Knowledge 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 has launched a rapid eight month pilot program 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.    GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY   INTAJ 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 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework and Strategies   Lead and design efficient program performance measurement systems that allow accurate, reliable information collection and reporting; Provide leadership and technical expertise to INTAJ’s M&E components to standardize indicators for assessments, mapping exercises and overall program indicators—in essence, operationalizing indicator plan to M&E plan to indicator tracking; Build the capacity of the INTAJ program team, namely M&E and Communication staff to devise key systems and tools to identify and support mechanisms for effective program monitoring and evaluation efforts for information sharing internally and external; Develop tracking tools and templates that would generate quality evidence on program impact to inform decision making processes and INTAJ scale-up; Synthesize key knowledge including programmatic and operational practices that inform strategic scale-up potential for next phase of programming, including present findings to donor; Participate in design and implementation of data collection associated with INTAJ conflict component, including participating in planning associated with data collection and analysis, including report review and informing strategies to apply learning; Develop the strategy for baseline/endline surveys and advise on survey content and other relevant data collection relevant to INTAJ’s objectives; Conduct regular lessons learned workshops with Bekaa and North Lebanon staff to identify knowledge and apply to program implementation; Disseminate key lessons to wider Mercy Corps program teams to inform their program planning and implementation; Directly supervise the M&E team consisting of one M&E Officer and four M&E Assistants; and Serve as core management team to plan and inform INTAJ programming. Other Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy; Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities; Contribute to monthly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements; 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 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: Five M&E staff   ACCOUNTABILITY: Reports directly to: Economic and Market Development Sector Manager Works directly with:  Program and M&E teams     KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE   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; Excellent planning, research, and analytical skills with strong monitoring and evaluation expertise. Ability to successfully design, implement, and manage economic development performance measurement systems and tools; 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. Strong leadership and communication skills and sense of humor; Ability and interest to work with a multi-ethnic team in a culturally appropriate manner; and 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.