Country Director- Lebanon

Country Director Job Description

**Annual Salary and Benefits:**In line with Oxfam values and commensurate with the seniority of the position and relevant job market.

Internal Job Grade: B2

Contract type: Fixed-term – two years

Reporting to: Oxfam International Regional Director – MENA Region or as delegated

Staff reporting to this post: Country Management team (Deputy Country Director, Business Services Manager, HR Business Partner Manager, Business Development and Funding Coordinator, Policy Lead)

Location: Beirut – Lebanon

Total Workforce: Approximately 100 staff based within Lebanon based in three offices: Beirut (head office), Zahle, Bekaa, and Tripoli, North Lebanon

Annual Budget

Approximately $ 10million

ABOUT OXFAM:

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty. That means we tackle the inequality that keeps people poor. Together we save, protect and rebuild lives. When disaster strikes, we help people build better lives for themselves, and for others. We take on issues like land rights, climate change and discrimination against women. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can enjoy life free from poverty.

Job Purpose:

The Country Director (CD) will provide strong leadership of the Lebanon country office and ensure team spirit, quality performance, in the true spirit of Oxfam’s Feminist Principles. The CD is expected to contribute and implement Oxfam’s Global Strategy, by providing vision and strategic direction to all of Oxfam’s work in the Country. This includes Oxfam’s humanitarian responses, long term development programme design and implementation, advocacy and policy and influencing. S/he will be directly responsible for the overall strategic planning, program development, ensuring high level of program quality and grant management, overseeing program support operations (Finance, HR, Operations) to maintain organizational, donor and legal compliance, and represent Oxfam for country-level external relations and interagency coordination. S/he will also manage both the growth and contraction of the country programme based on changes to the country programme’s portfolio, ensuring a strategic approach to change management.

It will be essential for the CD to work simultaneously at both strategic and operational levels. The CD must also ensure that all Oxfam policies and procedures with respect to HR, safety and security, code of conduct, safeguarding, and other relevant policies and procedures are in place, implemented and adhered to. The CD will continually assess, identify and address gaps and weaknesses so as to improve overall country programme performance, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Country Context and Oxfam Program in Lebanon

Lebanon is currently undergoing a multi-faceted and unprecedented crisis at various interconnected and mutually reinforcing levels.

The ongoing economic and financial crisis is increasingly manifesting its effects and threatening the livelihoods and safety of people in country. By the end of 2020 it was estimated that more than 550,000 jobs were lost nationwide and an inflation rate of over 130% year-on-year in November 2020.

The impact of Syrian Crisis persists, with Lebanon continuing to host the largest number of refugees per capita in the world, with the majority having sought refuge in the most vulnerable areas, namely Bekaa and North Lebanon.

In a country where more than 70% of wealth is owned by less than 10% of its population, crises such as the COVID pandemic and the Beirut blast in 2020 have a disproportionate impact on the already extremely vulnerable exacerbating an already inflated wealth gap, debilitating economic struggles and widening social inequalities.

Oxfam has been operating in Lebanon since 1993 in different capacities. Most recently and since 2017, Oxfam has been responding to the various crises in Lebanon outlined above and according to its 5-year strategic plan. The key pillars of work for the country programme are: Saving Lives, Economic Justice, Active Citizenship and Good Governance. As will all of Oxfam’s interventions, policy, advocacy and influencing as well as gender are mainstreamed in every aspect of our work.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Accountability

• Accountable to the Oxfam International Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Director or as delegated for the delivery, effective management (which includes budgets and plan), monitoring and evaluation, and learning from, the Lebanon country program and for leading the Lebanon Country Program to deliver quality compliance in line with Oxfam’s policies and procedures
• Accountable to the Country Governance Group (CGG) consisting of Oxfam affiliates supporting the country program) in line Oxfam’s terms of reference.

Strategic Management & Leadership

• Responsible for leading the design and delivery of the Oxfam Country Strategy (OCS) for Lebanon in line with Oxfam’s Regional and Global strategies
• Provide strategic leadership and management of Oxfam’s program in country including all development, advocacy, and humanitarian programming to maximise our influence and impact.
• Proactively ensure effective ongoing direct communications and networking with donors, U.N. agencies, other NGOs (international and national) and government actors that produces actionable and timely business intelligence to ensure Oxfam’s competitiveness.
• In collaboration with relevant regional and country staff, lead and ensure funding proposals are of the highest quality and closely aligned with donor requirements
• Ensure that gender justice, climate justice women’s rights, International Human Rights, Humanitarian law and civilian protection with strong attention to influencing are reflected in all aspects of Oxfam’s work.
• Be a driving force in ensuring the development and implementation of Oxfam’s Local Humanitarian Leadership agenda with a particular focus on working with partners with clear growth of partnership portfolio to meet and/or surpass Oxfam’s global commitments.
• Be an active participant in the MENA regional leadership team and in regional planning and analysis; understand relevant regional and global objectives. Ensures that gender equity (or women’s rights), and civilian protection with strong attention to influencing are reflected in all aspects of Oxfam’s work.
• Ensure risk management approach is followed to manage strategic and operational risks. Seek opportunities to introduce efficiencies and eliminate redundancies in existing business processes.

