Programme coordinator DRR & DR, Syria

CORDAID

Cordaid believes in a world without poverty and exclusion. We strive for a just and sustainable society where every person counts. We stand for knowledge and talent sharing between North and South, between farmers and businesses, between activists and policymakers. Where poverty, conflict and exclusion divide societies, we connect people and communities. We stand for professionalism, expertise and solidarity across borders. We make a difference where it is most needed.

Together with more than 800 organizations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America we structurally improve the living conditions of the poorest and most excluded populations - the bottom billion. We do that where natural disasters strike, where conflicts tear up communities and where underdevelopment keep families in extreme poverty. In the Netherlands we are known as Cordaid Memisa, Cordaid Mensen in Nood, Cordaid Kinderstem and Cordaid Microkrediet.

Position and responsibility

50% of the time the position will be filled under Caritas Syria umbrella as Capacity building / PCM / M&E / finance advisor to Caritas Syria

Primary Function (50%):

• Manages and coordinates the Cordaid’s programme cycle (PCM) for Syria (and neighbouring countries);
• Supports Cordaid Strategy for the Region;
• Supports the capacity-building of local partner organisations;
• Participates and represents Cordaid in relevant platforms, networks and clusters;
• Fundraising and sustainability.

Primary Function (50%) supporting Caritas Syria:

• Accompanying Caritas Syria in developing, implementing and monitoring emergency programs;
• Building Caritas Syria capacity in project/program management through mentoring, coaching and training.

The Programme Coordinator Syria will report directly to the Cordaid programme manager in The Hague.
When supporting Caritas Syria, he will be under the operational responsibility of Caritas Syria executive director. The executive director or his delegate will define the orientations and the work to be carried out. He will work closely with Caritas Syria advisory team from Caritas MONA.

Specific objectives

Programme and project development and management with knowledge in logistics

• Support the programme cycle management of Cordaid (identification, formulation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting)and contribute to the improvement of the programme;
• Support project development to strengthen and build upon linking Emergency Response, Disater Preparedness and DRR;
• Regular visits to project sites to monitor progress of projects funded by Cordaid and back donors;
• Responsible for reporting to Cordaid HQ and others based on partner reports and donor requirements.

Fundraising, Networking, Representation and Acquisition

• Represent, Cordaid’s programme in relevant Caritas, UN, CAP, and other humanitarian coordination / thematic cluster meetings;
• Explore added value of Cordaid and promote Cordaid’s interests within relevant clusters;
• Promote and support Cordaid’s ECHO partnership and FPA and identify opportunities for funding from the UN system, CAP, CHF, CERF and other donors/sources;
• Support and promote fundraising activities (institutional, private and corporate fundraising).

Capacity Development on project cycle management and quality standards for humanitarian aid

• Help organize and facilitate trainings for staff of local partner organisations, government officials and staff of Caritas organisations;
• Provide technical assistance on emergency response to and accompany staff of local partner organisations to enable long-term skills-transfer;
• Support documentation of human interest stories, lessons learned, best practices and strategic opportunities related to Cordaid / partners’ programmes and projects;
• Support partners on project cycle management and in formulating proposals (work plan / budget / logframes) for emergency response efforts;
• Support partners to prepare and submit timely and quality financial and narrative reports;
• Ensure good collaboration with regional and local representative’s bodies in the different sectors of intervention.

Function (50%) supporting Caritas Syria:

Accompanying Caritas Syria in developing, implementing and monitoring emergency programs
In close collaboration with Caritas Syria Advisory Team (AT):

• When requested, provide direct accompaniment to Caritas Syria and to the regional offices in developing projects, through all steps of the Program Cycle management, from needs assessments to final evaluation;
• Contribute to review Caritas Syria reporting on a regular basis to monitor the progress and verify the projects are implemented in accordance with partners' requirements;
• Together with Caritas Syria Head of Finance and Assistant Coordinator and the AT, analyse the consistency of the financial and narrative reports, and their consistency with the projects progress on the field;
• Focus on ensuring the monitoring of the closure (including proper audit and evaluation) of Caritas Syria projects;
• Collaborate and coordinate with the Head of Finance to monitor the reporting and financial management;
• Ensure that budgets and funds for Caritas Syria are managed in line with partner’s existing procedures.
• Building Caritas Syria capacity in project/program management through mentoring, coaching and training.

In close collaboration with Caritas Syria Advisory Team (AT) and CRS regional office in Beirut:

• Improve programme quality and delivery to partners;
• Provide specific accompaniment to Caritas Syria when needed in developing their knowledge and skills in project/programme management and administration;
• Organize and facilitate coaching session or training in Program Cycle Management;
• Review project proposals an reporting and provide guidance and inputs, with a specific focus on program quality;
• Provide relevant M&E tools and improved existing M&E system;
• Systematically reflect on programme experience, research, and overall trends in order to feed back into Caritas Syria programs and contribute to draw lessons learned.

Qualifications

• Academic degree in development/humanitarian aid studies or other related field;
• At least 5 years proven experience with developing, managing and monitoring capacity building and humanitarian aid programmes;
• Excellent French and English language writing and communication skills are required, Arab is an aset.
• Knowledge of Middle East and Syria’s socio- political environment is essential;
• Experience in PCM and quality standards, also in providing trainings;
• Experience of ECHO’s e-single form, UN funding mechanisms, CAP and cluster approach;
• Proven fundraising skills;
• Experience using relevant humanitarian international standards such as sphere;
• Relevant experience and expertise in livelihood;
• Experience in working with local NGOs and other structures at local or regional level, preferably with communities in conflict-affected states;
• Experience in working with Caritas is an asset;
• Be diplomatic, culturally sensitive and result-oriented;
• Experience in working in security sensitive environment in complex (post)conflict situations;
• Ability to work independently, with limited supervision.
• Strong interpersonal skills and professional maturity.

Specifics of duty station

The Programme Coordinator Syria will be based in Beirut, Lebanon. He/she will travel regularly to Syria and neighbouring countries. The safety and security situation in Syria remains volatile, but is constantly monitored by Cordaid and its partners and appropriate policies are in place. The Programme Coordinator Syria follows Cordaid, Caritas MONA and Syria security protocols.