Deputy Director, Programs

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. Background: The IRC is looking for a Deputy Director, Programs (DDP) for

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& Cameroon, a newly merged Country Program (CP)With a total operating budget of roughly $12M. Cameroon Context: The IRC began its operations in Cameroon in 2016 to address violence from Boko Haram in the Far North. By 2018-2019, they expanded into South-West and North-West regions. With offices in Yaoundé, Maroua, and Buea, the IRC focuses on providing access to water, improving hygiene, offering cash assistance, enhancing food security, and delivering education and protection services. Their programs also include child protection and support for victims of gender-based violence and human rights violations. CAR Context: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been operating in the Central African Republic (CAR) since 2006. With its main office located in Bangui, the

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conducts activities across four provinces: Haut-Mbomou, Ouham-Pendé, and Bamingui-Bangoran, with sub-offices in Zemio, Ndele, and Bocaranga. The organization provides comprehensive services in several key areas, including health and nutrition, education, food security and economic recovery and development (ERD), as well as protection services encompassing women's protection and empowerment (WPE) and child protection. IRC Cameroon-CAR Country Program In the coming months, the team will work on the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the IRC Cameroon-CAR country program, identifying synergies for coherent programming in both countries, and exploring opportunities for cross-border response. The

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aims to provide significant impact for boys, girls, women, and men affected by humanitarian crises. The team adheres to IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service, and Equality. Additionally, IRC Cameroon-CAR plans to enhance the quantity and quality of its partnerships with national and local NGOs. Job overview The DDP provides leadership, decision-making, and oversight of the IRC Cameroon-CAR’s program portfolio, ensuring a strategically coherent program direction and compliance with IRC and donor regulations. The DDP assures strong collaboration and coordination on programmatic issues both internally and externally, including the development of quality proposals and the delivery of high quality and timely programs for our clients. DDP will work closely and collaboratively across departments of the country’s program, region, headquarters, as well as external stakeholders and partners. The DDP is a senior member of the Cameroon-CAR country program, reporting directly to the Country Director. For this role, we are seeking a dynamic leader who can drive continued success across our strategy, deliver on priorities, and motivate a diverse and inclusive, partly remote, team with a joined vision and shared goals. You will be skilled in fostering collaboration across departments and across sectors, and empowering staff, particularly female leaders, to succeed. Key Responsibilities 1. Program Implementation

• Oversee and ensure programs are implemented to high-quality standards and on time, including supporting Program Coordinators and Technical Coordinators to use structured and realistic project management tools in coordination with Operations teams, including workplans, procurement plans, and spending plans.
• Closely monitor budgets, spending, and program progress to ensure grants are run within budget and closed on time, assuring consistent Project Cycle Management routines and taking well-structured and timely corrective action as needed.
• Assure clear accountability, roles and responsibilities, and highly effective communication and coordination channels across teams within the Programs Department
• Guide the implementation of the IRC Cameroon-CAR Partnership Strategy and sectoral partnership plans to ensure the IRC is delivering on localization commitments while also maintaining high quality and efficient services for clients.
• Provide the CD with accurate and up-to-date advice on developments and opportunities in program and project implementation, together with any necessary recommendations for action.
• Support the MEAL Coordinator in delivering on the country office MEAL strategy, and assuring use of information collected through MEAL systems and client feedback mechanisms informs all stages of the project cycle.
• Ensure the development of new opportunities related to the IRC Mission Statement and the CP Strategic Action Plan.
• Ensure high-quality, timely reporting for submission to donors, per IRC and donor guidelines.
• Ensure the provision of appropriate technical assistance from IRC’s Technical Units, external consultants, or partner agencies as necessary. 2. Strategic Planning & Implementation
• Lead the development, review, and implementation of the Country Strategy Action Plan (SAP), focusing on driving ownership of the strategy by all program departments, delivering against strategic commitments, and implementing the IMPACT quality standards
• Ensure programming is aligned with the IRC Cameroon-CAR SAP priorities and IRC Outcomes and Evidence Framework (OEF), including program planning, project design, and communications with staff.
• In coordination with the CD and other colleagues, annually update country program and sector strategies while remaining relevant to evolving contexts and operational effectiveness.
• Lead the development and roll-out of strategic initiatives such as expanding the IRC’s partnership model to drive the localization agenda, research and innovation, and ensure integration of cross-cutting issues of gender, partnership, climate change and disaster risk reduction in sectoral programming. 3. Grants, Partnership and Business Development
• Provide overall guidance and leadership to the IRC Cameroon-CAR Grants and Program Development teams, ensuring sound business development strategy, process, and systems are in place, and adequate financing is secured to deliver the targeted outcomes for clients
• Oversee strong program design and proposal strategy for each new funding opportunity, including need and evidence-based program design, strong technical and operational engagement in design processes, and sound budgeting and competitiveness.
• Ensure program, grants and finance teams produce high-quality financial and narrative donor reports, including assuring program and MEAL teams provide timely and quality contributions addressing all reporting requirements.
• Grow the impact of IRC programming by ensuring excellent and high-quality program delivery, maintaining and strengthening the trust of key donors, partners, collaborators, and proactively positioning the IRC for program development opportunities.
• Spearhead the integration of program design and implementation with robust stakeholder analysis, fostering strategic, long-term partnerships with local civil society, government, and private sector actors to drive locally led decision-making and service delivery. Lead the implementation of IRC’s PEERS framework, ensuring cross-departmental collaboration, effective partnership risk management, and responsive partner feedback systems, while building internal capacity through