Livelihoods Programme Manager for Iraq

Starting date: August/September
Contract duration: 7 months with the possibility of extension
Country Programme: Iraq
Base: Erbil, Iraq, with frequent travels the field if the security situation allows (50­% Erbil and 50% field)
Line Manager: Programs Director

About the People in Need:

People in Need (PIN) is an international, non-profit organization providing humanitarian and development assistance in over 20 countries worldwide. PIN draws on extensive past experience and lessons learned across development, emergency and post-emergency context to design, implement and monitor quality programming. PIN has been working in Iraq since 2011, providing early recovery and livelihood support to conflict-affected communities. Programmes in Iraq focus mainly on Education, WASH, Climate change in addition to Early Recovery and Livelihoods activities. PIN´s Iraq humanitarian response annual turnover is over 5 million USD.

General Position Summary:

With supervision from Programs Director, the Livelihood Programme Manager (PM) will have a key role in leading a programme team, timely and smooth implementation and ensuring the overall quality of the livelihoods programming, with a specific focus on rural development activities, in PIN Iraq. The PM will be responsible for the implementation of projects falling into livelihood (with rural development focus) portfolio. The PM will report to Programs Director, in close cooperation with MEAL manager and all support departments (Admin, Logistics and Procurement, IT, HR, Security). S/He will be primarily providing of technical support and guidance for livelihood programming with a particular emphasis on design, implementation, management, monitoring, and resource mobilization. S/He is a member of the Senior Management Team.

Duties and responsibilities:

Programme implementation

• Plan and oversee the various stages of projects implementation and set direction by prioritizing and organizing activities and resources to achieve project objectives;
• Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure a timely completion of projects using the appropriate tools; review the projects’ drawing to avoid under/over spending, ensuring accurate budget forecasting and expense planning;
• Ensure quality and timely implementation of PIN’s livelihoods programming in Iraq;
• Provide technical guidance and backstopping to the livelihood’s teams in programme design and implementation;
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits to key sites to draw recommendations for improvements;
• Prepare high quality and timely narrative reporting for donors;
• Develop implementation plans that will set out future activities and track progress;
• Develop procurement plans and liaise with relevant support departments, complete and regularly update budget forecasts for project activities and staffing, and monitor budget vs actual;
• In cooperation with MEAL team, develop and regularly update the MEAL plan, ensure measures aiming to strengthen accountability to affected populations are in place and that livelihoods activities are appropriately monitored and evaluated and feedback is reflected in current programming;
• Ensure compliance with donor and PIN’s policies, procedures and regulations throughout the entire project cycle; ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of project deliverables;
• Write new livelihood proposals in coordination with the team

Team Management

• Manage a team of about 10 national project staff and participate in the transparent and timely recruitment of project staff (developing organigrams, ToRs, elaborating recruitment tests);
• Assess training and development needs within the livelihoods team;

Capacity Building

• Work with the team and strengthen their capacity to implement and report on agreed management and monitoring procedures; Identify priority areas for capacity building and provide technical guidance, training and support;
• Provide support to partners in project implementation and ensure timely and qualitative implementation of projects by partners in line with PIN and donor requirements;

Programme Development

• Provide technical guidance on the planning of assessments, and participate in livelihoods and rural development assessments as required;

• Contribute to development and updating of PIN’s Livelihoods Country Strategy;

• Participate in identifying opportunities to increase scope and quality of PIN’s livelihoods programming

• Maintain up to date knowledge of livelihoods and market issues in Iraq, and share this information with senior management and relevant actors;

• Ensure feedback and learning is used when designing new interventions;

• In collaboration with Programs Director, actively identify new funding opportunities, contribute to the development of strategies and project proposal;

Communication and Representation

• When required, liaise with donors and represent PIN and its activities at the international, national and local level
• Active representation within the relevant clusters and sub-clusters (Emergency Livelihoods, Cash WG, Food Security) and other governmental/UN/INGO led coordination mechanisms and working groups;

Suitable candidates for this position should possess:

• At least 3 years of professional experience within a humanitarian and/or development organization;
• Proven experience in Livelihood programming; programme management experience in rural development is highly desirable
• Master in Agricultural Science, Rural Development, Agricultural Engineering, Economics, etc
• Experience with implementing capacity building projects and in cooperation with various stakeholders (agriculture-based cooperative, NGOs and public authorities)
• Experience in coordinating local NGOs, as projects partners
• Experience with team management and supervision, and interest in building the capacity of national teams
• Excellent communication skills, including fluent spoken and written English;
• Strong grasp of all stages of programme cycle management and quality standards in humanitarian programming, including safeguarding and accountability mechanisms;
• Strong organizational, critical analysis and problem solving skills;
• Experience of working in complex and volatile contexts, including familiarity with the humanitarian context of Syria or the Middle East, would be an advantage;

People in Need offers:

• Working environment in a well-established and growing humanitarian organization;
• Salary and benefits according to PIN salary scale and HR policies, expected salary 2900 – 3000 EUR;
• Accommodation in PIN’s guesthouse on PIN’s expenses;
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work, plus R&R benefits according to PIN’s policy; plus regional travel benefits according to PIN´s policy;
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online; travel health insurance;

Please consider that the position is subjected to donor final project approval.