Program Manager (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the link provided)

Requires a Cover Letter?: 
no
Application Submissions Guideline: 

Applications will only be accepted if submitted online, through the URL link provided

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Description: 

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently works in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps is committed to generating positive opportunities for women, men, boys and girls from Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian communities, with a strong focus on engaging youth.  Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping build secure, productive and just communities. Our programs focus on four sectors:  Economic Opportunities, Governance and Social Stability, Youth and Humanitarian interventions. The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 150 staff working across four offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa.

Program / Department Summary

In 2019, Mercy Corps, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Oxfam in Lebanon and Al Majmoua established the Consortium “Linking Vulnerable Populations and Inclusive Market Networks to Advance Sustainable Economic Development in Lebanon” - or “LINKED” - to contribute to sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic development in Lebanon. DRC is the consortium lead.

With support from European Union’s Madad Trust Fund (MADAD), LINKED intends to deliver an integrated livelihoods package comprising a series of mutually reinforcing and sequenced activities. On the one side, it will aim to ensure vulnerable households have enhanced capacities to identify and pursue decent livelihoods pathways and improve access to employment opportunities for vulnerable job seekers through enhanced marketable skills and linkages with employers. In parallel, it will seek to strengthen capacities of selected local businesses to provide decent, inclusive and sustainable income generation opportunities.

The €14.5 Million programme will be delivered in Bekaa, Tripoli and Mount Lebanon governorates most affected by displacement for a period of 32 months and will target Lebanese vulnerable populations and refugees. The action is designed so that each agency will serve as thematic lead for various elements of each output – DRC for employability, Mercy Corps for Business Support, Oxfam for Advocacy and Decent Work conditions, and Al Majmoua for financial inclusion – while DRC and Mercy Corps will be delivering the bulk of employability and business support activities in their own geographical area of implementation.

Mercy Corps is looking for a highly qualified professional to serve as Program Manager to oversee successful completion of the flagship MADAD Economic Recovery programme, and to support growth and continued development of the LINKED economic recovery programming portfolio with emphasis on employability and business support.

 

General Position Summary

The Program Manager will provide overall leadership to Mercy Corps activities under the LINKED program while coordinating closely with other consortium partners. S/he will ensure the program is implemented on scope, on time and within budget and will ensure full compliance with national regulations as well as the consortium’s and donors’ requirements. The Program Manager must be a team player, ideally with consortium experience, who has the technical and functional skills to be a leader. S/he must be able to guide a team ensuring coherence and quality across components of the program as well as be able to identify and pursue new paths forward. S/he must guide vision and plan for their team in a way that is mutually reinforcing with other activities of the LINKED consortium partners, while contributing to Mercy Corps Lebanon’s strategic pillars.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision
  • Work closely with the Director of Programs, the MERG Sector Lead and senior team members to fully understand the ‘bigger picture’ of the program and what it aims to achieve;
  • Work with and support team members in the design, adaptation and implementation of program components to achieve measurable impact in the rapidly changing political, economic and political context of Lebanon;
  • Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create a positive collaborative environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed, recognized, and have the opportunity to create ownership by all team members.
Program Management
  • Ensure that the program targets are well understood and achieved according to the implementation work-plan, working with the technical leads and field teams to adapt the work-plan when required. This includes being responsible for the quality of periodic reports/updates and grants tracking systems by ensuring that subgrant and grant records are kept up to date.
  • Ensure smooth cooperation and collaboration with the consortium lead DRC and all consortium members for greater efficiency and effectiveness, contributing to ongoing discussions about necessary adaptations, improvements, challenges and opportunities.
  • Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities’ needs and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
  • Ensure that program participants are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria and program requirements.
  • Integrate inclusive community approaches and gender sensitivity into all activities as appropriate.
  • Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, and collaborate with the MEL Manager and PAQ Manager to monitor desired impacts.
  • Oversee the planning and day-to-day implementation of all program activities, including procurement, finance and MEL.
  • Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guidelines.
  • Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, Safeguarding, and beneficiary accountability standards.
  • Ensure proper implementation of referral mechanisms in Mercy Corps.
Team Management
  • Recruit and build the capacity of LINKED team to ensure quality program implementation.
  • Ensure effective communications between Beirut office and the different field offices and with all consortium members.
  • Contribute to fostering a strong team spirit between Mercy Corps staff and consortium partners.
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one-on-ones and performance reviews.
  • Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence as individuals and as a team.
Finance & Compliance Management
  • Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations;
  • Keep track of expenditures in coordination with the Finance Department;
  • Prepare budget forecasts and represent the program during monthly BvA meetings;
  • Work closely with LINKED finance specialist.
Reporting and Communication
  • Lead on and ensure that all required internal, consortium- and donor-level reporting under LINKED is completed to the highest professional standards of coherence and accuracy and submitted according to internal timelines for MC-Lebanon review, MC Global review, and for submission to the consortium lead.
  • Develop communication material for internal and external audiences;
  • Ensure all communications material are in line with LINKED communication plan;
  • Coordinate with LINKED focal point to contribute to LINKED consortium communication activities.
Representation
  • Represent Mercy Corps in consortium meetings and pro-actively engage with consortium partners to ensure coherence of the implementation and strong coordination;
  • Represent Mercy Corps at donor meetings, and government and sectoral coordination forums/meetings.
  • Represent Mercy Corps at relevant central level working group coordination meetings.
  • Maintain productive relationships with internal and external constituents such as private partners, national government, foundations, the private sector, etc.
  • Maintain productive relationships with the international community inclusive of the United Nations, International NGOs, Think Tanks, Research Institutes, and Foreign Governments.
  • Adhere to Mercy Corps’ Code of Conduct policy, understanding that all team members represent the organization both inside and outside the office and should act in ways that bring credit to the individual, the team, the program and the organization.
Security
  • Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
  • Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of and adhere to policies.
Organizational Learning  
  • As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit the program and/or Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
  • Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
    to our program participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participating communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
  • Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervision of Mercy Corps LINKED team.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Programs

