Country Representative

Background/IRC Summary:  

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, 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, the IRC aims to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

The IRC has been responding to the refugee crisis in Europe since June 2015, initially on the Greek island of Lesvos and today across Greece and the Balkans, providing support to Middle East and North Africa refugees who have been stranded by recent border closures or who are at risk of exploitation from smugglers.  Alongside the delivery of emergency response programs, IRC is starting to deploy technical resources to support European governments and civil society organizations in the longer-term process of integration for refugees. These efforts build on IRC’s long experience working in the US on resettlement and integration.

Germany received more than 1.3 million asylum seekers since the start of 2015, and is now facing the challenge as it works to address the short and long-term needs of asylum seekers across the country . The IRC is well positioned to contribute to this work in Germany given our breadth of expertise that spans the arc of the crisis; from humanitarian relief to integration programming, and specifically our work on the Syria and Afghanistan crises in particular.

Following an assessment in April 2016 and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders including service providers, civil society organisations, federal and state government agencies and representatives, trade and employers’ organisations, and asylum seekers in Germany, the IRC has identified opportunities to provide technical assistance through tools, training, technical expertise, and interaction with organisations in Germany. This is a new approach for the IRC and will draw on expertise across the organization, including our international programs and US resettlement and integration. This work will proceed in conjunction with on-going efforts around establishing a long term strategic presence in Germany. This is a new and atypical approach for the IRC.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Country Representative’s core responsibilities will be to: Represent the IRC to external stakeholders at all levels;   develop strategic relationships and engage in the national dialogue around integration and international aid; Identify and cultivate partnerships/funding opportunities for integration, strategic funding and international programs in coordination with IRC teams across the organization; engage in appropriate and coordinated advocacy and communications on relevant issues; and  explore and develop IRC’s longer-term presence in Germany. 

The Country Representative is responsible for overall leadership and supervisory management of IRC operations in Germany, including stewardship of resources, staff safety and security, program quality and accountability, and performance management. The Country Representative is the IRC’s representative to the German government, donors, international organizations, and other NGOs. The Country Representative will develop a clear vision for IRC’s presence in Germany, working effectively across the organization to deliver high-quality programs, advocacy and strategic engagement.

Success in this position requires an individual with demonstrated ability to lead teams and work effectively with colleagues/functions based in different locations; to represent the IRC and our work to a range of internal and external audiences (including media relations), exceptional communications and risk management skills; and  proven experience in developing networks and building partnerships.

The Country Representative will be directly responsible for the overall coordination and strategic direction of the program; providing supervision and coaching for line reports; leading teams to identify, design and deliver responsive, high-quality technical support to the efforts of the German government and civil society; and ensuring efficient management of public grants and private funds for results, compliance and high-quality, timely reporting; and oversight of financial management systems.

Based in Berlin, the Country Representative will report dually to the IRC’s Regional Representative for the Europe Refugee Crisis and the Deputy Executive Director for IRC-UK. This position will coordinate with teams based in the UK office on policy and advocacy, communications, and strategic dialogue with key German government ministries. The post will receive support from regional (Europe) and headquarters staff in the areas of program quality, new business development, safety and security management, finance, operations management, and external affairs. The Country Representative is additionally expected to actively participate in defining the IRC’s public advocacy positions.

The Country Representative will have a small core team under his/her supervision, including a Deputy Representative and one or two other technical staff. The exact composition of the core team will be determined during the establishment phase. In addition, the Country Representative will have the support of regional staff positions that engage with IRC’s programs across Europe (Balkans, Greece).

Major Responsibilities:

Leadership and Representation

• Establish and lead the country program by maintaining open and professional relations with colleagues, promoting a strong team spirit and providing guidance, oversight and resources to enable staff to perform successfully.
• Develop and carry out strategies that result in strong representation with the German Government
• Initiate and sustain strong, mutually beneficial and authentic partnerships with German organizations.
• Seek out and pursue opportunities to raise the profile of the work of the IRC

Strategic Direction, Program Quality and Growth:

• Set the strategic vision and direction of the program to develop the highest quality technical assistance that is adapted to the specific context of Germany.
• Align programming to the IRC’s mission and strategy, sectoral expertise and technical standards.
• Remain current on national, regional and international issues impacting the program and partners, and develop responsive strategies to ensure the IRC’s mission can be carried out appropriately in rapidly changing contexts.
• Ensure program alignment with and involvement in meeting regional and global objectives.
• Identify opportunities for appropriate expansion and growth of programs, supported by the acquisition and investment of human resources.

Operational Management

• Oversee the opening of the IRC office in Berlin, coordinating all operational aspects with support from HQ departments.
• Oversee the development, deployment and utilization of IRC’s Global policies including financial and operational policies, procedures, and systems to deliver compliance with IRC and donor requirements.
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct”.
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff and with partner organizations.
• Maintain open communications with regional management staff, regional technical advisors, and HQ departmental staff.

Job Requirements:

• Postgraduate degree in Political or Social Sciences or in other relevant field
• At least ten years of progressively responsible international work experience, including leadership at the Country Director/Representative level or NGO or Foundation Executive experience
• Strong knowledge of the German context and stakeholders in the areas of refugee, asylum and integration issues and international aid.
• Experience of building personal networks at a senior level, resulting in securing new opportunities for the organization
• Demonstrated successful leadership and management experience with a multi-disciplinary team including active mentoring and coaching
• Experience with early stage organizational set up and/or growth
• Proven ability to build teams and generate momentum around an organization’s mission to ensure excellent positioning as a new entrant
• Extensive representation and fundraising success, including prior experience with German, European, US and international donors
• Proven ability to negotiate and work with partner organizations; experience with organizational capacity strengthening and partnership building.
• Ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality outcomes
• A keen understanding of political complexities in the Middle East and issues relating to migration and refugees in Europe
• Fluency in German and English.

Key working relationships:

• Dual reporting line to the Europe Refugee Crisis Representative (Serbia/Greece) and the Deputy Executive Director for IRC-UK (London).
• Close coordination with other departments including US Programs, Policy and Practice, European Strategic Partnerships Team, Awards Management Unit, and other teams across the global organisation.

Work environment :

• This position is based in Berlin with some travel within Europe.
• This position is open only to individuals that have authorization to work in Germany.
• The security phase for Germany is Green, and all employees are required to abide by any security directives put in place.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.