United States: Senior Program Manager, Protection

ABOUT INTERACTION:

Founded in 1984, InterAction is the largest U.S.-based alliance of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and partners. We mobilize our Members to think and act collectively to serve the world’s poor and vulnerable, with a shared belief that we can make the world a more peaceful, just and prosperous place – together. Using our collective voice and convening power, we seek to shape important policy decisions and actions across a wide range of issues – including foreign assistance, humanitarian relief, development, economic equity, food security, and climate change.

Our Members are premier international global development, humanitarian, and sector-supporting organizations that work in almost every country and manage more than $15.4 billion in programs annually. InterAction’s revenues come from dues, government, private foundation and corporate grants, and fee-for-service programs. Additional information can be found at www.interaction.org.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Senior Program Manager, Protection plays a key role in InterAction’s work on Results-Based Protection (RBP). This position leads the work at the field level, identifying, overseeing and carrying out direct support to agencies working to strengthen their approaches to outcome-oriented protection. The Senior Program Manager, through travel and remotely, will work directly with organizations, particularly organizations participating in Country Groups engaged with the Action-Based Research initiative that InterAction is undertaking across four contexts on the issue of Conflict-Induced Food Insecurity and Protection. Additional ad hoc engagement with other actors outside of the Action-Based Research will also be supported, for example, those implementing the new IASC Benchmarks on the Centrality of Protection. The Senior Program Manager will provide support on protection analysis, measurement of protection outcomes, multi-disciplinary strategies and more.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position supervises the Program Manager, Protection.

COMPENSATION: Include range USD 80,000 to USD 100,000. InerAction additionally offers an excellent benefits package.

EXPECTED START DATE: May 2023

REPORTS TO: Senior Technical Advisor, Protection

TRAVEL: Up to 30% travel, primarily international.

IN ADDITION:

• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic covered by law.
• There are no extraordinary physical requirements for the performance of the essential functions of this position. InterAction will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended period.
• Applicants are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencing employment. Applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment will be required to produce proof of vaccination status prior to their first day of employment. InterAction will evaluate requests for reasonable accommodations for applicants unable to be vaccinated due to a religious belief, disability or pregnancy on an individualized basis in accordance with applicable laws.
• InterAction does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of InterAction and InterAction will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.

POSITION TYPE:

Full-time (depending on funding availability). 

This is a full-time position based in the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virgina (DMV) area. InterAction maintains a hybrid work environment and employees currently work remotely and flexibly from home on some days and in-person in the office on others. Employees are expected to work in the office at least one day a week. Employees can work remotely from anywhere outside the DMV area for up to four weeks per year. There is an expectation that employees are based in the DMV area.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Lead on the provision of effective and timely support by InterAction to NGOs and NGO consortia at field level to apply results-based approaches to protection. This will include a specific focus on working with Country Groups as a part of InterAction’s ongoing Action-Based Research project on conflict and hunger. This will include designing and delivering workshops and trainings in person and online, as well as one-on-one support as needed.
2. Maintain oversight of the RBP team’s overall field engagement, ensuring strategic coherence and appropriate prioritization of thematic issues, approaches and field contexts, as well as identifying new and emerging opportunities.
3. Directly supervise the Program Manager- Protection, including oversight of program work, ensuring this work aligns with and supports the RBP Program strategy; performance management and providing technical support as well as ensuring administrative management systems are maintained.
4. Ensure documentation of NGO experiences and good practice, and synthesize and disseminate lessons, with a view to promoting results-based and outcome-oriented approaches to protection among practitioners, within relevant coordination and policy fora, and across the humanitarian system.
5. Produce thematic materials, including workshop and training materials, briefing notes, technical guidance, and others as needed, relating to results-based approaches to protection.
6. Support the development of advocacy strategies, reports and talking points aimed at embedding RBP approaches into key national and international policy frameworks.
7. Identify and implement ways that the Gender-Based Violence Prevention Evaluation Framework can be applied broadly to field-based attempts to measure protection outcomes, including at a system-wide level.
8. Contribute to program and proposal development as needed, as well as Monitoring and Evaluation and grant reporting.
9. Develop and maintain relationships with practitioners and other key stakeholders with diverse expertise, including NGOs (Country Directors and program managers), NGO consortia, UN agencies, inter-agency fora, private and governmental donors, academics, and other individual experts, as relevant to the targeted strategic outcomes of the protection team.
10. In coordination with other InterAction staff, represent InterAction and its membership in relation to relevant external stakeholders, fora, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
11. Collaborate with Humanitarian team members to identify and develop connections between protection concerns, issues emerging in humanitarian crises, and HPP’s other priority issues and activities.
12. Other responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• University degree in a relevant field or equivalent work experience.
• At least 8 years of progressive humanitarian experience, including leading teams and collaborative processes.
• Substantial operational experience undertaking multidisciplinary protection analysis and developing and implementing effective protection strategies.
• Familiarity with operationalization of the “Risk Equation” (that is, preventing or reducing threats and/or exposure to threats).
• A strong orientation towards strategic outcomes and multi-disciplinary strategies is essential and a background in monitoring and evaluation is a plus.
• Familiarity with inter-agency coordination mechanisms and structures, including the IASC, Humanitarian Country Teams, Global Protection Cluster (GPC) and its Areas of Responsibility (AoRs), and the broader cluster system.
• Familiarity with international humanitarian law, human rights law, and refugee law.
• Strong conceptual and analytical thinking and ability to distill and communicate complex ideas orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences.
• Confident presentation and public speaking abilities.
• Effective facilitation skills, with experience designing and organizing training exercises, workshops, collaborative planning, and roundtables.
• Effective problem-solving skills and demonstrated creativity, and adaptability
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Experience coordinating, facilitating, and representing the interests of diverse constituencies.
• Available for domestic and international travel. (20-30%)
• Fluency in French or Spanish a significant advantage

TO APPLY:

Please apply using this link to submit a cover letter and resume. Please include two references and a 1–2-page writing sample. The writing sample can cover anything related to humanitarian action.

Position will remain open until filled, but applications received before April 15th, 2023, are preferred.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered for this position.

Due to the volume of interest, only candidates considered will be contacted. Please – no phone calls.