Local Economic Development and Livelihood Specialist External Post level NPSA-10 Apply by Apr-1-25 Agency UNDP Beirut, Lebanon

Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 5 year(s) experience OR Bachelor's Degree - 7 year(s) experience Required Languages Proficiency in English and Arabic is required.

Lead the design and implementation of context-specific, area-based economic development strategies in focus zones, informed by local needs, vulnerabilities, and resources. Identify and prioritize economic recovery and resilience needs, with a focus on sustainable livelihoods for displaced populations and host communities. Ensure integration of local economic development with wider strategic planning processes. Plan, organize, facilitate and follow-up workshops and trainings related to area-based economic development, local development and planning. Design and oversee initiatives to support vulnerable groups, including displaced populations, women, youth, and MSMEs, with access to sustainable livelihood opportunities. Coordinate with partners to implement tailored programs that address the immediate recovery needs and long-term economic integration, focusing on enhancing household income stability and food security. Develop mechanisms for the empowerment of women and youth through entrepreneurship, skills training, and access to finance. Conduct assessments to identify viable local economic value chains, particularly in agriculture, MSMEs, and other critical sectors for economic recovery and development. Advise and support the development of sustainable, market-driven value chains that leverage local resources, skills, and infrastructure, with a focus on inclusive growth. Facilitate the establishment of local economic cooperatives, community-based businesses, and sustainable enterprises, providing technical assistance and capacity-building to increase their resilience. Develop and implement capacity-building programs for local authorities, municipalities, and unions on local economic development, sustainable fiscal management, and economic planning. Provide technical assistance to local governments/municipalities in integrating local economic development strategies with broader municipal and regional governance frameworks. Lead the design of training and knowledge-sharing platforms to support local actors in developing and executing effective economic policies. Engage stakeholders in discussions on addressing systemic vulnerabilities and building integrated, climate-resilient, and inclusive local economies. Ensure alignment between local economic strategies and broader national development plans, ensuring that projects are conflict-sensitive and designed with a “leave no one behind” approach. Lead the development of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks to track the progress and impact of livelihood and local economic development projects. Ensure that M&E systems capture both quantitative and qualitative data on economic impact, social inclusion, and resilience building, and use this data to inform programme adjustments/changes. Provide regular reports on the status and impact of livelihood and economic development interventions, identifying challenges and recommending improvements. Explore and recommend innovative financing mechanisms for local economic development, including public-private partnerships, climate financing, and community-driven investment models. Support municipalities and local stakeholders in developing financial plans and mechanisms to sustain local economic development efforts beyond the project lifecycle. Draft and/or provide inputs to proposals, project documents, briefing notes and other documents, as required Support the development of policy briefs, reports, and other knowledge products related to local economic development, livelihood recovery, and resilience-building in Lebanon. Contribute to UNDP's advocacy efforts by sharing best practices, lessons learned, and success stories from local development and economic recovery initiatives. Engage with national and international stakeholders to promote the adoption of policies that support sustainable and inclusive local economic development in Lebanon. Core competencies: Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or
system, and to consider how altering one element
can impact on other parts of the system
Ability to systematically monitor results of
strategies, programmes, and activities with a view
to make sure that they are being implemented
effectively; Ability to provide managers and key
stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting
on the consistency or discrepancy between
planned activities and programme management
and results.
Ability to make independent judgment of the
management and results of strategies,
programmes and activities based on set criteria
and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and
concerns of client, current and upcoming.
Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and
evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies,
systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an
independent judgement based on set criteria and
benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming
needs and concerns
Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
Digital Data analysis Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making Ethics UN policy knowledge - ethics Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity

Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Development Studies, International Relations, Social Studies or related fields is required; or,
• A first level University degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the areas stated above, with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience •Minimum 5 years (with a Master’s degree) or 7 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressive relevant experience in livelihood and local economic development in the context of recovery and resilience programming. Required skills

Experience in designing, managing cluster economic projects.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Experience in coaching, mentoring of staff and partners with international and/or local humanitarian and development agencies. Previous experience in working with UN or an international organization. Experience in cash base programming, labor intensive and women economic empowerment. Experience in

advocating for Sustainable Financing Models for Local Development

Required Language(s) Proficiency in English and Arabic is required.