Career Opportunity with International Rescue Committee
Senior Health Coordinator

 
Country: Bangladesh
Job Title: Senior Health Coordinator
Department: Health
Contract length: Till August 2026 (with possibility of extension subject to funding, program needs and performance of incumbent)
Work Location: IRC-Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar Office
Reporting to: Deputy Director Programs
Expected Start Date: At Earliest
Remuneration Package: Competitive Base Pay with Fringe Benefits (As per IRC National Pay Scale in Bangladesh)
Program Brief

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.

Since 2017, IRC has supported Rohingya Refugees and Bangladeshi nationalities communities in Cox's Bazar, Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong with integrated services. The organization also addresses climate change impacts by building resilience and promoting economic recovery, education, and protection.
Purpose

IRC is looking for a competent and experienced Bangladeshi health professional to lead the IRC Bangladesh health program, which covers Primary Healthcare (PHC), sexual reproductive health (SRH), Maternal, child and Newborn Health (MNCH), Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). As the focal point for the health program, they will ensure excellence in program quality, business development, strategic planning and representation, and that projects are designed and delivered based on standard methodology, evidence, and fit to context. They will provide technical leadership for the IRC health team and partners, ensuring high quality and context-responsive interventions, including initiatives to improve SRH, MNCH, and MHPSS for the vulnerable populations in climate-affected remote rural areas, and strengthening the climate resilience and disaster response capabilities of the local government health service delivery.
Major Responsibilities

Technical Oversight and Support:

  • Provide technical supervision of and guidance to all IRC health projects and extend technical support and supervision to the IRC’s implementing partners as needed.
  • Ensure that health programs utilize standardized protocols, policies and guidelines, as outlined by the Ministry of Health and WHO and projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements. 
  • Enhance the quality of the IRC’s health programs by setting up and ensuring adherence to quality standards and quality assurance mechanisms and checks.
  • Coordinate closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) department to develop effective monitoring and measurement tools and collect relevant data. 
  • Maintain a strong information management system and use findings to advise and improve program delivery. 
  • Lead IRC emergency health response, ensuring there’s coordination with other organizations, working closely with the IRC Bangladesh Head of Emergency and Resilience program.
  • Ensure the timely submission of quality internal and external/donor information and reports for all health projects, including reporting against the logical framework, in collaboration with Team Leaders, Senior Managers, MEAL team, Grants team, Partnership team, etc.
  • Ensure that proper drug management systems are in place and provide technical assistance to the team on all strategic aspects of drug management and supply.
  • Spearhead high quality Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures in all Health programming by supporting adherence to the IRC IPC protocol, reviewing IPC data, and supporting the health managers to implement course correction.

Strategy, Program Development, and Fundraising:

  • Develop a strategic plan for health components and identify and pursue funding opportunities to maintain and expand the IRC health program portfolio in Bangladesh.
  • Supervise the project design process for new or adapted health programming, including the development of budgets, proposal narratives, logframes, and other supporting documents. 
  • Ensure compliance of the IRC Bangladesh health interventions with the IRC global health technical standards through regular engagement with Regional Technical Advisors, and technical visits by the Technical Advisors.
  • Design and implement initiatives that incorporate climate resilience into health service delivery, prioritizing vulnerable populations.
  • Collaborate with the local government structures to design and implement new or enhanced Disaster Risk Management (DRM) initiatives, focusing on risk-informed decision-making and planning.
  • Develop strategies and protocols to enhance the resilience of health systems in the face of increasing climate-related disasters.
  • Lead and adapt the health strategy for IRC Bangladesh, ensuring that the health program growth is aligned with the country's overall Strategic Action Plan (SAP). 
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of the overall country program strategic direction.
  • Lead proposal development (design, narratives and budgets) in collaboration with the team, ensuring technical standards are taken into consideration and adequately reflected in the submissions.
  • Regularly supervise and report on unmet needs and service delivery gaps in Rohingya camps, host communities and elsewhere in Bangladesh; make evidence-based recommendations to senior management on the capacity of the IRC to address identified needs.
  • Promote the effective integration of health services and ensure that the health service delivery modalities are responsive to patient needs and location-specific constraints.
  • Regularly review MEAL data and apply indicator findings to improve program quality, ensuring that all programs are data driven.
  • Lead the design of health program assessments to find opportunities for expansion and improvements in program effectiveness, efficiency, and efficacy.
  • Coordinate with other IRC sectors (i.e. Women protection and empowerment, Child protection, Protection and rule of law, Education, and Economic recovery and development) to provide relevant input and support towards significant integration and enhancing the comprehensive impact of the IRC health program in Bangladesh.

