Director of operations & Country delegate Lebanon M/F

**The Institut européen de coopération et de développement (**IECD) is an international solidarity organisation founded in 1988, whose mission is recognised as being in the public interest. IECD implements economic and human development projects in partnership with local institutions, giving young people and people in vulnerable situations access to decent, sustainable jobs. Over 35 years of experience in the fields of education, vocational training and access to employment for young people has enabled the IECD to develop real expertise in many sectors: health, green energy, education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, heritage, the hotel industry, digital technology, etc. The Institute operates in 18 countries, organised into 3 geographical areas (Mediterranean, Near East, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, South-East Asia). It implements over 75 projects each year.

In 2024, IECD will have around 370 employees, including fifty at its head office (Montrouge) and around fifty VSIs (Volunteers for International Solidarity). The Near East region encompasses the Institute’s activities in Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.

Lebanon, one of the IECD’s main countries of operation, accounts for around 20% of its global activity. With a multi-disciplinary and multi-faith team of around 90 people (excluding consultants) spread over 4 regions (Beirut-Mont Liban, Tripoli-Nord, Saïda-Sud, Chtaura-Bekaa), the IECD and its local partners work throughout the country to serve Lebanese youth and refugee populations. They implement projects for technical training and professional integration, support for entrepreneurship and access to education. Working with a very dense and diversified network of partners (international institutions, ministries, municipalities, local associations, development agencies, private sector companies, schools and universities, etc.), the IECD in Lebanon has seen a sustained development of its activities in recent years: strong growth in short training courses and actions to promote access to employment, a national-scale project in the health sector, the creation of a social enterprise operating in the renewable energy sector, partnerships with local associations and private sector companies. A large part of these activities are implemented with the Lebanese association Semeurs d’avenir, created by the IECD in 2010.

BACKGROUND

• The IECD’s activity in Lebanon amounts to between €5 and €6 million per year, for around fifteen projects, most of which focus on vocational training and support for entrepreneurship.
• The Director for Lebanon leads an 8-person Steering Committee (COPIL), as part of a team comprising the association’s main managers in the country: programme managers, finance, human resources, accounts, etc.

MISSIONS

1. Head of IECD operations in Lebanon and Sowers of the Future

• Develops the vision, objectives and strategies for the short, medium and long term for both organisations
• Plans and implements activities, ensuring compliance with qualitative and quantitative targets
• Defines the action plan, the priorities and the financial and human resources required to implement it
• Identifies operational and financial risks and opportunities on the various projects
• Provides a local dimension to its activities while taking account of a regional approach
• Ensures coordination with head office and other countries in the region, looks for synergies and complementarities
• Ensures that projects are capitalised on locally and with the region and head office
• Ensures consistency with IECD’s values, vision and strategy

2. Managing teams and developing their skills

• Supervises the management of human resources (expatriates and local staff) for around 90 people
• Leads the COPIL and directly supervises the programme managers, cross-functional managers (Communications, Accounting, Finance, HR) and certain other functions (internal audit, partnerships, etc.).
• Defines and adapts the HR organisation required for the smooth running of operations
• Defines the training policy for teams needed to enhance their skills
• Holds regular meetings of the Key Leaders group, which includes the COPIL, project managers and certain experts. Together with HR Lebanon, sets up regular ad hoc training courses for this group.
• Supports HR Lebanon in developing the skills of the Young Talents group (high-potential staff)
• Signing employment contracts, ensuring compliance with Lebanese labour law and employee protection
• Ensures the smooth processing of visas for expatriates, and their safety
• Ensures team spirit and cohesion between local and head office teams
• Leads and encourages exchanges between operational teams, teams from other countries in the region, and cross-functional teams based in Montrouge
• Is responsible for ensuring that all staff comply with the Code of Conduct and anti-abuse procedures
• Is in charge of security policy, regularly monitors the level of risk in the country and chairs meetings of the Security Committee

3. Managing partnerships and external relations

• Is actively involved in the development of operational partnerships, and works to strengthen them: ministries, companies, associations, etc.
• Manages relations with existing financial partners (including technical and financial reports), in close collaboration with IECD’s partnership teams
• Devotes a significant part of its time to developing relationships with new financial partners
• Liaises with various information and coordination bodies: the French Embassy’s Development Committee, LHIF (coordination of international NGOs), French-speaking NGOs, etc.
• Participates in IECD’s official representation to the Lebanese, French and international authorities
• Develops an appropriate institutional and operational communication strategy to give visibility to the activities of the IECD and Sowers of the Future in Lebanon.

