Senior Field Coordinator - Skills Development (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the link provided)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, civil society and economic development initiatives. 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 has implemented community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while responding to emergencies as they emerged in the country. In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria and Mercy Corps in Lebanon has solidified its emergency response programming while integrating longer-term development programming by focusing on key sectors: Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Governance and Conflict, and Livelihoods.

Program Summary

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. 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

Our programs focus on four sectors:  Economic Opportunities, Governance and Social Stability, Youth and Protection, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 180 staff working across six offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa Valley.

The “Market-Based Opportunities and Skills Training for Women and Youth” 3amaly is a $10 million CAD integrated three-year (anticipated October 2018 - November 2021) program designed to improve livelihood opportunities for women and youth (aged 15-34) from vulnerable populations. The program will target youth between the ages of 15-24, as well as young adults between the ages of 25-34 from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian families, with a specific focus on women and girls in the target areas.  The overall objective is that women and youth are empowered and valued for playing an active economic role within their households and communities in Saida, Lower Chouf, Nabatiyeh, and Tripoli.

The primary objectives of the program are that:

1. Women and youth are gainfully employed or self-employed as a result of program interventions;
2. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Start-ups improve their capacity to develop their businesses and hire women and youth;
3. Women and youth have a supportive enabling environment for their economic activities
    

Essential Job Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

The Senior Coordinator for Skills Development is responsible for the technical oversight of the skills development component within the 3amaly program.  S/he will manage the skills development team, and ensure that activities within this component are implemented to a high quality, on time, and within budget.   S/he will oversee ensuring that activities in this component contribute to achieving the program’s job placement targets through labor market-oriented solutions.  Specific attention will be paid to ensuring adapted approaches which respond to barriers to employment for women.  Program activities under this component should also contribute, where possible, to the development of more sustainable vocational training provision in Lebanon.  As requested by the Program Manager, the successful candidate will assist with donor coordination throughout the grant; attend sector-specific meetings with peer organizations, as well as supporting and building partnerships with CBO’s, Private Sector, and Government.

Project Implementation

• Support the Program Manager and team members in planning and implementing project activities to meet project deliverables based on timeline and scope agreed with the donor;
• Provide day-to-day support and coordination, including administrative, financial and logistical support. Trouble shoot any administrative problems and report any challenges or bottlenecks to Program Manager;
• Participate in team planning and coordination meetings and trainings
• Support the Program Manager in conducting periodic risk assessments to update implementation plan accordingly;
• Support monitoring and evaluation efforts to document project outputs, outcomes, and impact to inform donor and other internal reporting;
• Assist in filing and record keeping of project activities;
• Assist in analysis of data collected to facilitate assessment results and lessons learnt;
• Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations. Facilitate internal Mercy Corps procurement processes;
• Prepare weekly reports to be submitted to the Program Manager. Contribute to monthly, quarterly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements;

Project Coordination for Skills Building Component Development

• Coordinate skills building activities to ensure high-quality, sector appropriate trainings that maximize trainees ability to find employment;
• Identify ways in which the skills building component can contribute to improving the quality of vocational training in Lebanon in a more sustainable manner
• Assist with field coordination to facilitate labor market assessments and mapping of businesses
• Support strategies to meet the program’s job placement targets through labor market-oriented solutions and assist with the implementation of work-based learning schemes; 
• Ensure the integration of adapted approaches to respond to barriers to women’s engagement in the workforce
• Ensure that all skills building-related interventions are in compliance with international norms and standards, national laws and policies, technical standards and organizational policies;
• In coordination with the M&E Manager, support rigorous monitoring and evaluation (M&E), accountability and learning systems for the skills building component.
• With the M&E team, ensure that all trainings, job placements and internship placements are decent and safe work opportunities for women and youth.

Coordination and Representation

• Liaise with local officials including municipalities, Chambers of Commerce, local NGOs and INGOs, project partners, key community leaders, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and other relevant stakeholders to ensure successful deliverables;
• Build relationships with unions and local municipalities to introduce the project and facilitate access to information related to project activities and scope. Arrange for meetings with local entities and authorities, as requested;
• Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active in the livelihoods and economic development sector;
• Represent Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings.

Accountability

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects

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

Skills Development Officers, Skills Development Assistant.

ACCOUNTABILITY

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Program Manager

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Tripoli Project Manager, 3amaly Program team, MC Support Departments (MEL, HR, finance, Operations), Skills component staff on other MC programs

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S or equivalent in social science, women’s studies, management, economics, international development, or other relevant field;
• At least four years of progressive experience and proven high level of competence in working in economic and market development, research and/or development-related programs, ideally in relief and/or post-conflict settings;
• Proven ability to successfully implement economic development programming focused on trainings and beneficiary selection
• Experience carrying out technical assessments or surveys with a team in one or more of the following: Needs assessment, Value Chains, or Socio-Economic Research
• Experience with relief and socio-economic development work across a range of stakeholders including Private Sector, NGOs, and Local government;
• Proven ability to access to a network of MSME’s, government officials, and NGOs, and potential training beneficiaries
• Deep knowledge of Lebanon, in particular its displacement context, protection threats, economic challenges, social stability and resilience mechanisms, relevant to internal conflict preferred;
• Proven track record in staff and stakeholder training and capacity building;
• Strong leadership and communication skills and sense of humour;
• Knowledge of Mercy Corps Skills development model a plus
• Ability and interest to work with a multi-ethnic team in a culturally appropriate manner; and
• Proficiency in English essential

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful candidate will have the ability to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with a capacity to promote new approaches to programming and inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs. S/he will have proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results.  Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with curiosity about and sensitivity to new cultures, a desire and ability to learn and grow, both personally and professionally, and a great sense of humor.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY 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.