The Project Director will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of programme outcomes and interventions, as well as managing the programme’s daily operations. They will ensure high-quality programme implementation by providing strategic guidance to partners, supervising project team members, and overseeing fund management, financial and performance management, monitoring and evaluation, partnership management, and relationships with external stakeholders. The Project Director should possess extensive skills in complex project implementation, advocacy, and networking with international and national institutions, development agencies, and community-based organizations. Broader technical knowledge of Safeguarding/PSEAH and gender in programming is essential, and technical skills in protection are desirable.

Key Responsibilities 

• Provide overall strategic, programmatic, and administrative leadership and direction, overseeing all technical, operational, and financial aspects of the programme
• Manage the programme’s performance against objectives and key performance indicators (KPI) to ensure IRC receives full payment based on the programme’s good performance
• Responsible for monitoring KPIs to ensure contract deliverables are delivered efficiently and effectively
• Lead and plan the overall advocacy effort within the project for stakeholder engagement for SEAH issues
• Oversee project risk, compliance, duty of care, and security and supervise the ES-SEAH programme staff
• Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of yearly work plans, project strategy documents, implementation measures, knowledge management, and sustainability efforts to achieve long-term and short-term goals
• Manage consortium partnerships and maintain collaborative partner relations, ensuring that all partners are aware of the project’s expectations and are actively involved in achieving the objectives while using the project management tools developed or adapted for the consortium
• Support the Research Coordinator in coordination and oversight of participatory action research at the country-level
• Provide oversight and support to country-level Safeguarding Technical Coordinators on project deliverables, including work with WROs
• Report to FCDO through both formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports, ensuring timely submission of high-quality content
• Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions
• Represent the project and the IRC in national, regional, and international fora, including technical conferences and policy briefings, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organization and wider development community.

Project Director Profile & Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Social Work, Public Health, International Development, or similar (or equivalent experience in Safeguarding/ PSEA including in prevention and response programming in the context of development and humanitarian response. Experience working in GBV and/or Child protection in humanitarian settings is preferred
• Experience working within or in close partnership with feminist/women’s movements and/or organisations in the Global South, preferably in leadership roles
• Strong understanding of SEA as human rights violations and their relationship with other forms of intersectional oppression
• Proven ability to represent an organisation at a senior level and to build strong relationships at the local, national and international levels
• Experience managing large-scale, multi-million-dollar, complex, multi-partner projects, ideally experience leading FCDO Safeguarding programs
• Proven ability to lead diverse staff and teams, manage performance, foster a positive working environment and manage issues sensitively and diplomatically
• Experience of managing large institutional donor contracts, including Payment by Results contracts
• Experience of working in a large and complex international organisation
• Proficiency in English is required. Working proficiency in French is preferred.