4. Development of new activities

• Contributes to the development of new activities and ensures that they are fully consistent with IECD’s strategy and objectives:
• Initiates and develops new activities locally, with private and/or institutional financial partners
• Share these initiatives with other countries in the region and, more generally, with other IECD teams.

5. Financial management and procedures

• Pilots the annual country budget, coordinates its preparation and monitors its implementation; ensures regular reporting on projects to Management and the Administrative & Financial Department
• Checks that monitoring tools are up to date, leads quarterly financial reviews
• Ensures compliance with management and control procedures
• Ensures compliance with regulatory obligations
• Ensures that audits run smoothly

6. Participation in the IECD’s international dynamic, within the Near East Region, as well as at a global level.

• Participate in the development of a Middle East dynamic, with the aim of sharing experience and skills as closely as possible across projects and functions.
• Participates in the deployment of a strategy to develop operational and financial partnerships on a regional scale, and contributes to discussions on the development of the IECD in the region.
• Raises awareness of the IECD’s regional and global dynamics among Lebanon’s teams. In particular, works to build cooperation between projects and teams in countries in the region and worldwide.

7. Director of Semeurs d’Avenir

• Prepares and runs Association meetings
• Maintains regular contact with the 5 members of the Executive Committee, in particular the Chairman
• Ensures compliance with regulatory obligations, in particular tax and social security declarations
• Ensures that the association’s partnership relations are properly managed

PROFILE (M/F)

Training: Higher education, preferably at Master’s level, such as business school, engineering, political science, economics/management. A double degree would be a plus.

Experience :

• Significant professional experience required (minimum 15 years), including several years in a management position, covering a full range of areas (operations, finance, HR, communications, etc.).
• Experience and/or interest in the field of economic development and international solidarity
• Interest in education, vocational training and entrepreneurship issues
• Ability to operate at the interface between the voluntary, public and private sectors, and to build bridges between them
• International experience, if possible in countries experiencing dynamic development

Expected skills :

• Operational and financial management of projects
• Direct management of a management team (COPIL) and indirect management of their n-1s (Key Leaders): support, training, federating, building loyalty
• Strategic and operational vision of business development
• Beneficiary-focused, anchored in the field, with impact targets to be met
• Capacity to represent IECD and Semeurs d’Avenir to operational, institutional and financial partners; capacity to lead and develop these partnerships.
• Ability to develop new financial partnerships
• Ability to work in a team, in a matrix organisation, in a multicultural environment
• Good command of IT tools and the Microsoft Office pack
• Excellent writing and speaking skills in French and English; an understanding of Arabic would be an advantage

Personal qualities :

• Leadership, ability to train a team
• Dynamic, positive attitude, willingness to work with teams
• Entrepreneurial spirit, agility, innovation
• Focus on solutions, results and impact
• Rigour, organisation, pragmatism
• Diplomacy, adapting to different levels of interlocutors
• Genuine interest in project beneficiaries, their often difficult backgrounds, their aspirations and their motivation
• Sensitivity to Lebanon’s troubled history, respect for cultural and regional differences
• Ability to evolve and make decisions in an uncertain or even unstable environment
• Resilience, self-control, ability to cope with stress
• Strong work capacity: this position of responsibility requires strong commitment and perseverance
• Negotiation skills
• Strong moral qualities: honesty, humility, respect; uncompromising attitude towards abuse of any kind
• Good interpersonal skills, open-mindedness, ability to listen, patience
• Adaptation to local culture, interest in the geopolitical context
• Adherence to IECD’s values: a focus on people, a spirit of service, a professional commitment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Contract: full-time for a minimum of two years, renewable

Direct management of around ten people, with a team of around 90 people (excluding consultants)

Working closely with :

• Directors from other countries in the Middle East
• Cross-functional departments based in Montrouge (Finance, Partnerships, Programmes, Communications, Human Resources and IT)
• Participation in activities and exchanges bringing together the Directors of the 18 IECD delegations

Start date: 1er July 2024

Location:

• Beirut, Lebanon
• Travel throughout Lebanon (depending on the security situation), in the region and in France as required.

Contractual conditions:

• Remuneration according to profile
• Contribution towards on-site accommodation
• Depending on status :
  • Family trips possible, school fees covered
  • One return air ticket per year of assignment (including dependants)
  • Medical and social package
  • Provision of a company car and telephone
• Paid holidays: 2 days per month, i.e. 24 days a year + local public holidays