Livelihoods Programme Manager

Roles & Responsibilities

The Livelihoods Programme Manager will provide management and technical oversight of Concern’s Livelihoods programme activities in Lebanon including: Vocational Training, Cash for Work, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good manufacturing Practices (GMP) training, Apprenticeship schemes, market linkages, cooperatives support among others. This includes being budget holder for the Livelihoods components of different grants, including BPRM. The Livelihoods Programme Manager will also contribute in Concern’s multi-sectoral emergency response in Lebanon through development of new livelihoods’ programmes and proposals.

The Livelihoods Programme Manager will report to Lebanon Programme Director and directly manage staff delivering the livelihoods components of programmes.  The Livelihoods Programme Manager will liaise with Programme Managers, MEAL Manager, System Director, Country Financial Controller and programme partners and will also represent Concern in consultation with Programme Director to National and the North Region Sectoral Working Groups, UN Agencies and NGOs.

Programme Planning and Management

• Provide technical and management oversight and supervision of the Livelihoods programme;
• Ensure the selection criteria and selection process of Program participants are clear, transparent and aligned with Concern’s values and project’s objectives;
• Ensure that programme targets are reached in accordance with agreed programme objectives and as per contracts with donors and in line with the overall programme approach;
• Ensure that all programme activities are appropriate and are based on evidence and needs and in line with Concern’s country strategy and LCRP;
• Under the guidance of the Programmes Director, work with the existing Shelter, WASH, education, and protection teams to analyse ‘entry points’ and  identity livelihoods and Food security programme activities in existing programmes where possible;
• Ensure that all resources (technical, financial, HR) are in place to implement the different projects of the Livelihoods programme in accordance with the work plans and realistic timeframes and milestones agreed with contractor and donors;
• Oversee preparation of technical documents such as tenders and BOQs, and material and equipment purchases and delivery as necessary to ensure that Concerns’ and donors’ policies and procedures are applied and followed;
• Ensure all necessary permission and Memoradum of Understanding (MoU) from local authorities are in place prior starting activities;
• Ensure the preparation of detailed implementation work plans and provide the necessary guidance and support to the team to achieve timely and quality implementation of activities;
• In collaboration with the MEAL team, manage the implementation of an M&E system to monitor progress and capture impact of projects and to make necessary adjustments to work plans if necessary in a timely manner;
• Lead the development of a learning and documentation system related to livelihoods that integrates into and complements existing programmes;
• Carry out regular field visits to inspect activities and organize regular project review sessions through participatory methodologies involving beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the areas of intervention, with the aim of establishing and/or verifying emerging needs, gaps and priorities, and communicate these to the Programmes Director as part of a continuous programme review and improvement process;
• Prepare budgets, funding plans, concept notes and proposals through analysis of field data and actual costs incurred in activity implementation;
• Participate in stakeholder and context analysis, risk and prevention analysis related to the project;
• Integrate a conflict and gender sensitive approach in project design, monitoring and implementation in coordination with the Protection and MEAL teams;
• Propose and lead adaptation to the program to the COVID-19 situation as aligned to the sector strategy and LCRP;
• Coordinate with the Concern Emergency Unit to support in the Rapid Needs Assessments (RNA) and response following disasters, new refugee influxes, evictions and/or extreme weather conditions upon alert raised by the RNA coordinator;
• Oversee the case identification within target populations and subsequent referral for service provision (health, education, legal assistance, Shelter, etc.).
• Capacity building of partner agencies in developing their organisational capacity, including strengthening policies and procedures, in addition to Livelihood/Food Security standards, Core humanitarian standards, Protection against Sexual exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and accountability to program participants.
• Support the Programme Director /CD to seek out in-country and international funding opportunities for potential livelihoods activities and programmes, and secure funding  through the development of high quality project/programme proposals and concept notes;
• Write and review monthly, quarterly and annual reports;
• Ensure adequate and timely report on Activity info and other coordination platforms;
• Ensure the team is adequately managing referrals to other Concern departments and external stakeholders;
• Lead the recruitment of staff for the needs of the programme in collaboration with HR department;
• Participate in the capacity building of Concern Lebanon, and relevant partners in terms of livelihoods activities and approaches and provide technical advice as required;

