Program Manager / Head of Base – Lebanon

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Program Manager / Head of Base

Code: SR-34-9308

Duty station: Beirut, with regular visits to the field to Mount Lebanon

Starting date: 25/03/2024

Contract duration: 10 months

Reporting to: Head of Mission (Base Management)

Supervision of: Base support staff and overall programs oversight

Functional supervision: Program Coordinator

Type of Duty Station: Accompanied duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS is an international non-profit, humanitarian aid organization founded in 1992. INTERSOS works towards a world of equality, justice, peace, and solidarity, to achieve this INTERSOS helps people to live in dignity and safety, alleviating suffering and meeting their needs. The mission of INTERSOS is to support people, families, and communities in areas most affected by crises around the world, providing crucial assistance to populations in life-threatening situations, in situations of famine and suffering resulting from extreme poverty, disasters, and conflict.

INTERSOS started to work in Lebanon in 2006 to support the Lebanese people affected by the Lebanese-Israeli war. Since 2013 INTERSOS has been supporting the vulnerable populations in Lebanon affected by the Syrian conflict, including both Syrian refugees and affected Lebanese people.

The project in Mount Lebanon (ML) is designed and implemented in accordance with the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan, UNHCR and INTERSOS Protection and Shelter Frameworks. It aims at reinforcing effective protection environment for Syrian refugees and other vulnerable communities in Mount Lebanon providing access to structured and quality services.

The program in the base is composed of different components: Community Support Projects, Protection Monitoring, Protection Monitoring, Education, Child Protection, Gender Based Violence and General Protection, funded by different donors: UNHCR, ECHO and AICS.

General purpose of the position

The position includes two main components: managing the UNHCR funded CSP and protection monitoring and protection project with complementing AICS and ECHO grants, and the global supervision of ML base and its daily functioning.

In the project management, the Program Manager is responsible for the overall management, economic and financial administration of the projects and for their entire implementation process, ensuring the achievement of its objectives and results, noting that the Shelter manager directly supervises the key component of the program, whereas a Protection Manager assists on the technical supervision of protection components.

As part of the Mission SMT, s/he will be in charge of identifying funding opportunities, arising needs to contribute to project design and proposal writing and support in developing and implementing the organization’s strategy for the base.

As Head of Base, he/she is responsible for the whole coordination and supervision of the support functions (admin/finance, Logistic and procurement, human resources and security) in coordination with relevant departments coordinators and leads the security management at base level.

Main responsibilities and tasks

Project management

• Ensures an effective planning, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of the programme in the area (UNHCR, AICS, ECHO) funded projects and their sub-components (CSPs, Protection, and Education) and timely delivery services according to targets set in the project description.
• Guarantees an efficient financial management for the project, in compliance with INTERSOS model and donor regulations
• Conducts regular meetings with program and support (as needed) staff to follow up on project implementation including revision of targets against achievements, identification of gaps in the response in order to define needed adjustments in the implementation

Team Management & Human Resources Management

• Ensures project team management and coordination (in particular coordination between the different projects ongoing in the area of intervention).
• Ensures regular performance evaluation of project staff (national and international, as needed) in line with internal regulations.
• Ensures timely recruitment of national staff, in coordination with relevant support staff, as per INTERSOS policy for staff recruitment.
• Ensures respect of and adherence to INTERSOS rules and regulations, code of conduct and ethical values chart.
• Ensures and proposing capacity-building opportunities for national staff, keeping clear oversight and reporting on trainings attended and conducted by national staff.

Financial Management and procurement

• Prepares and ensures regular update of financial plan,
• Verifies and approves purchase, in line with the budget and the financial and procurement plan.
• Verifies on a weekly basis the bookkeeping entries in the INTERSOS accounting spreadsheets (Journal): verifying budget line allocations, budget expenditure status against actual delivery and the financial plan for the project implementation period.
• Ensures purchases of goods, services, supplies are in line with the relevant INTERSOS procurement guidelines and procurement plan
• Verifies the list of expenditures, prior to finalizing the interim and final financial reports.
• Holds final responsibility for verification of all support documents.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• Delivers timely quality reporting on project activities (Monthly, Mid Year, final report project), including findings in terms of impact on individual and communities.
• Provides monthly updates to the Program coordinator about project progress including achievements vs targets using the monitoring tool developed by INTERSOS (PAT)
• In coordination with the M&E Coordinator, contributes to the preparation of the Monitoring and Evaluation plan

Project Strategy, reporting and planning

• Contributes to the formulation of new projects as well as of the program strategy for the respective area of intervention
• Ensures a comprehensive vision of the intervention in Mount Lebanon strengthening the complementary of different projects implemented in the area.
• Collaborates with the other HOBs in order to integrate the different intervention in the same long term strategy.

Coordination and representation

• Establishes and managing relations pertaining to project activities, with relevant stakeholders, local authorities, relevant donors and institutions.
• Ensures INTERSOS representation through participation to relevant IA coordination forum in Mount Lebanon
• Proactively participates and represents INTERSOS in relevant working groups (i.e. inter-agency and other relevant working groups) at the regional level (Mount Lebanon).
• Proactively engages in bi-lateral meetings with other INGOs and NGOs active in relevant sectors and geographical areas to avoid duplication, ensure coordination and referral and work for complementary efforts.
• Ensures systematic information and update sharing with the Programme Coordinator and relevant colleagues.

Base Management

• Ensures coordination of support functions (i.e. administration, logistics, security, HR) at Base level.
• Ensures follow-up on security-related matters at the Base level in Mount Lebanon for all projects and staff (as per INTERSOS Lebanon) in coordination with the Liaison and Security officer
• Ensures support to the international missions deployed in Mount Lebanon from HQ and other missions (Syria), including accommodation, logistic support, and security advice.
• Collaborates with the other HoB in order to integrate the different interventions in the same long-term strategy.
• Ensures regular updates of the Comprehensive Planning Process (CPP) as requested by the Head of Mission.

Any other tasks that can be asked by Line Managers to support the Mission

Required profile and experience

Education

• Master degree in Refugee law, International Human Rights Law, Forced Migration and Refugee Studies, Gender studies or other relevant to the position

Professional Experience

• At least 6 years in humanitarian assistance and 2 years of international relief and emergency experience in senior (Field Coordination/Program Manager experience desirable) positions in a multicultural environment, preferably in emergency setting
• Previous experience in the Middle East region and/or with INTERSOS (desirable)
• Experience in conflict/post-conflict contexts, with experience in supporting emergency responses, access and security analysis and management

Professional Requirements

• Very good knowledge of the project management cycle and experience in management.
• Deep knowledge of Protection programming integrated with Education, Shelter, WASH
• Good financial and budgeting understanding.
• Experience of working in a multicultural team environment.
• Experience of working in security challenging environments and adhering to security measures.
• MS proficiency (Microsoft Word, Excel, outlook…).
• Valid Driving License.

Languages

• Fluency in English, spoken and written;
• Arabic is desirable

Personal Requirements

• Teamwork
• Problem solving and decision making
• High level of planning and organizing; ability to manage multiple activities and meet deadlines
• Excellent communication skills
• Very good Interpersonal and Diplomatic Skills, and ability to negotiate on complex issues.
• High level of flexibility & adaptability
• Strategic vision
• Leadership: developing and motivating staffs
• Driving and achieving results
• Humanitarian motivation and commitment to INTERSOS values