Responsibilities
Background/Context:
The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syria’s NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context.
With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.
Economic Recovery and Development (ERD)
IRC has over 10 years of experience in Syria implementing cash, agriculture, and livelihoods programming, and was one of the first organizations to use cash transfers, supporting vulnerable communities with MPCT since 2014 in the northwest, and 2015 in the northeast.
Job Overview/Summary:
The Cash Specialist will lead the development and implementation of the Country Program’s Cash Strategy, with a focus on scaling up cash activities and improving the quality of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) programming. This role will be central to ensuring that cash-based approaches are strategic, evidence-driven, and integrated across sectors.
In addition, the Cash Specialist will be responsible for the overall technical support of cash and voucher assistance programming activities both in the Economic Recovery and Development sector and across various sectors, including the Health, Protection, Education, and other outcome areas. As a technical role, the Cash Specialist will support and train staff in carrying out the implementation of the cash and voucher assistance (CVA) programs in accordance with the technical and donor guidelines
Responsibilities:
Technical Support
Provide technical support to the sectoral technical coordinators and/ or deputies on the design and delivery of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) interventions.
Lead the Cash feasibility assessments for the use of cash and/ or vouchers for all technical teams
Provide systematic training and build the capacity of staff from different departments conducting CVA interventions at the national office and in project offices, including program, finance, supply chain, and MEAL teams (will require travel).
Lead identification and tendering (from the program side) of all financial service providers (FSPs) and voucher vendors
Update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for cash as well as voucher assistance (depending on context)
Conducting regular check-ins with the project teams and project stakeholders to document challenges and lessons learned
Provide technical assistance to the key tools development and contextualization in cash, including the Cash Relief Operating Procedures (CROPs), Program Controls Checklist (PCC), and Program Implementation Note (PIN); as well as other key guidance, as needed, in collaboration with the Technical Advisors and the relevant sectoral technical coordinators
Provide technical assistance to local partners’ staff and project oversight
Engage in regular check-ins with the cash focal points of each team to understand and support sectoral cash assistance programing priorities
Ensure key lessons learned from the PDMs are considered in improving our quality of intervention implementation, as well as future project designs
Ensure links are made across sector teams for sharing tools, resources, and lessons learned
Whenever possible, conduct information-sharing meetings on CVA with key findings from research in-country and at the regional level
Area 2: Proposal Development and Business Development support
Provide technical inputs on CVA to concept notes, proposals, and budget development in collaboration with the business development team.
Work with Regional Cash TA in the development and implementation of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for CVA outputs.
Contribute to the overall development of the SAP and achievement of the strategic objectives and global initiatives.
Area 3: Representation
Develop a network of contacts (local and INGOs, CWG, Food Security Cluster, Social Protection Cluster, government/social safety nets, etc.) to allow a smooth implementation of the CVA projects.
Represent the team at the various Cash working group meetings.
Explain project activities and objectives to donors, partners, and communities/ community leaders as needed.
Implement other duties and responsibilities assigned by the supervisor in line with the job description and plan of action
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
Ensure that post-distribution monitoring (PDM) activities are planned, conducted using appropriate tools, and analyzed in line with quality standards
Ensure that post-distribution monitoring (PDM) activities are planned, conducted using appropriate tools, and analyzed in line with quality standards
Provide technical recommendations to improve program quality based on evidence from monitoring, evaluations, and research.
Support teams in planning and conducting market assessments and cash feasibility studies in targeted communities.
Provide technical oversight and inputs to research and assessments (e.g., Climate Risk Management or similar initiatives) in collaboration with relevant program and research leads.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development
Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicate through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.
Conduct regular reflection or program review meetings with field-based staff to assess the level of achievement and draw on learning and data trends (including client feedback) to further inform
Program design and management decisions
Provide technical coaching, training, and mentorship to team members, ensuring clear communication of technical expectations and standards. Assess proficiencies and develop and lead a targeted learning and training strategy.
Develop and implement remote technical capacity-building approaches to strengthen the skills and competencies of teams in Syria.
Support the creation and delivery of measurable technical development plans, including on-the-job learning, knowledge exchange, and guidance on technical career growth.
Identify technical capacity gaps within the team and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to address them effectively.
Lead technical training and support to mainstream CASH standards across IRC and partner operations in Syria