Program Support Coordinator

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, civil society and economic development initiatives. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently works in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has implemented community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while responding to emergencies as they emerged in the country. In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria and Mercy Corps in Lebanon has solidified its emergency response programming while integrating longer-term development programming by focusing on key sectors: Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Governance and Conflict, and Livelihoods. With funding from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), Mercy Corps is expanding an eight-month pilot project to a two-year program aiming at improving the stability and resiliency in target communities in the North of Lebanon and the Beqaa through reduced unemployment and increased income for businesses. INTAJ (Improved Networks, Training and Jobs) is focused on three main components: skills development, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, and solid waste and recycling management (SWM/R). GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY: The Coordinator is responsible for coordinating all procurement and financial aspects of INTAJ programming with the Operations and Finance departments. Working closely with the INTAJ offices, Tripoli, Beqaa, and Beirut, the Program Coordinator will be the focal point for all procurement and financial services. This is to include the reception of field administrative and grant documents, following up with field suppliers as needed, and responsible for all INTAJ grant processes in coordination with the Mercy Corps Operations and Finance Department in Beirut. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS PROCUREMENT • Daily coordination of INTAJ procurement activities from both field offices, Beqaa and Tripoli • Attend Mercy Corps Program and Procurement planning meetings as needed in order to remain at all times up to date on the status of all INTAJ purchases • Agree with procurement on an adequate reporting tool to be regularly updated • Act as a focal point on all Purchase Requests submitted from programs to the procurement unit. • Reviews and suggest changes as needed to the Purchase Requests submitted to procurement in order ensure smooth process. • Has a full understanding of MC procurement policies and formats. Assists, as needed in training staff on these policies; • Coordinate with the procurement unit on the preparation and issuance of tenders and preferred supplier agreements in order to streamline purchases. • Attend tender opening sessions and take part in technical review committee as needed for INTAJ tenders • Coordinate with Finance department to ensure payments are facilitated in a timely manner; • Assist in gathering and preparing the required documentation following the delivery of supplies and completion of services as per MC standards. • Ensure goods are received in accordance with Mercy Corps standards; • Preparation of status reports on procurements for Operations and Program Management and recipient of supplies. The Program Coordinator will conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission; • Other duties as assigned FINANCE • Assist in the preparation and financial review of subawards, to ensure compliance with MC policies and procedures and project budgets; • Set up and maintain the INTAJ grant files; maintain and distribute current copies of the approved coded budget to all relevant parties; • Assist in the month end review of sub-office journals to ensure proper coding of all transactions. • Assist in updating the Budget Vs. Actual reports from INTAJ spending; • Review subgrantee financial reports, assist in subgrantee site audits and follow up on subgrant compliance issues; • Maintain subgrant financial files, process subgrantee payments and reconcile subgrant financial tracking to general ledger reports; • Make sure that all supporting documentation is prepared and filed according to MC procedures; • Assist in the training and support for local NGOs, including answering daily questions, training new hires, making field visits, etc; • Other duties as assigned OTHER • Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy; • Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities; • Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy; • Contribute to monthly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements; • Participate in internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops; • Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission; and • Other assigned tasks, as necessary. Organizational Learning As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Grants officer REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Program Manager WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Programs, M&E, Finance and Operations Teams. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: • Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field preferred; • At least 2-3 years of experience in grants management, procurement and/or in a finance department of an non-government organization; • Familiarity with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting; • Excellent written and verbal English and Arabic skills; • Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel and Access. • Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of grant management rules. • Strong organizational skills, and ability to work independently and take initiative under pressure in a rapidly changing, multi-cultural context, whilst adhering to strict deadlines; • Ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel. • A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action as to not delay program activities. • Must work well as a member of a team; • Ability and willingness to travel regularly to the field. SUCCESS FACTORS: The successful Program Coordinator will be bright, energetic, hard-working and eager to learn. S/he will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance. S/he will have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability. S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according to a very high standard of quality. S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Mercy Corps’ values.