Grant Specialist

The Shabake 2 project is part of the Peace and Resilience Fund – Minka Middle East, which aims to contribute to the response to the consequences of the Syrian crisis, and to act on the prevention and management of the protracted crisis in Lebanon. In addition, the intervention with a dynamic and mature Lebanese civil society makes it possible to concretize the French commitments of "localization of aid" within the framework of the "Grand Bargain" of the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. The project is also a continuation of the first phase conducted by Expertise France (EF), which supported 13 local NGOs, and conducted a study on the local associative fabric and a mid-term evaluation, the conclusions of which feed into phase 2.

Following the lessons learned in Phase 1, the Shabake 2 project rebalances the objectives with increased attention to the rapid and concrete effects that NGO grants will achieve on the ground. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen social cohesion and support peace and stability by accompanying local NGOs in their key crisis management role and providing sustainable support to vulnerable host communities and Syrian refugees.

It aims to strengthen purpose-driven, technically sound and locally rooted NGOs to support their abilities in weathering the crises as they arise, gaining greater financial autonomy and contributing to Lebanon's recovery. An emergency response component, funded by the Crisis Centre (CDCS) of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), is included in the programme, which makes it possible to articulate different French emergency and development instruments as part of a comprehensive approach to support Lebanese CSOs.

The project is structured around three components:

1. Enable NGOs to be trusted partners in the implementation of vulnerability reduction projects and thematic actions
2. Support local NGOs in their efforts to respond effectively to ongoing emergencies and crises in Lebanon
3. Strengthen the technical and organizational capacities and the economic model of partner NGOs for a better localization of aid for the benefit of vulnerable populations.

The main role of the Grants Specialist (GS) is to oversee the planification, implementation and closure of the Shabake project components related to NGO partner development and emergency grants (Components 1 and 2). Working under the authority of the Shabake Project Manager (PM) of Expertise France in Lebanon, the GS will be supervising a team of 3 Grants Officers (GO) who in turn are liaising with 3 Field Facilitators and 2 Grants Finance Assistants posted throughout Lebanon in areas of grants implementation. This set-up is necessary to maintain equitable and quality relationships with the NGO partners and ensure the achievement of targets of both the NGO partners and the overall Shabake 2 project objectives.

The position is based in Beirut, within the Expertise France Lebanon coordination office.

Responsibility 1: Operations

• Along with the PM, prepare the planification of the components 1 and 2 of Shabake throughout the project cycle
• Along with the PM, lead the call for proposal/tenders’ preparation and participate in the selection process in coordination with the legal department and EF headquarters in Paris.
• Finalize all documents and annexes when the selection is concluded for Shabake NGO partners (DOA, logframe, budget etc…) in close collaboration with the Grants officers, M&E and Grants Finance focal points.
• Manage the team of GOs in supporting NGO partners in developing their workplans, procurement plans, financial forecasting, and activity planning for each of their interventions.
• Support the GOs where needed in troubleshooting and finding solutions for any challenges related to the NGO partner grants that may arise.
• Make sure that any major project updates/information needed are shared with partners in due time.

Responsibility 2: Coordination

• Report to the PM regularly any context and activity updates related to the implementation of all grants, communicate challenges and discuss solutions
• Collaborate with the PM and relevant departments in all planned external evaluations and audits.
• Oversee all NGO partners operations in coordination with the GOs on the ground, including community meetings and situation analysis meetings that will be taking place among Shabake NGO partners during project implementation.

Responsibility 3: Finance, Logistics and Administrative support

• Responsible for the overall financial management of the 2 grants components, in collaboration with the PM
• Monitor and support the use of grants management tools such as budget versus actuals (BvAs), cashflow and forecasting, activity, and procurement planning in collaboration with relevant units to ensure timely implementation of activities and to monitor expenditure.
• Ensure with the team that logistical, administrative, and financial procedures linked to project implementation are followed according to EF requirements.
• Follow up and ensure that all administrative documents related to project implementation are up to date and stored.
• Review, organize and support the Grants officers and Grants Finance focal points to review and organize partners financial spending, forecasts, BvAs, and implementation of all partner finance monitoring tools.

Responsibility 4: Reporting

• Produce proper and timely financial and narrative internal and contribute to donor reporting in compliance with reporting requirements.
• Make sure with the project team that the NGOs partners issue timely qualitative reporting (both narrative and financial)
• Review with the team and validate with the PM all data/reports from the NGOs s and ensure the accuracy of data/reports;
• Oversee the internal monthly/quarterly information updates from the GO team summing up monthly/quarterly achievements and planned activities with.
• Support in the documentation of best practices, challenges, lesson learning and recommendations of project activities.

Education level

University degree in Management, Political Science, Social Sciences, or related field

Qualifications

• 5 to 10 years in project management and NGOs/ CSOs work experience, including small and medium sized organizations (experience in emergency response is a plus). 
• Strong knowledge of NGOs financial reporting requirements (work experience on finance is an asset).
• Excellent Knowledge of the Lebanese civil society, and the Lebanese aid ecosystem in general
• Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken). Excellent command in French is a plus.
• Excellent computer skills: MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Excellent communication and reporting skills.
• Strong relationship skills and the ability to work effectively with local stakeholders.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Previous experience work experience for international agencies would be an asset.