Livelihoods Programme Coordinator

About the role: This is a new 1 year role, which is unaccompanied terms based in Raqqa, Syria, with a salary of Band 4: €44,133 – €49,038.

You will report to Syria Programme Director and directly manage Concern livelihoods teams implementing urban and rural programmes. You will directly line manage the Early Recovery and Livelihoods Manager, Agriculture Manager, and any other livelihoods managers to be recruited. You will liaise with Programme Coordinators (i.e. Education, Protection, WASH and Shelter, MEAL, Food Security and Emergency) / Managers, Area Coordinators, Finance and Systems Colleagues as well as the Partnership Coordinator. In Head Quarters (HQ) you will coordinate with the HQ Livelihoods Advisor.

We would like you to start on 1st of March, 2024.

Your purpose: You will provide technical oversight and management of Concern’s Livelihoods response in Syria, contributing to our unique multi-sectoral response. In doing so, oversee Small Business Grants (SBG), agriculture, vocational and technical training activities, and where applicable their integration with MPCA and Food Vouchers assistance to provide graduation approaches from humanitarian assistance. You will be the primary budget holder for livelihoods budgets within BHA, ECHO and GIZ programmes as well as lead on the development of fund-raising initiatives such as briefing papers, Concept Notes etc. to support strengthening of livelihoods interventions within Syria. In development of new livelihoods’ concept notes and proposals, you will seek to bring in the learning of past programmes into the reporting of interventions with donor reports (i.e. semi-annual or monthly) to inform new approaches. In doing so, learning will provide an avenue for you initiate innovations, digitalization of approaches and pilot new techniques within the livelihoods sectors. You will also represent Concern in Working Groups, Clusters, and Coordination Fora and with NGOs, and Whole of Syria workshops as appropriate.

You will be responsible for:

1.Programme Development and Reporting:

• Overall responsibility for the technical, management and supervision of the livelihoods programmes with the different donor budgets, and locations within Syria.
• Lead the preparation of livelihoods concept notes and proposals including budget development based on needs based assessments, and application of learning from past programmes.
• With support from the programme manager, review field data and actual costs incurred on activity implementation, to inform accurate future budget development.
• Lead the development of livelihoods needs assessments to inform future programme development. This includes background research, stakeholder analysis, data collection and analysis to inform future approaches in light of current trends in livelihoods programmes.
• Lead, in collaboration with the programme manager, on the identification of opportunities for collaboration and engagement with/of the private sector to support local livelihoods.
• Lead, in collaboration of the programme manager, on opportunities for Livelihoods activities to be integrated / strengthened with other sectors.
• Response to ensure internal and external reports are produced to a high standard and in a timely manner, with the programme manager drafting inputs.
• Contribute to all aspects of the Programme e.g. integration of equality, protection, and disaster risk reduction and ensure programmes are implemented in line with the How Concern Understands Extreme Policy paper.
• Lead the design of and share the findings of market assessments, labour market surveys, value chain analysis, drought mitigation and desertification to support evidence-based project designs within Working Groups, and inter-sectorally within Concern.

2. Programme Management

• Responsible for programme targets are reached in accordance with agreed programme objectives, as per contracts with donors, in line with the overall programme approach, ensuring integration with other programme activities, and in line with Concern’s approaches and policies, and international best practices.
• Manage the Livelihoods budget and monitor with the programme manager to be within budget allocations as per donor agreements and in compliance with donor regulation and Concern financial procedures.
• Review and sign-off the programme manager’s operational tools such as the detailed implementation work plans, procurement plan, HR plan, budget forecast and provide the necessary guidance and support to the team to achieve timely and quality implementation of activities.
• Support and guide the programme manager to carry out regular field visits to inspect works and organize regular project review sessions through participatory methodologies involving beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the areas of intervention, with the aim of establishing and/or verifying emerging needs, gaps and priorities, and communicate these to the Programmes Director as part of a continuous programme review and improvement process.
• Response to ensure the quality control of selected contractors and partners with relation to the implementation of activities and are in accordance to agreed designs, policies and procedures and timelines.
• Review and sign-off the technical documents such as tenders, BoQs, procurement and oversee material and equipment purchases and delivery as necessary ensuring that Concerns’ and donors’ policies and procedures are applied and followed, which are drafted by the relevant sector manager.
• Monitor Livelihoods activities to ensure the quality and capture the impact of project activities, while making necessary adjustments to project activities and work plans if necessary in a timely manner, through the development of quality field monitoring check-lists.
• Monitor the general context for changes in weather patterns so to identify early on the impact upon rural livelihoods outcomes as well as contextual changes to impact at a household level in terms of meeting basic household needs. In doing so, ensure the integration of DRR and resilience within livelihoods programme with the use of tools such as contextual hazard risk analysis.
• Stay abreast of the changing security situation, with support from Concern security focal point, and adapt programme activities accordingly.

3. Coordination and Outreach

• Participate proactively and contribute in relevant coordination forums, working group and cluster meetings.
• Based on evidence and data advocate for revisions of technical guidance from the Working Group and for new approaches within the response.
• Develop short briefing papers for outreach with donors, as well as present at Working Groups on the learning of livelihoods interventions.
• Represent Concern at the relevant fora, including donor meetings and with local authorities.
• Share information on Concern activities and intervention and promote good relations and collaboration with other actors in the area of livelihoods interventions, including engagement with the Area Based Coordination mechanisms for early recovery initiatives.

4. Human Resources Manager and Capacity Building

• Train Concern staff in donor requirements and compliance rules under specific contracts, in collaboration with Concern Finance and Systems Managers;
• Lead and manage staff, contributing to their capacity building and career development including the coaching of the Livelihoods Manager
• Provide technical support and on-going on-the-job training and coaching to staff
• Ensure efficient team deployment through a system of up-to-date job descriptions developed in line with Concern organizational structure. Regularly review and recommend staffing structure reviews to the Programmes Director.
• Ensure that all staff is aware of and comply with Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Monitor and review performance of staff line managed through Concern’s Performance Development Reviews system (PDR’s) and hold staff accountable for meeting the success criteria.

5. Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed;
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

1. General

• Collaborate on advocacy work through provision of sound, reliable and evidence-based information based on thorough research with the use of programme data and where relevant undertake studies to inform future programme direction.
• Provide all necessary documentation support to the Country Management Team (CMT) including programme brochures which promote Concern’s work with donors.
• Any other tasks mutually agreed with the Programmes Director and or the Country Director.

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

This position demands a highly organised and dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding environment.

• Master’s degree in development, livelihoods, economics, international relations, agriculture or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years food security and livelihoods experience including at least 2 years at programme management level
• Ability to foster effective collaboration on multi-sector programmes.
• Past experience of working on programmes in conflict settings and demonstrable keen interest in trends and policies relating to longer-term solutions in protracted humanitarian settings.
• Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) techniques and a good grasp of project cycle management.
• Experience working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders including local authorities, partners, and other I/NGOs.
• Thorough understanding of budgetary, HR and procurement processes.
• Very strong English writing and verbal communication skills.
• Good team player, flexible and politically and culturally sensitive.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office.

We would also like:

• Ability to speak, read and write Arabic is an asset.
• Previous work experience in response to the Syrian crisis or fragile setting
• Affinity with organisational values, mission and vision, commitment to humanitarian principles.
• Familiar with UN coordination mechanisms (cluster approach).
• To lead on livelihoods strategies in across urban, peri-urban and rural settings, market systems, and studies

We also value the following special skills and aptitudes:

• Proven ability to work in insecure environments.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative.
• High level of critical thinking and problem solving abilities.

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.