International Emergency Response Specialist

IDEA; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

IDEA in Alexandria, VA seeks an experienced International Emergency Response Lead to design, coordinate, and execute large-scale humanitarian responses across regions. The role combines operational leadership with strategic partnership management for timely, principled interventions.

The ideal candidate has field experience, manages institutional donors, and is comfortable with short-notice international travel and deployments to high-risk environments, while upholding humanitarian standards.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred in related field.
• 5–7+ years of experience in international humanitarian response with field experience.
• Willingness to travel internationally on short notice.
• Experience with donors and UN agencies is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, coordination, and execution of large-scale international emergency responses.
• Oversee rapid needs assessments, strategy development, and program implementation.
• Ensure responses are timely, contextually appropriate, and aligned with humanitarian standards and best practices.
• Coordinate with donors, UN agencies, local governments, and partners.
• Support preparedness initiatives with field operations and partner organizations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree in international development or related field

Job description

Job title: International Emergency Response Specialist

Status: Full-time

Location: Alexandria, VA

Department: International Programs

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced and agile International Emergency Response Lead to drive the design, coordination, and execution of large-scale humanitarian responses across multiple regions. This role combines operational leadership with strategic partnership management, ensuring timely, effective, and principled emergency interventions.

The ideal candidate brings deep field experience, strong institutional relationship management skills, and the ability to operate in high-pressure, rapidly evolving environments. This position requires frequent short-notice international travel, including deployments to emergency settings.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Emergency Response Leadership

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of complex, large-scale international emergency responses
• Oversee rapid needs assessments, response strategy development, and program implementation
• Ensure responses are timely, contextually appropriate, and aligned with humanitarian standards and best practices
• Conduct needs assessment once deployed and coordinate within the emergency framework.
• Provide support to preparedness initiatives with field operations and community based organizations

Field Deployment & Surge Capacity

• Deploy on short notice to emergency contexts to lead or support response operations
• Provide on-the-ground leadership, coordination, and troubleshooting during critical phases
• Support country teams and local partner organizations in scaling operations, staffing, and systems in emergency settings

Strategic Partnerships & External Engagement

• Manage and strengthen relationships with key institutional donors, UN agencies, local governments agencies and partner organizations
• Serve as a focal point for the organization’s engagement with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD), ensuring effective coordination on emergency logistics, supply chain readiness, and rapid deployment
• Represent the organization in high-level coordination forums and external engagements
• Support business development efforts, including proposal development and donor engagement

Program Quality & Compliance

• Ensure emergency programs meet donor requirements, organizational policies, and compliance standards
• Promote accountability, monitoring, evaluation, and learning across emergency responses
• Integrate cross-cutting priorities such as protection, gender, and localization into response strategies
• Contribute to systems, tools, and frameworks development

Qualifications And Competencies

• U.S. citizenship (required)
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in international development, humanitarian affairs, public policy, or related field preferred
• 5-7+ years of experience in international humanitarian response, including significant field experience
• This position requires travel as needed to support organizational activities.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, complex emergency programs
• Strong track record of working with institutional donors (e.g., USAID/BHA, State Department, UN agencies, ECHO etc.)
• Experience in insecure or resource-constrained environments
• Proven ability to lead under pressure and make decisions in rapidly changing contexts
• Excellent communication, representation, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally on short notice (up to 30-50% or as needed)
• Ability to deploy to high-risk or challenging environments
• Strong problem-solving skills and adaptability
• Fluency in English required; additional languages (Arabic, French, Spanish) are a strong asset
• Experience in multiple geographic regions
• Familiarity with humanitarian coordination systems (e.g., clusters)
• Strong strategic thinking with hands-on operational capability
• Ability to balance big-picture leadership with detail-oriented execution

Employer Commitment

At IDEA (Islamic Development & Empowerment in America), we are committed to safeguarding and protecting all individuals we come into contact with through our work. IDEA representatives must adhere to its organizational values: Integrity, Service, Resilience, Social Innovation, and Collaboration. In accordance with these values, IDEA operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Code of Ethics, and Anti-Harassment and Discrimination.