WASH Project Manager

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

The UNICEF Project manager will oversee the project’s objectives and quality control throughout the project’s lifecycle. This will namely include defining and designing assessments of water and sanitation-related activities in close collaboration with field-based staff. The key role of the WASH project manager is to review, monitor and coordinate the project activities.

The project aims to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation in informal settlements, to increase environmental conditions as a result of UNICEF direct support in ISs and improve the equitable use of WASH services through appropriate community/based mobilization in ISs.

The Project Manager is responsible for delivering project results in the context of time, budget, quality, scope, risk and benefit constraints.  S/he is responsible for developing comprehensive and detailed project plans and managing them through the entire life of the project. He/she is also responsible for managing program staff, issues, identifying potential risks and establishing processes to avoid and address these risks and ensuring that the intended project benefits are delivered.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Program Management

• Manage implementation of UNICEF program, including the work of contractors, to facilitate key deliverables and achieve targets, including designing and managing overall community mobilization strategies, committee selection processes, capacity building, and identification of priorities;
• Coordinate regular monitoring of program activities and program impact, per Mercy Corps Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) and in accordance with existing related guidelines (i.e. SPHERE and donor regulations);
• Collaborate with Operations Team to facilitate procurement of required equipment and services based on community-identified needs;
• Overview program budget and complete financial planning to inform programming including monthly projections and budget reviews;
• Write regular donor and organizational reports to highlight program successes and challenges.

Team Management

• Manage the performance of the program team in general and the direct reports in particular. Set clear team and staff performance objectives and make sure that everyone in the team has clear understanding about the objective of the team, their role/responsibility in achieving those objectives, and their position within the team;
• Supervise teams to develop work plans focused on key outputs and outcomes;
• Ensure field teams complete tasks as assigned in a timely, professional way;
• Collaborate and guide local partners and consultancy firms on regular basis to inform planning and implementation of assessments and mapping reports, as well as to meet key deliverables;

Coordination and Representation

• Closely coordinate and work with other relevant sector leads and other Mercy Corps program/projects managers to ensure better integration
• Coordinate and work with donor, national and local government officials, beneficiaries and other stakeholders throughout the implementation of the program and in identification and design of new programming
• Represent Mercy Corps at relevant coordination meetings in Bekaa to foster greater coordination and information sharing;
• Liaise with national and local officials to explain the objectives and parameters of the programs, as well as NGOs and program partners, local religious leaders and other community members to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps;
• Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active emergency response and community development, including donors, other humanitarian organizations, local authorities and local partners;

Other

• Understand and follow Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards (PM@MC) to ensure all project planning and documentation is completed in a timely manner;
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy and Do No Harm strategies;
• Participate in internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops;
• 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 Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to the 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

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Senior officers, M&E officer, WASH coordinator, Project Engineer

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH:  Relevant Sector Leads, Program, Operations, Finance, and M&E Teams

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience required: 3 to 5 years
• Education degree: Master’s Degree
• Field of education: Engineering background and work experience is valuable
• Previous experience working on Water and Sanitation-related issues and/or refugee response. 
• Maintains a strong understanding of Lebanon’s municipality and national-level structures, including issues related to Water and Sanitation.
• Holds strong relationships and connections to international and national entities working on Water and Sanitation issues. 
• Must have excellent written and verbal English and Arabic Skills, including being able to write reports and proposals. 
• Experience completing Bill of Quantities (BOQs), service contracts, and other technical documentation, etc.
• Ability to oversee engineering-focused rehabilitation work.  
• Must be computer-literate, particularly in programs such as Word and Excel. 
• Strong organizational skills required, as is the ability to work independently and take initiative. 
• Must be willing to travel throughout Lebanon. 

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful candidate will have the ability to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly fluid work and secure environment with a capacity to spark innovative approaches to programming and inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs. S/he will have proven experience working effectively and respectfully with host country government and other authorities, NGO, and CBO representatives, and will have effective verbal and written communication as well as multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills. S/he will have demonstrated attention to detail while keeping a strategic view, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members, and will have an interest and ability to travel and work in insecure environments. Sensitivity to multi-cultural international development work and ability to train and facilitate dialogue among a diverse group of individuals with various skill sets and working styles are all critical, as is a commitment to working with community members to make concrete improvements to their livelihoods and living conditions. An ability to creatively problem-solve, to juggle multiple priorities under tight deadlines, and to calmly and diplomatically deal with unexpected and sudden events impacting program operations are also essential, as is patience, tenacity, and a good sense of humor.