Program Officer

Region: MENA Office: Beirut, Lebanon

Hours: 3 days per week

Period: One-year contract, renewable pending funds and performance Location: Beirut, Lebanon Hours: 3 days per week (excluding Saturday and Sunday) Start date: ASAP

Application deadline: September 18th 2022

About Hivos

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights; gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice. Our approach is solution driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices. More about Hivos at: www.hivos.org

Job context

Position within Hivos

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights; gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice. Our approach is solution driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices.

Free to Be Me is an ambitious, daring and innovative program that will help support and maintain a vibrant movement among marginalized groups that is confident and capable to lobby and advocate for their human and economic rights. Free to Be Me is a program that falls within the Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion thematic area.

The program will be implemented in 14 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The program is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Aim of the job

The Project Officer (PO) is responsible for the program delivery in two MENA countries and supports the setting up and functioning of the Communities of Action (CoAs), as well as the participatory grant-making mechanisms of Free to be Me. They facilitate the development, assessment and implementation of organizational-level and joint project proposals, and ensure these processes are developed in line with agreed procedures. They ensure contracts with local organizations are signed and checks on progress and deliverables.

They are responsible for upholding Free to be Me values and principles and translating them into practice. The Program Officer coordinates the delivery of sound country-level narrative plans and reports, which visualize activities and results of local organizations, joint CoA-activities and Hivos’ own implementation. These contribute to the overarching Free to be Me plans and reports. In doing so, they will closely work together with the Hivos financial officer, the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (DMEL) officer, as well as with the CoA facilitator, amongst others.

They are part of the regional management team and play an active role in coordinating activities in the field of capacity strengthening, lobby and advocacy, learning, etc. with consortium partners and local organizations, as well as with the relevant Hivos staff.

Next to that, the Program Officer will share progress and results of the program to both the global program management team as well as Hivos colleagues in other countries and offices. They are also responsible for the preparation of stories and content for the website, media and other channels and the organization of internal and external events. The Program Officer will assist the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (DMEL) officer in outcome harvesting, narrative assessment and other reporting needed. The Program Officer will work as a team with the DMEL officer, the financial officer, the linking and learning specialist, amongst others.

Your responsibilities;

• Supports and guides local organizations in the development of their individual or joint plans and proposals for lobby and advocacy, and including activities on capacity strengthening.
• Realizes successful implementation in accordance with the specific goals, working methods and budgets of the projects.
• Supports and guides local organizations in the development of their individual or joint plans and proposals.
• Support the implementation of country work plans through grant making processes.
• Monitors progress towards established goals and provides support to grantees through field visits
• Throughout the process of project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the Program Officer plays a proactive role in coordinating with other project staff at the country level.
• Identifies, analyzes and highlights success and good practices, as well as potential risks and problems.

Your profile

• Relevant degree or equivalent work experience, and professional level of working and thinking.
• Minimum of 4-5 years of relevant working experience with the Free to be Me target group.
• Work experience in working with civil society, in project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and working in international teams.
• Expertise in working on related rights in the area of Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is mandatory, with experience working on economic development rights a strong advantage.
• Keen on ensuring ownership by local organizations, and in finding innovative and creative solutions to realize goals.
• Work experience in an international environment.
• Flexible attitude, creative, supports Hivos and Free to be Me values, has a progressive and positive view on related rights and the leadership of rightsholders.
• Demonstrates high level of professionalism, entrepreneurial and result oriented, flexible, well-organized, reliable, independent, decisive and strong team player with excellent communication and social interaction skills.
• Sense of humor, brings good energy and positive vibes, & dynamic to the team
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in Arabic and English. Candidates who are not fully fluent in Arabic will not be considered
• Experience in the field of economic development is an asset.
• Lived experience as a person from the Free to be Me target group is an asset

What we offer

An inspirational work environment in a value-driven international organization with dedicated staff and a great team to work with.

We offer a national contract based on Hivos local labor conditions, with remuneration commensurate with the experience and expertise. Contract renewable depending on performance.