People Management and Culture

• Directly line manages the Country Management Team and their operations which will include: staff, budgets, funding and program, ensuring that managers in country are following Oxfam’s policies and procedures, including but not limited to the code of conduct, safeguarding, Aid diversion, performance management, security, health and safety, risk management and local legislation.
• Creates and supports an environment which results in strong and effective coordination, partnerships, influence, knowledge sharing, learning, staff development and innovation.
• Ensures effective engagement in and roll out of all key policies related to Code of Conduct, safeguarding, Aid diversion, security, and ensures staff, partners and beneficiaries are oriented on reporting misconduct mechanisms and necessary systems are in place
• Ensure enabling and conducive organizational culture is nurtured in line with Oxfam’s values and feminist principles and leadership model
• Ensures adherence to the self-care policy and focus on supporting the well-being of all staff through a multi-faceted approach.
• Responsible for talent management and development of Oxfam staff, and the creation of a learning and nurturing working environment.
• Ensure right capacity exists in country and/or to reach out to above country structures to secure support and bridge any capacity gaps

Program Management and Delivery

Programme and Delivery

• Responsible for regularly monitoring and ensuring overall country specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are achieved, take appropriate and prompt actions to manage identified gaps
• Manages and takes lead on development and timely delivery of the Program in country and works closely with partners in country in order to develop and deliver high quality, innovative programmes.
• Ensures the quality control and assurance within the Program and in conjunction with Oxfam quality standards and processes, including but not limited to: Oxfams Gender in Emergencies standards, the Safe Programming approach, the Core Humanitarian Standards, the GBV call to action, all global level environmental commitments, as well as other commitments made under the Charter for Change and the Grand Bargain
• Works with the Business Development Manager to manage relations with donors and ensures that Oxfam meets all contractual obligations and achieves high quality proposal and donor reporting.
• Ensures that donor reports are submitted in a timely manner and are of high quality.
• Overseas and supports the implementation of an effective advocacy strategy and supports other relevant policy issues.
• Supports partners, including government authorities, in developing and delivering projects within agreed parameters where appropriate.
• Ensures that Oxfam’s Program is cost effective, efficient and complies with all organisational standards of management and accountability.
• Ensures that the Program is implemented in a consultative, participative and gender sensitive way.
• Reports regularly to the Regional Director or as delegated with agreed indicators against the overall objectives and ensures that key information is circulated appropriately.
• Supports in the development of mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian and development programs.
• Play an active role in drawing on learning from across Oxfam and external sources and sharing evidenced based learning with others and implementation in country
• Contribute to and maximise use of the Knowledge Networks to share strategic thinking and learning more widely as well as within the Country Team to ensure that programming builds on learning and is evidence based, innovative and agile to respond to opportunities for change.
• Ensures overall leadership of disaster preparedness, mitigation and management including humanitarian response activities
• Access and use shared services for advice and support.
• Ensure country strategy and Country Operational Plans (COPs) are properly resourced, Country budgets are effectively and responsibly utilized and monitored
• Develop appropriate strategies to seek out and maintain funding sources, and proactively lead on seeking and diversifying funding sources.
• Ensure Oxfam minimum standards on program quality, including influencing, are being met in the country programme.
• Accountable for all donor relations and contract management in country.

Public Engagement and Representation

• Represents Oxfam at a local and national level with government authorities, UN organisations, NGOs and donor agencies, including in the media. Builds influential relationships and develops networks for effective change, both internally and externally, and is committed to maximising our influencing capability.
• Accountable for ensuring that appropriate tools and technology are in place to allow a strong flow of positive and consistent program content to influence and communicate with internal audiences and external stakeholders including but not limited to government, media, donors, nongovernmental sector and supporters.
• Develops and maintains constructive relationships with key officials at Government, Line Ministries, Regional and local administration levels, enabling Oxfam to obtain additional MOUs with other ministries.
• Engages proactively with UN, donor, and diplomatic missions andagencies.
• Liaises with senior managers of other INGOs and national NGOs to identify common challenges and solutions to operational concerns.
• Enhances in-country INGO coordination and links to regional coordination.
• Leads on the relations with the affiliate members of the Oxfam Confederation.

