ICLA Project Manager

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organisation’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. These attitudes and believes shall guide our actions and relationships.

Commencing in March 2012, the NRC Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance Programme (ICLA) in Lebanon has been providing assistance to refugees, mainly refugees from Syria (including Lebanese returnees and Palestinian refugees from Syria) and Palestinian refugees already in Lebanon.  Currently, ICLA Lebanon has two main areas of work: (1) the Syrian refugee response and (2) the Palestinian refugee response.  ICLA is present in the Bekaa, South, and North and in Beirut, Mount Lebanon. 

ICLA works closely with the other NRC Lebanon programmes and activities in order to build on existing relationships, encourage an integrated response, develop joint activities and benefit from NRC’s comprehensive understanding of the context.

ICLA services are provided by ICLA staff and ICLA consultants and lawyers, mainly through NRC community centres and extensive outreach work in the surrounding areas (which include mobile legal clinics in informal tented settlements).  As part of the ICLA programme, NRC provides assistance (including advice and representation) on legal matters, with a focus on (a) legal status; (b) civil/legal documentation; and (c) housing, land and property (HLP) issues. 

1. Role and responsibilities

The ICLA Project Manager is responsible for the implementation and delivery of ICLA project activities in the bekaa in line with NRC’s strategy and standards. The position encompasses team direct line management, donor grants with budgets and development of strategy, policy and standards within ICLA Program.

Generic responsibilities

1. Adhere to NRC policies, guidance and procedures
2. Line manage all related  programme staff
3. Contribute to the development of Country, Area and ICLA strategies, initiate and participate in the development of relevant ICLA projects
4. Coordinate and manage ICLA project implementation (activities, budget and project documentation) in line with proposals, strategies and donor requirements
5. Implement technical direction and ensure high technical quality of projects
6. Provide regular progress reports to the Area Manager and the ICLA Specialist
7. Ensure that projects target beneficiaries most in need of protection, explore and asses new and better ways to assist
8. Develop and manage project budget and coordinate across the Programmes
9. Ensure capacity building of project staff and transfer key skills
10. Liaise and collaborate with relevant local authorities and other key stakeholders
11. Promote the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy
12. Oversee and take responsibility of mainstreaming protection guidelines in the NRC’s related activities as per NRC’s protection mainstreaming guidelines and ensures that all breaches/concerns reported are properly resolved.

Specific responsibilities

• Consolidate the ICLA projects in the Bekaa, in coordination with ICLA Lebanon priorities and strategies.
• Understand context of refugee and host communities in the Bekaa and work with ICLA team to ensure that ICLA project responds to the context and identified needs
• Develop and follow up on detailed project work plans, procurement plans, spending plan, M&E plan and recruitment plan for ICLA projects in the Bekaa.
• Strengthen the framework of the ICLA team in the Bekaa, including working with the ICLA Coordinator to identify strengths and weaknesses within the team and adapt team accordingly
• Train and coach the ICLA coordinators and other relevant ICLA staff members on project cycle management aspects of ICLA project in the Bekaa.
• Represent NRC and co-chair the protection working group.
• Support preparation of proposals (technical, financial and narrative aspects) related to ICLA projects in the Bekaa.
• Develop, manage and monitor the budget(s) according to Financial Handbook and donor requirements.
• Evaluate, review and perform quality control of ongoing and completed ICLA projects in the relevant area.
• Contribute to identification of trends in conditions/standards and donor priorities and assess better ways to assist refugees.
• Represent ICLA in internal and external fora, develop partnerships in the humanitarian community in the relevant area and coordinate with authorities at local level.

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• ICLA Specialist
• Area operations and support
• Other Core Competency Project Managers/Coordinators in the Bekaa
• Local authorities
• Other humanitarian actors

2. Competencies

1. Professional competencies

Generic professional competencies for this position:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Political Science, International Relations, or Social Sciences.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience from working as a Project Coordinator/Manager in a humanitarian/ recovery context.
• Experience working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Experience working with legal assistance and/or human rights programmes, with a strong understanding of protection issues.
• Fluency in English. Working knowledge of Arabic an asset.

Context/specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Project management
• Management of staff
• Managing budgets
• Designing and implementing training on project management and operational issues, including training of trainers to staff from a range of backgrounds
• Providing on-the-job coaching

2. Behavioural competencies

• Managing resources to optimize results
• Managing performance and development
• Empowering and building trust
• Handling insecure environments
• Strategic thinking