Assistant Country Director (ACD) Programmes

ACD PROGRAMMES LEBANON

Contract Grade:                                C

Contract Length:              1 year with possibility of renewal

Date Needed By:             15 October 2014

New Post or Replacement:                         Replacement

Accompanied / Unaccompanied:              Unaccompanied

Exact Job Location:          Akkar, North Lebanon

Reports To:                         Country Director

Responsible For:              Direct line management of programme managers and PSO

Liaises With:                      Country Management Team (CMT), Dublin staff (Desk Officer & SAL advisors), relevant donors and coordination bodies, including UN and local government (Unions, Municipalities etc.)

Job Purpose:

Responsible for the management of the programming response in the country programme, including new proposal development, implementation of existing programming, M&E and quality (including P4 and HAP adherence).

Specific Responsibilities

Leadership and Overall Programme Strategic Direction

• Participate in country strategic development as a full member of the Country Management Team (CMT);
• In consultation with the CD and participation of the country team design programmes and strategies in line with Concern’s mission, guidelines and priorities.
• Promote Concern’s values and commitments and engage the programme team in following them;

Programme management and development

• Manage      the implementation of existing donor grants against the relevant      log-frames, work-plans and donor general terms and conditions to ensure      results orientated outcomes;
• Develop      and apply an appropriate M&E framework for the country programme;
• As much of the programming will      include contracting, ensure that Concern’s tendering procedures are      strictly adhered across all programmes and as guided by the ACD Systems;
• Contributing to the development of a      country level funding strategy through the delivery of high quality      proposals to seek donor funding.
• Oversee strict expenditure and budget      tracking by the programme budget holders;

• Oversee the preparation of donor budgets to ensure that the timing and cost of planned programme work and systems support is accurately reflected, while taking relevant donor requirements into consideration;
• Work closely with the budget holders in the budget revision process as well as quarterly financial reporting to Dublin;
• Manage donor grants (incl. UNHCR, UNICEF, EU, DEC and Concern GDs) effectively and maintain high quality narrative and financial reporting
• Ensure strict compliance with donor contract requirements/ reporting deadlines etc.;
• Prepare and develop high quality proposals and timely submit to donors
• Manage project/budget realignments in collaboration with the CD, ACD Systems and Country Financial Controller (CFC);
• Lead on the on-going development of participatory monitoring systems, including accountability downwards with communities and full compliance with the roll out of 4P and HAP standards.
• Oversee the Complaints and Response Mechanism pilot and follow it through for learning and replication to the overall programme when proven successful;
• Contribute to programme development and carry out further assessments as required to expand into new sectors of intervention and/or geographic areas
• Promote appropriate innovation in programme development.

Partnership approach to programming

• Undertake further assessment of the potential for partner based programming in context of Concern’s Lebanon emergency programme;
• Subject to the results of the assessment apply the CLOSAT and CLOFAT assessment tools to identify initial partners.
• Support the development of and design appropriate partnership relationships as necessary.

Representation, coordination and advocacy

• Liaise with other agencies and networks that can enrich and enhance the quality of our work;
• Ensure that relationships and formal agreements with the government are maintained and updated as appropriate;
• In consultation with the CD represent Concern and/or ensure Concern is represented at district and central level coordination fora as appropriate;
• Participate and represent Concern in relevant Sectoral Coordination meetings and technical working groups (Twigs);
• Contribute to the development of an advocacy strategy for Concern in Lebanon

HR management

• Provide direct line management to Project Managers and through them support the management and development of all programming staff;
• Identify appropriate in-country training opportunities for programme staff;
• Carry out regular staff Performance and Development Review (PDR) with direct reports and ensure that PDRs are undertaken for all programme staff
• Demonstrate support, encouragement, and coaching of staff as a role model for staff who aspire to and have the capacity to assume more senior posts;
• Assist in the recruitment of staff.

Other:

Take on additional responsibility as reasonably assigned by the CD

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education & Qualifications Required:

Essential:            Degree level education in development or relief related field.

Desirable:           Programme management related qualification.

Experience Required:

Essential:

• Programme management experience of at least 5 years      (overseas) in similar or related senior management experience with Concern      or other INGOs;
• Experience in managing programming in      the context of refugees and/or IDPs including programme start up;
• Experience of emergency response      programming responses;

• Experience of programme development, proposal writing and donor reporting incl. experience of managing major donor grants such as UNHCR, UNICEF, ECHO and US Government (BPRM);
• Proven leadership ability, including ability to motivate and develop skills of others; training, capacity building and facilitation skills.

• Experience of working/living in      insecure and sensitive environments;

Desirable:

• Work experience in the Middle East;
• Experience of Shelter, WASH and      Education programming;
• Knowledge of HAP

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of Arabic and/or French an      advantage
• Demonstrated training      and capacity building skills
• Ability to work on own      initiative
• Flexible and adaptable      approach to working
• Proven ability to work      in a multi-cultural team

• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to contribute to a small team environment.

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by the closing date.

CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.

All candidates who are short-listed for a first round interview will be notified via email after the application deadline.

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment.   By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.

Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.