Area Director (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the link provided)

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توجيهات التقديم: 

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

البريد الالكتروني للشخص المسؤول: 
الوصف: 

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

Program / Department Summary

As complex humanitarian crises across the Middle East continue; more than 11 million people have been displaced from their homes and the number relying on humanitarian assistance continues to grow. With a large and complex portfolio of work across the region, Mercy Corps has been meeting the needs of conflict-affected communities in the region for over a decade. Mercy Corps has established itself as an analytical, strategic and flexible responder, adapting continually to shifting front lines and operational realities to respond effectively and efficiently through multiple modalities with teams across the response region.  Mercy Corps currently has an experienced team of staff and local partners based in Lebanon who are supported and led by a Regional Team based in Amman that ensures consistency and quality both technically and programmatically. 

General Position Summary

As an active and influential member of the Extended Senior Management Team, the Area Director (AD) will play a dual program and functional leadership role. Based in Beirut, the AD will directly manage the Partnership Support Program (PSP) at 70% of their time, and will also oversee the day-to-day coordination of their office and the staff therein at approximately 30% of time as Head of Office.

The Area Director is responsible for all aspects of program design, development and implementation of Mercy Corps PSP program. The AD mobilizes the internal and external technical resources to ensure the quality delivery of programs implemented under their supervision; works closely with the Operations, Finance, HR and Security departments to ensure that all of the programmatic aspects are compliant with MC and donor standards, rules and regulations. They ensure that the PSP team is supported and resourced to deliver high quality humanitarian programming in partnership with local organizations at scale, with a focus on quality, risk management, capacity building, and Mercy Corps principles of responsible partnership. The AD leads the development and implementation of humanitarian, multi-sector programming and is accountable to beneficiaries and donors. 

The Beirut office currently hosts the PSP team, the Subawards and Compliance Team, the Humanitarian Analytics Team, Advocacy, Humanitarian Coordination, and additional operational/logistical staff. The AD is expected to provide oversight to office functioning and harmonious relations between team members, while also serving as the go-to focal point for external and internal stakeholders in relation to the office presence including directly with Mercy Corps’ Lebanon Country Office. The AD will directly oversee the tasks and deliverables of the PSP team, but will have no responsibility or requirement or role in management of the tasks and deliverables of the other teams resident in the office as they report directly to various members of the Senior Management Team in Amman. As Head of Office for Beirut, the AD will serve as senior representative in the office on all operational matters requiring final decision authority, in relation to SMT instructions and information flow, in relation to any and all emergency situations arising locally that may require management, and in relation to regular and ongoing coordination and agreement on operations with other MC office’s senior leadership.

The Area Director is an innovative and visionary leader responsible for resourcefully directing, strategizing and planning all programming while able to multi-hat and lead by influencing. The position will support the strategic positioning of Mercy Corps, the development of best practice in partnership, the safety of the team under supervision in coordination with other MC offices, and ensures all Mercy Corps work is planned and executed with quality, accountability and measurable impact.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

  • Communicate a clear vision of present and future program goals and strategies to the PSP team members and stakeholders, translating into concrete action;
  • Contribute to countrywide strategy development and prioritize and organize actions and resources within PSP to achieve objectives set through those processes;
  • Follow analysis of regional crisis and the impact of policy, political and military changes on the context, ensuring that this analysis is recognized and incorporated in planning for both short-term and longer-term programming;
  • Ensure that analytical and technical support teams are collaborating with program and other internal stakeholders effectively, adding value to the program and maintaining strategic focus;
  • Work collaboratively across departments to ensure that processes and measurements are in place to monitor evidence building and strategic impact.
  • Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
  • Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps’ principles and values;

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

  • Work closely with the Director of Field Programs Implementation and other Senior Members of the Country Program to ensure that Mercy Corps strategy guides decision-making throughout the response;
  • Provide leadership to increase coordination, collaboration, communication and harmonization of Mercy Corps programming and operations;
  • Build consensus around a common vision of what shared success looks like, including development and tracking of appropriate indicators;
  • Build consensus around priorities to improve the delivery of assistance and to make program strategies and frameworks more consistent across the response;
  • Oversight to ensure programs are able to meet donor and internal obligations on scope, time and budget, including efficient coordination on common program, operational and funding issues;
  • Facilitate sharing and learning - particularly on best practice in partnership programming - across different Mercy Corps offices and support teams to incorporate learning from the response, and other regions, in project design and management;
  • Engage program leadership in ongoing context analysis that enables programs and teams to adapt to significant changes in the geopolitical/conflict environment;
  • Lead regular team and hub meetings, attend ESMT meetings, and participate in SMT meetings as required..
  • Be an advocate and represent the views of the SMT to the Partnerships Support Program and the views of PSP with the SMT.
  • Create and maintain systems to ensure efficient and transparent capture of program data for decision-making and timely and informative internal and external reporting;
  • Create and maintain systems to ensure technical coherence and promote creative programming across the program portfolio.
  • In coordination with the Director of Fields Programs Implementation and other senior leadership, engage in strong regional-level representation with donors, international and local NGOs and networks;
  • Participate in shaping policy positions and advocacy messages pertaining to the overall humanitarian situation, particularly around localization and the situation for local aid workers.

