Emergency Cash Technical Advisor

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 40 countries and 29 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.

IRC SUMMARY:

The IRC’s Emergency Management Unit (EmU) leads global emergency preparedness and response for large-scale crises. Its mission is to strengthen IRC’s ability to support communities in acute and hard-to-reach emergencies by investing in people, systems, and solutions. EmU works through risk analysis, capacity building, partnerships, technical support, and deploying expert emergency staff. The Cash and Emergencies team within EmU specifically contributes to IRC’s global Economic Wellbeing efforts in critical emergencies, focusing on rapid, scalable cash and voucher assistance and emergency-focused markets and food system interventions.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Emergency Cash Technical Advisor (TA) is based within the Emergency Management Unit’s Quality in Emergencies (QiE) team, and works closely with the Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) Technical Unit. Under the guidance of the Senior Technical Advisor (STA) for Cash and Emergencies, the Emergency Cash TA will provide dedicated technical support and strategic guidance to teams implementing cash and basic need programming in acute emergencies, as determined by the IRC’s Global Emergency Service Offerings which are interventions evidenced to be the most impactful methods of assisting people’s lifesaving basic needs in emergencies. To this end, you will provide robust and tailored technical support to emergency cash and basic needs interventions at the IRC, supporting both existing country teams as they respond to acute emergencies per the IRC’s Emergency Classification system, as well as to new start-up country programs. You will spend a significant proportion of your time supporting programs deliver quality cash and basic needs programming quickly and at scale during emergencies.

Additionally, you will coordinate closely with regional ERD Technical teams and other members of the Cash and Emergencies team to align minimum quality standards, and impactful program design for scaled cash responses. You will also support the integration of cash as a modality in emergency programs beyond basic needs, working with counterparts in the Education in Emergencies, Violence Prevention in Emergencies, and Emergency Health teams to develop processes and strategies in support of compliant and quality cash assistance in support of these programmatic outcome areas. This role will also serve as a technical resource for deployed Cash Emergency Response Team (ERT) Coordinators and Emergency Surge Team (EST) members, providing tools, sharing best practices, and gathering learning to strengthen our emergency strategy and improve IRC’s Global Emergency Service Offerings.

This role is a dynamic, fast paced role merging advisory and strategic support with more hands-on support to countries navigating complex and acute crises. You’ll need to balance quality assurance and best practices with speed and agility during emergency responses, mentoring country teams while providing hands-on support, and be able to provide timely support to country teams while also contributing to and leading strategic work for the Emergency Management Unit, collecting learning and catalyzing it into improved processes for emergency cash implementation.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Response-Centered Support (50%) 

• In select Orange and Red classifications, provide emergency technical support and backstopping to partner-led and country team-led responses to ensure timely, robust technical support to emergency responses, as requested and in line with the QiE Technical Assistance model.  

• Provide emergency-focused technical support to Basic Needs and Food Security interventions and Group Cash Transfer programming across different emergency contexts (conflict, food security, natural hazards, and outbreaks), including ensuring quality program deliver that is compliant with IRC and donor standards and policies.

• Following emergency responses, collaborate with emergency Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) and deployed staff to analyze emergency response metrics, support learning and After Action Reviews, and support subsequent actions to implement lessons learned and address identified gaps.  

• Work closely with the regional ERD technical teams and the Emergency Cash Preparedness and Anticipatory Action Specialist to support existing country teams be ready to respond to emergencies with quality, timely, and scaled cash and voucher assistance, particularly in Watchlist countries. 

• Ensure that partnership is considered in cash and basic needs emergency programming, that partners are proactively engaged in program design and proposal development and that implementation of CVA programs follow IRC’s principals in terms of fair and equal partnerships, as well as comply with minimum standards.

• Conduct technical support visits to country programs in support of continued program quality assurance improvements, new program area design, compliance checks and audit readiness, and staff trainings.

• When needed, deploy to emergency responses for up to 2 months at a time (estimated 15-20% travel) to strengthen on the ground capacity and provide targeted surge support for key workstreams (e.g, assessments, financial service provider set up, partner workshops, etc.).

Strategic Objectives (30%) 

• In close collaboration with Cash and Emergencies team members including the internal and external Emergency Cash Coordinators, lead the development, implementation, and improvement of key strategic resources for cash and basic needs in emergencies including Technical Frameworks and user-friendly program implementation tools (IRC’s STEP toolkits).

• Champion a culture of effective and respective partnerships and promote partner-led emergency programming in line with IRC’s “why not partner?” and ‘cash-first’ approach

• Support adaptation of IRC direct implementation emergency cash tools and guidance for partner use in line with identified needs and requests.

