Knowledge Management And External Relations Manager

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY   Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, civil society and economic development initiatives. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has implemented community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while responding to emergencies as they emerged in the country.  In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria and Mercy Corps in Lebanon has solidified its emergency response programming while integrating longer-term development programming by focusing on key sectors: Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Governance and Conflict, and Livelihoods.    With funding from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), Mercy Corps is launching a rapid eight month pilot programme to identify successful economic development strategies that are potentially scalable and transferrable. The program, Improved Networks, Training and Jobs (INTAJ) in Lebanon, aims to support vulnerable Lebanese communities and Syrian refugees in Bekaa Valley and North governorates to address their economic needs through reduced unemployment and increased income for small businesses.  Within the first two months of the programme, Mercy Corps seeks a service provider to conduct a mapping and capacity assessment in West, Zahle, and Baalbeck Cazas in Bekaa Valley and the greater Tripoli areas in North Governorate.  Mercy Corps is looking for a data collection agency or persons with private sector and economic development experience that could conduct a mapping exercise and analysis of information to inform INTAJ programming.   GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY   The Knowledge Management and External Relations Manager will oversee the implementation of INTAJ (Improved Networks, Training and Jobs), an eight-month economic development program pending funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and due to start in September 2015. S/he will be responsible for the overall knowledge management and external relations of INTAJ in two geographic areas in terms of overall planning, implementation, and monitoring, as well as donor coordination and building a broader strategic vision to expand and scale the pilot project.    This program aims at improving the stability and resiliency in target communities in the North of Lebanon and the Beqaa through reduced unemployment and increased income for businesses with the following core activities:   Support demand-driven, practical skills training and workforce-skills development for individuals. Offer small and medium enterprise (SMEs) specialized technical assistance, limited in-kind grants and linkages to existing business support services to lower risks and strengthen the ability of companies to grow their workforce.  Improve efficiency and quality of solid waste management and recycling (SWM/R) value chain by building new market-driven relationships and incentivizing further investments in upgrading the value chain.   ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Knowledge Management – Economic and Market Development Guide development of labor market assessment, mapping reports, key training curriculum and business support packages, beneficiary outreach,  support to SMEs focused on employability and market development, and create mechanisms to prepare partners and relevant staff to implement activities; Provide leadership in all aspects of knowledge management, communications and learning, including the use of standardized indicators and documentation methodologies. Support research efforts, communications, documenting project impacts, and coordinating with Mercy Corps’ partner staff and other stakeholders. Facilitate public-private linkages and devise key strategic mentoring and networking platforms for business growth; Facilitate improved SWM/R processing, production and marketing practices through technical assistance and strengthen linkages across the SWM/R value chain and to peripheral industries; Ensure all programming follows Mercy Corps’ Code of Conduct by increasing team capacity to disseminate and apply; Identify and support mechanisms for effective project monitoring and evaluation efforts and systems for information sharing internally and externally; Write regular donor and organizational reports to highlight program successes and challenges; Collaborate with local stakeholders including municipalities, Chambers of Commerce, Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA), SMEs to ensure successful program implementation; Overview program budget and complete financial planning to inform programming;    External Relations Liaise with international and national organizations within working group structures to coordinate programming and fill critical humanitarian gaps to strengthen wider livelihoods mechanisms; Coordinate with DFID and the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) to provide updates on programming; Represent Mercy Corps’ work at Beirut and field-based levels, as needed, to foster greater connections and information sharing; Coordinate with other sectors, including protection, WASH  and capacity building to synchronize responses; Participate in workshops and tasks forces, as needed, to inform strategy development and improved service delivery; Contribute to development communication materials that highlight Mercy Corps’ programming; Participate in planning and implementation of the Mercy Corps Lebanon Livelihoods portfolio, communications, advocacy, and program development; Initiate and lead program development related to livelihoods programming, while contributing to other related to programming, as needed.   Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Work with the INTAJ team and MEL Officers to integrate MEL into ongoing project planning and implementation systems and ensure adherence to Mercy Corps MEL minimum standards; Lead on the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking and reporting systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of program outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on program impact and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes and the INTAJ scale-up; Supervise MEL Officers to develop and promote the use of standard indicators, tools and forms (as appropriate) and MEL practices across the project and coordinate the collection of information required for country-level management; Lead on the coordination of  labor market and mapping assessments and evaluations; Develop solid  monitoring plans for the program and ensure  regular monitoring visits are conducted by MEL Officers to the different project locations and that reports are shared with the program teams; Supervise and support MEL Officers in writing beneficiary stories from the field;   Other Fulfill Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide; Ensure activities promote gender equity, conflict sensitivity, and environmental awareness by applying Do No Harm and Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity policy; Participate in internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops; Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission; Other assigned tasks, as necessary.   Organizational Learning  As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve.  We expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.   Accountability to Beneficiaries Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.   SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Four field-based MEL Officers based in Tripoli and the Beqaa and one Communications Officer. ACCOUNTABILITY: Reports directly to:  Program Manager Works directly with:  Operations, Finance, Program, and MEL Teams   KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE MA/S or equivalent in social science, management, economics, international development, or other relevant field. At least five years of progressive experience and proven high level of competence in working in economic and market development and/or development-related programs, ideally in relief and/or post-conflict settings. Ability to successfully design, implement, and manage economic development programming. Specialized background in economic and market development. Experience with relief and socio-economic development work in a vulnerable context. Some knowledge of Lebanon, in particular its displacement context, protection threats, economic challenges, social stability and resilience mechanisms  relevant to internal conflict preferred; preference also given to candidates with background in the North Africa – Middle East region. Proven track record in staff and stakeholder training and capacity building. Strong leadership and communication skills. Ability and interest to work with a multi-ethnic team in a culturally appropriate manner. Proficiency in English essential   SUCCESS FACTORS A successful candidate will have the ability to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with a capacity to promote new approaches to programming and inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs. S/he will have proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results.  Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with curiosity about and sensitivity to new cultures, a desire and ability to learn and grow, both personally and professionally, and a great sense of humor.