Senior Project Support Manager - Beirut

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

BACKGROUND                                     

In response to the influx of Syrian refugees to Lebanon in mid-2012, IRC opened a country office and launched humanitarian assistance programming. IRC operates throughout Lebanon, with the main office in Beirut and field offices in Akkar, Tripoli, Bekaa, Beirut and Mount Lebanon. IRC’s programs assist Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese across multiple sectors: education, early childhood development, livelihoods, protection rule of law, women's protection and empowerment, child protection, and health.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Project Support Manager reports to the Senior Program Support Coordinator and will provide monitoring and analysis on grant spending through the use of adequate financial management tools. The Senior Project Support Manager will also work with program and finance teams to strengthen capacity of budget holders in budgeting, spending plans development and maintenance, forecasting, effective budget management across a portfolio or grants.

Major Responsibilities:

Budgeting: 

• Support budget holders on budgeting efficient salary mapping and allocations, including benefits calculations/charges with inputs from HR / FIN.
• Serve as a liaison with Operations team for timely and accurate budgeting/charges of costs managed by the IRC Ops teams (e.g rent, office and kitchen supplies, cleaners’ salaries, fleet allocation, IT supplies, security costs, etc.)
• Support program leads to develop accurate cash forecasts of their program needs.
• Support program teams to identify sources of match funding based on donor requirements and coordinate with the grants team to set the Match Fund Strategy for specific grants – as required.  
• Lead on analysis of cost efficiencies across multisectoral budgets / portfolio of multiple grants within specific program sectors.

Budget monitoring:

• Analyze the monthly project BVAs and Financial Reports (which include: FM01 report, Sectorial report, Grants Low/ High burn rate, Project analysis report) and accordingly develop action plans by addressing spending risks and closely monitor the implementation of relevant mitigation measures in coordination with relevant teams and units. 
• Participate in Project Cycle Meetings and complement analysis from finance team of grant spending for multisectoral awards and support budget holders in actioning risk mitigation plans for possible under/overspends.  
• Review and provide analysis on multisectoral grants spending plans and lead on updating spending plans on online BVA on a regular basis.
• Lead on filling out in coordination with budget holders monthly cash projection based on updated spending plans.
• Support budget holders in identifying spending/variances trends from spending plans vs actuals to facilitate identification of risk and mitigation measures.
• Liaise with grants on compliance requirements and support budget holders to ensure effective spending for costs that are distributed across multiple budgets.
• Review and propose best practices for budget management tracking tools.

Capacity Strengthening  

• Provide training sessions/ coaching on budgeting, spending plans development and maintenance, forecasting, effective budget management across a portfolio or grants for budget holders  
• Ensure program staff remain updated with main donors’ accounting and budgeting procedure and policies.
• Provide new staff orientations when required.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Program Support Coordinator  

Internal: SMT, Program Coordinators, Grants Coordinator, Finance and Operations and HR functions 

Job Requirements:

• A relevant postgraduate university degree,
• At least 5 years of finance experience within the development / humanitarian sector.
• Demonstrated experience with multi-sectoral and multi-donor funded programs.
• Excellent technical understanding of project planning and management cycles.
• Highly organized, close attention to detail, and ability to effectively prioritize tasks in a fluid environment.
• Previous experience with remote management (preferred)
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
• Strong analytical, presentation, and reporting skills.
• Strong IT skills including proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent written and verbal English language abilities.
• Strong commitment to IRC’s mission, purpose and values.

This position is based in Beirut.