Community/Workforce Development Technical Advisor

About Chemonics

Chemonics International is an international development company based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives. Since 1975, we have worked in 150 countries around the world, and we are currently implementing 118 projects in 84 countries. Our main partner is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and we also work with foreign donors such as the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Global Fund. We have more than 4,000 staff in our project offices around the world, and more than 500 staff based in our headquarters in Washington, D.C.

1.  Project Background

The Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) is a multi-year project funded by USAID to support municipalities and underserved and vulnerable communities in providing better services and enhanced economic opportunities to improve lives and reduce tensions that may contribute to conflict and violence, primarily in Lebanon’s North, South, and Bekaa regions.

2.  Summary of Position

The Community/Workforce Development Technical Advisor (hereafter technical advisor) is responsible for advising on the strategy and design of activities under CSP’s community development and workforce development components, which are geared towards improving the delivery of essential services, enhancing economic opportunities, and improving employment opportunities for technical and vocational training (TVET) students. Specific activities may include the repair and rehabilitation of community infrastructure for the sustained delivery of essential services, the promotion of livelihoods to improve economic opportunities, and curriculum upgrades to improve TVET education. Anchored in CSP’s community support component (also known as Task Order 2), the Technical Advisor is expected to provide cross-cutting support to all CSP components, including workforce development.

3.  Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist CSP Program Managers, technical specialists, and community stakeholders to identify potential community development and workforce development activities that respond to CSP’s established program goals or strategic priorities.
• Assist in the design of community development and workforce development activities by creating tools and models to ensure consistency around technical requirements and specifications. Examples may include developing a toolkit for solid waste management, irrigation, or solar power utilization.  
• Conduct technical and financial feasibility studies for identified interventions, and help to identify and manage short-term technical assistance for other specialized needs.
• Provide technical support in the form of on-the-job training and coaching to partners during the design and implementation of community development and workforce development activities to ensure the success of the intervention according to the expected results.
• Actively participate in problem solving and troubleshooting throughout the activity cycle to assure implementation remains within the spirit of the original design concept.
• Conduct field visits to build relationships with partner communities, assist with technical design, and monitor progress of community/workforce development activities.
• Make recommendations for complementary capacity building/technical assistance for local partners to sustain and enhance provided assistance.
• Monitor and analyze Lebanon’s rapidly changing contextual environment (politics, security, economics, etc.) as it relates to community/workforce development on an ongoing basis and make recommendations for the strategic direction of technical activities.

• Actively engage with the MEL team, Program Managers, and other technical specialists to ensure new activities incorporate best practices and adaptive learning.

• Make contributions to project deliverables, as needed, including weekly reports, quarterly/annual reports, activity highlights, success stories, work plans, and other technical deliverables.
• Assist the workforce development team to establish and maintain partnerships with private sector firms.
• Assist in the design of internship programs with private sector firms.
• Provide technical and strategic guidance for CSP’s enabling environment component.

• Undertake other duties as assigned by the TO 2 Director, TO 4 Director, or Chief of Party.

4.  Minimum Qualifications

• University degree required, master’s preferred in a relevant discipline such as economics, public administration, engineering, or higher education.
• Minimum 10 years of experience supporting the sustainable development of Lebanon’s communities.
• Experience designing and implementing multi-sectoral, participatory interventions to address community development and workforce development challenges.
• Proven experience in municipal service delivery, livelihoods, and/or workforce development with specialized expertise in some of the following areas: solid waste management, water provision, waste water management, alternative energy, agricultural infrastructure, agribusiness, ecotourism, technical/vocational education, or capacity building of the private sector.
• Experience working in vulnerable and unstable communities preferred.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic; strong English writing skills required.

5.  Place of Assignment

The Technical Advisor will be based in the project’s main office in Beirut, Lebanon, and will be expected to travel throughout the country to CSP’s areas intervention as needed.

6.  Reporting

The Technical Advisor will report directly to the TO 2 Director and TO 4 Director, or equivalent.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants that can legally work in Lebanon will be considered for employment based on their qualifications without discrimination.