Context

CARE established its presence in Lebanon in 2006 and has been responding to the Syrian Crisis since late 2012. Among CARE’s key imperatives is putting people it serves first through implementing cutting edge programming in areas it operates. CARE currently carries out activities in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Akkar, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, and the Beqaa Valley. CARE implements both emergency and development projects contributing to livelihood, food security, protection, gender, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. It targets the most vulnerable people and populations, both host communities and refugees. Over the course of 7 years, it has supported more than half a million beneficiaries.

In Lebanon, CARE’s program strategy for the upcoming years will focus on strengthening and expanding its emergency response and capacity to provide basic assistance services while pursuing development projects in areas of food security and livelihood support, gender, and protection. CARE intends to maintain its presence in all areas of Lebanon.

CARE Lebanon has scaled up rapidly over the past few years and today it has about 40 staff members, with more than 15 different local/international partner organizations. 90% of the team is composed of national staff, with a symbolic number of international members.

General mission

CARE is looking for an experienced and ambitious Chief of Party to lead the remainder of a 4-year AFD-funded BASATINE Project (Bolstering Agriculture Systems’ Ability to Invest, Nourish, and Employ) that aims to immediately address food insecurity and provide needed income and technical support to farmers to survive this tumultuous time, as well improve the capacity of food systems to maintain employment and growth in the longer term via stronger domestic production and system linkages. The Chief of Party will be based in Beirut and reporting to the Director of Program Implementation and will oversee the oversight and management of the project in coordination with the consortium of INGO and local NGOs.

The Chief of Party is responsible for the effective implementation of BASATINE Project and directly supervises a Program Management Unit that includes the consortium partners in charge of the implementation of the various components of the Project. She/He will provide strategic direction, ensuring program quality, planning, donor reporting and liaison and ensuring effective and responsible financial management of the Project.

Responsibilities and tasks

1. Program Direction and Oversight

• Provide strategic direction to the AFD funded program to ensure the achievement of program outcomes.
• Lead overall program planning and provide support to consortium planning and implementation.
• Closely monitor overall program implementation and propose adaptations and improvements needed to achieve outputs and outcomes in close collaboration with the consortium members and CARE Team.
• Play a lead role in coordination between various teams, partners and stakeholders engaged in the program across the consortium (CMU, Steering Committee)
• Ensure adequate systems are in place and sustained support available for grant management, compliance, and sub-grant management across the consortium.
• Work closely with partners and ensure the entire program adopts mutually respectful, principled partnerships.

2. Program Quality

• Managing systems and processes to ensure the program meets the highest standards of program quality.
• Based on the program proposal, and working closely with the MEAL, ensure that appropriate monitoring systems and tools are in place to ensure a harmonized, effective, and efficient monitoring system for the program.
• Work closely with the consortium members to operationalize effective and appropriate accountability mechanisms across the program.
• Implement an effective risk management and contingency planning process for the program.
• Ensure gender is mainstreamed throughout the program while at the same time more deliberate women’s empowerment programming takes place through the livelihoods/Agriculture interventions.
• Work closely with external consultants and advisors to mainstream conduct conflict sensitive and do no harm approaches in programming.
• Ensure an effective mechanism is in place for information sharing and cooperation among the various consortium members.
• Organize periodic program reviews and ensure learning and outcomes of review discussions are documented and integrated into the program.
• Ensure the learning and knowledge generated from the program is adequately and effectively documented and shared with appropriate local, regional and global audiences.

3. Financial Management, Reporting and Oversight

• Responsible for the management of the overall program budget
• Regularly monitor expenditure to ensure all consortium members adhere to their respective approved budgets.
• Support budget reviews and revision processes at PMU level and provide direction on budget reallocation from one consortium member to another, if needed and in compliance with AFD contractual requirement.
• Ensure the value for money propositions outlined in the proposal are met through effective mainstreaming of relevant approaches.
• Ensure the risk assessment process factors in financial risks and mitigation processes.

4. Donor Reporting, fundraising, coordination, representation, and liaison

• Ensure both narrative and financial reports are submitted on time to AFD and consistently maintain high standards of quality in reporting.
• Liaise closely with AFD representatives in Beirut or in the region as appropriate, in close coordination with CARE Team in Lebanon.
• Ensure effective coordination and liaison with CARE Teams in Lebanon and with HQ France as needed to ensure the program receives adequate and relevant technical, management and representational support.
• Establish positive relations and close collaboration with other agencies involved in food security, agriculture, economic development & livelihood programs in Lebanon.
• Represent CIL in sectoral coordination at regional, national and sub-national levels and with the technical authorities.

5. Staff Management

• Set up the Consortium Management Unit (CMU) for the program by recruiting all relevant staff members and ensuring appropriate orientation for new staff and partners members.
• Provide proper supervision and management for all direct reports and lead the establishment and functioning of a strong, effective, and coordinated CMU.
• Ensure the proper implementation of CARE’s performance management system for direct reports, including job description, regular feedback, mid-term reviews and annual performance appraisals.
• Proactively address performance issues through regular, constructive and honest feedback and coaching.
• Identify necessary staff development, career development and succession planning strategies for direct reports.

6. Technical Program Inputs

• Technically support the Program Implementation Coordinator and Project Managers in the implementation of CIL’s FSL programming with especial attention to the quality of the activities, complementarity, compliance with national standards, donor guidelines, and the CO overall sector strategy.
• Oversee programmatic reports for donors, government and the country office as required. This will involve compiling of information from a range of program and financial staff and working in teams to produce reports.
• Strengthen ‘Nexus’ programming that links the Emergency response with longer-term interventions to ensure a strategic approach.
• Keep up to date of relevant existing and new research in Lebanon that is related to economic empowerment, food security, livelihoods, basic assistance, refugees, and the business environment and disseminate key information as appropriate.
• Ensure that lessons learned from the local economic development interventions are well disseminated and integrated with CIL.

Candidate profile

Experience

At least 10 yearsof relevant experience, especially in NGOs, academic organizations, standard-setting bodies, public agencies focused on Consortium management with a focus on Agriculture and Food security

Academic background

Master’s degree in one or several of the following areas: Project Management, Agriculture, Food security

Skills & Knowledge

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in implementing Humanitarian and Development Programs in Lebanon and MENA
• Demonstrated experience in working on complex and large consortium projects.
• Experience in managing donor-funded projects including AFD.
• Experience in managing development projects focusing on Sustainable Development/Agriculture/Environment/Economic empowerment.
• Experience in gender equality and women empowerment.
• Strong analytical skills, and ability to design and direct research, needs assessments, data analysis and evaluations.
• Excellent inter-personal, communication and presentation skills (verbal and writing)
• Demonstrated experience in team management.
• Outstanding organizer
• Strong team player and experienced collaborator
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to influence and motivate others.
• Demonstrate the ability to take initiative.
• Commitment, devotion, and integrity
• Solution-oriented

Languages skills

Fluency/working proficiency in both English and Arabic (written and verbal)

Application condition and modalities

Contract: fixed term contract of 12 months – renewable

Start date: as soon as possible (please indicate your availabilities)

Manager: Country Director of CARE Lebanon

Salary for Expat status: according to profile and CARE France salary grid from 57 576 EUR to 63 334 EUR per year for Expatriate contracts.

Other benefits: Social security/Health Insurance & Transport allowance. Housing allowance.

For local applications conditions and salary grid of CARE Lebanon will apply.

Location: Beirut, Lebanon