Project Officer (Local Posting)

Near East Foundation

Job Announcement

 

Title: Project Officer (Local Posting)

Reports to: Senior Project Coordinator

Location: Beirut, Lebanon

Travel: 50% frequent travel between project sites in Beirut area.

Expected starting date: January 1, 2021

Contract end date: April 30, 2021 (renewable depending on funding)

 

The Near East Foundation (NEF) is seeking candidates for a Project Officer position, for a period of 4 months, based in Beirut, Lebanon. 

 

For over 100 years, the Near East Foundation (NEF) has worked to build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East, Caucasus, and Africa through education, governance, and economic development initiatives. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF currently has approximately 250 staff members – almost all nationals – and programs in eight countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Mali, Morocco, Sudan, and Syria. Its programs are organized around three themes: Inclusive Economic Development, Climate Resilient Development, and Peacebuilding and Stabilization.

 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

NEF Beirut response addresses the nexus of relief and early recovery efforts supporting vulnerable and highly impacted skilled workers and small entrepreneurs restart activities and regain financial and operational stability, while also facilitating employment opportunities that connect skilled workers with vulnerable victims in their communities whose houses were damaged by blast and require repair or rebuilding.

The project aims to reduce household economic vulnerability and reliance on harmful coping strategies of vulnerable Lebanese families affected by Beirut blast by increasing access to livelihoods and skills, and by supporting the creation of home-based income-generating activities.

 

POSITION DESCRIPTION The Project Officer will support the technical implementation of the project through ensuring that the activities are accomplished within the time frame. The Project Officer will coordinate NEF’s rapid early recovery intervention in Beirut, whereby s/he will be consolidating the livelihoods needs assessment, reestablishing NEF’s network in the area, liaising with NGOs and INGOs on early recovery and preparing the ground for NEF’s early recovery intervention in the areas of Khandak Al Ghamik, El Mdawar, Karantina and Burj Hammoud. In consultation with the NEF team in Beirut and in collaboration with local partner organizations, the Field Coordinator will develop action plans and monitor project implementation at the field level. S/he will establish and maintain effective working relationships with local partner organizations and other stakeholders in the field.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Senior Project Coordinator and in coordination with team members, the Project 
Officer has the following specific responsibilities:

 

Implementation and Monitoring:

• Lead NEF early recovery intervention in the areas of Khandak Al Ghamik, El Mdawar, Karantina and Burj Hammoud.
• Conduct a stakeholder analysis and mapping of services in the selected areas and update it on monthly basis.
• Coordinate a holistic livelihood/market assessment in the above-mentioned areas with relevant external consultants and stakeholders.
• Contribute to the new projects’ design (proposal and budget).
• Establish the partnership agreement(s) with NEF’s potential local partner(s) according to the proposed project.
• Coordinate and evaluate activities of the program and the field work.
• Contribute to establishing and implementing the operational work plans by mapping monthly and weekly activities, assigning tasks to staff and setting clear targets.
• Participate in early recovery working group and taskforces.
• Establish a network and collaborate with relevant partners and stakeholders.
• Provide daily and weekly report on the overall humanitarian situation in the above-mentioned areas. 
• Follow up on the day-to-day activities and work progress‎
• Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as requested by the supervisor.

 

Reporting & Documentation:

• Deliver high quality, accurate and timely reports. 
• File all relevant project documents in line with NEF’s requirements.
• Participate in project evaluation and lessons learnt documentation. 
• Collect case studies and success stories according to NEF guidelines. 

Other Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with applicable donor and NEF policies and regulations.
• Attend trainings physically and online when needed.
• Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as requested by the supervisor.

 

QUALIFICATIONSThe successful Project Officer must be a self-directed individual with the following qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum of 3 years minimum of relevant work experience with development organizations implementing economic development, livelihoods, governance, and/or capacity building projects in Lebanon.
• Experience working in Beirut area.
• Familiarity with the socio-cultural context of Lebanon and the social, cultural, political and religious ‎sensitivities relevant to the above-mentioned areas.‎
• Fluency in Arabic and English, both written and verbal.
• High-level of knowledge and practice with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Outlook required.
• Willingness and ability to frequently travel to field sites and to engage with vulnerable communities.
• Ability to live and work in Lebanon without company sponsorship.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan.
• Strong facilitation skills for effective training, workshops, and meetings. 

 

Position Criteria:

• Strong people management skills. 
• Able to take initiative and very self-motivated, with a strong capacity to work within a team. 
• Able to work independently, with a strong work ethic and high level of professionalism.
• Capable of maintaining confidentiality and ensuring others do as well. 
• Flexible, solutions-oriented, and willingness to learn from and support others.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize tasks, and cope with competing demands under tight deadlines. 
• Able to establish and maintain good working relationships with people from different backgrounds. 
• Strong commitment to humanitarian principles.