Safety and Security

• Leads on issues of safety management including, risk assessment, safety mitigation plans and all other elements of staff safety in Lebanon.
• Takes a lead on ensuring that staff safety guidelines are regularly updated, and that Oxfam organizational policy is adhered to regarding safety management.
• Ensures safe programming, Oxfam’s staff, partners, and the people in communities with whom we work are safe and protected from harm, exploitation, abuse and harassment.
• Maintain a culture of safety throughout the country program, including trainings and briefings that prepare all country program staff for security incident prevention and response.

Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Management and Leadership

Essential:

• Proven track record of leading and motivating multi disciplinary, geographically remote teams and operations across a number of locations.
• Significant senior leadership and management experience in the development and delivery of high quality program, influencing and development-humanitarian/nexus strategy, with and through partners or directly, in one or more challenging locations.
• Experience of managing complex change processes and relationships involving a wide range of both internal and external multi-cultural stakeholders across a variety of disciplines and geographical areas.
• A high degree of self awareness and an understanding of how to drive and support excellent team performance and individual development in line with Oxfam’s values and policies.
• Demonstrated experience in being a leader in promoting women’s rights and gender equality

Representation and Communication

Essential:

• Proven track record of success in representing an organization with partners, government agencies, UN, INGOs, private sector organizations, media and donors at senior level: nationally and globally.
• Proven track record of success in advocacy and influencing
• Demonstrable experience of working with the media and an ability to represent the organisation in the media when required.
• Demonstrable ability to convey complex messages in an appropriate manner to broad and diverse audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to motivate, influence and negotiate.

Finance and Funding

Essential

• Significant experience of optimizing funds and effectively contract management from diverse institutions, both local and international.
• High level financial and asset management skills to steer and efficiently manage the operational budget across a number of locations.

Risk and Duty of Care:

Essential

• Experience of managing security, risk and legal compliance within an INGO context.
• Proven track record of making sound judgements in uncertain and pressurised situations.
• Able to fulfil agreed standards in disaster preparedness, mitigation and management including humanitarian response activities.
• Experience of crisis management and security management.
• Demonstrable experience of effectively anticipating and managing risks that could threaten the organizations reputation, operational viability and security.

Desirable:

• Experience of meeting agreed standards in disaster preparedness, mitigation and management including humanitarian response activities.

Strategic Analytics/Thinking

Essential

• Ability to manage the development of, and contribute to, the high-level analysis of factors driving poverty, marginalization and vulnerability in developing country contexts.
• The ability to ‘think politically’ understanding motivations, pressures, power dynamics and challenges faced by colleagues, partners, decision makers and other actors; and the ability to generate effective strategies to influence them.

Desirable

• Proven analytical skills, with the ability to:
  • Take and manage calculated risks based on evidence-based assumptions.
  • Think strategically, to maximise adaptability and agility
  • encourage forward thinking, new ideas and learning from experience beyond the country program context while acting within a global framework
• Good level of IT literacy and an understanding of how new developments in technology can positively contribute to the aims of an INGO.

Key Attributes

• Masters degree in a relevant field.
• At least 12 years of dynamically responsible international work experience, including leadership at the Country Director level of multi-site, multi-sectoral operations in a complex and fragile operating environment.
• Experience working in conflict/post-conflict or disaster response situation.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.
• Fluent in written and spoken English is required. Working proficiency in Arabic is a plus

Organizational Values

• Equality: We believe everyone has the right to be treated fairly and to have the same rights and opportunities.
• Empowerment: We acknowledge and seek to expand people’s agency over their lives and the decisions that impact them.
• Solidarity: We join hands, support, and collabo-rate across boundaries in working towards a just and sustainable world.
• Inclusiveness: We embrace diversity and differ-ence and value the perspectives and contribu-tions of all people and communities in their fight against poverty and injustice.
• Accountability: We take responsibility for our action and inaction and hold ourselves account-able to the people we work with and for.
• Courage: We speak truth to power and act with conviction on the justice of our causes.
• Commitment-to a rights-based approach including an active commitment to putting women’s rights and feminist principles at the heart of all we do as Oxfam, as well as the rights of other marginalized people in all aspects of an organization’s work.

Other

• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.
• Ability to travel away from home, in the region and to remote programmatic sites within the country and periodic travel aboard for global meetings.