Programme Assistant (National Poverty Targeting Programme) SC 5 - Multiple Posts (Beirut, Zahle and Qobayat Filed Offices)

Organizational Context:

The three (3) positions will be based in Beirut Field Office, Zahle Field Office and Qobayat Field Office. The incumbent will directly report to the Programme Policy Officer (Deputy Head of Field Office) in the respective WFP Field Office.

Job Purpose

To ensure activities related to WFP’s social protection (SP) program scale-up and related work in support of the forthcoming larger expansion of safety nets in Lebanon – under the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) program of the Government of Lebanon – are undertaken within the agreed timeline and properly coordinated with relevant units within the Lebanon Country Office and the Field Offices.

Duration of Assignment:

The Programme Assistants will be contracted for an initial term of 12 months. Contract may be extended based on business need and satisfactory performance.

Key Responsibilities (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

Within delegated authority and under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer (Deputy Head of Field Office) in the WFP Field Office and overall guidance of the Head of Social Protection (SP) Unit in the WFP Country Office, the Programme Assistants’ tasks involve the following:

• Act as field focal point in liaising with Government partners and WFP cooperating partners (CPs) focal point in the overall field supervision of the ongoing scale-up of the national social protection programme supported by WFP, the National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP), as well as future other programmes including the forthcoming ESSN of the Government of Lebanon;
• Coordinate distribution schedules and related logistics affairs with other program assistants to ensure no overlapping with the distribution of other programs.
• Regularly follow-up with relevant stakeholder (internal and external) to ensure work plans for NPTP verification, other social protection programs, and cards/PINs distributions are undertaken on time;
• Support supervision of data collection, verification and quality control of social protection programme operations in close collaboration with Government and WFP cooperating partners, to ensure that the quality of the operation is in line with WFP standards.
• Provide regular updates and field mission reports to the WFP FO and SP Unit on the status of verification/data collection, distributions, and other relevant programme activities;
• Maintain records of plans and documentation of progress in implementation of NPTP scale-up activities;   
• Ensure cards/PINs reconciliation reports are complete and submitted in a timely manner for activation, in coordination with relevant units; 
• Support with the trainings for the development and high performance of CPs field staff and social workers for household verification, cards/PINS distribution, and use of communication tools for beneficiaries;
• Immediately raise any issues or bottlenecks in the implementation of activities for appropriate action, including feedback received from beneficiaries or partners in the field;
• Prepare comprehensive field mission reports to document programme activities implementation.
• Report feedback received from cooperating partners, beneficiaries, Government partners, and others to support identifying programmatic issues with a view to fostering more effective operations;
• Ensure that relevant guidelines and procedures are followed in NPTP field level activities; and
• Perform other related duties, as required.

Minimum Qualifications:    

Education: Completion of secondary school education. University degree (Bachelor’s degree) in social sciences, (i.e., economics, community/economic development) public relations, or other related fields is advantage

Experience: At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience with at least three (3) years of experience in the field of development programming, humanitarian assistance, refugee operation, program administration, government work, or related fields.

Language:  Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Arabic. Knowledge of French language is an added advantage.

Desired Skills and Knowledge: 

• Experience in program implementation especially with vulnerable Lebanese population groups
• Ability to facilitate discussions and coordinate tasks with multiple field stakeholders
• Effective communication skills for diverse audience of internal and external actors
• Flexibility to work in a fast-paced working environment
• Ability to maintain regular, well organized, and accurate records
• Proficient in MS Office tools (MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint), internet search and mapping software
• Hands on experience in WFP, Government, or large NGO programming is a plus