Senior Program Officer, Program for Initial Resettlement

International Rescue Committee•New York, NY

8d•$75,000 - $102,500

About The Position

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. The headquarters Resettlement Team oversees the implementation and quality of services for refugees within their early resettlement period. The team supports IRC local office staff and partners in implementing high-quality programs by providing technical assistance, training and monitoring. The Program for Initial Resettlement (PIR) Program, funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), coordinates placement and resettlement services to newly arriving refugee populations into the US. The Senior Program Officer for the Program for Initial Resettlement oversees the quality of programming, including training, monitoring and reporting throughout the IRC US offices where the program is implemented. Directing the work of two or more headquarters staff, the SPO supports resettlement implementation in local offices to achieve compliance and programmatic objectives through communication, technical assistance, training, and monitoring support while meeting ORR requirements. The role also focuses on the strategic placement of newly arrived refugees by analyzing network capacity and matching arrivals to the specific strengths of local offices. The SPO acts as a bridge between headquarters and local offices, overseeing allocations and assurances while collaborating closely with offices to understand their unique capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses. This role requires a strong attention to detail and expert-level data analysis to monitor trends, ensure compliance, and drive evidence-based decision-making. The SPO fosters the development of long-term bilateral relationships with ORR, State Refugee Coordinators, other resettlement agencies, IRC’s headquarters budget and finance teams, the Matching Grant, Economic Empowerment and Operations Teams, and other relevant stakeholders. The SPO reports to the Director for Initial Resettlement within the Resettlement, Asylum and Integration Department in the US.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Social Work, International Affairs, or related field highly desirable.
Minimum five years progressive non-profit experience, preferably with experience in the former Reception and Placement Program under USRAP.
Previous experience leading program design, budget and implementation, monitoring program compliance and providing technical assistance required.
Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of US Refugee Resettlement Programs;
Financial discernment and experience with budget development, tracking and resource acquisition.
Demonstrated command of databases, MS Excel and evidence-based decision making.

Nice To Haves

Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications.
Strong organizational and time-management skills; proven ability to prioritize and deliver on time.
Strong analytic problem-solving skills.
Ability to work both independently and in a dynamic, cross-functional global team structure.
Highly proficient in Microsoft Office suite.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
Ability to manage others and work through change in a proactive and positive manner.

Responsibilities

Lead the overall management of allocations and case placement, serving as the primary lead for strategic placement decisions under the Program for Initial Resettlement.
Oversee the management of assurances and pre-arrival requirements, ensuring compliance with the Office of Refugee Resettlement guidelines.
Oversee the management of post-arrival service requirements, ensuring compliance with the Office of Refugee Resettlement guidelines.
Analyze trends across the network to identify areas of concern and advise leadership on the strengths and weaknesses of local offices regarding their capacity to receive refugees, to assist them in improving outcomes.
Collaborate with local offices to understand their operational realities, providing technical assistance and feedback to align placement strategies with local resources and community infrastructure.
Support the development and implementation of monitoring plans to assess program quality and compliance, using findings to guide placement decisions and training needs.
Provide strategic direction by setting goals and metrics, designing new initiatives, and contributing to annual planning and proposal development based on rigorous data analysis.
In collaboration with HQ and local office leadership, develop and refine Capacity Plan.
Lead and inform the development of PIR training and technical assistance plan to ensure local offices have the tools they need to implement PIR Programs.
Lead monitoring of local offices for compliance with program guidelines; prepare offices to be monitored by the donor.
Lead the development of compliance guidance (Program Announcements, reference manuals) for grant program based on review of program guidelines, analysis of monitoring results, and other changes in coordination with donor and supervisor.
Oversee initial scoping and vetting of potential new partners according to IRCs Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS)
Liaise with the Resource, Acquisition and Management Unit to develop and procure resources for the PIR Program as needed.
Remain knowledgeable of changes in US Refugee Admissions Program trends and ORR eligibility.
Play a leadership role in key projects, as assigned.
Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

10 sick days
10 US holidays
20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure
medical insurance starting at $163 per month
dental starting at $6.50 per month
vision starting at $5 per month
FSA for healthcare and commuter costs
a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching
disability & life insurance
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