Programme Director

About the role: This is a 24 month role (with possibility of extension), based in Beirut with a salary of € €48,648 – €54,053

You will report to the Country Director and will line manage Programme Managers, Programme Development and Quality Coordinators and MEAL Manager. You will liaise with the Logistics and Security Coordinator, Country Financial Controller and other key support staff.

You will be responsible for leading Programme teams in all Akkar and Tripoli, and additional areas as the programme grows.

We would like you to start by as soon as possible.

Your purpose: As a member of Concern Lebanon’s Country Management Team, the Programme Director (PD) will manage and guide the development of Concern’s programme activities in Lebanon in line with the Country Strategic Plan and Concern Worldwide policies and strategies, ensuring quality, strategic purpose, participation and accountability.

You shall:

• Lead the quality development and control in programmes through continuously improving programming methodologies, techniques and through a staff-mentoring programme on programme tools and approaches.
• Oversee the operationalisation of the partnership strategy for Concern Lebanon’s programme, in line with Concern Worldwide partnership policy, standards, strategies and learning from Concern in other countries, and within Lebanon from localisation and partnership platforms and fora.
• Ensure the effective and professional management of donor grants and support the development of high quality proposals, and the proactive development of the Concern Lebanon Programme and Donor portfolio.
• Provide ongoing mentoring, support and advice to the Programme team to ensure high quality Project Cycle Management.

You will be responsible for:

Programme Design, Implementation and Development:

• Lead the development of Concern’s country programme strategies ensuring compliance with the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP), Emergency Response Plan (ERP) and responsiveness to the changing environment and needs of the participating communities. Concern is emphasising integrated resilience building programmes, with a particular focus on equality.
• Facilitate high quality programme development processes through project concept notes, proposals etc., and by ensuring adherence to Concern Worldwide PCM guide.
• Ensure that programming meets high standards in terms of design, monitoring and evaluation through Concern Worldwide’s Project Cycle Management System, Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) accountability commitments, Programme Quality Guidelines and PME Framework.
• Lead and support the Programme Managers in developing their programmes’ results frameworks, in Programme design, providing critical implementation guidance, PCN development oversight and proposal development support.
• Ensure programme launch meetings, quarterly and annual programme reviews, as well as midterm reviews and final evaluations in line with the organisation’s and donors’ requirements.
• Develop a comprehensive and participatory programme planning and implementation process that includes programme participants, staff, and partners and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Ensure the highest standards of mainstreaming by implementing Concern policies and best practices in accordance with the local context.
• Work with the Country Director and the Desk Officer to develop and implement a funding strategy to ensure future funding streams are known and developed to the greatest extent possible.
• Maintain good donor relations through the production of high quality and timely donor proposals and reports.
• Promote joint planning and monitoring among programmes and ensure integration and effective learning across sectors.
• Maintain monthly control over all programme related expenditure and ensure that coordinators and managers understand and follow Concern procedures and controls on all expenditure.
• Support coordinators and managers to develop accurate financial forecasting in line with the budget and projected expenditure.
• Assist the Country Director in coordinating and managing country strategic issues through involvement in decision making at the Country Management Team Meetings and other Concern Worldwide forums

Staff Development and Organisational Learning:

• Lead and manage staff, contributing to their capacity building and career development. Support career development initiatives of staff in programmes (especially national staff) to develop their skills and widen their international perspectives.
• Provide technical support and on-going on-the-job training and coaching to staff, including in particular a thorough induction at the start of their contract.
• Ensure that all positions have accurate job descriptions and that each member of the team fully understands outcomes which are expected of them, by setting SMART objectives, and that they are aware of the success criteria relating to their work.
• Ensure that all staff are aware of and comply with Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Monitor and review performance and hold staff accountable for meeting the success criteria; give corrective feedback where required and take decisive action in the case of poor performance.
• Ensure that work within the team(s) is planned and organised in a way which will meet the organisation’s needs in the most cost effective manner possible; ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently.
• Take an active part in the definition, implementation and monitoring of a staff capacity development plan.
• Proactively seek, receive, synthesise and disseminate programme relevant material to all coordinators, programme managers, advisors and senior systems staff.
• Build clear processes in each programme to ensure organisational learning is prioritised and systematically used in PCM, external exchange and advocacy.
• Take part with the HR department in the recruitment processes of program team.
• Support the HR department in ensuring proper & healthy working relationships in the team.

