Consortium Coordinator

ABOUT THE STRUCTURE…

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) has launched its operations in Lebanon in March 2013 to address immediate needs of both Syrian refugees and Lebanese affected by the Syrian crisis. Ever since, SI in Lebanon has transitioned towards more integrated programs to still address basic needs but also implement developmental and more sustainable interventions in WASH, shelter and Disaster Risk Reduction. In 2020, SI Lebanon started an ambitious DRM project (in consortium with the Lebanese and the French Red Cross), funded by the AFD and DANIDA, and which aims at developing a river-basin integrated model to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies such as floods. With the same partners, SI is addressing the consequences of the Beirut Blast response through a 2-phased project to rehabilitate damaged dwelling units and public spaces. In 2021 SI Lebanon started an EU-funded WASH project to work with local Water authorities to improve Water delivery networks.

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s mission in Lebanon has two operational bases (Tripoli and Zahle) and a coordination office in Beirut. The expatriate team consists of 18 staff members, while the national team represents about 115 staff members. At the time of writing, SI LEB budget volume amounts to roughly 15/16 M USD, Tripoli base counted for 60% of this amount and Zahle base for 40%.

Key areas of intervention for the mission are the following:

• Emergency WASH service provision in informal settlements (UNICEF)
• Emergency response and Integrated Protection for basic services (shelter and WASH rehabilitation) in Substandard Buildings (ECHO)
• Disaster Risk Management focused on floods (AFD-DANIDA)
• Wash infrastructures development (EU)
• Mapping of informal settlements (MEDAIR / UNHCR)
• Cash assistance third party monitoring system (CAMEALEON)

ABOUT THE JOB

General objective:

The Consortium Coordinator oversees the development, implementation and monitoring of SI Lebanon consortium project (funded by AFD/DANIDA) of which SI is the lead organization (premium). He/She facilitates the governance of the consortium, ensures the link between the partners, the institutional donors of the project and other stakeholders. He/She is – with the Steering Committee – the safeguard of the strategic orientation of the project, its consistency and its compliance with SI procedures and funding partners

The main challenges:

• Ensure coordination, communication amongst consortium partners and relevant stakeholders;
• Provide guidance and leadership for all consortium members in line with project objectives and vision;
• Ensure compliance of all consortium members to AFD rules, regulations and guidelines;
• Main focal point between consortium and donors for all consortium-related aspects.

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

• Continue building the constructive and trusting relationship with the donors of the project and the key stakeholders identified for the project
• Ensure all consortium partners continue to respect the compliance framework of the consortium
• Follow-up with partners on the implementation of key ongoing activities (identification of structural work at river basin, social anthropological study, CBDRM approach…) 
• Coordinate the writing of donor reports
• Launch the budget review exercise for all consortium partners planned for July 2022
• With the support of MEAL, launch the mid project evaluation

Responsibilities and main activities:

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

• Supports the development and update of an integrated strategy at the project level in coordination with the Consortium Steering Committee.
• Leads the operationalization of the consortium strategy into detailed implementation plans.
• Organizes all design, planning and launching meetings of the project.
• Anticipates contingency plans allowing continuity of the humanitarian response in case of a change in context.

PARTNERS COORDINATION

• Ensures compliance with the rules and modalities of governance of the consortium as defined in the partnership agreements between the lead and the partners and supervises compliance with contractual validation obligations with institutional donor(s).
• Organizes and facilitates the follow up of deadlines set up by the Steering Committee.
• Develops conditions conducive to fluid communications between consortium partners.
• Supports the adaptation of partners’ systems, frameworks and procedures, allowing efficient and coordinated operational management.
• Facilitates arbitration or conflict resolution between partners if necessary.
• Ensures the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and participatory nature of the means of coordination implemented between the partners.
• Facilitates the sharing of experiences and/or expertise between the partners and guarantees the internal learning processes of the consortium.

PROJECT CYCLE FOLLOW-UP

• Checks the relevance, quality and consistency of the implementation of the project.
• Supervises and assesses the achievement of common and specific objectives.
• Ensures regular reporting from the members of the consortium and organizes program monitoring meetings and capitalization exercises with the various partners.
• Proposes programmatic and operation adjustments necessary to the project to the members of the Steering Committee, and facilitates the implementation of those changes with the partners’ respective teams.
• Organizes regular capitalization exercises between partners.

GRANT CYCLE MANAGEMENT

• Maintains and/or develops a transparent, constructive and trusting relationship with the institutional donor(s) of the project.
• Develops, deploys and verifies the compliance of the consortium management framework meeting the contractual prerequisites of funding partners.
• Supervises compliance with contractual validation obligations with institutional donor(s).
• Leads the drafting of the necessary reports and communications with institutional donor(s).
• Facilitates fluid communication between consortium partners and institutional donors, including the organization of donor visits.

CONFORMITY AND REDEVABILITY

• Checks partners’ compliance with the consortium frameworks and procedures.
• Supervises the monitoring of breaches and compliance risks as well as the corrective measures to be implemented.
• Alerts the Country Director of any major breach of the framework and ensures communication with the concerned funding partners.
• Support and facilitates the yearly audits planned for the consortium

COORDINATION OF EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS & REPRESENTAITON

• Leads the consortium's external representation to all relevant operational coordination platforms.
• Checks that the consortium and its members interact with all the necessary stakeholders to ensure coordinated assistance.
• Proposes and deploys an institutional financing portfolio development plan to the Steering Committee.
• Facilitates meetings with current or prospective donors.

ETHICS

• Creates and maintains a work environment that prevents any unsuitable behavior within their team.
• Communicates on SI’s Code of Conduct and Behavior.

MANAGEMENT (if and when possible)

• Directly line manage team members within the Consortium Management Unit (if any) and ensure proper segregation of responsibilities between Consortium Management Unit, SI Lebanon team and Consortium partners
• Responsible for the proper implementation of HR policies and processes to ensure that they have both the number of people and the skills necessary for the activities for which they are responsible:
  • Analyzes, quantifies and qualifies the human resources needs of their team;
  • Recruits and welcomes the team for which they are responsible;
  • Evaluates the performance of the members of their team;
  • Trains and supports the members of their team;
  • Ensures communication within their team.

REPORTING

• Ensure quality and timely submission of semi-annual reports to donor

YOUR PROFILE

Education:

• Advanced university degree (BA) in development & humanitarian studies, social sciences or equivalent

Mandatory Experience:

• Minimum 4 years with INGO specialized in Humanitarian assistance
• Previous experience working in a consortium structure (preferably in a coordination position)
• Previous experiences at management and coordination level

Asset experience:

• Previous experience in integrated programing especially in DRM, and/or shelter/WaSH
• Previous experience in the Middle East and/or Lebanon
• Previous experience working with AFD

Technical skills and knowledge:

• Strong coordination and representation skills
• Strong Project Cycle Management skills

Soft skills and spirit:

• Organized and problem solving spirit
• Autonomy and capacity of initiative
• Flexibility and strong coordination skills
• Ability to work under pressure, with peaks of heavy workloads

Languages:

• Fully fluent English and French: excellent speaking, reading and writing skills
• Arabic is a strong asset

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried post: 3,090 USD

Vacation: 1.5 paid leaves per month

Social and medical cover