Beirut Program Manager

Background:

Concern is seeking a Programme Manager to lead the planning and implementation its portfolio of projects to support migrant populations in Beirut.

Concern’s LHF-funded project targets 665 vulnerable migrant households in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. Activities include monthly food distributions, hygiene and nutrition awareness raising, distribution of hygiene and nutrition inputs, and early detection and referrals support for malnutrition cases.

The project works through migrant-led initiatives (MLIs) in a migrant-community based, bottom-up approach. Concern is building the capacity of the MLIs, so that they are increasingly able to implement projects autonomously.  

Concern also runs a transitional shelter for homeless migrants who need a place to stay while awaiting repatriation. Shelter run by Al Makan and supported by Concern with one person to run the protection and PSS aspects of the shelter, and MPCA for the residents. [CA1] 

The Programme Manager will lead the Concern Beirut team to ensure activities are completed on time, to budget, and in line with expected quality standards. A critical element of the role is liaison with MLIs to support their work and buildi their capacity.

The post-holder will start in January[CA2]  and finish in July 2022, based in Beirut. Owing to the nature of the programme, the post holder will work from Wednesday to Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday being rest days in lieu.

Roles and responsibilities for this post:

Project Management

• Ensure project outputs and outcomes are completed in a timely and efficient manner, using project work plans in collaboration with Concern teams and MLIs.
• Ensure project budgets are spent in a timely and efficient manner by reviewing monthly management accounts and updating spending plans accordingly
• Coordinate with the logistics officer, admin and cashier officer, nutrition and protection officers to ensure effective use of resources for project activities.
• Be Concern’s primary focal point for MLIs, ensuring they are supported to implement activities effectively
• Facilitate monthly project review meetings and confirm adjustments and action points in coordination with project team, MLIs and the Programme Director
• Visit project sites on at least a monthly basis for quality checks and to facilitate visits by donors or other stakeholders, as agreed with the Programme Director.

Administration

• Ensure that all administration, finance, logistics and human resource management as relates to the LHF project is conducted in line with Concern procedures and standards
• Facilitate close working relations between the Logistics, HR and finance teams in Beirut and Tripoli respectively to support the timely delivery of project outputs
• Review and authorise all relevant programme documents in line with Concern delegation of authority levels

Partnership with MLIs

• Ensure respectful interaction with members of the MLIs under the principles of solidarity and transparency, ensuring that they participate in all decisions and are treated as team members.
• Provide updates, support and guidance to MLI Project Managers on a daily basis, in particular ensuring to respond to any urgent communications or requirements immediately
• Ensure that capacity strengthening plans for MLIs are developed, implemented and monitored by the Concern project team members

MEAL

• Coordinate with the outreach officers and MEAL officer (50% of their time) to ensure that data collection and reporting proceeds in line with Concern’s MEAL plan, including generation of monthly summaries of all indicators and processes
• Assist the MEAL officer to collect communications products from the project participants, while respecting the solidarity principles in the process
• Ensure a complaints response mechanism is maintained in line with Concern standards; with close interaction with the Accountability and Partnerships Officer (Tripoli), and that complaints are addressed in a timely fashion

Coordination

• Attend relevant coordination meetings including livelihoods WG and ERP meetings, representing Concern and the project and sharing minutes with the Programme Director
• Ensure project team attend relevant meetings and working groups as per their area of responsibility, and that they share notes and propose action points
• Provide timely updates to coordination mechanisms, including updating outputs, outcomes and project progress on Activity Info
• Maintain strong relationships with the project donor LHF as well as other stakeholder organisations including LHF’s other partner NGOs through regular bilateral communications and attendance at coordination meetings.

Reporting

• Update the Concern monthly project situation report using the established online system
• Submit final and interim report for OCHA to Programme Director, and provide ad hoc updates to OCHA and the Programme Director as required

Qualifications for this post:

Necessary:

• At least 5 years’ experience in project management for humanitarian organisations
• Proven experience in logistics and large scale distributions management
• Demonstrable interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good organisation, planning and management skills.
• Proven experience working in partnership with CSOs or NGOs in Beirut, and ideally a working knowledge of migrant-led initiatives in Lebanon
• Ability to work under pressure, often to strict deadlines.
• Solid understanding of the kafala system and how the kafala system contributes to the vulnerability of migrant workers
• Proven track record in high quality human resource management
• Fundamental agreement and ethical buy-in to the principles of solidarity, anti-racism, feminism, equality and impartiality
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Fluency in Arabic and English, both written and spoken

Preferred:

• Degree or equivalent qualification in relevant discipline
• Prior experience in the food security and/or nutrition sectors
• Prior experience working with migrant workers in Lebanon

Prior experience working with INGOs