Program Development Officer, Lebanon Community Resilience Initiative (Lcri), Beirut, Lebanon

Program Development Officer, Lebanon Community Resilience Initiative (LCRI), Beirut, Lebanon   Company Profile:  MSI is an international development firm in the Washington, D.C., metro area with a 30-year history of helping to deliver results across the developing world. In 2008, we became part of Coffey International Limited. Since that time, we have greatly expanded our ability to respond seamlessly and flexibly to client needs with Coffey's international development offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. We operate in some of the most challenging political and economic climates in the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and South Sudan. MSI currently employs 800 development experts in the fields of public sector management, monitoring and evaluation, governance, and anticorruption. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com. Project Summary:  The Lebanon Community Resilience Initiative (LCRI) is a project funded by USAID/OTI. LCRI provides strategically targeted support to advance peace and stability in Lebanon. **Please note: Only Lebanese citizens are eligible for this position.** Position Summary: Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Party (COP), the Program Development Officer (PDO) will be responsible for designing and implementing program activities for the Lebanon Community Resilience Initiative (LCRI) in assigned geographic areas. LCRI is a fast-paced, rapid-response program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), which seeks to mitigate community-level tensions and support constructive youth engagement. The PDO will have primary responsibility for developing and managing a diverse portfolio of activities that advance program objectives. The PDO position is based in Beirut and will require frequent travel to various parts of the country.  Responsibilities: Guide Program Strategy Work with the COP, Senior Transition Advisor and Country Representative to formulate program strategy and identify geographic areas and vulnerable population groups for program development. Undertake travel to remote and often high-risk areas to reach the most strategically targeted communities for information gathering and assessments when needed. Develop Activity Ideas Lead the identification of communities, community groups and potential partners within assigned geographic areas where LCRI program objectives can be met. Design grant concepts through a participatory process involving local partners and present them to senior management and the program team. Once grant concepts are approved, lead grant development, including drafting a detailed implementation plan, grant description, grant objectives and justification, capturing the information in LCRI’s database. Collaborate with grants and procurement staff to develop grant budgets (mostly in-kind grants). Collaborate with the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer to set indicator targets for each grant. Liaise with Grantees and Counterparts Build constructive relationships with local partners and act as the main point of contact with grantees. Provide regular political analysis and contribute to strategic discussions and rolling assessments with USAID/OTI. Liaise with project counterparts and stakeholders, including international organizations, UN agencies and local and national authorities. Monitor and Report on Activity Progress Track progress throughout grant implementation, provide technical support as needed, and proactively identify problems and solutions to maximize impact. Conduct regular site visits and meetings with grantees/partners in various parts of the country. Lead weekly meetings of grants management unit consisting of grants specialist, procurement specialist, and field officers to set priorities, coordinate actions, and ensure rapid response. Review grantee deliverables for technical accuracy and completeness, and provide feedback as necessary. Report on grant progress and impact on a frequent basis, using LCRI’s database to capture weekly progress updates. Support M&E officer with data collection as needed and contribute to final evaluations of grants; ensuring lessons learned are adequately captured and used to inform programming. Assist the Communications and Reporting Specialist in preparing success stories and other public information materials. Supervise the Field Officer under his/her grant portfolio. Provide capacity building and/or training to supervisees as necessary. Perform other duties as assigned by the COP and/or Operations Manager.  Qualifications:   Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, community development or a relevant field; or alternatively, combination of related education and professional experience. Minimum of three (3) years’ experience working in project development and implementation, preferably related to community development and/or post-conflict issues. Solid understanding of Lebanon’s socio-political context, with demonstrated analytical skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and web-based tools. Knowledge of program planning and implementation. Strong leadership and teamwork skills. Excellent communication and negotiation skills. Proven ability to juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Experience working in similar roles with USAID, specifically OTI, is a plus. Ability to work effectively and harmoniously under pressure in a stressful environment and with colleagues from different cultural and professional backgrounds. Willingness to travel to high-risk areas is essential. Spoken and written English and Arabic fluency is essential.   Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com