Program and Budget Management:

  • Support the Health Program Delivery Coordinator in the development and implementation of strong project work plans, to achieve the project goals and objectives, within the project timeline, staffing and budget.
  • Participate in and spearhead Health project cycle meetings (Design, Implementation, and Close out meetings), ensuring accountable project management, and data informed program decision making and adaptation.
  • Lead Health program data/program review meetings with technical advisors on strategic grants.

Staff Management: 

  • Supervise the Health Program Delivery Coordinator, ensuring an enabling environment for the job holder to achieve the deliverables of the position, and providing guidance and support as appropriate.
  • In coordination with Health Program Delivery Coordinator, be involved in the recruitment of health staff for the country program, providing advice on the technical skills required and the relevant experience. 
  • Ensure that all health staff are adequately trained though internal and external trainings and ensure provision for capacity building, mentoring and coaching in project budget. 
  • Ensure strong technical induction of new staff and regular staff appraisals and use these to develop and adapt staff training plan(s), in consultation with the Regional Technical Advisors.

Coordination, Representation and Advocacy:

  • In coordination with the Deputy Director of Programs, proactively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key collaborators including donors, government actors, UN agencies, NGOs, and other actors.
  • Work closely with local governments, NGOs, and other collaborators to advocate for the integration of climate resilience and health service delivery in policy planning.
  • Represent IRC to local communities, government departments, international agencies, partners and donors.
  • Build strong working alliances with international and national health actors for advocacy and positioning of IRC’s benefit as a health actor of choice for potential partnerships and consortia for funding opportunities.
  • Develop policy papers based on evidence generated from health data analysis and trends.
  • Proactive representation in health sector and government forums at National level, Cox’s Bazar and other areas.
Requirements
  • Minimum MBBS/BDS and MPH, master’s in health economics are preferred.
  • Experienced health professional with clinical practice.
  • 10-12 years’ relevant experience (including 2-3 years in similar role) with direct management of development and implementation of health strategy and program in humanitarian and/or development settings in Bangladesh.
  • Experience in setting up and running PHC, SRH and Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care projects in Humanitarian setting and/or developing and implementing Humanitarian Development Nexus projects.
  • Experience in organizational and program management, including staff work plans, budgets, and M&E
  • Experience with situational and context analysis, and health assessments.
  • Experience in capacity building and mentoring of staff.
  • Excellent problem-solving skills, and demonstrated ability to perform well under pressure and to tight deadlines.
  • Experience in working with GoB’s health sector architecture in Bangladesh preferably in the Rohingya crisis.
  • Effective and persuasive influencing, communication, and social skills, including on technical issues.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and facilitation, coordination and networking skills.
  • Technical writing skills (Proposal writing, report writing skills).
  • Excellent database, data management and data analysis skills.
  • Strong commitment to IRC’s mission, purpose and values.
  • Strong hold in written and verbal communication skills in English and Bangla. 
Specific Educational Qualification
  • Minimum MBBS/BDS and MPH, master’s in health economics are preferred.
Professional Degree/Certification:
  • Certification in Project Management is an added advantage.

How to Apply: https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/job/req58980/Senior-Health-Coordinator

Application Deadline: August 01, 2025 

Standard of Professional Conduct:
The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.