Program, Performance, and Quality (PAQ) 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

Contact Person Email: 
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. 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. We do this through:
  • Addressing the humanitarian and protection needs resulting from crisis situations for the most vulnerable communities
  • Enabling local communities, civil society and government to better prevent and respond to conflict, address needs and deliver sustainable development solutions
  • Promoting economic growth and catalysing economic opportunities for vulnerable, under-employed groups in Lebanon

The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 150 staff working across five offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa Valley.

General Position Summary

The Program Performance and Quality (PAQ) Manager oversees the PAQ unit in MC Lebanon, whose role is to provide strong, consolidated support across the Program Department to ensure the development of efficient and effective program management processes. This includes strong support for the design and development of sound program concept or proposal designs, development of effective monitoring, learning and evaluation processes, coordination of key functions such as program kick-off/initiation process, program reporting, providing support to programs during key implementation moments with Program Managers and their MEL focal points, directly overseeing MEL program staff in on program quality and impact through a variety of different techniques, working with MEL focal points for capacity building and ongoing support, and coordinating program close out activities with the program team.

The PAQ Manager also oversees the management of the community accountability reporting  mechanism (CARM), to ensure accountability to beneficiaries and to flag any potential fraud or protection issues, and provide, where possible, effective referral of protection issues. The PAQ Manager plays a key role for ensuring capacity building for program staff on program management techniques, and providing support to other departments in MC Lebanon to ensure a culture of providing training, coaching and integrating effective tools and techniques to improve program quality. The PAQ Manager will have an important role in contributing to global and regional conversations and initiatives around program performance and quality.

Essential Job Responsibilities

  • Update and provide oversight of the MC Lebanon Performance and Quality (PAQ) unit strategy in coordination with global and regional PAQ teams
  • Provide supervision to the PAQ team members, ensure their work is aligned and contributing effectively to the Lebanon PAQ unit strategy, that they have access to training and support and that effective workflows and coordination are set up between the different unit members
  • Work with program teams to ensure the adoption of efficient, effective and compliant program management processes and workflows, identify strategies and build or strengthen systems to facilitate greater efficiency in program management processes
  • Ensure PAQ unit provides strong Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) support to program teams which includes the use of TolaData, builds a community of practice for MEL staff to provide them with technical advice and a support network, develops efficient MEL systems (including information management systems, efficient staffing, and workflow)
  • Contribute to the global and regional conversation around program performance and quality, PAQ unit strategies and functioning, as well as global program quality initiatives such as PM@MC minimum standards, gender and social integration inclusion, and  adaptive management, etc.
  • Ensure documentation for programs meets Mercy Corps Minimum Standards and donor audit requirements and ensure there are effective guidance and systems in place for electronic and hard copy filing
  • Provide support to program teams at key programmatic moments, such as program start-up, kick-off meetings, 90-day inception meeting check-ins, organization of BVA meetings, quality audits and spot checks, collecting lessons learned, 90-day end of program transition meetings, and other support as requested by program managers or the Director of Programs
  • Set up a system of regular program quality audits
  • Ensure MC Lebanon staff meet PM@MC certification requirements (both PMD Pro Level 1 and Higher Level Certification) through PM@MC focal points
  • Ensure and contribute to regular training and other capacity building events for MC Lebanon staff on related to MEL, knowledge management, documentation, Google Drive and Google Suite usage, Tola, etc. to improve program quality, and support other departments to take the lead in developing and implementing capacity building activities to improve program management processes
  • Ensure the PAQ unit provides efficient support to MC Lebanon for the effective roll-out and maintenance of the 3assama3 Community Accountability Reporting  Mechanism (CARM), as well as management of the investigation of cases in coordination with MC HQ
  • Ensure the PAQ unit supports the development of an appropriate referral mechanism for protection cases
  • Ensure the PAQ team effectively coordinates proposal design and development processes, ensuring sound MEL thinking and use of logic models are integrated from the outset,  following agency best practices and donor compliance, in coordination with MC Lebanon technical, finance and operational staff, as well as HQ and regional teams
  • Support the design of cost-effective, innovative and high quality programs, ensuring relevance to stakeholders and agency strategy
  • Support the development and maintenance of appropriate trackers, such as reporting tracker, and grant tracker (that details current and future/pipeline programming) etc. and the use of online tools, such as Google Calendars and Google Drive, to increase coordination and visibility of activities in MC Lebanon
  • Ensure the PAQ unit carries out effective reviews of program reports, make sure these are consistent with data from our information management systems, include well documented success stories and infographics to highlight program impact, and include information on lessons learned to inform on required adaptation of activities and future program design
  • Support the development of a partnership strategy for MC Lebanon, contribute to improving MC Lebanon practices for managing partnerships, and contribute to partner capacity building
  • Contribute to the MC Lebanon’s research and learning agenda, and ensure the PAQ unit supports the development of appropriate partnerships and strategy for research and learning.

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 Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Supervisory Responsibility

PAQ team

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Programs

Works Directly With: Sector Leads, Program and Project Managers, Support Departments, Headquarters and Regional PAQ teams

Knowledge and Experience

  • Bachelor's degree required. Masters or equivalent in a field related to Humanitarian or International Development or relevant fields is preferred.
  • 7+ years of experience providing coordination or management support to program implementation
  • Experience working in the Middle East region and Lebanon context preferred.
  • Extensive experience with monitoring and evaluation, information management, and other learning efforts required.
  • Proven ability to work cooperatively with internal and external stakeholders, and to play a leadership role in convening groups. Astute skills in relationship building and coordination.
  • Excellent English writing and communication skills required.
  • Experience in proposal and donor report writing preferred.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Proficiency in Arabic is preferred.
  • Mercy Corps experience preferred.

Success Factors

The successful PAQ Manager will be self-motivated; innovative in finding solutions to daily and more systemic challenges; able to build, motivate, lead and build capacities of a high functioning team; able to navigate and work effectively with a multi-cultural, multi-lingual team; and be able to see function at and see both the details required for quality and the bigger picture of how all the pieces come together.  They will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance.  They will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according to a very high standard of quality. They will be creative and flexible, able to work under tight deadlines and often high levels of stress, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will be a leader in ensuring adherence to compliant systems and procedures. They will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and hold self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Mercy Corps’ values.

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: 
03 Mar, 2020
Intervention Sector(s):
Development
Application Deadline:
Monday, 2 March 2020
Contract Type:
Full Time
Period of Employment:
N/A
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
  • Beirut