Cash Transfers Lead

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.

The IRC has been operating in South Sudan since 1989 and is registered as an international NGO. IRC currently delivers multi sectoral programming directly and through partners across seven states and two administrative areas. These include Northern Bahr el Ghazal, covering Aweil East, Aweil West, and Aweil South counties, Unity State, covering Rubkona, Koch, and Panyijiar counties, Upper Nile State, covering Maban, Renk, Panyikang, Nasir, Ulang, and Panylgang counties, Lakes State, covering Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East, and Yirol West counties, Central Equatoria, covering Juba, Yei, and Kajokeji counties, Eastern Equatoria, covering Kapoeta East, Jonglei, covering Ayod, Twic East, Uror, Akobo counties, as well as Abyei Administrative Area and Ruweng Administrative Area, including Pariang County and Ajoung Thok and Pamir refugee camps.

Background and objectives of Education for all South Sudan(EFASS)

South Sudan has one of the world's most fragile education systems, with approximately 2.8 to 3 million children, representing around 60 to 70 percent of the school-age population, out of school. Foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes remain critically low, with less than 10 percent of children achieving minimum reading competency. Years of conflict, accelerating climate shocks, and government education expenditure under 3 percent of the national budget have created an entrenched crisis. Girls and children with disabilities are disproportionately affected by these barriers, with harmful gender norms and stigma further limiting their access to education.

EFASS is a £27 million, four-year programme (April 2026 to March 2030), designed to deliver five interlinked outcomes. These include improving access, retention, and progression for the most marginalised out-of-school children, particularly girls and children with disabilities in conflict and climate-affected areas. The programme also targets improved foundational learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy, strengthened delivery of inclusive and climate-adaptive education approaches by teachers and facilitators, improved education data and evidence for decision-making through a national Learning Outcomes and Quality Assessment, as well as strengthened pathways for system uptake and sustainability beyond EFASS.

Scope of Work

The CASH Transfers Lead will serve as the technical lead for all Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) activities under EFASS, overseeing the design, implementation, management, and continuous improvement of cash transfer delivery at scale across South Sudan. This senior technical position requires expertise in managing large-scale cash transfer programmes in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, with a strong focus on ensuring Value for Money (VfM), fiduciary risk management, safeguarding, and adaptive programme management.

This role requires overseeing the complete end-to-end cash delivery process, from beneficiary identification and registration through to payment distribution and post-distribution monitoring. This includes managing complex relationships with financial service providers, banks, payment agents, and implementing partners , while coordinating closely with Government of South Sudan counterparts, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction, and key stakeholders. A central aspect of this role involves comprehensive risk management and safeguarding in challenging operating environments. 

The position requires exceptional strategic leadership and adaptive programme delivery, ensuring that FCDO's investment achieves maximum impact while protecting public funds in a high-risk environment. This involves making evidence-based decisions about scaling transfers up or down in response to changing needs, climate shocks, displacement, or budget adjustments, while exploring and piloting innovative approaches such as anticipatory action triggers linked to climate events. The role demands strong analytical capabilities to generate learning from programme implementation, contribute to the global evidence base on cash transfers in fragile contexts, monitor gender parity and disability inclusion indicators to inform targeting decisions, and work within an adaptive management framework that allows for course correction based on monitoring data and emerging contextual realities in South Sudan's complex and fluid operating environment.

CASH Leads Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic design and implementation of nationwide cash transfer interventions targeting girls and children with disabilities
• Develop and maintain a clear, feasible end-to-end process for timely and secure delivery of cash transfers across all states
• Design and oversee robust mechanisms for identifying eligible beneficiaries using Washington Group Questions
• Ensure cash transfer strategies integrate with behaviour change communication (BCC) activities and align with evidence of effective practice
• Explore and pilot innovative delivery mechanism modalities including mobile money, biometric technology, and anticipatory action/climate-linked cash triggers
• Coordinate with Government of South Sudan (GoSS), Cash Working Group, Collaborative Cash Delivery (CCD) network and Protection Working Groups, and other stakeholders to demonstrate learning from current and prior interventions
• Manage relationships with financial service providers, banks, and payment agents to ensure competitive rates and lowest execution costs
• Monitor and adapt delivery mechanisms in response to school closures, displacement, climate shocks, insecurity, and access constraints
• Develop and implement comprehensive risk mitigation strategies addressing fraud, safeguarding, diversion, theft, exploitation, and market volatility
• Train and monitor cash delivery staff, SBMC/PTA, and paying agents on safeguarding and financial management
• Coordinate with government counterparts at national and state levels, particularly Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI)
• Engage with major donors (World Bank, World Food Programme, GPE, ECW, etc.) to explore synergies with social safety net initiatives
• Represent the programme in relevant technical working groups and coordination mechanisms
• Prepare technical reports for FCDO on cash transfer activities, challenges, and achievements
• Together with the MEAL team, design, implement, and oversee Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) to assess cash utilization, beneficiary satisfaction, protection risks, market functionality, and unintended effects, ensuring findings directly inform programme adjustments and risk mitigation measures.
• In collaboration with the MEAL team, establish and oversee accountability, feedback, and learning mechanisms, including beneficiary feedback and complaints response mechanisms, to strengthen programme effectiveness and safeguarding.

CASH  Leads Profile and Qualifications:

• Master's degree in International Development, Economics, Social Protection, Public Administration, or related field
• Minimum 8-10 years of programme management, with at least 5 years in fragile and conflict-affected states
• Proven track record of managing large-scale cash transfer programmes
• Knowledge of mobile money platforms, biometric systems, and digital payment technologies
• Understanding of education sector dynamics and cash transfer linkages to education outcomes
• Demonstrated experience delivering cash transfers in South Sudan or similar complex humanitarian/development contexts
• Deep understanding of risks associated with cash delivery, including fraud, safeguarding, diversion, insecurity, and market volatility
• Strong knowledge of Value for Money principles and application in programming
• Expertise in fiduciary risk management, financial controls, and anti-fraud measures
• Experience with beneficiary targeting methodologies, including disability-inclusive approaches
• Excellent budget management and financial analysis skills
• Strong understanding of safeguarding principles, particularly child protection in cash programming
• Experience working with government systems and multi-donor partnerships
• Proven ability to manage and coordinate multiple implementing partners
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Strong negotiation skills and demonstrated ability to develop relationships with local counterparts, government ministries, donors, and sector coordination bodies.

This position will be contingent on the outcome of the bid.

Safety & Security Situation: All staff must comply with all IRC South Sudan by security policies and procedures. 

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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