HUMAN RESOURCES, SAFEGUARDING AND DIVERSITY 

  • Support Mercy Corps global and regional initiatives for human resources, including safeguarding and diversity, and talent development;
  • Collaborate with the people team to promote staff access to high quality learning opportunities, with a special emphasis on national team member development;
  • Assist with the on-boarding of senior team members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

  • Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence;
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews;
  • Supervise, hire and orient Program team and new team members as necessary;
  • Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance, reach objectives and work collaboratively across remote locations;
  • Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

  • Recognize the high level of donor scrutiny imposed on programming and ensure continuing effective, transparent and responsive compliance mechanisms are in place;
  • Maintain oversight of overall PSP program budgets ensuring appropriate allocation of resources to meet program objectives;
  • Ensure adequate technical, analytical and administrative support for programs;
  • Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations, including PSP risk mitigation policy and others;
  • Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps risk mitigation policies.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

  • Represent Mercy Corps to peer agencies, donors, government bodies, local authorities and a wide variety of stakeholders to influence positive change in line with Mercy Corps values;
  • Oversee Partnership Coordination approaches in support of programmatic impact and capacity building;
  • Represent Mercy Corps programs with national and international media as appropriate;
  • Work with formal and informal government structures and representatives, maintain and develop relevant and productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders;
  • Maintain productive relationships with internal and external constituents such as private partners, local NGOs and civil society organizations and academic institutions;
  • Anticipate program needs, understand donor pool and contribute to shaping donor views on the evolving context and its impact on civilians.
  • Explore, evaluate and present innovative funding opportunities that support program objectives;
  • Ensure that Mercy Corps maintains a high degree of risk awareness and impartiality;
  • Respect and understand differing cultural and ethnic differences and nuances and have the ability to navigate between them, recognizing the complexities involved;
  • Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, governments and other stakeholders.

SECURITY

  • Maintain oversight of access provisions to ensure Mercy Corps’ continued ability to access our most vulnerable and hard-to-reach beneficiaries;
  • Regularly review the Humanitarian Access Team and other Advisors’ analysis of security and its outlook in-country and ensure that planning is consistent with them;
  • Coordinate with the Security Director, Country Director, Director of Field Programs Implementation and Director of Subawards and Compliance on crucial events, high-risk periods, incident reporting and any security policy changes;
  • Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies and ensure necessary mitigations are followed;
  • Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

HEAD OF OFFICE

  • Lead focal point between at office for all inter-office coordination in Beirut;
  • Coordinating with leads of the Subawards and Compliance Team and Humanitarian Analytics Team on office budget and resource planning;
  • Update and inform the Safety and Access Coordinator for any safety and security concerns from staff with regards to the Lebanon security environment;
  • In the event of a serious incident or event ensure that staff are accounted for in-line with security protocols and in close coordination with the Safety and Access Coordinator and senior in-country and regional leadership;
  • Ensure that all security incidents involving or affecting supervised staff in Beirut/Lebanon are reported immediately to the Safety and Access Coordinator;
  • Incident reporting directly to the Safety and Security Director and Lebanon Country Director as per standing SOPs;
  • Ensure communications safety and firewall protocols are adhered to by all staff and partners associated with the office in Lebanon and its programs;
  • Serve as the focal point in the event of an emergency in relation to staff under supervision. in coordination with relevant safety, security and management staff and leadership.
  • Liaises with Country director, HR, and security staff on all matters related to expatriate presence and national staff contracting.
  • Serve as mediator when and if needed to resolve internal staff conflict;
  • Regularly report on the status of the office and its staff to the SMT.

