Job Description

The Senior Education Program Manager will ensure program implementation is well and clearly planned, tracked and aligned with the overall program goals. The position plays a key role in harmonizing Project’s aspects across locations and ensuring that all program models are implemented with quality in coordination with Education Coordinator, Technical and M&E Managers to achieve strategic objectives. The Senior Education Manager directly supervises and provides management and support to the Education field managers and ensures that programmatic strategies and best practices are shared across field teams and partners. The Senior Program Manager will also support in external representation on both field and national levels.

Major responsibilities:

Program implementation, financial management and coordination:

- Oversee and monitor the education implementation of IRC and partner NGOs ’ in Bekaa and Akkar in close coordination with education field managers, technical team and M&E Managers. - Supervise and guide education team members and provide support and timely constructive feedback on performance. - Build IRC and local partner’s capacities in various technical and operational aspects according to identified capacity building needs and in line with the education work. - In collaboration with the partnership team, map local organizations in relevant areas of work according to programmatic needs and partnership objectives. - Develop project planning, management, and monitoring tools in line with the education programs in Lebanon. - Adapt and update relevant project tools in a timely manner based on need or contextual changes. - Standardize field implementation plans and strategies across field teams for IRC and partner organizations, in collaboration with their relevant counterparts. - Ensure project’s progress against deliverables and address gaps/challenges in a timely manner as they arise. - Develop and monitor spending plans for education programs with support from relevant team members - Review the Budget Versus Actual analysis on monthly basis, justify over/under-spending and take necessary actions where needed. - Provide timely status reporting regarding project milestones, deliverables, challenges, and support needed according to reporting schedules and templates. - Develop country-specific programmatic standards for existing and future education programs, education strategy. - Advise on education program models and ensure that content is aligned with local and national standards and needs. - Work with MEAL team on the development of M&E systems and ensure regular follow up on data requested by donors and the partner NGOs. - Set-up systemic review meetings with IRC and partner organizations for the timely sharing of information, challenges, lessons learned, M&E data etc. to inform corrective measures and future program designs. - Collaborate with IRC program teams (Child Protection, Health, Women Protection and Empowerment, Economic Recovery and Development) to develop strategies for integration of Education activities across IRC programs and with partners. - Facilitate and coordinate with IRC’s programs and promote safe and appropriate referrals between both sectors.

Internal and External Representation:

- Coordinate and support external missions, visits and other communication and visibility activities related to Education. - Support the Education Coordinator in the external coordination forums and represent the IRC to UN, international and national NGOs and key Education actors. - Represent the IRC at relevant coordination and working group meetings to ensure the coordination of project activities on national level with relevant partners. - Cascade information from external sources and engagement activities with relevant IRC staff.

Business development:

- Support in the development of an education strategy for the Lebanon country program; one that is informed by needs, context, IRC’s added value and strengths. - Participate in program design and new proposal development that will address the gaps and needs identified through the program implementation. - Support in developing business concept notes and proposals for the continuation and expansion of education programs. - Ensure the development and timely sharing of accurate and well written donor reports and other reporting requirements in coordination with Field Education and MEAL Managers. - Lead on budget development/ revision in line with the proposals. - Lead on the monthly salary mapping of the education team to allow for full funding coverage of the team, while maximizing opportunities to leverage grants portfolio flexibility to allow for cost efficiencies and effective budget management. - Prepare and monitor Education yearly operating and staffing budget.

Human Resources Management

- In coordination with HR, support in the recruitment of education staff. - Develop, review job descriptions of Education staff and update when necessary. - Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing professional development guidance. - Develop and implement staff capacity building plans to ensure quality Education programming across the teams and projects in collaboration with partners. - Set clear performance goals and conduct timely and quality performance evaluations of direct reports. - Conduct weekly coordination meetings with Education field teams. - Provide the teams with clear guidance on institutional processes and support in the execution if needed. - Promote a positive working environment and encourage collaboration and coordination across teams. - Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures.

Knowledge Management and innovation:

- Work closely with the Partnership Unit to develop a comprehensive and collaborative approach to strategic and implementation partnerships. - Build and maintain collaborative relationships with partners to facilitate collaborative design processes, co-development of materials and approaches to improve and expand the access and quality of education activities in Lebanon. - Contribute to the strategic direction of the design and implementation of activities in-line with MEHE’s requirements and partners ensuring sustainability. - Conduct the project learning events based on data extracted from MEAL team including coordination with relevant sectors. - Interact with peers to share lessons learned and best practices. - Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learned are shared in a timely and appropriate manner internally and externally with local partner NGOs. - Provide feedback and support guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of IRC’s policies.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Education Coordinator

Position directly supervises: Education Field managers

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Beirut managers, Grants, Finance, Supply Chain , Human Resources, Partnership Departments, in addition to Deputy Director of Programs, Deputy Director of Operations, other program coordinators and Qitabi 2 Project Manager

External: Education Partner NGOs and relevant line ministries

Qualifications

- University Degree in Education, social sciences, international development, Business Administration or other related field. - Minimum of 3 years professional experience in administrative or supply chain management. - Experience working in emergency settings or insecure environments; regional or in-country experience preferred. - Strong organizational and result oriented skills. - Proven track record in working with teams, showing high performance in a multi-cultural environment, demonstrating flexibility, and able to handle pressure with professional grace. - Fluency in Arabic and English required; spoken French an asset.