Head of Programmes - Lebanon and Syria

About Trócaire

Founded in 1973, Trócaire is an Irish International NGO and a member of Caritas Internationalis. We work with local partners in the world’s most at-risk communities and with people in Ireland to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises injustice and poverty create. Together we bring about positive and lasting change for a just world. Trócaire works in up to 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. We work towards five goals:  

•          Promote Access to Justice

•          Achieve Climate & Environmental Justice

•          Ensure Women & Girls’ Protection, Voice & Influence

•          Save Lives and Protect Human Dignity 

•          Mobilise the Public on the island of Ireland to achieve Global Justice

Our work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and our values of Solidarity, Courage, Participation, Perseverance and Accountability. In responding to emergencies, implementing long-term development programmes, and advocating for policy change, we are committed to working in partnership with local organisations and communities to bring about lasting change.

About Trócaire in Lebanon & Syria

Trócaire has been responding to the Syrian refugee crisis in Syria and Lebanon since 2012 supporting local caritas and other partners in both countries.  Through our partners, we are providing psychosocial support services to vulnerable women and girls, GBV case management, awareness raising events and cash for protection and multipurpose cash distributions. Our work extends to community-based protection and resilience/livelihoods interventions and peaceful co-existence of displaced and host communities. Trocaire and partners also respond to sudden onset and seasonal emergencies in both countries. As part of our organisational priority, Trócaire is advancing the Localisation agenda through coordination of C4C events, and strategic engagement with different localisation platforms nationally and internationally. The programme in Lebanon and Syria is managed by a team of 15 highly competent and dynamic colleagues and has an annual budget of approximately 5 million euros.

The Head of Programme Role

Based out of Beirut, the Head of Programmes is a senior and strategic role for the Trócaire team leading on the delivery and continuity of our current programming in Lebanon and Syria. The Head of Programmes will lead and develop a diverse portfolio of 14 partners on emergency preparedness and lifesaving assistance, community-based protection and resilience programming, GBV case management, social cohesion and livelihoods interventions in Lebanon and Syria.

You will report to the Country Director and be an integral member of the Country Management Team. You will lead, support and develop an experienced, committed and hardworking team line managing directly four Programme Managers including the MEAL Manager setting clear objectives and monitoring performance to ensure effective programme delivery. You will work closely with the Grants Coordinator, Finance Support/HR and the Finance Programme Manager, and HQ technical advisors.  

Reporting to the Country Director, this is a Fixed Term Contract of 1 year, renewable, and is based in Beirut but with frequent travel to programme locations in Lebanon and Syria.

 Safeguarding Programme Participants Policy:

Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, consultants and other organisational representatives.

Any candidate offered a job with Trócaire will be expected to sign Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policies and Global Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. All offers of employment will be subject to pre-employment checks including satisfactory references and appropriate screening (e.g. police/garda vetting, counter terrorism and anti-trafficking).

Trócaire also participates in the InterAgency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and all employees will be subject to this as part of contract of employment.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Programme Development and Management: 

• Manage and develop the current programme which responds to the local contexts and contributes to a clear strategic country vision and theory of change in line with Trócaire’s Strategic Plan 2021-2025 and the Trócaire Lebanon and Syria Country Strategic Plans.
• Identify learning priorities within each programme and facilitate the sharing of this learning with partners, across programmes, and externally as appropriate.
• Ensure that Trócaire in Lebanon and Syria has a clearly identified program niche and that our added value contributes to our partners’ work and supported communities.
• Ensure strategy coherence across programme, MEAL, and partner capacity strengthening. 
• Work with the Program Managers and partners in the design, development of high-quality programmes and projects in line with the country strategy and programme frameworks.
• Provide technical support to Programme Managers and partners in the development of high-quality protection, basic and food assistance, and livelihoods projects, in line with organisational and international best practices.
• Support the Programme to identify and establish new partnerships in line with Trócaire partnership approach and core values.  
• Support the country team to raise institutional donor funds by coordinating with the Grants Coordinator (GC) and advising on the development of good quality well designed funding proposals for submission to institutional donors. This will involve close liaison and joint working with institutional funding staff in Trócaire head office as well as the GC in Country.
• Oversee the work to ensure that the programmes are designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated within the Trócaire Programme Management and Accountability Framework (PMAG).
• Provide the necessary support to the country team to undertake analysis (contextual/gender/power etc.) that informs appropriate programme strategies, location and target population.
• Ensure there is constant and open communication between the country programme team and head office, particularly the Global Programme team, the Hub, and Programme Impact and Learning Unit. This should facilitate joined up thinking and learning that can contribute towards organisational goals and priorities. 
• Ensure that MEAL and team members have access to technical support required to carry out programme baselines and evaluations. This includes supporting the process of identifying appropriate consultants and other technical support where necessary and providing guidance to the MEAL team.

