Disability and Inclusion Specialist

The Disability and Inclusion Specialist will lead the technical approach to disability and wider inclusion in targeting, cash assistance, protection, referral and accountability within the ReSET Pillar 1 programme in Uganda. The role involves technical leadership, capacity strengthening, partnership building, and ensuring meaningful access and participation of persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups in the refugee response.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the implementation of a Pillar 1 disability and inclusion strategy and action plan aligned with FCDO requirements, CRPD, IASC Guidelines, Humanitarian Inclusion Standards, gender equality and protection mainstreaming standards, and IRC's SIT Programming approaches.
• Advise programme leadership and consortium partners on disability and wider inclusion in programme design, adaptation and decision-making.
• Support integration of disability and wider inclusion into work plans, budgets, risk management and donor reporting.
• Validate GEDSI analysis with OPDs, WROs and refugee-led organisations; establish baseline accessibility audit and disability data; agree inclusion standards with consortium partners before client-facing delivery.
• Conduct quarterly reviews of targeting, registration, cash delivery, referral and feedback outcomes for bias and exclusion; recommend and implement program adaptations.
• Review targeting and vulnerability criteria to ensure fair identification of persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
• Work with cash and market-based programming teams to reduce barriers in registration, verification, delivery mechanisms, financial service providers and post-distribution monitoring affecting persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
• Advise on accounting for additional costs of reasonable accommodations in transfer values and complementary support.
• Strengthen links between cash assistance and protection services for access to case management, MHPSS, GBV response, child protection and legal aid.
• Develop and maintain accessible referral pathways to specialist services including rehabilitation, assistive technology, health, education and livelihoods providers.
• Support inclusive case management and psychosocial support with partners; support safeguarding and PSEAH prevention for persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
• Identify and build relationships with OPDs, disability-focused organizations and other groups at risk of exclusion; create channels for participation in programme planning, monitoring and review.
• Ensure OPDs and representative organizations participate in validation, targeting, accessibility review and programme governance.
• Work with RELON and member organizations to strengthen leadership and participation of refugees with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
• Represent IRC and ReSET in relevant disability, inclusion, gender, protection and cash working groups and coordination forums; coordinate with OPM, local governments, UN agencies and partners.
• Assess disability and inclusion capacity of IRC staff and partners; design and deliver capacity strengthening plans.
• Conduct training, coaching and on-the-job support on inclusive communication, disability-sensitive data collection, age, disability inclusion, gender and diversity analysis, accessibility, reasonable accommodations and respectful engagement.
• Develop practical tools, checklists and guidance notes for field teams; adapt to local languages and contexts.
• Work with accountability team to make feedback and complaints mechanisms accessible and safe for persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
• Ensure information about eligibility, entitlements and services reaches persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups in accessible formats and languages.
• Help community outreach volunteers and staff identify and reach persons with disabilities and other at-risk individuals who are often hidden or stigmatized.
• Monitor feedback and complaints to ensure proper actions and program adaptations.
• Work with MEAL team to add disability-, sex- and age-disaggregated indicators and data collection to programme results framework.
• Track access, participation and outcomes for persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups; use findings to adapt programming.
• Document and share good practice and lessons learned on disability-inclusive and wider inclusive cash and protection with FCDO, consortium and wider sector.
• Contribute to donor reports, case studies and learning products portraying persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups with dignity and agency.
• Contribute to IRC Uganda country program's wider inclusion work and support proposal development as relevant.
• Carry out other duties assigned by line manager fitting the role scope.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences, development studies, disability studies, gender studies, public health, human rights or a related field.
• A master's degree is an advantage.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in disability inclusion, wider social inclusion (including gender, age and diversity), protection or inclusive programming in humanitarian or development settings, preferably in refugee contexts.
• Demonstrated experience of mainstreaming disability and wider inclusion into programs, ideally cash assistance or social protection programs.
• Experience working in partnership with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and local or refugee-led organizations.
• Experience of building the capacity of staff and partners, and of working in consortium or multi-partner settings.
• Experience of FCDO or other institutional donor-funded programs is an advantage.
• Familiarity with the Ugandan refugee response, including its policy framework and coordination structures, is a strong advantage.
• Strong knowledge of disability rights frameworks and standards, including the CRPD, the IASC Guidelines and the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards, as well as of wider inclusion, gender equality and protection mainstreaming principles.
• Knowledge of disability-inclusive data tools, including the Washington Group questions, and of disability-, sex- and age-disaggregated monitoring and age, gender and diversity analysis.
• Understanding of cash-based programming, protection mainstreaming and referral systems.
• Strong knowledge of disability inclusion core concepts and approaches such as inclusive communication, accessibility and reasonable accommodations, accessibility audits, and others.
• Strong training, facilitation and coaching skills.
• Strong written and spoken English, and the ability to write clear reports, guidance and learning products.
• Knowledge of local languages spoken in the settlements is an advantage.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Experience with data analysis or case management tools is an advantage.
• Ability to influence and advise colleagues and partners at all levels without direct line authority.
• Respectful, empathetic and culturally sensitive approach to working with persons with disabilities, refugees and host communities.
• Ability to build trust and collaborative relationships with local organizations, government and donors.
• Strong planning and organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities across several locations.
• Willingness to travel frequently to field sites and to work in remote settings.

Skills

• Disability Inclusion
• Social Inclusion
• Protection Programming
• Inclusion Programming
• Cash-based programming
• Partnership Building
• Capacity Building
• Consortium Management
• Donor-Funded Programme Management
• Disability Rights Frameworks
• CRPD Knowledge
• IASC Guidelines
• Humanitarian Inclusion Standards
• Gender Equality Mainstreaming
• Protection Mainstreaming
• Disability-Inclusive Data Tools
• Washington Group Questions
• Disability Disaggregated Monitoring
• Age Gender Diversity Analysis
• Inclusive Communication
• Accessibility Audits
• Reasonable Accommodation
• Training Facilitation
• Coaching Skills
• Report Writing
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Data Analysis
• Case Management Tools
• Referral Systems Knowledge
• Organizational Planning Skills

Languages

English