Economic Development Policy Unit (EDPU) Coordinator

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.

Our Team

Oxfam in Lebanon is increasingly working at local, national and international levels to “ensure that women and men are protected and empowered to enjoy their basic rights and access services enabling them to live in dignity within a more equitable society.” To achieve this vision, Oxfam in Lebanon implements activities under three main programmatic pillars, including Active Citizenship and Good Governance (ACGG), and Economic Justice (EJ)

The ACGG program aims to support women and men, particularly youth, to exercise civil and political rights, to influence decision-making and support more accountable, effective governance particularly in relation to respect for fundamental rights, access to services, resource distribution and gender equity.

Th EJ program aims to empower women and men, especially youth, to cope with the effects of economic poverty, and have greater access to and control over productive economic resources for sustainable poverty reduction.

 

The EDPU coordinator will be part of an Economic Development Policy Unit (EDPU) that will be hosted by Oxfam under the ACGG program.

Job Purpose

The EDPU will be established to optimize the impact of the different livelihood and social stability projects that will be implemented in Lebanon and funded by the “Support to Economic Development and Social Stability in Lebanon” European Union (EU) Trust Fund (EUTF).

The EDPU will aim to “to strengthen the ability of the EUTF implementing partners to collectively influence the policy making process and donor funding for Lebanon through policy coordination and evidence generation,” and regularly assess the policy environment to produce policy products targeting key stakeholders and policies impacting livelihoods and economic policy more broadly. The EDPU will seek to ensure that common messaging among all relevant stakeholders, including the EU Delegation in Beirut, is derived from evidence generated in the field by all Consortia and that speak to a changing policy environment. The analysis that will be carried out by the EDPU will contribute to potentially proposing policy alternatives where gaps are identified, and inform the Lebanese policy makers, donor community, humanitarian stakeholders, and the EU on contextual priorities.

The Unit will be merely hosted by Oxfam, but will equally serve all its member organisations, specifically representatives of all the implementing partners in Lebanon funded by the “Support to Economic Development and Social Stability in Lebanon” European Union (EU) Trust Fund (EUTF).

The EDPU will be comprised of three positions: 1) EPDU Coordinator, 2) Administrator and Reporting Officer, and 3) Information Management Officer (IMO). This team will not report to Oxfam, but will be accountable to a steering committee which will be composed of representatives of EUTF partners, the EU, and other donors. To ensure inclusiveness and participation of all members, the establishment of the unit will be carried out through .an inclusive, participatory, and systematic approach.

The EDPU Coordinator will coordinate with the members of the steering committee, and the research and policy institute that will conduct periodic research. The role will entail coordination of the strategy and advocacy development workshops, the utilization of programmatic evidence for policy action, and organization on follow up on the coordination with key stakeholders.

The position will be based in Beirut, with regular travel to programme sites in the South, North, Mount Lebanon, as well as the Bekaa region, all the implementation areas for the consortia.

 

Core Details

Location: Beirut, Lebanon

Internal Grade: C2 - National

Job Family: Programme

This role reports to: The position will be accountable to the EDPU steering committee

Staff reporting to this post: EDPU Administrator and Reporting officer & EDPU Information Management (IM) officer

Annual budget  for the post: N/A

Key relationships/interactions: Country Director, Policy Lead, ACGG Coordinator

Screening checks: All successful candidates will be screened through Retinitis World-Check One to comply with counter terrorism and financial sanctions regulations.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Ensuring Coordination EUTF Social Stability and Livelihoods Partners

• Ensures constant communication with members of the steering committee to ensure that strategic priorities are address while functioning as an independent facilitator for all the members of the EDPU;
• Leads on strategic workshops to develop clear ways of working, planning documents and priorities for all EDPU member organizations;
• Shares relevant information with EDPU partners in a timely and clear manner and establishes routine project communication methods to keep members informed;
• Conducts regular follow-up with representative of the EUTF-MADAD in Lebanon and other relevant representatives of the EU on EDPU progress and emerging policy issues;
• Ensures accurate and timely reporting of activities according to donor and other applicable criteria to the EDPU Steering committee;
• Organizes and moderates regular meetings for EDPU partners and additional ad-hoc meetings upon request and need.

Evidenced Based Influencing

• Coordinates on the identification and definition of common evidence-based advocacy and policy priorities amongst the actors EUTF Partners;
• Ensures regular communication and involvement of a policy institute that be producing quarterly updates on the changing context and evidence gathered by EDPU Partners;
• Supports EU policy-making through facilitating the development of an advocacy and policy strategy on common priorities among all stakeholders;
• Provides quality assurance influencing material related to the evidence generated by EDPU members and ensures adequate prior involvement/representation of the partners in publications and other communications materials/events produced;
• With the support of the EDPU IM Officer, ensures that evidence generated is developed visually to be used for influencing and media/communications activities.
• Support in the implementation of the policy, advocacy plans and campaigns of EUTF partners to maximise impact, when needed.

 

External Representation

• Engages in regular meetings with representatives of key ministries, the international community in Lebanon, UN agencies and international and national organizations to engage in policy discussions to identify gaps and provide evidence-based policy options;
• Attends the meetings of relevant coordination bodies to regularly exchanges information with EDPU partners to be able to constantly adapt priorities in constantly evolving context;
• Provides support to EDPU steering committee and members in organizing and preparation for meetings with key stakeholders.

 

Your commitment to Oxfam

• Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles

 

Person specification                                                                                                                                                  

Note to candidates: Shortlisted candidates will be assessed on our organisational values and attributes at the interview stage. The successful candidate(s) will be expected to adhere to our code of conduct. We encourage candidates to read and understand our code of conduct here.

 

Key Organisational Attributes

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.

• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
• Commitment to undertake Oxfam’s safeguarding training and adherence of relevant policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible

 

Organisational Values

• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions
• Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen
• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences

 

Oxfam Leadership Competencies

• Decisiveness: We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.
• Humility: We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.
• Relationship Building: We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.
• Listening: We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear, and consider different preferences.
• Mutual Accountability: We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values.  We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.
• Self-Awareness: We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.

Essential - Experience, Knowledge, Qualifications & Competencies

• Master’s degree in relevant area (e.g. political science, economics) from a recognised university.
• At least five to seven years’ experience of work with a local/international organization, preferably with a role coordinating a network or consortium.
• Strong understanding of the political/economic context in Lebanon and ability to develop regular updates to be used for advocacy or programmatic purposes.
• Proven ability to lead and support others on strategy development processes and implementation. 
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with demonstrable ability to lead, influence, and motivate others in a diversity of contexts and functions
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in Arabic and English (verbal and written)
• Proven leadership and ability to work independently, as well as, proven ability to work effectively with others - including in multicultural team – and strong interpersonal skills

 

 

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

 

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

 

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

 

 

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.