Assistant Country Representative

Working relations    Direct Management of -    Programme, Quality and Information teams  Internal -    The Logistics Officer -    The Finance, Administration & HR Manager -    The Country Representative  External -    Local authorities -    Donors -    Security authorities -    Partners -    Other iNGOs -    Beneficiaries  The Assistant Country Representative (ACR), based in Nabatieh in South Lebanon, is a key member of Solidar Suisse’s Senior Management Team (SMT) in Lebanon. The ACR will lead programme management and quality control in Solidar’s programmes through improving programming methodologies, techniques and learning, and through mentoring of managers on programme tools and approaches. The ACR will lead the implementation of Solidar’s Project Cycle Management and M&E tools across all Solidar’s sectors and build a network of key technical and peer agencies to facilitate shared learning, identifying potential consortium actions and programme development. The ACR will be directly line manage the Solidar Shelter team, including donor contract, human resource and financial management, as well as programme design, monitoring and continual improvement. This position will support Solidar fundraising through ensure proposals are technical robust. As a key member of the SMT, the ACR will remain abreast of and conversant in Solidar’s operational functions and liaise closely with the finance and logistics departments.  PROGRAMME DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION AND DEVELOPMENT •    Oversee the design of new projects and proposals, based on organizational learning, best practice, and identified needs/gaps, which are in line with Solidar Suisse’s Strategy for Lebanon. •    Manage the Solidar Shelter programme by ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, to a high quality standard and in accordance with Solidar and donor requirements and relevant SOPs developed through the Lebanon Shelter Working Group.  •    Oversee and facilitate timely progress toward programme objectives, relating to overall project management (project planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring, financial management and evaluation), according to Solidar Suisse’ Strategy and guidelines stipulated in the agreement between Solidar Suisse and project donors. •    Develop and review guidelines and approaches for beneficiary selection and train staff to ensure selection is undertaken according to targeting approach and criteria and in accordance with humanitarian principles, donor compliance and the Lebanon humanitarian community’s SOPs. •    Contribute to the strategic development and review of the Solidar Suisse Lebanon programme, including sector focus and organizational approach. •    Oversee and prepare high quality narrative reports for Solidar donors ensuring they are in line with donor guidelines and demonstrate sound resource management, judgment, continual improvement and accountability.   PROGRAMME QUALITY ASSURANCE •    Lead in the design, coordination and utilisation of Solidar’s assessment, monitoring and evaluation tools. •    Provide orientation, training and coaching to field teams ensuring they adhere to standardised methodologies, formats and data integrity. •    Oversee the analysis of information gathered through project M&E and ensure the integration of assessment results and learning into ongoing and future programme designs. •    Develop Scope of Works for project evaluations. •    Oversee the implementation and regular review of the Solidar Feedback, Communication and Complaints (FCC) Strategy to ensure Solidar is accountable to all stakeholders, particularly beneficiaries and local authorities.   DATA MANAGEMENT •    Establish and implement tools and procedures which ensure the regular verification of data accuracy. •    Ensure the beneficiary data is collected, collated and stored in a manner which ensures beneficiary confidentially and adheres to Solidar’s Data Protection Agreements. •    Produce regular reports on needs, gaps, and trends (including in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours) based in the data collected through Solidar programmes, and ensure this analysis is shared across Solidar and feeds into new project designs. •    Ensure programme information and programme-related supporting documentation is collected and maintained in accordance with Solidar donor requirements.    STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING •    Ensure all programme staff have regularly set and reviewed personal performance objectives that are relevant to programme direction and needs. •    Proactively seek, receive, synthesise and disseminate programme relevant material to programme staff. •    Support and mentor programme staff in management and/or technical areas, including the identification of appropriate training opportunities for Solidar programme staff. •    Ensure that Solidar’s Code of Conduct and FCC are fully integrated and implemented across all programme activities. •    Ensure the learning and recommendations of Solidar projects are appropriately recorded and feedback to the programme teams.  COORDINATION •    Represent Solidar within the relevant government, donor, bilateral and interagency meetings and feedback to the Solidar SMT on decisions, actions and trends which impact Solidar planning and implementation. •    Perform other related duties as may be assigned          PERSON SPECIFICATIONS ESSENTIAL •    Masters level degree in Management, Development Studies, Engineering, or equivalent. •    Minimum 3 years senior management experience in the humanitarian and/or development sectors. •    Demonstrable experience simultaneously managing multiple donor budgets, including analysis, forecasting, monitoring and amendments. •    Strong understanding of and experience in the implementation and monitoring of HAP and SPHERE standards. •    Excellent written and spoken English language skills with demonstrable experience producing high quality proposals and reports in English. •    Strong understanding of the design, implementation and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative research tools. •    Strong training and mentoring skills. •    Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines. •    Empathy with Solidar Suisse’s vision, mission and values.  DESIRABLE •    Post-graduate qualification which involved high level methodological tools, including statistical analysis •    Experience in database creation, monitoring and management.  •    Senior level management experience in the shelter or WASH sectors.