Entrepreneurship Development Manager, Lebanon
This position is contingent based on funding. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
BACKGROUND:
The International Rescue Committee is an international organization specializing in emergency and humanitarian programming. In response to the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the IRC is implementing an Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) program focused on meeting life and livelihood needs of refugee populations and host communities. Lebanon's fragile economy and strained government resources demand a more active and innovative private sector. This presents an opportunity for Lebanon's female entrepreneurs, who are many in number but remain largely confined to the informal sector. As a result, they have limited access to capital and, when attempting to expand their businesses, they are forced to rely on savings. Therefore, despite commendable efforts, businesses run by women in Lebanon have limited growth and profit potential. To address these challenges, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) intends to launch a project to support promising small businesses with training, capital, access to networks and markets, and other business support services to help them expand. The IRC will focus on Lebanese female entrepreneurs who are based in rural settings and provide innovative solutions to social needs. The IRC will also recruit young women to become apprentices within the businesses receiving IRC assistance. The project will be conducted in the North and South governorates – two especially poor regions of Lebanon.
SCOPE OF WORK:
The Entrepreneurship Development Manager works within the Economic Recovery and Development team of the IRC in Lebanon, under the lead of the ERD Coordinator. The ERD team includes also a Livelihoods Program Manager, a Cash Program Manager and an M&E Manager. The Managers are the interface between the ERD Coordinator and the IRC field team, administrators, vendors and partners. The Entrepreneurship Development Manager's first responsibility is overseeing the day to day implementation of all Entrepreneurship Development interventions and supervising and guiding project staff, implementing partners and beneficiaries. The Manager is expected to spend up to 50% of the working time in the South and the North of Lebanon, on a weekly basis, for coordination with local institutions, implementation support, program monitoring and field-level decision making. Who this position reports to:
ERD Coordinator RESPONSIBILITIES:
Staff Supervision & Development
- Directly supervises team members
- Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
- Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, probations reviews and annual performance reviews
- Plan/coordinate and oversee staff workplans, work and vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities
- If/as required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies
Programme Planning & Implementation
- Prepare and maintain/update detailed workplan(s) that support and achieve the program timeline and completion date
- Provide direction and monitor staff in their implementation of the workplan and quality of technical activities, share relevant information and direction to improve quality and achieve timelines
- Develop procurement plans, monthly program spending plan and cash forecasts
- Approve expenditures to designated level; manage/monitor monthly expenditures and track the cash-component budget to ensure that all spending is in line with approved budget and timelines
- Design and lead market analysis and business feasibility studies
- Develop standard operating procedures for the selection of beneficiaries and of business development plans, and ensure that they are thoroughly applied
- Lead the formation of the experts' panels for the selection of project beneficiaries and business expansion plans, ensuring the highest possible level of expertise and impartiality of members
- Ensure that beneficiaries receive timely and quality training, mentorship and business development services
- Ensure that grants are disbursed in the full respect of SOPs
Programme Monitoring & Reporting
- Undertake weekly field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions and implement modifications as required
- Support the M&E Manager in the development of the M&E framework and tools
- Coordinate with the M&E Manager for the organization of the M&E team field visits, by timely sharing information on ongoing activities and plans
- Provide inputs for SitReps and regular reports for IRC donors on grant activities, progress, indicators, and achievements as specified in grant agreements and reporting schedules.
Partner Management
- Serve as the main focal person for the IRC's implementing staff and partners; maintain respectful and constructive relations, and ensure regular meetings and ongoing coordination
- Regularly monitor performance of the Partner to achieve the set project's objectives; provide technical support and guidance; share relevant information and direction to improve quality and achieve timelines
- Review partner narrative reports and provide advice and guidance to improve accuracy and quality as required.
Coordination & Representation
- Work closely and coordinate with IRC logistics, finance and grant staff to ensure timely and compliant program activities and expenditures; including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings
- Under the guidance of the ERD Coordinator, represent the IRC in entrepreneurship development coordination bodies, and share information with national and international NGOs, as well as UN agencies, as appropriate.
Other
- Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the project team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for the project
- Other duties as assigned by the ERD Coordinator
Professional Standards
All IRC staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies. REQUIREMENTS:
Bachelor of Arts or Science in Business Management, Economics, Agriculture, or related field
5 years of technical experience implementing entrepreneurship development programs
2-3 years of experience in managing teams, monitoring staff performance, and providing technical support and coaching to field teams
1-2 years of experience in market analysis and business feasibility studies
Experience in facilitating technical trainings and workshops related to business management and entrepreneurship development
Prior experience within business incubators preferred
Prior experience in developing program implementation workplans, data collection and analysis, and program reporting
Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail
Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility
Personal qualities: Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well
Fluency in English required. WORK ENVIRNOMENT: Travel and other requirements: The Manager is expected to spend up to 50% of the working time in the North and in the South, on a weekly basis, for coordination with local institutions, implementation support, programme monitoring and field-level decision making.
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