Food Security and Livelihoods Program Manager - Beirut

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager (FSL) will be based in Beirut. He/she will lead on the implementation of the Regular and emergency FSL programs in Beirut and support program assessment and design.

The Program Manager will be under the technical supervision of the FSL Adviser and the day-to-day supervision under the Area Manager. The post holder will ensure that the FSL intervention is of the highest technical quality that monitoring processes are in place, that reporting is high quality and timely, and that the program is continually assessed and solutions quickly put in place for any changes in local context.

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Area Manager

Staff directly reporting to this post: Cash Coordinator and MSME Coordinator

Role Dimensions: Accountable for Budget Management including forecasting and expenditure, proposal and reports writing, local partner management, multi-program implementation management, decision making, internal and external representation, team management and capacity building

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Program Management

• Responsible for the implementation of Save the Children’s FSL Regular and  emergency interventions (including youth livelihoods activities, Food for Training activities, cash-for-work, community support projects, food kits distribution, Multi-purpose cash assistance, cash grants to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), market linkages and support access to finance to entrepreneurs and other livelihoods activities) ensuring that the highest technical standards are respected and programs are implemented on time and with compliance.
• Lead, manage and motivate staff under direct line management, ensuring that they have clear objectives and receive meaningful feedback on their performances.
• With the support of the area manager, lead the implementation of FSL program through local partners including identification, assessment, capacity building, monitoring and closure of partnerships.
• With the support of the Area Manager, develop internal and partner’s capacity in implementing vocational training, life skills, market linkages and entrepreneurship program.
• Lead on recruitment, management and motivation of FSL staff under direct line management, ensuring that they have clear objectives and receive meaningful feedback on their performances.
• With the FSL Adviser and Area Manager, finalize implementation plans for each FSL project, and oversee weekly and monthly work plans in line with the implementation plan.
• Liaise regularly with communities/municipalities and ensure community participation especially children, youth and women in all steps of project cycle, and grant acceptance of Save the Children’s FSL programming.
• Participate in training of FSL staff (coordinators, officers and assistants) to ensure they have solid understanding of key program documents and tools, including MEAL tools.
• Oversee FSL budgets, financial reporting and forecasting.
• Monitor budget/expenditure based on the implementation plans; and analyse Budget-versus-Actual reports to assess any discrepancies and ensure timely expenditure.
• Work with logistics/procurement, cash and finance team on regular basis.
• Produce timely reports for internal use on the status of on-going programming; and contribute to donor reporting.
• Work closely with local partners to ensure timely and high quality implementation of activities based on with SCI and donors’ quality standards.

Program Development

• Lead local market assessments and in depth needs assessment to determine supply of essential goods for cash programming, MSMEs support and appropriate interventions entrepreneur’s linkage to market.
• Work with colleagues from other sectors to ensure regular coordination at strategic and programmatic level; and Ensure proper mainstreaming of protection, gender, inclusion and COVID-19.
• With other team members (and communities), identify program gaps and ensure appropriate action is taken.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• With the support of the FSL adviser, develop and operationalize monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for Save the Children food security and livelihoods projects.
• Ensure clear plans in place for monitoring and evaluating project activities in relation to Save the Children and donor objectives; and that lessons learnt are shared and capitalized on.
• Ensure that projects are monitored regularly, and that data is collected on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.
• Analyse and evaluate monitoring data to understand impact of project and identify lessons learned for future programming.
• Regularly visit project sites to ensure that teams are appropriately supported.

Team Management and Capacity Building

• Steer, supervise and support FSL staff in the design, management, implementation and monitoring of FSL activities, in collaboration with the Area Manager.
• Provide program teams with guidance and updates on policy, standards and guidelines relating to FSL.
• Work in collaboration with technical advisors to identify capacity-building requirements for the FSL Team members and develop capacity-building plan accordingly.
• Ensure that policies and procedures are understood by new staff (e.g. procurement and finance requirements).
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to staff as appropriate, in (for example, but not limited to) assessment, monitoring, evaluation, reporting (Internal and Donor Reports), financial management, proposal development, technical design of water and sanitation facilities and the exercise of judgment skills.
• Support the recruitment of national FSL projects staff. Identify appropriate staff development needs and give recommendations to the Area Manager. This will include development of a training needs assessment and guidance for the sector staff.
• Capacity building of staff with updates on training materials and technical knowhow.

External Relationships

• Represent Save the Children’s FSL work in Lebanon externally.
• Represent Save the Children in FSL technical area to government and other agencies.
• Represent Save the Children in FSL sectors working group meetings and other sector coordination forums in Lebanon.
• Contribute to development of advocacy messages and materials in conjunction with SC PAC unit.

Partnership Management

• Work with partner to draft proposal and budget and revise as needed.
• Develop partner agreement and liaise with Awards management unit for signatures.
• Monitor and support partner outputs and spending.
• Review partner narrative and financial reports.
• Ensure capacity building of local partners implementing FSL interventions.
• Responsible for partnership management to ensure program delivery.
• Support in the completion of partner assessments and work closely with partners on development of proposals and budgets for their sub-award agreements.
• Provide continuous program management and facilitate technical support to partners to ensure timely quality programming.
• Work with HR/Finance/Logs teams to ensure partners are receiving adequate support from support sections.

General

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Help be responsible for the security of all staff. Ensure that the security, health and wellbeing of staff are ensured and staff management and other processes and policies and systems reflect SC’s principles of equity and fairness.
• To perform such other responsibilities as agreed with your line management.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor degree in related field
• Master’s Degree  in Economics, Finance, International Relations, Development studies or similar field or
• Seven years of progressive experience of humanitarian food security and & livelihoods programming; experience in vocational trainings, cash, MSME and entrepreneurship programming is essential, including 3 years in management position

• Flexibility and willingness to change work practices and hours, and capability to work in insecure environment 
• Available and willing to travel throughout Lebanon
• Economic recovery programming in humanitarian response

• Demonstrated experience in managing a team in a humanitarian context
• Excellent time management skills
• Strong experience in data collection and analysis, experience in Emergency Market Mapping & Analysis is a plus
• Strong experience in field work and community mobilization; and in training groups of beneficiaries

• Fluency in written and spoken English

• Computer skills (especially Excel)
• Strength in interpersonal, communication and presentation skills. Previous experience of liaising with the UN, national and donor governments and NGOs as advantage.

• Flexibility and willingness to change work practices and hours, and capability to work in insecure environment 

• Available and willing to travel throughout Lebanon

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.