Partnerships and Localization Coordinator

1. Purpose

CARE Lebanon is seeking a dynamic and strategic Partnership and Localization Coordinator to lead the implementation of CARE International in Lebanon’s Equitable Partnerships Agenda in line with CARE’s global and country-level strategies. This position will play a critical role in ensuring CARE’s partnerships are equitable, accountable, impact driven, and sustainable. The Partnership and Localization Coordinator will work across departments and with a broad range of partners, from highly capable organizations to emerging grassroots actors, to support inclusive, transformative, and locally led humanitarian and development responses.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a deep understanding of localization in global, regional, and local contexts, and will be passionate about building trust-based relationships, developing capacity, and ensuring measurable impact

The Partnership and Localization Coordinator will lead the development of CARE Lebanon’s equitable partnerships strategy and its operationalization. The position holder will support the mapping and identification of new partnership opportunities, contribute to the assessment of partners’ organizational capacities, facilitate relevant capacity strengthening support, and provide ongoing support to the partner organization throughout the project cycle.  S/he will work with Program Department and the Grants Management Unit to ensure that partner agreements are in place and donor/CARE requirements.

2. Reporting Lines

Country Director

 3. Specific Duties and Responsibilities

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 1: Partnerships Strategy (20% of time)

• Lead the development and implementation of CARE Lebanon’s partnerships strategy involving identified strategic partners wherever possible.
• Ensure that the roll out of partnership‐related initiatives are adequately budgeted for.
• Facilitate appropriate technical input to the development of country strategy plans, functional review and other planning documents focused on issues related to partnerships.
• Conduct a partnerships workshop for CARE staff on key partnership standards and principles.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 2: Partnerships Establishment (30% of time)

• Assess and review the current partnership portfolio, with the aim of growing and diversifying it.
• Follow up the systematic launch of calls for Expression of Interest so to ensure a fair and transparent partner’s selection process, update the existing partner mapping and explore new partnership opportunities.
• Conduct the partnership committee selection (incl. program, finance, logs reps) to propose new partnerships opportunities, and conduct partners' assessment/due diligence and validate proposed membership with SMT.
• Analyze opportunities and categorize potential partners into strategic and implementing partners and validate findings with SMT.
• Ensure high collaboration with Compliance Unit at CARE.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 3: Capacity Building (25% of time)

• Identify priority gaps in partner capacity (sectoral, programmatic and institutional), take the lead in the development of capacity building plans for the partners and ensure that those plans are effectively implemented and resourced (liaising with logistics, HR, finance, technical Coordinators and program staff).
• Contribute to the development of capacity development strategies and approaches for partners.
• Develop simple self‐assessment tools for some of the partners to help them monitor their own capacity.
• Design and deliver training workshops when applicable.
• Build the capacities of field and support teams on partnership management / communication.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 4: Partnership Evaluation and Closeout (10% of time)

• Analyze results of ongoing partnerships, remote management and impact on the ground to produce lessons learnt and inform strategic decision‐making.
• Develop phase out plans and Key Performance Indicators for partners.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 5: Partner Information Management (15% of time)

• Maintain full partner contact database.
• Refinement and regular update of partner database including definition of key information to be tracked (e.g. key issues/agreements).
• Maintain partnership files as per CARE requirements, including documentation related to partner identification, selection, capacity assessment, capacity development, review meetings, etc. (All documentation relating to partnership, excluding documentation relating to specific projects). 
• Regularly update SMT on key changes in partner structure, portfolio, programming and any other key information that senior management should be aware of.
• Capture lessons learned from experiences with potential and actual partners to inform the ongoing refinement of CARE’s approach to working with partners and strengthening civil society.

Other tasks:

• In case of emergencies, the Partnership and Localization Coordinator will be the Focal Point to ensure Emergency activities are conducted with the appropriate partners, selected through the Emergency Selection Process, in line with the ERT requirements, participating in the quality and impact of the activities.
• Other responsibilities & duties as required by the Line Manager.

Key relationships:

Internal:

• Country Director, ACD-P, MEAL Manager, Grants and Partnerships Manager, ACD-PS, Support Services Teams (Finance, HR, Logistics), CARE International Regional and Global Localization Focal Points

External:

• Local and national partner organizations, Peer INGOs and consortiums, Donors and coordination platforms, National and regional civil society networks.

4. Qualifications / special skills or knowledge

a. Skills & knowledge:

• Demonstrated knowledge of localization policy, trends, and discourse at global, regional, and national levels.
• Strong understanding of equitable partnerships and accountability principles.
• Solid experience in Monitoring & Evaluation, particularly related to measuring impact and sustainability.
• Proven experience in project cycle management, including design, implementation, reporting, and proposal writing.
• Extensive experience interacting with and relating to professionals and international stakeholders at senior level.
• An excellent communicator and team player with strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong internal and external relationships and networks.

• Self-motivated, quality-driven, and an innovative thinker who thrives in complex and dynamic environments.

b. Experience

Minimum of 5 years of experience in humanitarian/development sectors with a focus on partnerships, localization, or capacity development.

c. Academic background

Advanced university degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or related field and/or equivalent field experience

d.Languages: English and/ or Arabic are the working language of CARE International in Lebanon. Knowledge of other languages is an asset.

5. Other contract elements

Benefits: Social security/Health Insurance & Transport allowance. 

The direct supervisor reserves the right to adapt this job description at any time during employment according to needs. 

Any extension of this contract is dependent on performance review and budget availability

PSEA and Safeguarding Child policy

CARE International in Lebanon is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

CARE International in Lebanon and its employees and stakeholders abide by the CARE International Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding Policies.