Internship Sustainability Expert-LCSP

About Chemonics

Chemonics International is an international development company based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives. Since 1975 we have worked in 149 countries around the world, and currently implement 113 contracts in 68 countries. Our main partner is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), but we occasionally work with foreign donors as well. We have over 600 staff based in our Washington, DC office and over 3000 staff in our project offices around the world.

1. Project Background

The Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) is a multi-year project funded by USAID to support municipalities and underserved and vulnerable communities in providing better services and enhanced economic opportunities to improve lives and reduce tensions that contribute to conflict and violence, primarily in Lebanon’s North, South, and Beqaa regions. Under Task Order No. 3 (TO 3), the project provides technical assistance to municipalities, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, or other entities to increase capacity and ensure sustainable impact in providing key essential services. The main objective of this 5-year task order is to support Component 3 (Capacity Building) of the CSP Program by delivering technical assistance to enhance the sustainability of CSP interventions under Component 1 (Community Stabilization Support) and Component 2 (Community Development Support), and if required, under future Task Orders.

Within its Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Component, Task Order No. 3 (TO 3), CSP offers internship opportunities to students from 11 Lebanese Universities, facilitating their placement within USAID Implementing Partners (IP) throughout Lebanon. Currently, CSP is in the process of developing a sustainability plan to ensure the continuity of the internship program beyond CSP's closure. The plan involves the creation of a firm or company, comprising three universities benefiting from USAID funds – the American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University, and Notre Dame University – along with participation from select private sector organizations. The firm's objective is to actively pursue and secure internship opportunities, placing interns in both USAID IPs and various private sector entities.

2.  Summary of Position

The Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) under its Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Component, Task Order 3, is seeking an expert to support its University Partnership Unit in formulating the sustainability plan for CSP's Internship Program and developing a conceptual framework for a firm or company to oversee the administration of the "Internship Fund", established by CSP and USAID.

3.  Specific Duties and Responsibilities​​​​​​

• Conduct market research about similar initiatives at the global, regional, and local levels.
• Develop a conceptual framework for a firm or company that will manage the "Internship Fund," that CSP and USAID will help universities to establish.
• Highlight the contours of the internship market in Lebanon: Demand side (IPs)/private sector, Supply side (universities).
• Highlight the services that this Fund offers to Board members (internship opportunities/ training opportunities/ job matching opportunities/etc.).
• Develop the financial framework for the suggested company, outlining revenue sources, operational costs, overheads, and other pertinent aspects.
• Provide guidance on achieving a highly cost-effective operation by utilizing the premises and existing staff resources of one of the universities.
• Design an incentive scheme for the three prominent universities, LAU, AUB, and NDU, all of which are recipients of USAID funds, to encourage their participation in this initiative.

 4.  Minimum Qualifications

•  Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive market research.
• Experience in formulating conceptual framework and financial planning for a firm or company.
• In-depth knowledge of the Lebanon job/internship market.

5. Eligibility Criteria

 Interested individual experts shall have the capacity to enter a short-term technical assistance (STTA) contract and shall have a satisfactory performance record and record of integrity and business ethics.

6.  Ineligible Experts

• Government employees.

• Individual experts that appear on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-Procurement Programs.

7.  Place of Assignment

The expert will be liaising with CSP TO 3 team at CSP offices in Sin-El-Fil.

8.   Reporting

The experts will be reporting to TO 3 Director or equivalent.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer.  All applicants who can legally work in Lebanon will be considered for employment based on their qualifications without discrimination.