Country: United States of America
Closing date: 01 Jun 2019
BACKGROUND
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work today in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities. The IRC’s US Programs (USP) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable immigrants to gain stability and control of their future in America. USP serves more than 35,000 individuals each year, among them over 7,000 newly arrived refugees, through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at five core outcomes: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education and Power. In the US, IRC’s mental health and psychosocial services help heal and rebuild communities that have been deeply affected by grief, loss, and displacement, by providing mental health promotion and early screening for emotional distress alongside community adjustment groups and referrals for specialized care. USP promotes the physical and emotional safety of children and adults through programming to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, proactively help develop positive social emotional learning, and to build and hone skills that promote successful economic, academic and social integration.
SCOPE OF WORK
The Senior Technical Advisor (STA), Wellness, Education and Psychosocial Services (WEPS) provides technical leadership and coordination for IRC’s safety, wellness and education programs in the United States, with a special focus on mental health and psychosocial services. The STA is responsible for coordinating the development of evidence-based program strategies and overseeing the development and monitoring of sustainable, high-quality mental health, psychosocial, educational and related programs in USP field offices. The STA leads a team of technical advisors and staff who engage in program development, monitoring and evaluation and who support field offices with guidance and advice on the implementation of programs. The STA is a member of the USP Program Quality & Innovation unit and its management team. S/he will insure that USP benefits from the IRC’s health experience across the globe, and help the IRC increase the scope of its mental health programs.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership, strategy and management
- Lead the development of organizational strategies, models and standards for US Programs’ safety, wellness, education, mental health and psychosocial services
- Supervise technical staff who develop program standards, replicate successful programs, and develop resources for safety, wellness, education, mental health and psychosocial services in accordance with IRC’s People Manager Standards
- Develop and oversee implementation of growth and sustainability strategies for the safety, wellness, education, mental health and psychosocial services in close coordination with team and USP leadership.
- Participate actively as a member of the Program Quality Unit and in close coordination with other USP teams.
Technical guidance and oversight
- Ensure provision of high quality technical support and assistance in all related program areas and in the design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs
- Develop and adapt tools, policy and curriculum to support standards in the delivery of mental health and psychosocial, wellness and related programs
- Promote the exchange and transfer of IRC’s global experience and lessons learned to USP in the development of program strategies for wellness and education.
Evidence-based programming, evaluation and thought leadership:
- Contribute new evidence, ideas and analysis to promote program impact and cost-effectiveness
- Ensure the tracking, compilation and analysis of key program performance indicators and outcomes
- Communicate programming results and lessons learned to clients, staff, donors, the public health community, and the public.
Business development, advocacy and public information:
- Build partnerships and cultivate donor relationships that attract funding and other resources to USP’s wellness, education and psychosocial services portfolio
- Attract financial and technical resources towards the achievement of USP Health outcomes
- Ensure high quality technical support in program design is reflected in new business development in this sector
- Serve as a resource to IRC staff seeking information about wellness, education and psychosocial services, including revenue, external relations, communications and advocacy teams.
- Collaborate with IRC’s advocacy unit to develop advocacy positions to influence key stakeholders.
- Build partnerships with academic institutions and other organizations with expertise and experience in mental health
Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Position reports to: Senior Director, Program Quality & Innovation.
Collaboration with: The Senior Technical Advisor manages a team of technical staff and maintains close working relationships with all the members of USP’s Programs Quality & Innovation unit, the Research, Analysis & Learning unit, the Resettlement unit, as well as with Executive and Deputy Directors of USP field offices and with leading program staff in the field. The STA engages periodically with IRC’s internationally-focused Program Quality team, the Gender Equality Unit, Advocacy, Communications and Revenue teams. The STA is also expected to develop and maintain external relationships with peers, service providers and universities across the country.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum of a Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Education, Public Health or related field required; PhD preferred
- LCPC, LMHC or equivalent professional counselling license required
- Minimum 7 years’ experience in a non-profit or social services agency, with increasing levels of responsibility
- Prior people management experience required; remote management experience is desirable
- Demonstrated experience in delivery and monitoring of wellness, mental health and psychosocial services to vulnerable populations
- Demonstrated experience in research, evaluation and analysis of program intervention
- Knowledgeable on the provision of related services to refugee or immigrant populations
- Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with academic institutions
- Strong teambuilding skills, and the ability to create effective processes and systems, sustainable solutions and accountability
- Ability to think strategically and creatively
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong organizational skills with ability to juggle multiple tasks, set priorities, effectively manage time and meet deadlines, and proven ability to work under pressure
- Competency in Microsoft Office suite
- Fluency in English, written and spoken
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Standard office work environment. Up to 20% travel required.
How to apply:
https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=1&c=rescue&id=4024