Program Brief:

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states. In this capacity, we work to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted, struggling to endure, and wishing to advance on a path of development. The IRC has been present in Bangladesh since 2017, obtained registration with the NGOAB in March 2018, and expanded integrated emergency health and protection response through both direct and partner-based programming focused on primary healthcare, women’s protection and empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence and child protection. Through 2018, the IRC’s response strategy primarily targeted Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, while meeting the significant needs in both refugee and host populations, as already existing vulnerabilities are compounded with cyclical monsoon and cyclone seasons that impose additional threats to the lives and protection of those refugees as well as vulnerable host populations. Since 2019, IRC Bangladesh’s strategic vision expanded, towards the protection, empowerment and holistically addressing the needs of the most vulnerable women, children and youth through technical expertise and partnerships in the areas of integrated protection, health, education, and economic wellbeing before, during, and after displacement caused by conflict and climate-induced disaster, including the climate affected coastal belt of Southern Bangladesh. IRC Bangladesh will thus continue to grow over time, it’s geographic coverage within Cox’s Bazar, Southern Bangladesh, and other parts of the country.

Purpose of the Role:

IRC is looking for a competent and experienced Bangladeshi health professional to lead the IRC Bangladesh health program, which covers Primary Healthcare (PHC), sexual reproductive health (SRH), Maternal, child and Newborn Health (MNCH), Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). As the focal point for the health program, they will ensure excellence in program quality, business development, strategic planning and representation, and that projects are designed and delivered based on standard methodology, evidence, and fit to context. They will provide technical leadership for the IRC health team and partners, ensuring high quality and context-responsive interventions, including initiatives to improve SRH, MNCH, and MHPSS for the vulnerable populations in climate-affected remote rural areas, and strengthening the climate resilience and disaster response capabilities of the local government health service delivery.

Work Location: Cox’s Bazar with frequent travel to Dhaka and other locations.

Highlights of Key Responsibilities:

Technical Oversight and Support:

Provide technical supervision of and guidance to all IRC health projects and extend technical support and supervision to the IRC’s implementing partners as needed.Ensure that health programs utilize standardized protocols, policies and guidelines, as outlined by the Ministry of Health and WHO and projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements. Enhance the quality of the IRC’s health programs by setting up and ensuring adherence to quality standards and quality assurance mechanisms and checks.Coordinate closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) department to develop effective monitoring and measurement tools and collect relevant data. Maintain a strong information management system and use findings to advise and improve program delivery. Lead IRC emergency health response, ensuring there’s coordination with other organizations, working closely with the IRC Bangladesh Head of Emergency and Resilience program.Ensure the timely submission of quality internal and external/donor information and reports for all health projects, including reporting against the logical framework, in collaboration with Team Leaders, Senior Managers, MEAL team, Grants team, Partnership team, etc.Ensure that proper drug management systems are in place and provide technical assistance to the team on all strategic aspects of drug management and supply.Spearhead high quality Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures in all Health programming by supporting adherence to the IRC IPC protocol, reviewing IPC data, and supporting the health managers to implement course correction.

Strategy, Program Development, and Fundraising:

Develop a strategic plan for health components and identify and pursue funding opportunities to maintain and expand the IRC health program portfolio in Bangladesh.Supervise the project design process for new or adapted health programming, including the development of budgets, proposal narratives, logframes, and other supporting documents. Ensure compliance of the IRC Bangladesh health interventions with the IRC global health technical standards through regular engagement with Regional Technical Advisors, and technical visits by the Technical Advisors.Design and implement initiatives that incorporate climate resilience into health service delivery, prioritizing vulnerable populations.Collaborate with the local government structures to design and implement new or enhanced Disaster Risk Management (DRM) initiatives, focusing on risk-informed decision-making and planning.Develop strategies and protocols to enhance the resilience of health systems in the face of increasing climate-related disasters.Lead and adapt the health strategy for IRC Bangladesh, ensuring that the health program growth is aligned with the country's overall Strategic Action Plan (SAP). Contribute to the development and implementation of the overall country program strategic direction.Lead proposal development (design, narratives and budgets) in collaboration with the team, ensuring technical standards are taken into consideration and adequately reflected in the submissions.Regularly supervise and report on unmet needs and service delivery gaps in Rohingya camps, host communities and elsewhere in Bangladesh; make evidence-based recommendations to senior management on the capacity of the IRC to address identified needs.Promote the effective integration of health services and ensure that the health service delivery modalities are responsive to patient needs and location-specific constraints.Regularly review MEAL data and apply indicator findings to improve program quality, ensuring that all programs are data driven.Lead the design of health program assessments to find opportunities for expansion and improvements in program effectiveness, efficiency, and efficacy.Coordinate with other IRC sectors (i.e. Women protection and empowerment, Child protection, Protection and rule of law, Education, and Economic recovery and development) to provide relevant input and support towards significant integration and enhancing the comprehensive impact of the IRC health program in Bangladesh.

Program and Budget Management:

Support the Health Program Delivery Coordinator in the development and implementation of strong project work plans, to achieve the project goals and objectives, within the project timeline, staffing and budget.Participate in and spearhead Health project cycle meetings (Design, Implementation, and Close out meetings), ensuring accountable project management, and data informed program decision making and adaptation.Lead Health program data/program review meetings with technical advisors on strategic grants.

Staff Management:

Supervise the Health Program Delivery Coordinator, ensuring an enabling environment for the job holder to achieve the deliverables of the position, and providing guidance and support as appropriate.In coordination with Health Program Delivery Coordinator, be involved in the recruitment of health staff for the country program, providing advice on the technical skills required and the relevant experience. Ensure that all health staff are adequately trained though internal and external trainings and ensure provision for capacity building, mentoring and coaching in project budget. Ensure strong technical induction of new staff and regular staff appraisals and use these to develop and adapt staff training plan(s), in consultation with the Regional Technical Advisors.

Coordination, Representation and Advocacy:

In coordination with the Deputy Director of Programs, proactively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key collaborators including donors, government actors, UN agencies, NGOs, and other actors.Work closely with local governments, NGOs, and other collaborators to advocate for the integration of climate resilience and health service delivery in policy planning.Represent IRC to local communities, government departments, international agencies, partners and donors.Build strong working alliances with international and national health actors for advocacy and positioning of IRC’s benefit as a health actor of choice for potential partnerships and consortia for funding opportunities.Develop policy papers based on evidence generated from health data analysis and trends.Proactive representation in health sector and government forums at National level, Cox’s Bazar and other areas.

Deliverables:

Quality monitoring conducted and data used to advise improvement plans.High quality SRH, Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care, and PHCC programming in place.Emergency health systems in place.Active contribution and influential visibility of IRC in the health sector.Successful integration of SRH and GBV programming.Programming set up in the host communities in Cox’s Bazar and other parts of Bangladesh.