Job: Project Manager

Location: Lebanon
Deadline: Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Organization: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Country: Lebanon Closing date: 19 Nov 2013

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST – UNRWA

UNRWA is the United Nations agency responsible for the protection, care and human development of a population of some 4.6 million Palestine refugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Syrian Arab Republic. The Agency is committed to assisting Palestine refugees in maintaining a decent standard of living, acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills, enjoying the fullest possible extent of human rights, and leading a long and healthy life. UNRWA is by far the largest UN operation in the Middle East with over 29,000 staff. Most of the staff members are refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities – as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers.

Project Manager

Location Lebanon Field Office Type of Appointment Fixed Term – Project Funded (Till February 2016) Deadline for Application 19 November 2013 Vacancy Announcement Number 74/2013 Grade 16 Department/Division Relief & Social Services Programme

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

In accordance with Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent:

1. Develops strategy for marketing loan products and targeting potential clients; visits proposed businesses / enterprises venues and carries out monitoring visits in coordination with MCSP staff to clients funded projects on regular basis and collects other vital information that is necessary to draft progress and/or final reports; follows up on project funding status with Donor Relations Unit; drafts correspondence thereof;
2. Prepares a plan of action for the MCSP component of the Spring project with milestones and develops ToRs for project personnel and consultant; coordinates the development of new Management Information System for MCSP;
3. Monitors the implementation of the project vis-a-vis milestones set in the project document and according to set timelines; reviews implementation to verify adherence to donor stipulations, grant agreement guidelines and deadlines; reports any delays or bottlenecks hindering the speedy implementation of project and makes appropriate recommendations to improve delivery rate;
4. Drafts progress and final reports about project activities as required;
5. Liaises with and provides statistical and narrative information as required by or through the Programme Chief; coordinates an impact assessment by the end of the project to document success, challenges and lessons learnt;
6. Coordinates with other UNRWA Programmes/Offices and partners to facilitate access of borrowers to financial and non-financial services; participates in cluster meetings and Focus Groups Discussions to raise awareness about the project and MCSP activities in general;
7. Follows up on the procurement of items covered by donor funded project by liaising with Programme/Department Administrative Officers and Procurement Officers;
8. Monitors monthly project expenditures and makes proposals aimed at improving the delivery rate; ensures accurate and complete financial reporting and internal control;
9. Performs such other duties as may be assigned.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

1. Academic and Professional A university degree in project management, economics, development studies, business administration, finance or other related field.
2. Experience At least six years of relevant experience, preferably including the development and management of microcredit projects.
3. Language Excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic.
4. Competencies

• A demonstrated ability in financial management of development projects and in liaising and cooperating with NGOs, and community;
• Self-motivated and availability to work under the pressure;
• Team-oriented, posses a positive attitude and work well with others;
• Flexible and willing to travel within Lebanon Field, as requested;
• Excellent verbal and writing communication skills in Arabic and English;
• Demonstrated skills in working with others and ability to handle sensitive issues;
• Demonstrated good working knowledge of Word, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Excel and databases.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

1. A diploma in microfinance;
2. Have a good knowledge of the micro finance industry and practices in Lebanon and in particular for Palestine refugees; i
3. Possession of a valid driving license;
4. Good knowledge in project management cycle and results based management.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Salary: Monthly basic salary L.L. 2,440,030.- Contract Duration: Fixed term – Project Funded (Till February 2016 – not extendable) Holidays: 30 days annual leave Dependency allowance: Dependent spouse: L.L 60,000 per month Dependent child: L.L 33,000 per month Pension: Provident Fund contribution

EQUIVALENCY

Candidates with an equivalent combination of relevant academic qualifications, professional training and progressive work experience may also be considered.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The Recruitment process is based on the Agency's strategy to obtain the best qualified and suitable employees through a competitive recruitment process. After the deadline for receiving applications, all applications will be reviewed by the Human Resources Office and the Hiring Department. Only Short-listed candidates who fully meet the required criteria shall be contacted and undergo technical/practical tests and the candidates with the highest passing scores will then be invited to interview (see 'Technical and Practical Tests Required' below). The final recommendation for selection is based on the test results, interview assessment, Agency priorities and needs and the candidates' profiles. For all posts, the weight allocated for the technical/practical tests (listed below) is 60% and for the interview is 40%.

GENERAL INFORMATION UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women. It is Agency Policy to give full consideration to qualified disabled candidates whose disability does not impact their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the post.

As a member of the United Nations system, UNRWA maintains a close relatives' policy. In this regard, if a candidate has a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter) who is already employed by the Agency, he/she can only be employed if the Agency is unable to find another suitable candidate.

UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights, for diversity, and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking working environment.

Where there are two or more equally qualified candidates, selection preference will normally be given to internal candidates, Palestine Refugees and candidates of the under-represented gender. If the post is a project funded post (this will be indicated in the vacancy), an internal candidate with a temporary-indefinite or fixed-term appointment selected for this post will not retain his/her current contractual status and entitlements in accordance with current letter of appointment and applicable Area Staff Rules. The Agency maintains the discretion to fill future vacancies for this position from the roster without re-advertising the vacancy.

TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL TESTS REQUIRED Short-listed candidates will sit for one test:

• Computer based technical test (100%).

The top 5 scoring candidates in the computer based technical test given that none have scored less than 50%, will be invited for an interview.

How to apply:

If you have the skills and experience required above, and want to make an active and lasting contribution to improving the lives of Palestine refugees, then register on http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing the UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through this website will be considered and the system will not allow applications after the deadline. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Candidates may also be invited to take a technical exam in order further evaluate their qualifications for the post. Due to a high volume of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. For any queries please send an email to: recruitmentquestions@unrwa.org. Please apply as requested above, do not send your CV To this email address, all cvs sent to this email address will be automatically ignored.

Date of issue: 06 November 2013

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