Area Program Coordinator (Water Governance; North Bekaa)_'National Contract'

Position Title: Area Program Coordinator (Water Governance; North Bekaa)

Duty station: Ain, Baalbek-Hermel District, Lebanon; daily visits within field area and fequent visits to offices in Zahle

Reporting to: Water Governance Program Manager (WGPM)

Managing: Community Engagement Officers (2)

Starting date: April 2021

Contract Length: 12 months (extendable)

Deadline for applications: 18 March 2021

WORKING CONTEXT

WeWorld-GVC has been working in Lebanon since 2006 and is now supporting vulnerable populations through emergency WASH, shelter, basic assistance and protection interventions as well as Water Governance and Local Economic Development programs aiming at increasing the resilience of the concerned communities, in the Bekaa Valley and Akkar.

WeWorld-GVC is implementing projects supporting public water, waste-water, and irrigation services in partnership with other organizations and funded by different donors (AFD, EU-MADAD, EU-ENI). WeWorld-GVC’s Water Governance Program uses a three-pillar approach of (i) Infrastructure Improvement to improve service delivery, (ii) Capacity Building to improve Water Establishments’ management and cost-recovery, and (iii) Community Engagement promoting water accountability and public participation. In coming years, the organization will lead the implementation of the Establishment-Led Service Improvement and Cost Recovery (ELSICR) Modality directly with the Bekaa Water Establishment, and with all other Water Establishments through partners. The organization will target, among others, the Labwe Section (local office) of the BWE, with which it has collaborated for over six years.

Within this framework, WeWorld-GVC seeks to recruit an Area Program Coordinator to lead the field team and implementation of the North Bekaa component of two 3-year projects commencing within Q1 2021. They will be responsible for successfully implementing WeWorld-GVC’s components of the projects, under the supervision of the WGPM, and in collaboration with engineers, advisors, and other program staff. The thematic focus of the position is Community Engagement and the expansion of the participatory approach to water governance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Execution (40%)

• Ensure the supervision and quality execution of the Water Governance programming in North Bekaa (i.e. North Baalbek and Hermel);
• Prepare detailed workplans in-line with the program’s overall workplan;
• Process the field team’s reports and synthesize periodic standardized reports, suggesting corrective measures on implementation of activities as and when required;
• Support the WGPM in ensuring project activities are in line with agreed objectives and established rules and regulations;
• Conduct assessments, surveys, and discussions in line with established procedures and ensuring community participation;
• Implement local communication and awareness campaigns (Community Engagement component) and gauge reception and feedback to feed existing tools and methodologies;
• Support regular monitoring and evaluation exercises conducted by the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) department;
• Ensure that data and documentation are properly archived;
• Support the analysis of data collected and draw insights.

Team Management (30%)

• Coordinate with WGPM to ensure staffing in the field is appropriate to the program needs;
• Ensure that staff have clearly defined objectives, understand their responsibilities, and receive meaningful feedback on their performance;
• Provide support and advice to field staff, ensuring clarity over project plans and priorities and encouraging effective teamwork;
• Act as a conduit of information from and to field staff;
• Participate in regular team meetings and encourage active participation and engagement of field staff;
• Conduct regular reviews of team and individual objectives, ensuring team members are kept informed of issues relevant to their work and providing opportunities for feedback;
• In collaboration with the WGPM and the HR team, identify capacity building needs and develop training plans for staff when relevant;
• Assist the Water Governance Program Manager on establishing and maintaining a collaborative and high performing team and a good working environment.

Communication, coordination and representation (30%)

• Continuously monitor and provide analysis on local dynamics and evolving context;
• Establish and maintain networks with local operational and institutional interlocutors, especially local authorities, public institutions, and community leaders;
• Represent We World GVC at relevant public, coordination, and representation meetings involving local stakeholders;
• Maintain active coordination with relevant actors’ field teams and ensure deconfliction;
• Prepare visits for donor, HQ, and partner representatives.

Other tasks

• Implementation of other specific tasks assigned by the Line Manager and relevant to the position and competences of the incumbent.

REQUIREMENTS

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Competencies

Education

• A university degree or equivalent in a field relevant to Water, Governance, Development, or Project Management.

Work Experience

• Minimum 3 years of project implementation experience in development programs;
• Previous work experience with international NGOs or equivalent;
• Proven experience with impact-driven implementation of activities and team management;
• Previous experience in the Bekaa, or rural areas in Lebanon;
• Previous experience working with public and private actors and good understanding of water utility management and social and political contexts.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal, staff management and leadership skills;
• Good communication skills, in written and spoken, adapted to different levels;
• Ability to identify, initiate and maintain good relationships with partner organizations and local authorities including building professional relationships with senior decision-makers and influencers/leaders;
• Proven organizational skills and ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and perform under stress conditions;
• High tolerance for lengthy processes, and ability to patiently and persistently follow-up;
• Ability to think strategically and conceptually and to translate these into concrete results;
• Capacity to work autonomously and in problem prevention/resolution;
• Experience in conflict resolution and negotiation/mediation;
• Integrity in line with the NGO values and ethical standards;
• Cultural, gender, religion, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Availability to commit for a long-term deployment.

Languages

• Arabic: Native speaker and proficient in official writing and correspondence;
• English: Professional use of written and spoken English.

Computer Skills

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Desirable skills and competencies

• More than 5 years of project management experience in development programs;
• More than 2 years of experience in the water sector and/or utilities;
• More than 2 years of experience in North Bekaa;
• High English proficiency;
• Experience in participatory community engagement processes and / participatory governance;
• Educational foundation in environmental sciences.