Project Manager Sustainable Agriculture

Beyrouth, Liban

CONTEXT

IECD (Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement) is an international solidarity non-governmental organization founded in 1988, operating in the field of social and economic development in partnership with local institutions. IECD’s main sectors of action are vocational training and professional integration, assistance to micro and small enterprises and access to education and health for the most vulnerable. In Lebanon, IECD has been operating since 1989, and has been leading projects throughout the whole country.

Semeurs d’Avenir (SDA) is a Lebanese association, created in 2010, registered under the number 1905. It is the operational partner of IECD in Lebanon.

Semeurs D’avenir follows zero tolerance policy for fraud, bribery, corruption, and conflict of interest. Semeurs D’avenir owes it to the communities to condemn fraud, bribery, corruption, and conflict of interest, therefore for any complaints on these matters an email can be sent to: sda.complaints@iecd.org

SDA has a zero tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of beneficiaries. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility, and all staff are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct, always (both during work hours and outside work hours). Familiarization with, and adherence to, the Code of Conduct is an essential requirement of all staff, in addition to related mandatory training.

The agricultural development program aims to create farming opportunities while adopting an agro‐ecology approach and preserving the environment.

This project has two main components:

‐ Providing new farmers with installation assistance

‐ Supporting the transition toward agroecology practices (farming and beekeeping)

The main subsectors targeted are: market gardening, arboriculture, beekeeping, and aromatic plants and in a lesser extent the processing related to this agricultural produce.

This project is implemented in the South area (Jezzine area in particular) and in the Aley caza (Rechmaya and surroundings) currently with the aim to extend to other areas with the outreach of new farmers requiring support in switching to agroecology.

To implement the project activities, IECD and Semeurs d’avenir wish to recruit a project manager

Mission

Under the responsibility of the programs manager, the Project Manager will be responsible of the following activities and tasks:

    Management and implementation

• Design and manage the action plan (launching and development phases)
• Manage the daily operations:
  • Implement activities and set priorities
  • Coordinate administrative and logistics tasks with the support of the procurement officer

(purchase, maintenance, etc.)

• Ensure availability of qualitative individual follow‐up to newly set farmers
• Support to brand development / origin labelling and set up of a control mechanism of the source
• Ensure that the organic standards are well respected from the production to the processing phase
• Design the contents of training sessions in market gardening and conduct the training sessions
• Coordinate the training contents design in the other subsectors.
• Ensure positive impact on the beneficiaries and a qualitative project
• Provide continuous recommendation to improve the project

Management of partnership relationships 

• Maintain collaboration and good relations with donors, expert, institutional, financial and implementation partners
• Develop and maintain links with other actors to ensure sectoral monitoring
• Participate in the development of new collaboration opportunities (training, funding, visibility, strategy)
• Identify and develop relationships with the other key actors in agriculture in Lebanon
• Share the key elements needed for the project internal and external communication, ensure its visibility (newsletter, FB page, local media, events, etc.)
• Represent IECD and SDA in external meetings with stakeholders.

Financial and administrative management

• Design and manage the yearly operational budget and ensure the proper use of the funds, according to the donor agencies and IECD procedures (planning, management, monitoring and reporting)
• Prepare and share the budget updates (achieved and forecast) on a regular basis
• Participate in the preparation of financial audit with the financial team of the IECD delegation in Beirut
• Plan, organize and implement the purchases and related calls for tenders

• Write internal reports
• Ensure reporting to project donors in coordination with the program manager
• Support and participate in the fundraising activities (preparation of proposals
• Identify opportunities to extend the agricultural development program in Lebanon

Team management

• Manage team according to yearly plan of operations and project activities deliverables: recruit, coach, retain and motivate an agricultural technical advisor
• Identify and mobilize key national and international experts with the support of the program coordination
• Implement team meetings and regular meetings with team members, other project colleagues and external experts involved in the project

Reporting, Monitoring & Evaluation

• Adapt the monitoring tools with the programmatic coordination
• Follow‐up on the logical framework key indicators on a regular basis
• Develop and update technical monitoring tools (demo plots and at farms’ level) and analyze data.
• Develop contents of technical material in order to support the transition towards agroecology.
• Prepare and share internal narrative reports on a monthly basis
• Prepare and upon validation share narrative and financial reports to donor agencies
• Develop close relationships with donor agencies in the fields through field visits, regular meetings, visibility events
• Support the preparation of fundraising proposal and concept note
• Prepare internal and external evaluations

Profile / Education

• University degree in agronomy or related field and/or similar university degree in sustainable development studies

Experience:

• 3 to 5 years including at least 3 in project management whether in the private, public or in an international solidarity organization
• Proven experience in project management and team management related to agricultural project

• Previous experience in market gardening, beekeeping and/or aromatic plant.

• Experience in a multicultural context is highly recommended
• Field experience in farms is a plus.

Skills and competencies

• Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills
• Strong motivation to work on the field with various profiles of beneficiaries and partners
• Adaptability and excellent listening skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Show initiative and be able to work independently, strong autonomy
• Good organizational skills, ability to co‐develop and follow a detailed project plan to track progress
• Ability to identify project objectives and work towards them
• Ability to use appropriate verification techniques to manage changes in project scope, schedule,
• procurement, and costs
• Native command of the Arabic language and high proficiency of English or French
• Good command of pack office

Qualities:

• Autonomous, organized and rigorous
• Intellectual curiosity, versatility and ability to adapt
• Developed sense of human relations and communication, ability to manage intercultural relations
• Leadership, teamwork and pedagogy with a view to “transfer of skills”
• Strong interest and motivation for international solidarity

CONDITIONS

Under the supervision and report to: Programs manager Sustainable Agriculture

Position based in Beirut, with regular trips in the country –

Position dates: as soon as possible for a period of 6 month (until end 2024), renewable contingent of performance and project budget

Salary range: 2100 – 2300 USD

We offer reasonable accommodation for the person with disability depending on the individual’s need

CONTACT

Fill the application form and upload your Cv and Cover Letter