Procurement and Budget Management

• Prepare procurement plans against approved work plans and ensure timely initiation of procurement requests in line with Concern guidelines and procedures;
• Ensure that Concern and donor policies are followed in the selection of contractors and that the tender decisions are well documented;
• Ensure all contractors and service providers’ performance is evaluated and evaluations are formally documented.
• In conjunction with the finance, systems and programme teams, contribute towards the development accurate budgets to accompany the programme proposals and concept notes;
• Approve budgeted expenditure in line with Concern’s thresholds and donor financial guidelines, ensuring that requested expenses match approved procurement plans;
• Monitor programme budgets and management accounts, flagging over/under expenditure and recommend corrective measures in a timely manner to ensure relevant activities are being implemented in accordance with agreed budgets and timeframes;
• Engage the Project Manager in budget tracking and review of management account;
• Review monthly budget forecasts prepared by the Project Manager with reference to the overall programme annual budget forecast and submit to the Finance team on time;
• Ensure contracts and payment are prepared as per Concern’s thresholds , Concern and donor financial guidelines, ensuring that requested expenses match approved procurement plans;
• Develop, monitor and update the procurement plans against approved work plans and ensure timely initiation of procurement requests in line with Concern guidelines and procedures;
• Ensure that Concern and donor policies are followed in the selection of service/good providers and that the tender decisions are well documented;
• Monitor warehouse Livelihood material stock and dispatches to avoid idle stocking, and ensure deliveries are done and utilized in compliance with Concern procedures.

Human Resources Management

• Oversee staff under his/her responsibility in the day-to-day management of the implementation of the livelihoods programme;
• Provide ongoing technical assistance to the programme staff and foster opportunities for programmes to learn from each other;

• Lead and manage project managers and teams, contributing to their capacity building and career development;
• Identify staff training needs and recommend on-job or other capacity building measures in consultation with the Programmes Director, and the HR department;
• Ensure efficient team deployment through a system of up-to-date job descriptions developed in line with Concern organizational structure.
• Regularly review and recommend staffing structure reviews to the Programmes Director in collaboration with the Livelihood Project Manager;
• Ensure all staff is aware of and comply with Concern’s policies and procedures;
• Monitor and review the performance of staff through Concern’s Performance Development Reviews system (PDR) and hold staff accountable for meeting the performance criteria;
• Ensure that work within the team(s) is planned and organised in a way which will meet the organisation’s needs in the most cost effective manner possible; ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently;
• Oversee the planning of staff leaves and absences.

Coordination and Representation

• Building and maintaining effective networks with government representatives, local and international NGO’s, partners and other implementing actors within the livelihoods and Food security sector to ensure more effective livelihoods programming;
• Represent Concern Lebanon at local, regional and national level in regards to Livelihood and Food security related meetings with donors, stakeholder and other relevant actors as necessary.

Other

• Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in Concern Code of Conduct and its associated policies.
• Support and promote the standards outlined in Concern Code of Conduct and its associated policies to the team, partners and stakeholders and be committed to providing a safe working environment.
• Actively participate in Concern accountability initiatives (communication strategy, participation and Complaint Response Mechanism for example) ensuring that they are integrated in to the project  Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Programme /Country Director.
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Country Director and the Programme Director.
• Support Concern’s work in Lebanon by undertaking other tasks as appropriate and required, particularly as it might relate to urgent or emergency work not necessarily related to livelihoods.

Essential Skills

This position demands a highly organised and dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a wide complex programme portfolio and demanding environment.

• At least three year’s experience of working in an NGO in a senior position focused on livelihoods (management/advisory role).
• Technical expertise in local development, vocational training, sustainable livelihoods or related fields.
• Experience in team management.
• Proven ability in report writing, research and documentation.
• Experience in delivering trainings and presentations.
• Excellent communication skills in English (both written and verbal).
• Demonstrably strong understanding of Monitoring and Evaluation. 
• Proven analytical, planning and time management skills.
• Good team player, flexible and capable of working with a multinational country team politically and culturally sensitive.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel;
• Experience participating in and working under a Cluster coordination system;
• Capacity to multi-task.