WaSH Project Manager

 

JOB TITLE: WaSH Project Manager - Lebanon

 

International Division, Humanitarian Department

 

LOCATION: Beirut, Lebanon

 

 

JOB FAMILY: Programme

 

GROSS SALARY: Competitive

 

LEVEL: C2

 

OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering

 

JOB PURPOSE: To provide overall leadership and management for a WaSH project that aims to contribute to effective, sustainable and multi-level water governance in crisis affected Lebanon, through empowering local and regional authorities and demonstrating cost effective system for water service provision by empowering governing authorities, promote sustainable water services and provide an enabling environment that promotes improved living conditions to vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities.

 

The post-holder is expected to work closely with the WaSH programme team and the Oxfam Policy team towards common objectives.

 

DURATION:  24-month contract

 

REPORTING LINES:

 

Post holder reports to: WaSH Coordinator in the interim, and will shift to report to a humanitarian coordinator once post is filled

The post holder will also work closely with Head of programs, Policy adviser, PMEAL Coordinator, Funding Coordinator, Protection Coordinator, Bekaa Area Manager and the Global Solar Advisor.

 

Staff reporting to this post: Project Officer. The post is expected to liaise closely with the Senior Communications and Advocacy officer, and receive support from the MEAL, finance, logistics and HR/Admin teams in executing the role.

 

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY: Budget management for 1.5M Euros

 

BACKGROUND:

Lebanon is the second largest host of Syrian refugees after Turkey, with over a million registered in a country. The Joint Humanitarian Development Framework (JHDF) has identified WASH as a key priority sector. A WaSH consortium that consists of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Oxfam, World Vision International (WVI) and Gruppo di Volontario Civile (GVC) have come together to implement the project “Improving access to safe and affordable water to vulnerable communities” under the EU Madad Trust Fund programme “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme for Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities”. The project aims to contribute to effective, sustainable and multi-level water governance in crisis affected Lebanon, through empowering local and regional authorities and demonstrating cost effective system for water service provision. The project will target vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities in the Bekaa.

 

The WaSH Project Manager position will lead and is accountable for all the programmatic, management and partnership aspects of the Oxfam components of the intervention (i.e. the technical lead on solar technologies and advocacy). As a key role within the Oxfam Lebanon Country programme, the position will be based in Beirut, with regular travel to programme sites in the Bekaa region. He/she will oversee effective management and relationships with consortium members, partner institutions and relevant external stakeholders, manage the intervention throughout the project cycle, including budget management (including expenditure planning and expenditure monitoring), lead in preparing and developing high quality programme plans, including MEAL and procurement plans, progress and donor reports, ensure appropriate monitoring and project quality, and enhance internal and external learning and representation. In addition, the PM will also identify scaling up opportunities and new project ideas in line with the thematic area.

 

 

DIMENSIONS:

• Manage the successful planning, monitoring and reporting of the project;
• Manage the Project officer and Senior Communications and Advocacy Officer, while at the same time liaising with MEAL, Global Solar Advisor, Policy Lead and other technical Coordinators/Managers;
• Ensure that the intervention mainstreams gender justice and protection, where relevant;
• Ensure a constant and constructive relationship with NRC, WVI, GVC at field and Beirut level;
• Build and maintain effective relationships with implementing partners and external stakeholders in support of the project in the focus areas;
• Ensure the physical welfare, well-being, and professional development of staff directly assigned to the project;
• Serve as the Project Budget Holder and oversee effective financial management of the programme’s grant/s and activities with the support of admin and logistics teams;
• Ensure programme quality standards are being met;
• Participate in the monthly BWE coordination meeting in Bekaa;
• Liaise with the WaSH Coordinator and the Policy Lead regarding the policy component of the project.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project Cycle Management & Programme Quality

