IQO Program Assistant (IPA) - ARE Activity

BACKGROUND

The Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) program is a multi-year project funded by USAID to develop rural economics in Lebanon through support to the agro-food sector and other industries to unlock local and export sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and worker’s incomes. ARE will increase jobs; improve incomes; improve female participation and employment opportunities; increase domestic and export sales; increase private sector investment; improve access to finance; link value chain actors to domestic and international markets; and improve farm production through improved practices, technology, increased volume, and/or decreased cost. Under ARE’s Indefinite Quantity Option (supporting ARE’s Objective 3: Increase productivity of Micro, Small, and Medium-size Enterprises (MSMEs)) the activity will help strengthen the resilience of at least 200 MSMEs in Beirut that were affected by last year’s tragic port blast. ARE will also support targeted agricultural and non-agricultural interventions inside and outside of Beirut. Non-agricultural interventions will focus on the food and beverage sector as well as light industry/manufacturing.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The IQO Program Assistant (IPA) is an entry-level position for a candidate that seeks to apply their project management, financial and businesses skills to strengthen program design and implementation. The Assistant will report to the ARE’s IQO Program Manager and will work closely with ARE’s two technical advisors on specific tasks. In addition, the Assistant has administrative duties that are essential to the efficient and effective functioning of the team and wider ARE program.   The assistant is expected to have solid MS excel skills with basic financial analysis abilities along with excellent English reading, writing, and speaking skills.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative

Arrange programmatic and technical meetings as requested

Arrange program logistics including but not limited to travel requests, room bookings, event bookings.

Note-taking and drafting meeting minutes.

Other administrative duties as assigned

Programmatic and Technical

Maintain and update individual program activities on MS project including document control and deliverable tracking

Create basic financial spreadsheets using MS excel showing financial returns, investment returns

Undertake research on assigned agricultural and agribusiness, tourism, and selected non-agricultural sectors

Assist in the drafting, editing, and formatting of technical reports

Other programmatic and technical duties as assigned

Communications

Collect data and maintain ARE’s contact management database

Update ARE’s virtual library

Support in organizing and planning ARE’s public events, site visits

Assist in maintaining web content and executing social media strategies

Update databases and media lists

Track projects and media exposure

Facilitate effective internal communications

Maintain calendars and appointments

Prepare presentations and reports

Other communications-related duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, including Business Administration, Agribusiness, Business or Finance

Minimum of two years of experience preferably working on donor-funded projects in a related role and with demonstrated financial analysis experience; Applied financial/business skills in agricultural programs are a plus

Demonstrated experience in assisting technical teams in day-to-day program operations, basic financial modeling and analysis, and report writing

Knowledge of USAID, or other donor preferred;

Excellent/fluent written and spoken English and Arabic;

LOCATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The IQO Program Assistant (IPA)  will be based in the activity’s main office in Beirut, with travel throughout the country as needed.

REPORTING

The IPA will report to the IQO Program Manager