District Manager

 Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to affected people. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for approximately 40 years, leading and delivering large, sophisticated programs to meet the needs in health, education, safeguarding, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor and disaster affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and is currently working across the country.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Integrated Services for communities in Pakistan project aims to enhance the safety, dignity, and well-being of Afghan refugees and host communities in two districts of KP, Haripur and Nowshera. It focuses on multi-sectoral integrated program delivery providing quality protection, GBV, SRH, and MHPSS services, alongside climate-resilient, livelihoods, youth engagement, and social cohesion initiatives. The project adopts a participatory, inclusive approach to address vulnerabilities and promote sustainable development. The District Manager will be responsible for and oversee the implementation of the project activities and operations in the assigned district. It involves managing project activities and will ensure program quality, compliance with donor and organizational policies, and effective coordination with stakeholders, including government agencies, and community structures at the district level.

Key Responsibilities

Project Implementation and Monitoring

• Ensure comprehensive understanding and execution of the project framework, work plans, and activities.
• Collaborate with field teams to achieve targets across all thematic areas (protection, health, livelihoods, climate resilience, , youth engagement, and social cohesion among refugee and host communities).
• Monitor field activities regularly and ensure adherence to MEAL frameworks and donor compliance standards.
• Lead the monthly planning and review meetings with district teams, identifying challenges and developing actionable solutions.
•  Prepare and submit timely progress reports to the Head of Office, Project Manager, and technical leads.
• Proven experience in managing and implementing projects using a self-implementation model, with direct responsibility for planning, execution, stakeholder coordination, and compliance with donor and organizational requirements.

Stakeholder Coordination and Advocacy

• Build effective partnerships with district authorities, line departments, local NGOs, INGOs, and community        stakeholders while ensuring compliant NOC approvals.
•  Prioritize staff safety and security in all partnerships and program implementations.
• Actively advocate for the rights and needs of Afghan refugees and host communities through collaboration with like-minded organizations and networks

Quality Assurance

• Conduct regular site visits to ensure the quality of program delivery.
• Facilitate safety audits, needs assessments, and monitor activities with the MEAL team to address gaps.
• Compile and share quality progress reports aligned with IRC and donor requirements.
• Identify case studies and success stories and share with Communication unit and Project team.

 Team Leadership and Management

•  Provide leadership to district team, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and accountability.
• Facilitate staff capacity-building initiatives, including coaching and formal training sessions.
• Implement IRC's performance management system to evaluate and improve staff performance.
•  Promote a safe, inclusive, and gender-sensitive work environment aligned with IRC’s core values.
•  Lead and support core office staff, maintain upward communication on progress and challenges, and ensure quality standards are addressed through collaboration with senior project managers and technical coordinators.

Operations and Administration

• Ensure smooth district office operations, including administration, procurement, and security.
• Support Project Manager to monitor budgets and BVA reports, and  timely addressing any deviations.
•  Coordinate donor and stakeholder visits to the field, ensuring efficient planning and documentation.

Key Working Relationships:

• Represents IRC Pakistan among Partners, Government bodies/departments, INGO, NGOs, networks, consultative sessions, or conferences.
• Position Reports to: Project Manager (Direct/Programmatically) and Head of Office (Operationally)

Position directly supervises: Field Team and operations staff)

Coordination: District Authorities, CAAR, and Project related Government and Private entities .

Job Requirements:

A. Education

Master’s degree in social sciences, environmental sciences, public administration, or any relevant field related to community development and project management.

Experience:

B. Work experience

At least 5–8 years of experience in managing and implementing projects focused on protection services, GBV, livelihoods, youth engagement, and SRH and other cross cutting themes. Strong expertise in delivering integrated programs in development settings, particularly with refugee and host communities. Demonstrated success in coordinating with government authorities, community stakeholders, and implementing partners to ensure effective service delivery and sustainability.

a) Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Familiarity with the context and working environment, local culture, and relevant government policies and procedures  
• Sound knowledge of District level Political, Economic, and social power structures including communities.
• Sound knowledge of Right Based Approach and other approaches to development.
• Sound knowledge of Key tools like PRA, Assessments, and Monitoring Tools etc.
• Strong technical skills relevant to the role that include Project Management, People Management, change management from service delivery to right based, report writing, advocacy and influence.
• Excellent Technical report writing and communication skills.

 Language Skills: Proficient in of verbal and oral English, Urdu, and local languages

The IRC Core Values and Commitments.

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 Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

IRC is committed to ensuring that IRC staff is suitable to work with children and have the knowledge to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child Safeguarding Policy.

IRC ensures that its staff must actively practice the roles and responsibilities related to client responsiveness, accountability to people in affected communities and must have competencies to solicits and listens to feedback and other’s perspectives, responds to feedback with maturity and sensitivity and takes appropriate decisions and makes changes to behavior or actions in response to feedback.

IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.

Differently abled women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.