Senior Director and Head of Health

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. As Senior Director and Head of Health, you will lead the IRC’s largest programming portfolio, shaping how we deliver health care to people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster, including the climate crisis, so they can survive, recover and gain control of their future.

You will provide strategic leadership for a portfolio of more than $200 million in program funding across 35 country offices, spanning Primary Health Care, Nutrition, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Environmental and Climate Health, and Immunization. You will set the global standard for the quality and technical soundness of our health programming, represent the IRC in the global arena, help shape the industry, raise funds and strengthen our standing.

As a key member of the Technical Excellence (Tech Ex) Leadership Team and the Senior Leadership Group (SLG), you will play a pivotal role in advancing the IRC’s vision for health outcomes across crisis, recovery and post-crisis development contexts. You will bring strategic direction, technical authority and influential representation to our global health portfolio, driving innovation, integration and impact at scale across programs, policy and partnerships.

You will lead the Health Technical Unit and a globally dispersed, high impact team of approximately 60 technical experts, sector leaders, specialists and advocates working across global and regional positions, with reach into health roles and professionals in our country programs. You will directly supervise the Health leadership team, including the Deputy Director and Global Practice Leads for Nutrition, Primary Healthcare, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Environmental and Climate Health, Policy and Advocacy, Immunization and MEAL, alongside other key roles.

As a senior leader, you will:
Partner with senior leaders across the organization to position health as an organizational priority and ensure adequate investment is made to achieve the highest impact. Lead the IRC’s Health Impact at Scale agenda, identifying and scaling high impact health interventions and ensuring strategic alignment, operational excellence and measurable outcomes. Set a clear strategic vision for the Health Technical Unit that aligns with organizational priorities, promotes innovation, expands funding opportunities and positions the IRC as a global thought leader and partner of choice in health for crisis-affected and fragile settings.

Strategic and thought leadership Define and communicate a compelling strategic vision for the IRC’s health portfolio, identifying and prioritizing high impact health interventions, core competencies, emerging trends, competitive advantages and new opportunities for influence and growth. Serve as the IRC’s principal technical authority and thought leader in the global health space, internally and externally, shaping global influence on public health. Serve as strategic…