Project Coordinator

The Beirut Urban Lab is looking to hire a project coordinator to lead the ongoing efforts of the Beirut Observatory of the Recovery. For the past two years, the Observatory has sought to monitor actors and activities surrounding the post-blast recovery efforts in Beirut. Moving forward, the Observatory will seek to link recovery to ongoing urban trends in the city. The coordinator is expected to help conceptualize the transition towards a Beirut City Observatory, and to manage and help with data gathering, data analysis, data visualizing, and communication. 

The candidate needs to hold at least an MA degree, have at least five years of work experience, and speak and write fluently English and Arabic. We are looking for someone passionate about studying urban trends, and interested in project management and coordination aspects. Familiarity with GIS is a plus. Remuneration will depend on the candidate’s qualifications and years of experience. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

About the Observatory

The specific tasks of the Observatory are to:

• Operate as a shared information platform that provides rigorous data which enables evidence-based urban policy recommendations to actors involved in recovery, focusing on the four sectors of shelter, public space, waste management, and infrastructure.
• Facilitate coordination among stakeholders, through the sharing of the data, and through the organization of meetings, workshops, and webinars, amongst other modalities of engagement.
• Support the regular production of data and findings through maps, infographics, visualizations, and narratives that advance an inclusive, just, and environmentally sensitive framework of urban recovery.

The current Observatory of the Recovery includes three main elements:

1. A data repository: the Observatory records and makes available existing datasets including damage and need assessments conducted prior to the blast;
2. An ongoing mapping of recovery efforts, within a wider understanding of urban transformations- that includes mapping of NGO activities, business operations, residential building occupation, state of repair, public space interventions, etc.
3. Collaborative platforms that help coordinate and organize interventions on urban public spaces, particularly initiatives in Karantina and along Mar Mikhael/Hikmeh areas.

The ultimate goals of the Observatory are three-fold: (i) Align the values and goals of reconstruction efforts on a people-centered, inclusive, and environmentally-sensitive recovery approach; (ii) Serve as the basis for advocacy and information base targeting residents in the severely affected neighborhoods; (iii) Empower residents to take control of the rebuilding of their neighborhoods and get engaged in the larger city's recovery.