Asset Management

In 2013, the Government of Lebanon opened its public education system to cater for the enormous numbers of Syrian refugee students. In 2017/2018, non-Lebanese students outnumbered Lebanese students in the public education system. The responsibility for educating all these students resides with the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) who, alongside a number of donors, launched the Reaching All Children with Education II (RACE II) programme in 2016.

The World Bank (WB) and Government of Lebanon (GoL), especially the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), designed Support to RACE II (S2R2) to deliver on significant parts of RACE2 relating to the formal education sector. S2R2 is designed to complement other work developed to support RACE II, such as activities planned and implemented with UNICEF, UNHCR and UNESCO.

In addition to DFID’s financial contribution to RACE II, it supports a full-time, embedded technical assistance team to MEHE. In March 2018, a three- year technical assistance project was awarded to Oxford Policy Management, which will expand the TA facility to serve additional MEHE priority areas to achieve the objectives of RACE II through the S2R2 programme. The TA team will support the Government of Lebanon to deliver the immediate objectives of the S2R2 programme while building the capacity, systems and processes, which will underpin a medium-term sector development strategy.

The TA is supporting MEHE on improving the asset management operations in light of the government established procedures and the internationally recognized best practices. Specifically, the TA will support MEHE on:

1. Building a coordinated asset management function
2. Developing the asset management manual
3. Developing a Plan of Action
4. Ground setting for Plan Implementation

Objectives and deliverables

Role: The role entails supporting MEHE in building a coordinated asset management function between October 2019 and December 2019.

Deliverables:

• Review and map the existing asset management guidelines and processes followed at MEHE This should include the related asset management requirements of the different development projects.
• Develop an asset management improvement workplan based on the findings of the mapping exercise and the work previously done at MEHE and meeting S2R2 requirements
• Align the different Asset Management Process (S2R2-previous EDP 2, SIMS)
• Develop the asset management manual for MEHE
• Develop the mandate and method of work for a coordinated asset management committee
• Support MEHE in optimizing asset management operations
• Support MEHE in developing tools to monitor assets and report on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Provide technical assistance on financial analysis related to assets, (i.e. variance reporting, discounted cash flows, etc.)
• Develop capacity building plan, training material and conduct the necessary trainings.
• Provide coaching support after the training is completed.

Profile and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree with a concentration in business, finance, accounting, and/or related field
• At least 5 years of experience in the area of asset management
• Experience in working with Government of Lebanon (or similar) contexts
• Knowledge of Lebanese finance, procurement and accounting systems is advantageous
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Strong communications, leadership and problem-solving skills.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is necessary, French is a plus.

Approach and skills transfer plan

1. WORKING RELATIONSHIP: The Consultant (team of consultants) will work in close coordination with the MEHE counterparts and build on work that they have already started. The Team Leader OPM-TA is responsible for day to day management.
2. STATION: All the necessary introductions to MEHE staff, access to MEHE will be granted by the DG for General Education.