Associate Director, Policy & Planning

Job Overview/Summary:

The IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab designs, tests, and scales life-changing, cost-effective solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster. By applying deep technical expertise and field experience with a range of skills from the behavioural sciences, human-centered design, research, and multi-disciplinary problem-solving in humanitarian contexts, we work to develop breakthrough solutions that combine creativity and precision, flexibility and expertise, and a desire to think afresh with the experience and reputation of a large-scale implementing organization.

The Associate Director, Policy & Planning will act as a trusted thought partner for the Chief Research and Innovation Officer (CRIO) and leadership of the Airbel Impact Lab, working collaboratively to develop a strategic, effective, and impactful department and culture. They will analyze and engage with the CRIO and Airbel Leadership to solve complex problems, ensuring we are optimally focusing our energy and time, ensure streamlined activities based on the priorities of the CRIO, provide high-level oversight of strategic initiatives, internal communication and governance across the department, and lead cross-departmental collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Advise the Chief Research & Innovation Officer on priorities, opportunities and challenges and ensure they are appropriately informed of key organizational issues.
• Lead annual departmental goal setting, ensuring goals are cohesive and aligned with organizational strategy, and driving towards the highest impact and scale. Work closely with President’s Office to ensure progress against goals and targets.
• Oversee Airbel Leadership’s development of objectives and key results, aligned with departmental goals and IRC strategy.
• Build, improve, and implement lean and efficient governance systems to facilitate decision-making, risk mitigation, and quality assurance. Oversee knowledge management and support effective and inclusive collaboration.
• Establish and oversee the tracking of return-on-investment across the global Research & Innovation portfolio.
• Independently plan, lead and manage departmental and organization-wide strategic initiatives from inception to completion.
• Strengthen collaboration, prioritization, and execution with cross-departmental IRC teams, serving as a partner, relationship builder, and leader within the department and across the wider organization.
• Ensure the Airbel team is linked into key organizational strategy and cross-functional initiatives, and effectively serve as a departmental focal point for strategic questions.
• Oversee the planning and management of departmental meetings, including effective agenda development, facilitation, and follow-up to inform, inspire, and enhance learning. Provide oversight of fellowship programs.
• Enhance Airbel’s visibility across the organization, coordinating the orchestration of meetings and information sharing with the President/CEO, Leadership Board, and Senior Leadership Group.
• Work with Airbel leadership and the support team to ensure CRIO meetings are well prepared, including collation of pre-reads and briefings, and solicitation of inputs from other collaborators as needed.
• Oversee and ensure timely and effective internal communications within and across departments.
• Draft reports, briefing documents, talking points and presentations for internal and external audiences. Review and support the development of departmental external communications and collateral.
• Supervise, mentor, and nurture career growth of team members.

Job Requirements:

Education and Work Experience:

• Graduate degree in relevant field or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum 8-10 years of relevant work experience, preferably in the NGO sector, with experience in humanitarian organizations a distinct advantage.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Extensive experience planning leading and delivering large-scale, cross functional projects, and managing change in a complex, global organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to anticipate and assess situations accurately and recommend/implement effective courses of action required.
• Ability to advance multiple strategic initiatives and a myriad of complex details on a concurrent basis.
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external collaborators with tact and diplomacy, both orally and in writing, including working with all staff levels and diverse personalities.
• Consistently meets deadlines amidst competing priorities, works well under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional discretion and confidentiality in dealing with sensitive material.
• Ability to expand on own initiative in performance of duties.
• Excellent judgment, tact, initiative, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, organizational skills, and self-motivation.
• Demonstrable interest in and familiarity with international politics, humanitarian and development policies and related subjects.

Working Environment:**

This position requires occasional flexibility to participate in meetings or calls outside regular working hours when needed. Occasional international travel, including to IRC project sites, may be required.

The IRC is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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.

Compensation:

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity:

IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.