Women’s Economic Empowerment-Senior Field Coordinator

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* Mercy Corps is looking for an experienced candidate with previous work experience in gender integration, women's economic empowerment, community mobilization and mentoring.

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. 

The “Market-Based Opportunities and Skills Training for Women and Youth” is a $10 million CAD integrated three-year (anticipated September 2018 - November 2021) program designed to improve livelihood opportunities for women and youth (aged 15-34) from vulnerable populations. The program will target youth between the ages of 15-24, as well as young adults between the ages of 25-34 from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian families, with a specific focus on women and girls in the target areas.  The overall objective is that women and youth are empowered and valued for playing an active economic role within their households and communities in Mt. Lebanon, Saida, Nabatiyeh, and Tripoli. 

Recognizing that a supportive environment is essential to address barriers that prevent women from taking an active economic role, the project will be underpinned by community outreach to increase support for enhancing the skills of women and girls, and their expanded participation in the workforce. Project activities will also support businesses to develop gender-inclusive practices to increase hiring and retention of women, and an analysis of barriers impeding women and girls from accessing skills and job opportunities will also be conducted. Following this, the project will identify services that enable women and youth to overcome barriers to employment (such as day care and transportation), and will help develop such services.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Women’s Empowerment Coordinator will lead the gender integration, mentoring and supportive environment components of this four-year livelihoods programme, with support from the Program Manager. This program aims to strengthen youth and women’s access to skills, business support, professional networks and mentorship Mount Lebanon and South Lebanon. The position will be based in Beirut with frequent travel to all program areas.

Working closely with local partners, S/he will support the program manager to ensure gender sensitivity is integrated across the skills and SME components of the program. S/he will lead in the design and delivery of peer mentorship activities and will lead the efforts to understand and address barriers to women’s employment in the workforce in program target areas.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Project Coordination - Gender Integration, Mentorship, and Overcoming Barriers to Women’s Employment

• With the support of the Program Manager and the Senior Skills Coordinator, develop peer mentoring approach for vocational training participants

• Support program team to lead community conversations on women’s economic empowerment with key stakeholders including community leaders, family members of program participants, religious leaders and other stakeholders

• Build off the findings of the gender barrier analysis to identify activities to address structural limitations to women’s engagement in the workforce in targeted areas.

• Based on findings from the barrier analysis, work with Program Manager, Global Gender technical team and the SME Senior Field Coordinator to design value chain approach to addressing barriers

• Facilitate networking opportunities for female and youth entrepreneurs

• Ensure that gender is integrated across the different components of the program by working closely with the Skills Senior Coordinator and the SME senior coordinator to adapt approaches so that they respond to the needs of youth of both genders

• Assist with monitoring and evaluation (M&E), accountability and learning systems for optimal program delivery.

Project Implementation

• Support the Programme Manager and programme team in planning and implementing project activities to meet project deliverables based on timeline and scope agreed with the donor;

• Provide day-to-day support and coordination, including administrative, financial and logistical support.

• Troubleshoot any administrative problems and report any challenges or bottlenecks to Programme Manager Programme Manager;

• Support the Programme Manager in implementing activities and monitoring of project progress;

• Assist in building relationships with unions and local municipalities to introduce the project and facilitate access to information related to project activities and scope.

• Arrange for meetings with local entities and authorities, as requested

• Participate in team planning and coordination meetings and trainings;

• Support monitoring and evaluation efforts to document project outputs, outcomes, and impact to inform donor and other internal reporting;

• Assist in filing and record keeping of project activities;

• Assist in analysis of data collected to facilitate assessment results and lessons learnt;

• Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations.

• Facilitate internal Mercy Corps procurement processes;

• Prepare weekly reports to be submitted to the Programme Manager. Contribute to quarterly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements;

• 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;

Coordination and Representation

• Liaise with local officials including municipalities, Chambers of Commerce, local NGOs and INGOs, project partners, key community leaders, MSMEs, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure successful deliverables;

• Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active in the livelihoods and economic development sector;

• Represent Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings, where relevant.

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

• 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 in Lebanon

• Participate in internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops

• Other duties as assigned

• Ensure that Mercy Corps’ Community Feedback and Accountability Mechanism is clearly communicated to project beneficiaries and that the hotline numbers are visible to end beneficiaries throughout the program

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: None

ACCOUNTABILITY

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Programme Manager

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: MOST program team, Operations team, Global gender and MERG technical team, SME technical staff assigned to other Mercy Corps Lebanon programs,

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S or equivalent in social science, women’s studies, management, business development, international development, or other relevant fields

• At least five years of progressive experience and proven high level of competence in working in gender equality, economic and market development and development-related programs, 

• Deep knowledge of gender dynamics Lebanon, in particular, its displacement context, protection threats, and economic challenges;

• Proven ability to successfully implement women’s economic empowerment programming 

• Experience with community mobilization

• Experience with mentorship, either as a mentor or mentee

• Proven ability to access a network of MSME’s, government officials, and/or NGOs, and potential implementing partners

• Proven track record in staff and stakeholder training and capacity building;

• Strong leadership and communication skills and sense of humor

• 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 secure 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.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs, and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.