Programme Implementation and Monitoring:

• Together with Programme Managers, Programme Finance Manager (PFM) and GC design and participate in grant inception meetings, grant review meetings, and grant close out meetings.
• Through a regular and structured programme review process with the Programme Managers, and/or Officers, ensure that programmes are on track and challenges are dealt with in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all programmes are being implemented within a clear engendered M&E framework that includes regular monitoring by the team, supported by technical advice from the MEAL Manager.
• Ensure proper documentation of programmes using Trócaire’s cloud-based Salesforce/Box/Box Drive system.
• Assist programme staff to deliver high quality Annual Programme Reviews and donor reports that provide clear evidence of progress (or lack of) on an annual basis and that can be used for programme management, and ongoing learning and adaptation, as well as to highlight case studies for communication and advocacy.
• Monitor the standardised reporting system for all programme partners in the country, in line with organisational policy and any institutional funding requirements.
• Support, as needed, in preparing contract amendment documentation for donors, ensuring HQ and CD is aware of and has oversight of any contract amendments.
• Organise and maintain regular team meetings with CD and Programme Managers to have oversight of programme.
• Support Protection and MEAL Manager in delivering upon Trócaire’s safeguarding commitments at a country office and partner level.
• Work together with support the MEAL Manager in promoting evaluation methodologies that foster internalisation of learning, and where possible promote elements of peer review and evaluation including with partners.
• Take responsibility for Risk Management at a programme level, supporting programme and finance staff to analyse and respond to risk at project and programme levels.
• Ensure that programme level risks are captured and managed as part of a country risk management strategy led by the CD.

Partner Relationships and Support

• Build strong working relationships with Trócaire’s partners and stakeholders (including other Caritas Internationalis Member Organisations).
• Ensure our partnership portfolio aligns with Trócaire’s organisational and country strategies through networking, scoping and transparent performance reviews.
• Ensure a proactive and strategic approach to the management of the Lebanon and Syria Partner Portfolio, developing a diverse portfolio of partners which can be adequately supported by Trócaire.
• Ensure that the Partnership Policy guides Trócaire’s engagement with partners in Lebanon and Syria and that all Programme staff are familiar with and implement the policy.
• Provide guidance to Partnership Manager and coordinate with Programme Managers and the Finance staff, in managing their partnership portfolio including accountability, capacity development, financial management, programme monitoring and security management.
• Support the Partnerships Team to develop Partner Capacity building for Partner, together with the Partnerships Manager and Capacity Strengthening Coordinator.
• Ensure that Programme and Finance staff adopt a joint approach to partner’ technical and organizational capacity building.

Policy, Advocacy and Communications

• Generate analysis and submit recommendations on advocacy matters and policy asks related to the Programme areas in both countries.
• Support the CD and the POs to proactively drive an evidence-based advocacy agenda, informed by a contextually relevant power and stakeholder analysis, as well as a thorough risk analysis regarding sensitive messaging.
• Support programme staff to embed advocacy within programme strategies and oversee country level advocacy initiatives led by Trócaire which complements desired outcomes of programme strategies.
• Support the team to ensure Trócaire communications channels (online, offline) are being used to promote/highlight Trócaire’s work in the DRC.
• Support the CD and POs to respond to organisational needs for materials, or to host visits, related to organisational level policy, advocacy, campaigns, development education, fundraising and communications.

Financial and Admin Management

• As a member of the CMT, support the CD, GC and FAM to develop annual country budgets and participate in regular budget reviews.

• Organise and maintain monthly finance meetings together with Programme Managers and finance colleagues to have oversight of programme budgets and to review and monitor expenditure of all programme partners in close coordination with Finance and the GC.
• Ensure regular and coordinated visits by finance or programme staff to all programme partners to review systems and financial management and to provide support to partners in line with Trócaire’s Partner Governance and Finance Policy.
• Ensure that all programme financial reports are produced in a timely manner and to a high standard in collaboration with the FAM.
• Provide the necessary support to the finance/programme officers to take appropriate actions if problems with financial management or organisational governance are identified.
• Ensure that GC and finance/programme officers are familiar with internal, and where relevant external (e.g. donor), financial management guidelines and policies, including fraud policies, and that these are adhered to.
• Support the CD to implement and review an Institutional Funding and Donor Engagement Strategy for Trócaire including targeting donors, developing communication material and managing donor relationships in coordination with the GC.
• Support the CD in identifying possible funding opportunities in-country in coordination with the Grant Coordinator.

Human Resource Management

• Line manages four Programme Managers in line with Trócaire’s performance management framework, ensuring that all are clear on the change to which they are contributing and, on their roles, and responsibilities.
• Implement an effective performance management system in line with organisational policy.
• Support, mentor, and coach the team members as part of their professional development and to help them to be highly effective in their work.
• Ensure close coordination of programme finance staff with finance colleagues on all aspects of partner financial management and grants management.
• Establish a team approach to programming, ensuring that programme staff work together to share learning and to exchange skills.

• Ensure regular team meetings for information exchange and strategic discussions as well as to facilitate rolling out of organisational programme processes and policies within the country team.
• Ensure that all programme staff complete an induction process that equips them to deliver on their role confidently and effectively.

Senior Management

• Represent Trócaire at relevant internal and external fora.
• Provide guidance to the programme team on risk identification and management and provide regular updates on risk management to the Country Management Team.
• Represent Trócaire at external meetings, events and networks to share learning and promote our programming in coordination with the CD.
• Support the development and delivery of advocacy activities which address justice and accountability.
• Actively contribute to the Country Management Team.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• The approval of various related processes, ensuring correct following of procedures and that supporting documentation is uploaded (key IT platforms include Agresso, Salesforce, Box).
• Fulfil other reasonable duties and responsibilities, as requested by the Country Director and Head of Portfolio FCAS, including deputising for the Country Director when necessary or appropriate.