

– Program report writing

4) Coordination & representation: Working with relevant stakeholders, including technical team, support the development of coordination system, specifically:

– Continually identifying strategic actors to strengthen GBV response and prevention

– Participate in coordination mechanisms such as reoccurring inter-agency meetings, actor and service mappings

– Represent IRC in external fora, including in coordination and technical forums such as the Poland GBV Working Group and the Regional GBV Working Group, with donors and others

– Co-chair the Clinical Management of Rape/Intimate Partner Violence taskforce on behalf of the IRC.

– Proactively coordinate at bilateral level with relevant stakeholders for an effective child protection response

– Ensure smooth and timely information flow of significant developments to the rest of the team and leadership to inform program and operational strategies

5) Program quality: Support program quality through technical oversight and training, ensuring adherence to global standards, specifically:

– Develop/contextualize program tools and processes

– Conduct program monitoring and review with a view to support oversight of quality

– Deliver training sessions on GBV topics and programs

– Integrate technical capacity sharing approaches into partnerships

Qualifications

Requirements:

– Language: English required; Polish and/or Ukrainian a significant advantage

– Bachelor of Arts or Science in Social Work, Gender, Human Rights, Social Science, Public Health, Humanities or other related field, desirable. Postgraduate degree a distinct advantage

– At least five years of experience in GBV prevention and response programs

– International experience in humanitarian settings a distinct advantage

– Experience in working in refugee camps or other emergency programming settings

– Clear understanding of, and interest in, violence against women and girls, the well-being of women and girls, supporting their healing after the experience of violence, human rights, and gender

– Experience facilitating group activities, trainings and workshops and mentoring others

– Counseling or case management experience desirable

– Good understanding and/or experience in human trafficking trends and practices in the Central and Easter European a significant advantage

– Good understanding of/interest in Sexual and Reproductive Health

– Excellent communication skills

– Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients/beneficiaries

– Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting

– High degree of flexibility and strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail

– Strong commitment to humanitarian and protection principles and IRC values

– Computer literate, including Microsoft Word and Excel

The position is based in Warsaw with regular travel to Katowice and Gdynia and to other locations as necessary. As this is a fluid and rapidly changing context, the location of this position and length of assignment may change based on the needs of the program.

Must have the right to work in Poland

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and makes sure policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality: The IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion: At the IRC, our diverse clients, partners, and staff have the power, voice, and agency to shape programs and operations. We actively work to end all forms of systemic discrimination and foster an inclusive working environment where everyone feels respected, heard, valued, and supported. The IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. The IRC encourages women to apply and work with us to reach the people most in need of humanitarian assistance, such as women, widows, and children. The IRC is committed to providing a decent and safe work environment that considers needs of women in the workplace, including through maternity leave and safety protocols.