Intaj Project Assistant

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 works in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. 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 is expanding an eight-month pilot project to a two-year program aiming 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. INTAJ (Improved Networks, Training and Jobs) is focused on three main components: skills development, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, and solid waste and recycling management (SWM/R). GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY: The Project Assistant will assist in the implementation the INTAJ (Improved Networks, Training and Jobs) two years economic development program funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). This program 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. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Program Implementation: ● Support the Project Manager in planning and implementing program activities to meet key deliverables based on timeline and scope agreed with the donor; ● Liaise with key stakeholders to build Mercy Corps acceptance within local communities to facilitate program implementation, including informing the wider community actors about Mercy Corps’ programming; ● Provide day-to-day support and coordination, including administrative, financial and logistical support. Trouble shoot any administrative problems and report any challenges or bottlenecks to Program Manager; ● Support the Project Manager in organizing meetings, community engagement and awareness raising/information dissemination events; ● Support the monitoring and evaluation team of INTAJ with the implementation of the M&E system for all aspects of the program, by applying monitoring tools to inform reports to donors and key stakeholders; ● Support the Project Manager with all tasks related to procurement, finance, and human resource. ● Assist in filing and record keeping of program activities; ● Promote the visibility of INTAJ, Mercy Corps and the donor across the functional geographic area. ● Implement Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity policy and applies Do No Harm approaches; ● 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; ● Other assigned tasks, as necessary. 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. 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, M&E of our field projects. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY & ACCOUNTABILITY: REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Project Manager in Tripoli SUPERVISES: N/A WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Program Manager, Project Manager, Coordinators, and M&E Team. Location: Tripoli, Lebanon (with frequent travel to Beirut) KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: • BA/S or equivalent in social work, social sciences, human rights, or other relevant field preferred; • Experience in community engagement preferred; • Excellent knowledge of local context in the North area; • Written and oral communication skills in English preferred; • Positive, respectful attitude and collaborative approach to problem solving; • Demonstrated attention to detail; ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently as well as cooperatively with team members; SUCCESS FACTORS: • The successful Project Assistant will be able to multi-task, prioritize, problem solve. S/he will have attention to detail and an ability to work independently. Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving is essential in a complex security and political environment like Lebanon. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.