Project Manager - Makani Project - Saida and Chouf

Job Title: Project Manager – UNICEF - Makani South Lebanon

Location: Saida/Chouf, Lebanon (Only candidates who are eligible to work legally without work visa sponsorship in Lebanon will be considered.)

Contract Type: Full-time (40 hours per week) Fixed Term –until December 2026 with possibility of renewal based on the performance and funds availability.

Hiring Salary: 3,027 USD per month (before taxes)

Target Start Date: As soon as possible

Application Closing Date: March 27th, 2026 23:59 Beirut Time

This job advert is for an existing vacancy.

About Right To Play:

For more than 25 years, Right To Play has been protecting, educating, and empowering millions of children each year to rise above adversity through the power of play.

We offer programs in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America, reaching millions of children each year in some of the most difficult places on earth, helping them to stay in school and learn, overcome prejudice, heal from trauma, and develop the skills they need to thrive. We do this by harnessing play, one of the most fundamental forces in a child's life, to teach children the critical skills they need to dismantle barriers and embrace opportunities, in learning and in life.

This work is supported by our two global offices in Toronto, Canada and London, UK; and seven National Offices in North America and Europe.

Since 2006, Right to Play has been working in Lebanon to support most marginalized children and young people, provide them with access to play-based learning and psychosocial support. In our new strategy 2024-2026, Right to Play will focus on enhancing the learning and social and emotional skills of children affected by crisis through play-based teaching methodologies, providing play-based psychosocial support to improve the holistic wellbeing of children and young people, and supporting young people to fulfill their potential and drive change at local and national levels.

Benefits Highlights:

• Connect and collaborate with a global team who are passionate about protecting, educating and empowering children and youth using the power of play!
• Culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care, and be playful)
• Paid leaves (20 days annual leaves, 3 personal days per year)
• Competitive benefits such as (medical and health insurance, transportation allowance, communications allowance, etc.) 
• Learning opportunities and 5 learning and development (L&D) days per year
• More information on what we offer is available on our website.

Job Description:

About the MAKANI Project

 Makani is a project delivered with support from UNICEF and dedicated to providing multi-services for local communities across Lebanon. RTP was selected as a Makani partner in September 2025 and as such will deliver the project in three Makani centers in South Lebanon, specifically in the Saida District, by integrating play-based methodologies into various Makani services, including Community-Based Early Childhood Education (CB-ECE), Basic Literacy and Numeracy (BLN), Accelerated Learning Program (ALP), and Retention Support classes. In addition, play-based learning methodologies will be embedded into the Youth Basic Literacy and Numeracy (YBLN) and Youth Functional Skills (YFS) packages, along with caregivers' engagement, to foster safe, engaging, and protective learning environments that enhance foundational skills and promote socio-emotional development and resilience. RTP Makani centers will target a total of 3,375 children and young people, along with 375 caregivers, considering the gender balance within the community context. RTP will deliver the project in partnership with Sama for Development, a civil society organization active in the targeted communities.

JOB SUMMARY:

Lead, manage and implement emergency response projects focusing on psychosocial support, child protection, and learning continuity in humanitarian settings, while ensuring coordination with multiple stakeholders to maintain project quality, alignment and compliance.       

1. Accountability & Responsibilities:

• Lead the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and narrative and financial reporting of project activities- adhering to Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) & Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) to ensure high-quality delivery aligned with donor requirements and organizational standards (50%)
• Guide and support the project team, ensuring clarity of roles, compliance with safeguarding, and adherence to donor regulations (20%)
• Manage partnerships with local NGOs, CBOs, UN clusters, and other stakeholders; build partner capacity; prepare agreements; and liaise with the Fundraising Centre to support donor stewardship, proposal development, and representation in coordination forums (15%)
• Develop strategic and operational plans, multi-year scale-up scenarios, detailed budgets, and new project initiatives in collaboration with programme, finance, and MEL teams, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy and donor rules (10 %)
• Act on other tasks such as troubleshooting implementation bottlenecks, capturing success stories, and supporting cross-functional needs in a dynamic humanitarian context (5%)

2. Scope (geographical and/or functional), Impact and Autonomy

Oversees a multi-site humanitarian project portfolio in Saida and Chouf district, with delegated authority for day-to-day operational, and financial decisions.

3. Leadership and Staff management

Provides line management to project coordinators/officers if applicable and overall guidance to volunteers and facilitators in the field. Key duties include recruitment, induction, objective-setting, coaching, appraisal and maintaining a safe, inclusive team culture.

4. Information requirement for decision-making

Relies on timely data on progress, finance, compliance, partner performance and security access. Information is drawn from RTP project tools, MEL dashboards and cluster coordination; where gaps exist, the PM designs new analytical templates with MEL staff.

5. Innovation and Improvements

Drives improvements and process innovations in data collection, real-time feedback loops, and partner engagement; any high-risk change is cleared with the Senior Management Team

6. Relationships & Communications: Internal / External:

Internal, the tole works internally with Programme, MEL, Finance, Program Quality team (EiE/Gender & Social Inclusion /CP & PSS/Play specialists, Senior Leadership Team

  External: Local NGOs/CBOs, Education & Child-Protection clusters, line ministries, municipalities, donors, media/communications outlets

7. Expertise (Certifications / Education, Professional Experience/Language)

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences, development studies, or related fields.
• Relevant certifications in project management, child protection, Psychosocial support, or education in emergencies are a plus.
• 5 years managing EiE, Child Protection or PSS projects for development and humanitarian organizations in complex emergencies.
• Demonstrated success in planning, implementation, monitoring, report writing, partnership management, stakeholder coordination and donor compliance.
• Familiarity with CPMS, INEE Minimum Standards and strong coordination networks.
• Budgetary control and financial management, including ability to read and understand financial data.  
• Proficiency in project cycle management tools and methodologies. 
• Knowledge of results-based management and/or other recognized approaches to project monitoring & evaluation.  
• Fluency in Arabic and English (both spoken and written).
• Microsoft Office, data-management tools, budget control, results-based management.
• Prior experience working in complex emergency settings with a strong background in coordination and humanitarian responses is highly desired.
• Experience in managing multi-component programs such as Early Childhood Education (ECE), Basic Literacy and Numeracy (BLN), Accelerated Learning Programs (ALP), Youth Functional Skills (YFS), Caregiver engagement activities

8. Core Competences

• Collaboration: High-Works effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners to achieve shared goals.
• Growth Mindset: High – Actively seeks feedback, adapts to change, and drives continuous improvement in dynamic settings.
• Resilience: High – Maintains performance and decision-making under pressure and in rapidly changing humanitarian contexts.
• Professionalism: High – Demonstrates integrity, accountability, and adherence to ethical and safeguarding standards.
• Management and Interpersonal Skills: High – Effectively leads teams, resolves conflicts, and communicates clearly across diverse groups