Country Strategy and Networking:

• With the CD, lead the development of programme strategy in the development, implementation, promotion and monitoring of the Country Strategic Plan.
• Engage with and support national level networks relevant to increasing Concern’s learning; provide for potential funding/consortium work and joint advocacy efforts.
• Actively participate in National and Regional level Sector Working Groups when the relevant Programme Manager is unable to attend.
• Oversee the operationalisation and adaptation of the partnership strategy for Concern Lebanon.
• Oversee the appraisal of potential partners’ technical competencies and work with finance and logistics on the Concern Integrated Local Partners Assessment Tool (CILPAT) and other reviews, as part of the due diligence assessment process.
• Serve as the national level focal point for contact with National Partners.
• Support the Partnership Manager to ensure that, with the help of the finance department, the effective controls and the monitoring of partners’ finances are in place.
• Oversee and manage the development and finalisation of partnership agreements and their management and implementation.

Reporting:

• Oversee the timely preparation and submission of donor report to a high quality standard in accordance with donors’ requirements.
• Participate and provide input to the Country Management Team and Base level coordination meetings’ reporting.
• Ensure that reviews are documented and evaluations reports are in line with the Concern and donors’ requirements.

Accountability:

• Oversee the development of Concern Lebanon’s CHS Implementation Plan and other Accountability Frameworks and provide management and technical support to Programme Managers Coordinators and other relevant staff in its implementation.
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) and ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities
• Ensure that the CRM is functional, effectively implemented and accessible in all programmes’ locations, enabling safe reporting of both programmatic and sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns
• Ensure that complaints are welcomed, managed and responded to in a timely, fair and appropriate manner; ensure that sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns, are handled with utmost confidentiality and that the safety of the complainants and those affected is prioritised at all stages.

Other:

• Lead or actively participate (as required) in collective exercises such as preparation or updates of the Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) plan, Security Management Plan (SMP), and Country Strategic Plan when requested.
• Take active measures to address equality issues, particularly relating to gender, in programme as well as in operational (e.g. HR, logistics, etc.) activities.
• Ensure the highest standards of accountability through ensuring good communication and information sharing within and outside the programme and enabling staff, beneficiary and other stakeholders’ participation at all stages of the project cycle.
• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (finance, logistics etc.).
• Be aware of, understand, comply with and be a model of Concern’s HR policies, Code of Conduct and its Associated policies and ensure that every member of the team is aware of, understands and complies with all of Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Fully adhere to security protocols and procedures and ensure that all members of the programmes team also do so. Contribute to on-going security management and planning as necessary.
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Country Director (the line manager for this role).
• Respect confidentiality and follow ethical guidelines

The tasks of this position are not limited to what is mentioned in this job description, additional tasks can be requested as per the programmatic needs]

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

• Master degree in Development Studies, Agriculture, Business Administration, Education, Psychology, Engineering or other related discipline.
• 5 years in a similar or related program management position, including at least 2 years in a programs strategic management role.
• Experience in managing WASH/shelter & protection programs
• Experience in developing & leading programs (developing, monitoring, controlling, & improving)
• Experience in overseeing & leading partnerships
• Experience in proposal, framework, concept note development & managing donors’ relationships
• Experience in project management cycle and MEAL
• Strategy development experience, including fundraising)
• Budget management and participatory planning methodologies.
• Team Management & Leadership Experience: previous experience of managing a diverse team of senior staff including international staff, proven strong management ability, including the ability to lead and motivate others.
• Strong training and mentoring skills.
• Fluent English (written and spoken)
• Excellent public relations, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong understanding of and commitment to the promotion of equality.

Desirable:

• Experience participating in and working under a Cluster coordination or Working Group system.
• Experience working on the Syria Crisis Response or the Lebanon Crisis Response.
• Experience of programme implementation through local partners.
• Experiencing managing programmes in the WASH, livelihoods, education, shelter and/or protection sectors.
• Affinity with organizational values, mission and vision, commitment to humanitarian principles.
• Experience of managing multiple simultaneous grants from donor such as EU, UN and Irish Aid.
• Written and or verbal Arabic skills