Livelihoods Project Manager

Internal Job Grade                      -

C2

Contract type                              -

Fixed Term 10 months

Reporting to                               -

Economic Justice Coordinator

Staff reporting to this post         -

Field Assistant

Locations                                      -

Tripoli and Minnieh - Dinnieh Caza

Annual Budget                            - 

535.000 Euro

Shaping a stronger Oxfam for people living in poverty.

Team Purpose

The project “Resilience and Social Stability: creation of temporary employment opportunities to support municipalities to manage the economic and social consequences of the Syrian crisis” is a project funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation that will be implemented by Oxfam in the municipalities of Bqaa Sifrine and Bqarsouna in Dinnieh area in the North Governorate. The project implementation will last 10 months and it’s in partnership with Department for People and Nature Association (DPNA). The aim of the project is to contribute to support Social Stability in the Municipalities of Bqaa Sifrine and Bqarsouna implementing a temporary employment scheme with the double-fold objective of improving access to income for Lebanese and Syrians and of rehabilitating public spaces in the 2 selected communities. Oxfam is looking for an experienced Project Manager to lead the implementation of the activities, ensure quality and respect of Oxfam’s and the donor’s procedures, and to coordinate with the donor and other relevant stakeholders.

Job Purpose

The Project Manager will be responsible for the effective management of the intervention, relationships with the partner organisation, manage the intervention throughout the project cycle, including budget management (including expenditure planning and expenditure monitoring), lead in preparing and developing high quality programme plans, including MEAL and procurement plans, progress and donor reports, ensure appropriate monitoring and project quality, and enhance internal and external learning and representation.

The Project Manager is expected to work closely with the Economic Justice programme team towards common objectives. The Project Manager will be supported by the MEAL Coordinator, by the Oxfam Lead in the North of Lebanon, by the Oxfam Grant Manager and by the Finance and Logistic teams. The Project Manager is expected to be based in Oxfam’s Tripoli office.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Project Cycle Management & Programme Quality (45%)

• Develop overall programme guidance in terms of work plans/budget work plans, spending plans, MEAL plans, procurement plans;
• Work closely with the Oxfam technical coordinators and support staff to provide appropriate guidance and managerial support to implement the project in line with the objectives laid out in the donor approved proposal;
• To report regularly, verbally and in writing to the Economic Justice Coordinator on regular basis on programme progress;
• To lead in preparing mid-term and final reports for the donor in collaboration with partners, project staff, technical coordinators, Funding Coordinator, Support teams. Ensure narrative reporting and financial accounting meet Oxfam and donor’s requirements;
• Support and promote programme quality and project strengthening activities e.g. data management, project quality meetings, learning events and partnership reviews;
• Ensure Oxfam’s Programme Management system OPAL, is up dated and relevant for the programme in question;
• Monitoring and evaluating the project regularly, ensuring partners’ and community participation as appropriate, as well as accountability towards communities;
• Follow up on MEAL activities and findings ensuring that learning from monitoring and evaluation is included and strategies and programme implementation are adapted accordingly;
• Ensure that risk management and contingency planning is included at all stages of the programmes;
• Ensure project activities have the appropriate visibility in compliance with donor requirements and procedures.

Budget & Financial Management (25%)

• Actively participate in monthly financial review meetings to plan and monitor the budget expenditure, review procurement and spending plans, and ensure funds are spent within the time frame acceptable to Oxfam and the donor and ensuring rules and regulations of Oxfam are adhered to;
• Review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis;
• Ensure that donor contractual requirements are fulfilled, including by partners, with particular reference to the Grant Agreement and internal regulations, throughout the entire project period;
• Responsible for overseeing activity and financial progress against project partnership agreements;
• Responsible for ensuring appropriate monitoring (financial, technical, implementation) of the partner;
• Lead on initiating relevant procurement processes, with support from Logistics, in line with programme spending and procurement planning.

Representation & Advocacy (15%)

• Serve as primary project representative to donor and other local and international stakeholders, responsible for addressing all project matters;
• In coordination with the partner focal point, develop and maintain positive relations with relevant ministries and other government counterparts, donors, and other relevant external stakeholders;
• Assist with the coordination of visits of donors, and/or partners related to the project;
• Facilitate effective working relations with colleagues around communications, policy and advocacy issues and concerns, ensuring evidence-based programmatic input into policy and media messaging;
• When needed, lead on organizing events, such as joint advocacy, research, project launch etc., coordinating closely with the policy and media team.

Reporting & Communication (15%)

• Monitor program implementation and ensure regular reporting by the partner;
• Review and approve final donor reports based on inputs from the partner;
• Establish and maintain clear lines of communication with project staff and ensure internal communication is effective;
• Provide technical assistance, as needed, to the partner on financial compliance and reporting;
• Support the Finance officer to receive, consolidate, prepare and submit regular financial reports to the donor;
• ensure partner is submitting timely financial and narrative reports in line with donor and Oxfam system requirements.

Tehcnical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Essential

• Minimum 3 years professional work experience in international humanitarian/ development work (specifically in managing programmes in the livelihoods sector) including in the MENA region;
• Evidence of project cycle management experience, including strategic planning, budgeting, reporting, monitoring & evaluation;
• Demonstrated technical expertise and experience in local economic development, livelihoods and/or social cohesion programming;
• Experience in implementing projects involving local organisations as implementing partners;
• Experience in implementing Cash for Work/ temporary employment projects;
• Good knowledge of developing and implementing monitoring systems to track the effectiveness of programmes and an ability to build cooperative, professional relationships with donors, partners and peer organisations.;
• Demonstrated project, program and human resource management experience, including in working with local partners;
• Commitment to equal opportunity and gender policies. Demonstrated experience in integrating gender and diversity issues into programmes.
• A Bachelor Degree (post-graduate strongly preferred) in international relations, business administration, management, human rights, social sciences or related field;
• Proven analytical and strategic planning skills;
• High-level communications and people skills;
• Excellent writing and communication skills;
• Professional fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable

• Technical Expertise and experience in temporary employment intervention;
• Professional fluency in written and spoken Arabic and/ or Italian;
• Knowledge of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation procedures;
• Knowledge of Conflict Sensitivity and Safe programming principles;
• Strong MEAL experience, including in complex programmes with high-profile evaluations.