Business Development/Proposal Recruitment at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) 
Are you an experienced Chief of Party on a USAID or USG project? Or perhaps a seasoned DCOP eager to step into a COP role? Do you bring technical expertise in health, education, climate change, governance or economic wellbeing?

If this sounds like you, we’d love to connect! Join our Proposal Recruitment talent pool today. We regularly turn to our talent pool for new opportunities, so by sharing your information now, you'll be on our radar for future roles.

It’s quick and easy—just a few clicks at the link at the bottom of the page. We look forward to staying in touch!


Anticipated Projects Overview: 
As a leader within the international development sector, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) focuses on several key areas to address challenges faced by vulnerable populations. This includes areas such as education, climate change, immunization, economic well-being and youth empowerment. 

Here are some examples of a few projects we are currently implementing:   
  • USAID's Opportunities to Learn (OTL) Activity, a $25 million Cooperative Agreement aimed at addressing the immediate education needs of out-of-school children (OOSC) and youth in up to 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Borno and Yobe states, Nigeria.
  • USAID Accessible and Quality Basic Education (AQBE), a $79m flagship project in Afghanistan aimed at enabling Afghan children to acquire the education and skills needed to be productive members of society and foster individual self-reliance.  
  • FCDO Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis (ERICC) is a three-year Education in Emergencies (EiE) research programme funded by the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The ERICC RPC is led by the IRC in collaboration with various partners in Bangladesh (Cox’s Bazar), Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria.
  • FCDO ‘What Works: Impact at Scale’ programme is a seven year programme, funded by the UK government, on prevention of violence against women and girls. Led by the IRC under a consortium, the programme systematically designs, implements and rigorously evaluates a range of approaches to scaling up violence prevention efforts, translating proof-of-concept evidence into robust, largescale programmes and strategies; as well as designing, piloting and testing new theory-driven violence prevention approaches.
  • Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, REACH is a consortium project, led by IRC, that aims to close the immunization gap for zero-dose children in the Horn of Africa, specifically in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan1. The project focuses on innovative strategies to deliver vaccines in conflict-affected and remote regions, including mobile vaccination units and community mobilization. In its first six months, the consortium successfully immunized 298,559 children. 
  • NORAD Integrated, Adaptive and Climate-Smart Response to Food Insecurity project is a consortium project, including ten local partners, serving clients in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, that improved food security and reduced malnutrition amongst young children by facilitating climate-resilient and nutritious food production.
 

Why join the IRC? 

  • Strategic Leadership: An opportunity to lead and oversee the implementation of integrated projects in education, climate change, health immunization, economic wellbeing, and youth empowerment, fostering holistic and sustainable development in vulnerable communities. 
  • Opportunity for Impact: An opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities, empowering them to build brighter futures.
  • Collaborative Approach: Work collaboratively with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to design and implement comprehensive solutions that address the complex challenges facing vulnerable populations.
  • Supportive Environment: Comprehensive healthcare coverage, retirement benefits, access to Kaya learning platform, and the support necessary to excel in your role and advance your career​​​​​.

The Opportunity 

We are currently seeking to fill the following positions: 
Chief of Party (COP): Lead and oversee the strategic direction, implementation, and management of USAID funded projects. The COP will ensure effective program delivery, compliance with donor requirements, and coordination with partners and stakeholders. 

Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP): The DCOP will be responsible for providing technical leadership, managing daily operations, and ensuring the successful execution of USAID-funded projects. Working closely with the Chief of Party, the DCOP will ensure effective program delivery, compliance with donor requirements, and coordination with partners and stakeholders.

Project Director/Team Leader: Provide overall leadership and management for specific project components or sectors within FCDO-funded initiatives. The Project Director/Team Leader will be responsible for achieving project objectives, managing project resources, and fostering collaboration among project staff and partners.

Technical Advisors/Specialists (Health, Education, Economic Recovery Development, Immunization, Empowerment and Climate Change): Provide expert guidance and support, contributing to strategic planning, capacity building, quality assurance, partnership building, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge sharing. Pivotal in ensuring the successful implementation of project activities, 

IRC Employee Benefits & Resources 

Our sector-leading, comprehensive benefits offer our staff the support, freedom and flexibility, enabling them to do their best work.
Mental Health Support
Free & private consultation and counseling sessions offered in multiple languages to assist you with managing any work or personal related concerns, such as stress and building resiliency through our EARP program. 
Retirement Matching
Generous retirement plan with employer match up to 4.5%, immedately vested with additional matching options with tenure. 
Personal Development
We offer variety of digital learning courses & programs including access to Kaya. Our robust internal mobility prorgam includes temporary transfer assignments (TTA) where employees can explore roles in and across our organization globally.
Generous PTO & Holidays
Paid time off including generous vacation (20 days), sick days (10 days), parental & adoption leave, disability and holidays (10 days). 

Learn more about our comprehensive benefits

Learn more about our Proposal roles

Chief of Party (CoP)
Lead and oversee the strategic direction, implementation, and management of USAID funded projects. The COP will ensure effective program delivery, compliance with donor requirements, and coordination with partners and stakeholders.

Project Director/
Team Leader
Provide overall leadership and management for specific project components or sectors within FCDO-funded initiatives. The Project Director/Team Leader will be responsible for achieving project objectives, managing project resources, and fostering collaboration among project staff and partners.

Technical Advisors/Specialists
Provide expert guidance and support, contributing to strategic planning, capacity building, quality assurance, partnership building, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge sharing. Pivotal in ensuring the successful implementation of project activities.

What our staff are saying about our experience

"Working with IRC, and with my regional project team, has been the most gratifying professional experience to date. Not only did I have the opportunity to work on the project since its initial design, but I had never before worked with such dedicated and mission-focused colleagues. IRC is rapidly expanding its reach and impact in Latin America and I loved being a part of that innovative, technically strong change. IRC is also doing really good programming. As such, I was proud to represent IRC’s values and represent the organization’s position to USAID, deepening thought leadership and partnership.” 
Katie Appel, Chief of Party RETO
Guatemala City, Guatemala
"My time at IRC was fascinating. I met a passionate group of individuals making a difference in the most hostile, hard-to-reach, needy areas. Their commitment to quality service for their clients was infectious. Their drive for results was amazing. An organization that spared no efforts at ensuring the highest duty of care possible for its staff. I was surrounded by support from all angles, with skilled professionals extending hands of help. During my project’s start-up, without relevant technical staff in place, I benefited immensely from the extensive human and operational resources and goodwill they had across the states of Nigeria where they operate.” 
Haladu Mohammed, Chief of Party
Abuja, Nigeria
"Reaching Every Child (REACH) within Humanitarian Settings project, implemented by the IRC and partners, aims to increase immunization coverage among zero-dose children in Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan by addressing systems-related barriers and ensuring sustained access to vaccinations in conflict-affected areas. The project has successfully administered over 696,000 doses of DTP and MCV vaccines in 2023 and additional doses in early 2024, implemented diverse service delivery strategies, and reduced inaccessible communities from 54% to 4%. This has significantly increased immunization rates and improved health outcomes. Community engagement platforms have been particularly effective, with local stakeholders appreciating the tailored interventions and increased awareness about the importance of vaccines, highlighting the project's success in a community-driven approach."
George Njenga – Senior Coordinator, Communications Advocacy and Policy - REACH 
Nairobi, Kenya 

Commonly Asked Questions:


About the role & expectations: 

Benefits and resources

Hiring and Interview Process