Works Directly With: MERG Sector Lead, program component leads, DRC Consortium Management Unit, PaQ Manager, Senior Operations Manager, Senior Finance and Compliance Manager & HR Manager.

Knowledge and Experience

 
  • University Degree or Higher in field relating to humanitarian and development work or Degree relevant to one or more of the following technical sectors (Economics, Business, Sociology, Development)
  • 10 years of experience working in Non-Governmental Organisation(s), ideally focused on livelihoods or economic development programs;
  • Demonstrated technical expertise in economic recovery approaches, ideally with a focus on employability and business support activities, and an understanding of financial services and advocacy;
  • Experience with a range of donors, with specific experience and knowledge of the European Union’s regulations and requirements;
  • Experience working in a consortium is a strong asset;
  • Excellent organizational and program management skills, able to keep an eye on the ‘bigger picture’, with great attention to details;
  • Good understanding of procurement, administration and finance procedures;
  • Commitment to local capacity development and past experience of engaging and working with local stakeholders in program design and implementation.
  • Demonstrated capacity to collaborate closely with INGOs, national NGOs and Community Based Organisations.
  • Proven ability to work cooperatively with colleagues from other departments in a team environment, and to lead a diverse group of people.
  • Show great initiative and be able to work well in a team and independently.
  • Creativity and sense of humor to adapt to challenging circumstances;
  • Excellent communication, negotiation and problem-solving capacities;
  • Ability to manage stress, multi-task and take decisions;
  • Proven ability to work in insecure and hardship environments.
  • Arabic and English language written and spoken is essential. Excellent written English is strongly desired.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have a keen interest in and an understanding of the complex socio-political and economic context of Lebanon, able to spot emerging trends and opportunities that may positively or negatively impact the program. They will have a good understanding of how markets function and have a keen curiosity in helping develop solutions for those in Lebanon suffering economically. A curious and open mind with a good sense of humor are important, as is the ability to stay calm and focused in times of high stress and multiple competing demands on their time.

Expired

NOTE:

Daleel Madani, the civil society network, serves as a platform for organisations to post their professional opportunities, but is not involved in the recruitment process. The hiring organisation is solely responsible for the job and candidate selection.

Last modified: 
14 Jul, 2020
Intervention Sector(s):
Development
Application Deadline:
Tuesday, 28 July 2020
Contract Type:
Full Time
Period of Employment:
-
Salary
N/A
Salary Range:
> 3000 (USD)
Education Degree:
Bachelor Degree
Education Degree Details:
Experience Requirements:
5 to 10 years
Arabic Language:
Fluent
English Language:
Fluent
French Language:
None
Country/City: 
  • Lebanon