Civil Society Specialist, Baladi Cap, Beirut, Lebanon

Civil Society Specialist, BALADI CAP, Beirut, Lebanon  Project Summary:  The Building Alliances for Local Advancement, Development and Investment Project (BALADI) aims to improve public service delivery at the local and regional levels, promote community participation in local governance decision-making, increase access to reliable and affordable public services, and support participatory and accountable local governance. The goal of BALADI is to achieve sustained and broad-based economic growth by engaging with municipal government institutions, Lebanese-registered civil society organizations, and private sector businesses. The BALADI CAP project is a 4 year, USAID-funded project that complements and bolsters the activities of the BALADI project by providing organizational capacity-building assistance to local civil society organizations and municipalities in the implementation of joint municipal/CSO projects.   Position Summary: MSI is seeking candidates for the full-time/long-term position of Civil Society Specialist on a capacity-building and small-grants program for Lebanese civil society organizations (CSOs).  The Civil Society Specialist will be responsible for working with CSO grantees in the development and implementation of all grant activities, as well as support capacity-building and networking between CSO networks to further project objectives. This position works in close cooperation with the Deputy Chief of Party/Compliance Officer, Technical Specialists, and Grants Specialists, under the direction and supervision of the Chief of Party.    **Please note: This is a local position. Only candidates with Lebanese citizenship will be considered.**   Responsibilities: Assist the DCOP/Compliance Officer, Grants Specialists, and Finance Manager in the overall design, selection and management of all grants issued under the program. Provide day-to-day supervision and support of an assigned portfolio of CSO and ISO grantees in the implementation of grant activities to remain up-to-date on their activities, plans and progress. Maintain close coordination with grantees during execution of the grants, in coordination with the Grants Specialists, including tracking milestones, compliance, timelines, deliverables and close-out. Prepare regular reports on grantee performance and signal any significant delays or other capacity issues that impact implementation to the Technical Specialists, M&E Specialists and DCOP/Compliance Officer. Provide coaching and mentorship to grantee applicants in the preparation of their grant applications, during Bidder’s Conferences and in the administration of the grants following award. Conduct regular site visits and attend grantee-sponsored activities and events, as may be required. Identify and seize opportunities to promote civil society networking, partnerships and coalition-building, as well as design, coordinate and implement networking activities between CSO and ISO partners. Regularly capture success stories and lessons learned on the impact of program and grant-funded activities, in collaboration with the M&E Specialists. Contribute to reporting requirements for quarterly and annual reports, work plans, PMPs and related deliverables, as may be requested.   Qualifications: Minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in project management and/or developing and managing grant program activities in partnership with civil society organizations, preferably under a USAID-funded project. Demonstrated experience in working with Lebanese civil society organizations with strong knowledge of their organizational, administrative and management systems required. Ability and willingness to conduct regular site visits throughout the country required. Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s Degree preferred) in a relevant field, i.e. NGO management, business administration, international development, political science or related field. Excellent organizational and teamwork skills required. Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English required.   Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer.