Protection Program Manager

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, partnering closely with civil society, and facilitating economic development. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices 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 at the same time responding to emergencies as they occur in the country.  In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria. Since then, Mercy Corps Lebanon has solidified its portfolio, integrating emergency response programming with longer-term development programming by focusing on the following key sectors: Child and Youth Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Local Governance and Conflict Mitigation, Agriculture, Livelihoods and Economic Development, and Food Security.  With funding from the UNICEF and the US Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), Mercy Corps is consolidating its ongoing child protection and gender-based violence (GBV) activities.   For the past three years, Mercy Corps worked to improve the psychosocial well-being and resilience of vulnerable children, adolescents and families, through the provision of psychosocial support and strengthening of community and national capacities for child protection in emergencies.  At the same time, it aims to mainstream GBV awareness raising and prevention across its programming.              GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY: The Protection Program Manager is responsible for the planning and implementation of two ongoing grants by providing structured oversight and coordination to field-based staff to achieve program targets.  S/he is responsible for coordinating with government and international and national NGOs working in protection sectors to promote protection standards in policies and program activities, including coordinated referral mechanisms.   ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Team Management Supervise field teams to guide work planning focused on achieving program outcomes, as well as local partners to ensure they are meeting deliverables; Ensure programming is implemented according to minimum standards and indicators are being met in order to meet project deliverables;  Mentor team to identify solutions and build capacity to independently take on work responsibilities; Identify in coordination with the area managers and technical advisors training needs for team members and local partners for program quality and accountability; identify professional resources; and encourage peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing and other forms of staff capacity-building;  Project Management Provide overall oversight and management of two protection programs including budget and grant management; Facilitate establishment of partner sub-grants to establish clear and productive partnerships with local organization that support grant implementation; Establish and maintain effective program reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use; Ensure Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards are maintained across all programs, and coaching staff to learn and apply these standards; Facilitate team and partner planning and coordination to ensure all activities are implemented on time and within budget consistently across South Lebanon, Mount Lebanon, and Bekaa Valley; Representation Serve as primary liaison with donors to facilitate grant management and requests; Liaise with key stakeholders to disseminate findings and identify additional support to communities and individuals to address child protection needs and threats identified through program activities; Identify opportunities to influence and advocate for improved protection practices in target areas and at national level through regular engagement with stakeholders; 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; 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.   Accountability to Beneficiaries Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.   ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Director of Programs SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: GBV Project Manager, Child Protection Technical Advisors, Senior Field Coordinators, M&E Coordinator WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Regional Gender and Protection Advisor, M&E Manager, Area Managers, Operations team and Finance team.   KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: MA in social work, social sciences, psychology or other relevant field. Strong ability to create and maintain management structures that facilitate planning and coordination with a team of 20+ staff Five years of experience working on community-based programming in Lebanon Understanding of emergency response, familiarity of the Sphere Project’s Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response, as well as familiarity with international mental health and psychosocial support, child protection and gender based violence standards and guidelines. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues. Positive, respectful attitude and collaborative approach to diversity. Demonstrated attention to detail; ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently as well as cooperatively with team members. Written and oral communication skills in Arabic and English. Significant knowledge and understanding of the current political, social, economic, cultural and historical context of Lebanon and Syrian crisis.   SUCCESS FACTORS: The successful Protection Program Manager will combine theoretical and practical skills and experience in protection responses in emergencies. S/he will have an outstanding ability to lead a team and implement activities according to best practice standards. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural team, communication, and strong analytical skills. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability; thrive in evolving and changing environments; make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations; and have a great sense of humor.