• Develop overall project guidance in terms of work plans/budget work plans, spending plans, MEAL plans, procurement plans;
• Work closely with the relevant Technical Coordinators, Policy teams and support staff to provide appropriate guidance and managerial support to implement the project in line with the objectives laid out in the donor approved proposal;
• Implement the project in collaboration with other Oxfam colleagues (WaSH, MEAL, and policy teams), consortium members and where relevant, partner institutions and contracted parties;
• To lead in preparing mid-term and final reports for the donor in collaboration with programme teams, technical coordinators, Funding Coordinator, and Support teams. Ensure narrative reporting and financial accounting meet Oxfam and donor’s requirements;
• Support and promote programme quality and project strengthening activities e.g. project quality meetings, and learning events;
• Assist staff to maintain healthy relationships with government institutions including the municipality and cooperating organizations through regular contacts, visits and fulfilment of project requirements
• Ensure Oxfam’s Programme Management system OPAL, is up dated and relevant for the project in question.

 

People & Team Management

• Recruit and line manage relevant staff in line with Oxfam policies, ensuring that they have the necessary induction, training and support as required;
• Ensure staff are compliant with key internal procedures including security requirements and code of conduct;
• Solicit appropriate training and learning opportunities for team members in line with development objectives and ensure regular coaching of staff;
• Oversee performance management and staff development of team members, and provide necessary and timely feedback to all staff being directly managed;
• Build the capacity of staff in key project management principles, tools and approaches and ensure that these new skills are utilized on the job;
• Facilitate effective working relations with colleagues around communications, policy and advocacy issues and concerns, ensuring evidence-based programmatic input into policy and media messaging.

 

Budget & Financial Management

• Initiate regular financial review meetings, involving relevant support staff to plan and monitor the budget, review procurement and spending plans, and ensure funds are spent within the time frame acceptable to Oxfam and the donor and ensuring rules and regulations of Oxfam are adhered to;

• Ensure that donor contractual requirements are fulfilled, including by partners, with particular reference to the General and Technical conditions of the Consortium Agreement with NRC and internal regulations, throughout the entire project period;
• Lead on initiating relevant procurement processes, with support from Logistics, in line with programme spending and procurement planning.

 

External Representation and Consortium Coordination

• Attend all relevant Consortium meetings;
• Ensure key information on the project is available to members of the consortium and decisions are taken to support the effectiveness of the consortium;
• Serve as primary project representative to external stakeholders, including the donor, responsible for addressing all project matters.
• In collaboration with consortium member focal points, develop and maintain positive relations with relevant ministries and other government counterparts, donors, and other relevant external stakeholders, with relation to the project.
• Assists with the coordination of visits of donors, and/or partners related to the project
• Lead on organizing joint consortium events, such as joint advocacy, research, project launch etc., coordinating closely with the policy and media team

 

SKILLS AND COMPETENCE:

(E = essential, D = desirable)

 

1. A Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline such as engineering or development Studies or equivalent experience (E)
2. Master’s degree in relevant area (e.g. Engineering, development studies) (D)
3. A minimum of 3 years progressively responsible experience in a similar role – specifically in managing humanitarian/development programmes funded by different donors in the WaSH sector. (E)
4. Excellent understanding and knowledge of WaSH in general, and renewable energy in particular (E)
5. Experience in managing WaSH Projects. (E)
6. Good knowledge of developing and implementing monitoring systems to track the effectiveness of programmes and an ability to build cooperative, professional relationships with donors, partners and peer organisations. (E)
7. Management skills & experience, including line management, management of other resources, evidence of capacity to support others. (E)
8. Commitment to equal opportunity and gender policies. (|E)
9. Evidence of project cycle management experience, including strategic planning, budgeting, reporting, monitoring & evaluation. (E)
10. Experience in building the capacity of the team internally and of external stakeholders. (D)
11. Experience in implementing projects involving local organisations as implementing partners (E)
12. Diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills. (E)
13. Good interpersonal, influencing and communication skills (E)
14. Proven team leadership and ability to work independently as required. (E)
15. Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts. (E)
16. Good written and spoken English and Arabic. (E)
17. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. (E)
18. Sympathy with the aims and Objectives of Oxfam. (E)

This job description is not incorporated in the employment contract.  It is intended as a guide and should not be viewed as an inflexible specification as it may be varied from time to time in light of strategic developments and following discussion with the post holder.