Community Development Technical Advisor

About Chemonics
Chemonics International is an international development company based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive and more independent lives. Since 1975 we have worked in 149 countries around the world, and currently implement 113 contracts in 68 countries. Our main partner is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), but we occasionally work with foreign donors as well. We have over 600 staff based in our Washington, DC office and over 3000 staff in our project offices around the world.

USAID/Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP)
This 5 year project aims to support municipalities and underserved and vulnerable communities in providing better services and enhanced economic opportunities to improve lives and reduce tensions that contribute to conflict and violence in Lebanon. We’re a regionally based program, based in Beirut with activities in Bekaa, North, and South Lebanon. Chemonics is the sole owner of the Lebanon Community Support Program IDIQ contract. We currently have two Task Orders. Task Order 01 (which covers Operations and Management) and Task Order 02 (covers our technical community support work). We may be awarded more task orders in the future.

                1.  Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Specific activities may include the repair and rehabilitation of community infrastructure for the sustained delivery of essential services or the promotion of livelihoods to improve economic opportunities. Anchored in TO 2 which also provides Community Stabilization support, the Community Development Technical Advisor is expected to provide cross-cutting support to all CSP technical task orders which may also include targeted capacity building and other activities that fit into CSP’s broad mandate.

• Advise on the methodology for the design and implementation of CSP’s Community Development component.
• Using data from the initial Community Profile and community engagement through either Rapid Analysis and Design or the Local Systems approach, assist CSP Program Managers and community stakeholders to support the identification of potential Community Development activities that respond to CSP’s established program goals or strategic priorities.
• Assist in the design of Community Development activities by creating tools and models to build efficiencies and consistency around technical requirements and specifications. Examples may include developing a toolkit for solid waste management, irrigation, or solar power utilization.  
• Conduct technical and financial feasibility studies, and help to identify and manage short-term technical assistance for other specialized needs.
• Provide technical support in the form of on-the-job training and coaching to partners during the design and implementation of Community Development activities to ensure the success of the intervention according to the expected results.
• Actively participate in problem solving and troubleshooting throughout the activity cycle to assure implementation remains within the spirit of the original design concept.
• Conduct field visits to build relationships with partner communities, assist with technical design, and monitor progress of community development activities.
• Make recommendations for capacity building interventions to complement Community Development activities in order to sustain and enhance the delivery of essential services.
• Monitor and analyze Lebanon’s rapidly changing contextual environment (politics, security, economics, etc.) as it relates to Community Development on an ongoing basis and make recommendations for the strategic direction of the Community Development component.

• Actively engage with the MEL team and Regional Program Managers to ensure new activities incorporate best practices and adaptive learning.

• Develop weekly and monthly priorities and manage their implementation to ensure timely delivery.
• Make contributions to project deliverables, as needed, including weekly reports, quarterly reports, work plans, and other technical deliverables.

• Undertake other duties as assigned by the TO 2 Director or Chief of Party.

2.  Minimum Qualifications

• University degree required, master’s preferred in a relevant discipline such as engineering or economics.
• Minimum 10 years of experience supporting the sustainable development of Lebanon’s communities, with an emphasis on Community Development for the purposes of stabilization.
• Experience designing and implementing multi-sectoral, participatory interventions to address Community Development challenges.
• Proven experience in capacity building around municipal service delivery and/or enhancing economic opportunities in at least one of the following technical areas: solid waste management, water provision, waste water management, alternative energy, agricultural infrastructure, agribusiness, ecotourism, or public education.
• Experience working in vulnerable and unstable communities preferred.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic required, including strong writing skills in English.

3.  Place of Assignment

The Community Development Technical Advisor will be based in the project’s main office in Beirut, Lebanon, and will be expected to travel throughout the country to CSP’s areas intervention as needed.

4.  Reporting

The Community Development Technical Advisor will report directly to the Community Support Program and TO 2 Director, or equivalent.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment based on their qualifications without discrimination.