Supervisory Responsibility

Director of Programs, Program Managers, Sector / Interagency Coordinators

Accountability 

Reports Directly To: Director of Field Programs Implementation

Works Directly With: Country Directors, Senior Management Team, Regional Director, Safety and Access Coordinator, Safety and Security Director, Technical Support Unit, Mercy Corps Europe, country administration: finance, operations, HR and grants Directors/teams. Program Performance and Quality Director, Technical Advisors, Advocacy, Policy and Communications Advisors, Peer Program and Area Directors, Sub-Awards and Compliance Director / Team.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills 

  • BA/S or equivalent in relevant field required, MA/S preferred;
  • Extensive experience working with civil society organizations, and understanding of cooperating with local civil society in the region.
  • At least 7 years of senior-level leadership and management experience as a decision-maker, influencer, and gatekeeper in large and complex programs including humanitarian operations;
  • Previous work experience in the Middle East and insecure environments preferred, prior experience living and working in Lebanon and an understanding of the cultural and political dynamics of the country an asset;
  • Substantial knowledge of the international humanitarian system, institutions and donors, and of compliance requirements, accountability frameworks and best practices; prior experience with funding from USG, DFID, ECHO, Sida and other leading donors;
  • Robust experience in developing, operationalizing, and implementing program strategies;
  • Demonstrated expertise in representation and negotiation resulting in securing significant new opportunities for the organization;
  • Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with host country government, private sector, INGO, NGO partners and other stakeholders in complex environments;
  • Highly-developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching;
  • Solid project management skills related to international, cross-functional teams;
  • Experience of solving complex issues collegially, defining a clear way forward, and utilizing best practices in management to ensure shared success;
  • Outstanding analytical and strategic thinking skills, with a focus on results and impact;
  • Proven ability to work and lead teams remotely;
  • HEAT or similar security training an advantage;
  • Excellent oral and written English skills required, proficiency in Arabic an asset, proficiency in French an advantage.

Success Factors 

The successful candidate is a mature, seasoned, reasonable, fast thinking, confident and experienced leader capable of active listening, leading through influence, mediating, coaching and mentoring. The Area Director has a thorough understanding of what it takes to deliver impactful programs in challenging environments while also caring for and developing a team, often remotely for long periods. They are an excellent communicator and listener who can inspire broad and diverse teams towards achieving a shared goal and drive a fast-paced adaptive agenda. They are able to create a stimulating working environment encouraging innovation and accountability. They are confident, representative in public settings, able to speak up when needed to defend Mercy Corps’ positions and influence key stakeholders internally and externally to further and expand MC’s goals in the response. The Area Director is able to work effectively with a diverse team in a sensitive environment and prioritize team-building and capacity-building of staff. They possess excellent information management skills, and are strategic thinkers. They have an outstanding ability to design, fund, implement and manage innovative programs that respond to current needs and reinforce the future of their programs.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon and may at times or initially also require location in Amman, Jordan, remote-work, or other flexible approaches to engagement. The position may regularly require up to 40% travel regionally and/or globally when regular travel is feasible. 

This position is open to any and all qualified applicants - Lebanese nationals are encouraged to apply. Should the role be filled by an expatriate, dependent on COVID and global travel restrictions, candidates should be willing to begin remotely if required.

If placed as an expatriate, housing is individual accommodation with unlimited freedom of movement (within the scope of government and security protocols related to COVID and incidents) beyond the house/office. This role is normally accompanied, however pending further security review and planning it is temporarily unaccompanied and there is not a specific timeframe or date by which it will become accompanied again.

Team members have easy access to available services – medical, electricity, water, internet, etc. Team members must be prepared at all times for periods of lockdown, shortages, and disconnectivity due to government regulations or emergency situations. Team members must be comfortable managing and directing and interacting extensively in a work-from-home and remote environment as the situation requires.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/STA to a field posting. 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.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

منتهية الصلاحية

ملاحظة:

دليل مدني، شبكة المجتمع المدني، يوفر للمنظمات منصة لنشر الوظائف, وليس مسؤول عن عملية التوظيف. كل منظمة مسجلة على دليل مدني هي مسؤولة بشكل فردي عن منشوراتها وعن عملية التوظيف.

آخر تاريخ التحديث: 
20 أكتوبر, 2020
قطاع(ات) التدخل:
تنمية
آخر مهلة للتقديم:
الثلاثاء, 3 نوفمبر 2020
نوع العقد:
دوام‬ ‫كامل‬
مدة الوظيفة:
-
الراتب
N/A
نطاق الراتب:
> 3000 (USD)
درجة التعليم:
بكالوريوس
تفاصيل درجة التعليم:
متطلبات الخبرة:
بين 5 سنوات و10 سنوات
اللغة العربية:
بطلاقة
اللغة الانكليزية:
بطلاقة
اللغة الفرنسية:
غير مطلوب
البلد/المدينة: 
  • Lebanon
  • بيروت