Agriculture and Livelihoods (AL) Deputy Program Manager

ABOUT THE STRUCTURE…

Solidarités International is an International NGO working with vulnerable populations, mainly victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters. Specialized for nearly 40 years in the coverage of vital needs, S.I. leads emergency and reconstruction programs.

With respect for cultures and close to the people, Solidarités International implements its programs by combining its skills with those of its employees and local managers.

Solidarités International's teams, made up of around 270 expatriates and nearly 2200 local employees, are today present in 18 countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa and Caribbean where they are particularly committed to fighting diseases related to unsafe water but also in food security and livelihoods.

SI has launched its operations in Lebanon in March 2013 in order to address the immediate needs of both Syrian refugee and Lebanese host families also affected by the crisis. SI in Lebanon has two operational bases (Tripoli and Zahle) and a coordination office in Beirut. The expatriate team consists of 12 staff members, while the national team represents about 130 staff members.

ABOUT THE JOB

General objective:

• Support the agricultural sector and farmers, encompassing the delivery of agricultural inputs, technical trainings, and the development of farm seeds production units.
• Provide support in defining, planning, and implementing activities related to Agriculture and Livelihoods (AL) including needs assessments, beneficiaries targeting, technical SOPs, and evaluation in line with work plans, strategies, and methodologies.
• Responsible for the supervision of the operational teams and provide technical support for all AL related issues.
• Ensure that AL activities are well executed and deliver qualitative results and when appropriate, proposes adjustments or developments to better meet the local needs and ensure relevance.
• Ensure the “communication with communities” strategy by being a focal point regarding communication on operations.

The main challenges:

• Effective coordination with all SI internal departments and external stakeholders
• Manage a new recruited team of 6 Field Officers in a new sectorial component in SI Bekaa
• Multi activities management and time constraint (seasonal period for seeds planting)

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

• Participate in the recruitment of her/his team
• Trigger a new project methodology and technical requirements
• Ensure that project activities planning is defined
• Build a strong relationship and coordination with all stakeholders of the projects

Responsibilities and main activities:

Goal / Purpose:

The Agriculture and Livelihoods Deputy Program Manager (AL DPM) is part of a program aiming at supporting the agricultural sector and farmers, encompassing the delivery of agricultural inputs, technical trainings, and the development of farm seeds production units.

Under the supervision of the Program manager, the AL DPM:

- provides support in defining, planning, and implementing activities related to Agriculture and Livelihoods (AL) including needs assessments, beneficiaries targeting, technical SOPs, and evaluation in line with work plans, strategies, and methodologies.

- is responsible for the supervision of the operational teams and provide technical support for all AL related issues.

- ensure that AL activities are well executed and deliver qualitative results and when appropriate, proposes adjustments or developments to better meet the local needs and ensure relevance.

- ensures the “communication with communities” strategy by being a focal point regarding communication on operations.

The Deputy PM must be comfortable in diagnosis parts as the department is a new sector being developed by SI and must have solid agriculture technicities and experience background.

Responsibilities:

DIAGNOSTIC AND PROJECT CONCEPTION

• Contribute to the identification of new needs and new areas of intervention and support the preparation and implementation of diagnostics/assessments related to Agriculture, local farming practices and livelihood.
• Elaborate and supervise preliminary assessments, data entry and analysis
• In collaboration with MEAL team, s/he is in charge to design evaluations and analysis of data.
• Participate in beneficiaries’ needs identification and ensure that beneficiaries are selected according to relevant criteria, defined with the communities, MEAL department and the Program Manager (PM)
• Provide technical and contextual support to the PM on local farming systems and related issues, in order to ensure a comprehensive and relevant intervention and suitable implementation methods
• Participate actively in the design of AL activities and the identification of suitable implementation methods.
• Ensure a good communication toward the project and make sure that the projects’ objectives meet the acceptance of the local institutional and technical services and are discussed and well understood by the communities.

IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONNAL FOLLOW-UP

According to the objectives fixed with the Program Manager (PM):

• Support PM in ensuring the beneficiary selection criteria and processes are in line with SI’s principles and done in coordination with the MEAL department and are implemented in a transparent way
• Define priorities for the weekly planning, as per work plan and objectives
• Be proactive in the identification of needs, beneficiaries and in the setup of the activities
• Supervise the implementation and monitor each stage of the activities
• Ensure continuous follow-up of the results of activities by using the SI management and monitoring tools
• Anticipate the possible challenges or issues that could create delays or bring difficulties, and contribute to their solving
• Assess the relevance of activities, the effectiveness of intervention and communicate to the PM any changing circumstances, communities’ feedbacks or relevant information related to the project
• Communicate the weekly findings and progress to the PM and propose relevant adjustments of activities and workplan if deemed necessary to improve the quality and the positive effects of the project for beneficiaries.
• Support the identification of relevant quality criteria and monitoring indicators for the AL activities.
• Prepare Bill of Quantities (BoQ) and procurement requests with anticipation for the implementation of the activities, and follow-up the orders with the Logistics department
• Organize and supervise the preparation and the implementation of distribution of livelihoods related items (inputs, tools, vouchers…).
• Link with local partners, institutions, or service providers in order to ensure respect of SI guidelines and quality in terms of farmer trainings, farming practices and systems.
• Follow up on the set targets and ensure that they are met before the deadlines

