Senior Manager - IRC, HI and NRC Protection Consortium - FOR NATIONAL CANDIDATES ONLY

Job Overview/Summary:

Based in Beirut, with some travel to other regions where IRC projects are implemented, this position will be responsible for managing the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - FCDO (formerly DFID) funded consortium protection projects to support refugees from Syria and other vulnerable populations in Lebanon through legal assistance and improved access and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities to basic and specialized services and provision of protection services in response to the Beirut Port Explosion. The consortium is led by IRC, implemented in partnership with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Humanity and Inclusion (HI) and national partner NGOs.

Reporting to the Senior Program Support Coordinator, this position will work closely with partner organizations, IRC sector leads, finance, and operations on reporting, donor engagement, compliance, and project monitoring. This role will work alongside the Grants, Partnership, and MEAL teams to ensure effective project management aligned with IRC’s Partnership strategy, Award management practices, and MEAL principles.

Major Responsibilities:

Consortium Management

• Serve as primary focal point between all consortium agencies and FCDO. Maintain responsive and clear communications with donor and consortium focal points on ongoing projects.
• Responsible for forging strong relationships with and between consortium members and FCDO.
• Convene and provide reporting/updates to consortia steering committee
• Represent the IRC and the consortium, demonstrating strong communication skills and understanding of both FCDO, the projects, and consortium priorities.
• Coordinate all meetings with FCDO and relevant consortium stakeholders.

• Coordinate all meetings among consortium working groups (Steering Committee, Project Management, Technical, Advocacy, MEAL), document and share key discussions points and decision making.

• Maintain and update shared consortium folder with all relevant information and documents.
• Maintain a broad and deep understanding of FCDO policies, regulations, and procedures and build this knowledge throughout IRC and partners’ staff.
• Proactively identify compliance risks throughout the portfolio and advise partner agencies, IRC programs, operations, finance and senior management on necessary actions. Assist program technical leads and operations staff with understanding the reporting and other compliance requirements for the projects.
• Coordinate the design and proposal development for the next phase of the project as requested by FCDO
• Ensure ‘lessons learnt’ through the consortium are followed up upon by relevant focal points
• Track progress and ensure follow up of IRC work towards mainstreaming disability implemented throughout IRC, beyond the FCDO Consortium.
• Support coordination between the three agencies on specific joint initiatives as relevant.

Award Management:

• Manage a portfolio of FCDO-funded consortium projects and ensure that awards are well-administered and implemented in compliance with donor regulations and IRC procedures.
• Take the lead on internal and external reporting with partners, programs and finance teams, ensuring high-quality, well-written and timely reports meeting donor and IRC requirements. Maintain close collaboration with all relevant departments in preparation of donor reports.
• Ensure quality information management related to grants by overseeing the regular maintenance of reporting calendars, and updating of internal IRC documentation and Grants team tools and processes.
• Lead project monitoring meetings in close coordination with partners to ensure that awards are implemented in compliance with the IRC and relevant donor regulations and to ensure strong financial management, proper operational openings and closings of grants, and monitoring and evaluation of programmatic progress. Support the follow-up on action points from meetings.
• Conduct monitoring visits to field locations to observe and understand the progress of project implementation, security protocols permitting.

Partnerships Management:

• Facilitate and coordinate different aspects of sub-award life cycle management, including vetting, project and agreement/amendment development, monitoring through to close-out coordinating with the partnership team and different IRC departments
• Coordinate the pre-award due diligence process or update it if needed with respect to all sub-awards, including appropriate vetting, analysis of risks associated with the award, and the identification and implementation of appropriate measures to manage those risks, working with other departments as appropriate.
• Maintain and coordinate partner program, finance and compliance monitoring schedules and coordinate support for partners to address any concerns or issues that may arise.
• Draft partners’ agreement with close coordination and review of HQ compliance, IRC internal departments and partners
• Monitor the timely submission of accurate financial and activity reports from partners
• Ensure that comprehensive electronic and physical files for partnerships are maintained.
• Ensure smooth communication and collaboration between all the partners, in line with IRC partnerships’ principles, skills and approaches

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Senior Program Support Coordinator
Position directly supervises:  N/A

Indirect Reporting:  N/A
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal:  The Consortium Manager will work closely with Grants Unit, Partnership Unit, MEAL Unit Program units, Supply Chain, Finance and HR, relevant HQ focal points External:  The Consortium Manager will liaise with NGO partners, Steering Committee, Project Management, Technical, Advocacy, MEAL working groups and FCDO focal point.

Job Requirements:

Education: BA or Masters in relevant discipline

Work Experience: At least two years prior professional experience in a similar post (preferably NGO or UN agency)

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• 3-5 years’ work experience in relief or development programs.
• Demonstrable understanding of project planning and management cycles.
• Strong communication and representation skills, including fluent verbal and written English
• Demonstrable high-level performance management and team-working skills, with experience in managing multiple donors. Previous experience working with FCDO preferred.
• Experience working on protection and disability mainstreaming preferred
• Strong organizational skills and ability to effectively manage multiple competing deliverables on varying timelines
• Ability to work well under unstable security, administrative, and programmatic pressures.
• Excellent computer skills, particularly in Word and Excel.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.

Language Skills:  Excellent written and spoken English and Arabic

Working Environment:  Standard office work environment with trips to the field to visit program activities.