• Lead recruitment and management of Emergency Surge Teams for cash and basic needs, and facilitating capacity building and team building.

• Socialize wider understand of Global Emergency Service Offerings, and support improvement of program design, theory of changes.

• In collaboration with the STA for cash and emergencies, support IRC’s Impact at Scale ambitions for cash programming, supporting strategic direction and enabling IRC’s ability to scale CVA during emergencies.

Data Management Systems and Learning (10%)

• Support set up and standardization of emergency cash and basic needs M&E systems/practices including adopting the IRC’s Cash App toolkit by partnering with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) teams in EMU, the ERD Technical Unit, and IRC’s Measurement Unit.

• Support quantitative data collection, analysis, and centralized management of IRC’s emergency responses to trend analyze and visualize speed, scale, and quality components of implementation of cash and basic needs programming in emergencies.

• Gather qualitative data and analysis for key emergency responses including writing ‘case studies’ to support knowledge management, the sharing of lessons learned and ‘what works’, to further strategic direction for emergency cash responses at IRC.

• Draft technical and capacity ‘briefs’ and other communication medium (videos, blogs, etc.) to highlight the IRC’s value add for cash and basic needs in emergencies for external and internal dissemination.

Resource Development and Grant Management (10%)

• Provide leadership and technical review in the development of proposals for EmU or TU-led emergency cash grants, relating to global technical support projects.  

• Interact with IRC’s Business Development Unit, ERD TU, and country programs to assess opportunities and evaluate which are most needed to address humanitarian needs in context of IRC’s strategic priorities and how to best leverage available resources.

Team Culture

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with EmU, the Economic Recovery & Development (ERD) TU and other Technical Units within Technical Excellence, Anticipatory Action team, and regional colleagues and continually promote a culture of partnership and collaboration.

• Cultivate and maintain a positive, collaborative, safe and protective work environment, while additionally setting an example of ‘One IRC’-way of working within the team, EmU and the wider organization.

• Contribute to efforts across EmU to promote gender equality, diversity and more inclusive practice across our programming and our ways of working.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to: the Senior Technical Advisor, Cash and Emergencies with management in partnership with the Deputy Director of the ERD Technical Unit

Position directly supervises:  External emergency roster personnel; when required, temporarily supervise country team personnel

Other contacts:

• Works closely with Cash and Emergencies team members, including the Emergency Cash Preparedness and Anticipatory Action Specialist, the ERT Emergency Cash Coordinator, and the Cash and Operations Specialist.

• Engages with other technical sectors in the EmU’s Quality in Emergencies (QiE) team (Health, Protection, Education, Partnerships),  and the Director of Program Quality and Performance in Emergencies; operations staff across EmU (especially Finance and Supply Chain); the ERD Technical Unit (including Regionally aligned Cash TAs).

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Education:  Masters’ degree, a related field such as economics or related field. A Bachelor degree and additional experience may substitute for some education
 

Work Experience: At least 7 years of experience in CVA, basic needs, and/or food security-related program development and implementation, including in emergency and complex crisis settings. Significant expertise in CVA programming. Experience starting-up emergency responses is required, and experience of at least two country contexts is strongly preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated expertise in humanitarian basic needs and food security assessment, strategy development, program design, operational planning, proposal development, implementation, and in monitoring.

• Ability to provide technical assistance and transfer knowledge and skills, either through formal/informal training, on the job coaching and mentoring, adapting to needs and level.

• Proven experience with coordination of internal and external stakeholders, or management of interagency projects / programs, and the ability to advocate for the use of cash across program areas.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop constructive, results-oriented relationships with global, local and remote team members 

• Effectiveness in bridging conceptual frameworks and practical guidance, and conveying complex information for use in programmatic decision making 

• Extremely organized, with excellent skills in prioritization and multi-tasking. Proven project management experience. 

• Genuine interest in and commitment to collaborating with local and national partners and supporting community-led approaches to humanitarian assistance.

• Effectiveness in bridging conceptual frameworks and practical guidance, ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable and relevant action.

• Ability to work with multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams and proven ability to develop positive relationships with global, local and remote team members, while providing and coordinating context-appropriate technical assistance.

• Excellence in organized oral and written communication and excellence in information technology

• Proven ability to deliver results under pressure and in a timely manner.

• Strong track record as a capable trainer able to effectively transfer technical knowledge and skills Demonstrated success in working with donors, partners, project design, and business proposal development.

Language Skills: Fluency in English and either French, Arabic, or Spanish required.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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