Jordan: Health Working Group Co-Coordinator

BACKGROUND:

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 7.6 million people are internally displaced and 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with 4.8 million in hard-to-reach areas. There are 4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. With an annual budget in excess of $140 million and a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1,250 staff in the region, IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, education, women's protection and empowerment, NFI and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

The IRC Jordan program was established in 2007 and is currently operating programs in Jordan and southern Syria with an annual budget of $36 million. The IRC is currently providing humanitarian assistance in southern Syria in the sectors of protection, health and economic recovery and development through partnerships with Syrian NGOs and provision of life-saving relief items.

Job Overview/Summary

The Health Working Group Coordinator will work in partnership with a counterpart from the World Health Organisation (WHO), as the cluster lead agency (CLA), to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response in southern Syria. The Coordinator will have specific responsibility for ensuring that the position is informed by the NGO perspective. The Co-Lead will also be responsible for ensuring that the NGO membership is contributing to and sharing working group responsibilities, and will play a lead role in developing the active engagement and technical capacity of Syrian NGO members of the working group. The Coordinator will be expected to represent the Jordan hub at all Whole of Syria and intersector/interagency fora as required.

Major Responsibilities:

Coordination and Representation

• Co-chair regular coordination meetings with the working group. Actively identify and make contact with new and existing actors to add to the working group; Ensure the working group responds to the needs of members and affected populations inside of Syria by collecting regular feedback from partners on the performance of the WG and areas of improvement
• Work with WHO and Health Working Group members to ensure that key health concerns are reflected in OCHA or NGO-led multi-sectoral assessments, as well as other health related sectoral assessments to ensure a needs-based response;
• Assess and monitor the availability of health services in southern Syria provided by all health actors using the GHC tool Health Resources Availability Mapping System (HeRAMS)
• Coordinate closely with the Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) to ensure that WG members are able to mobilize and respond rapidly to outbreaks of communicable diseases in southern Syria
• Inform the Health Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) Representative of priority gaps that cannot be covered by any HSWG partner and require CLA action as provider of last resort.
• Manage the working group's data collection efforts, helping partners to submit accurate and consistent data; provide analysis back to the working group and other interagency fora to drive prioritization and resource allocation
• Attend the Jordan hub interagency fora such as the Inter Sectoral Working Group (ISWG) and raise health concerns representative of the working group.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to Health Sector Working Group members in the development of the health sector components of FLASH appeals, HPF and CERF proposals and other interagency planning and funding documents.
• Collaborate with other bodies, including, in particular, the Protection Working Group, the NFI and Shelter Working Group, WASH WG, the Food Security and Livelihoods Working Group, the Education Working Group to ensure integration of programming.
• With the WHO counterpart, represent the Jordan hub at all Whole of Syria health and intersector initiatives as required;
• Co-lead development of health sector components for the IASC Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC), including the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), Periodic Monitoring Reports (PMR) and Financial Tracking Service (FTS)
• Advocate with donors to ensure appropriate support for inter-agency health activities;
• Assist in developing/updating information management tools and products for the Jordan hub
• Oversee, compile and analyze key health indicators and data from Jordan hub to ensure production of knowledge to steer the strategic and operational planning for the WOS response.

Capacity Building

• Work with partners to promote understanding of and adherence to humanitarian principles and standards according to international legal frameworks.
• Identify urgent training needs in relation to technical standards and protocols for the delivery of key health services to ensure their adoption and uniform application by all Health Sector/Cluster partners in the Jordan hub and coordinate the dissemination of key technical materials and the organization of essential workshops or in-service training.

Job Requirements:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience at national and international level, including experience in managing and coordinating health humanitarian programs in conflict or post-conflict countries.
• 3-5 years experience working for an international NGO in humanitarian and emergency response, preferably in the Middle East
• At least one year of working as a health cluster coordinator or co lead preferably in a complex emergency setting
• In-depth knowledge of emergency relief policies and procedures with the UN, the IASC, the CCG, donor agencies, national and international NGOs.
• Sound knowledge of Cluster Approach and Health Cluster mechanisms.
• Sound knowledge of disaster prevention and preparedness programs.
• University degree in health and Master's degree in Public Health and/or other health related field
• Post-graduate studies in emergency management, international aid, humanitarian principles, health system recovery, and health cluster coordinator training.
• Experience in working with donors in humanitarian context.
• Excellent knowledge in written and spoken English.
• Conversational ability in Arabic strongly preferred
• Working knowledge of a second international/ UN and/or local language. Arabic language will be an asset.
• Proficiency in MS Office

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.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Syria Response Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Working Environment: Describe the work environment of the office (" Standard office work environment" will be applicable for most jobs in the U.S.) and if applicable, the housing. For example, internet connections, electricity, amenities, group housing, etc. Include travel requirements.

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