CAPITALIZATION

• Participate in the writing process of capitalization documents in accordance with SI tools
• Contribute to the preparation of the training manuals to be used by the AL training facilitators
• Contribute to lessons learnt and internal workshops linked to the project
• Contribute to the development and update of SI technical documentation.
• Prepare handover reports if employment contract or professional experience with SI come to an end

HR MANAGEMENT

• Be part of the recruitment of the national technical staff for the AL activities
• Welcome and brief new employees or volunteers working under his/her responsibility
• Identify and report any training needs for the AL team to the PM
• Assist the PM with the implementation of training and capacity building sessions
• Manage and support the team under his/her responsibility
• Evaluate with relevance the performance of the staff and define measurable and time-bound actions plan
• Identify team members’ potential for advancement and/or specific HR case issues, and communicate this information to the PM
• Make sure the team follows the safety and security rules

LOGISTICS AND ADMINISTRATION

• Consolidate cash needs for weekly daily workers and contractors, liaise with the the PM for cash supply
• Anticipate and communicate logistics needs (transports, material…) to the PM
• Support procurement and distribution of AL materials in the field
• Ensure that the AL materials are in stock and/or in appropriate location in the field
• Contribute to the development of the procurement plan
• Contribute to the budget follow up related to her/his project activities in link with the PM

REPORTING / COORDINATION / COMMUNICATION / REPRESENTATION

• Ensure compliance with reporting guidelines
• Communicate and write regular reports concerning the progress of the activities under his/her responsibility
• Write reports and annexes concerning his/her activity(ies) for donor reports and/or amendment
• Regular use and update of SI monitoring and follow-up tools (APU, OFU…)
• Report to Line Manager and relevant focal point information related to AL activities and security context or any event that may affect SI activities and security
• Ensure close coordination with logistics and administrative departments in compliance with SI’S rules and procedures
• Participate in Team and General Meetings and any other meeting related to the carrying-out of activities and to project objectives upon request
• Ensure close coordination with support departments including Administration, Logistics, Supply and MEAL
• Represent SI in sectoral coordination meetings and during donor visits as requested by PM
• Establish and maintain good relations with the local participants, communities, relevant authorities (LARI, MoA, …) and follows activities implemented by other organizations in SI’s area of intervention and reports to the PM
• Assist the PM in writing and translating the administrative documents to be signed (MoU, handover…)

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART POSITION

Under the authority of: Program manager

Has authority over: direct authority over AL Field officers

Under the functional authority of:

Functional authority over: -

YOUR PROFILE

Specific skills and experience:

Bachelor Degree in Agricultural engineering, or similar field is desirable; it can be balanced by experience

At least 2-year experience in a similar position, for INGO/NGO sector liaising with various different stakeholders (local authorities, national and international NGOs, community members, etc.);

Previous Experience in managing livelihoods, food security and/or agricultural projects is a must

Previous experience in project cycle management is mandatory;

Previous experience in working in Bekaa area is preferable;

Proven experience in team management;

Experience in writing reports;

Knowledge and technical skills

Strong agronomist/agricultural technical skills and knowledge;

Strong team management capacities & leadership. Capacity to train a team, to create a dynamic atmosphere.

Strong social and communication skills;

Strong demonstrated analytical skills;

Ability to write clear and well-argued reports: Excellent in reading, writing and speaking both Arabic and English.

Problem solving and with the ability to assess challenges and recommend solutions;

Stress management skills: ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines, with peaks of heavy workloads;

Excellent understanding of humanitarian principles, accountability, and do no harm;

Proficiency with the standard MS Office package compulsory (Word, Excel -large data management capacity is a must, Outlook).

Soft skills

Excellent prioritization and organization skills to work in autonomy, independence, ability to learn, and initiative (employee may occasionally be managed remotely);

Ability to work under pressure and to handle multiple tasks at the same time;

High sense of integrity, responsibility, and accountability;

Motivation and commitment to humanitarian work and values;

Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information;

Excellent interpersonal, analytical, communications, cultural sensitivity, negotiation skills and diplomacy

Strong capacities on team management including training and capacity building

Language:

ARABIC LANGUAGE: Fluent

ENGLISH LANGUAGE: Good

FRENCH LANGUAGE: None

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried post: 1,925 USD – Basic salary

Vacation: 1.5 Paid Leaves/month

Social and medical cover