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.
1. Organization description
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we improve outcomes in the areas of health, safety, economic wellbeing, education and power. Given the disparity faced by women and girls, the IRC seeks to narrow gender inequalities and also ensure social inclusion of all vulnerable groups in broader policies, processes and actions affecting their lives.
The IRC has been working in Ethiopia since 1999 and in Uganda since 1998, supporting refugees, host communities and a range of national and local institutions, including government, community-based organisations, civil society and the private sector. In both countries the IRC implements programming across health, protection and rule of law (PRoL), women's protection and empowerment (WPE), economic recovery and development (ERD), and education, alongside cross-cutting work on systems strengthening and accountability to affected people. The IRC's regional education and early childhood development (ECD) portfolio includes PlayMatters, which promotes learning through play for refugee and host-community children in East Africa.
2. Job Overview
PlayMatters 3.0 is the next phase of the IRC-led PlayMatters initiative, funded by the LEGO Foundation. With co-funding from the UBS Optimus Foundation, PlayMatters 3.0 incorporates a new component, Outcome 4 - Comprehensive Support to the Childcare Economy . Outcome 4 is led by IRC and will be delivered in Ethiopia and Uganda only. It is embedded within the existing PlayMatters programme management structure and leverages the IRC's country operations and partnerships in both countries. As a new component, Outcome 4 is launching an inception phase running until December 2026, with plans for a phased start of implementation activities beginning in January 2027.
Rather than directly operating childcare services, IRC will serve as a systems integrator and ecosystem catalyst, connecting existing and emerging childcare providers to the financing instruments, technical support and policy frameworks they need to sustain and grow their services.IRC in-country staff are envisioned to provide the primary operational presence in both Ethiopia and Uganda, including direct coaching and regular monitoring visits to childcare providers.
Outcome 4 is designed to contribute directly to the higher-order goal of the PlayMatters Theory of Change. Child development outcomes will be anchored in the Nurturing Care Framework (WHO/UNICEF/World Bank, 2018), with a focus on social-emotional learning, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) — dimensions particularly relevant to conflict-affected children in Ethiopia and Uganda. Provider economic sustainability…