Job Overview
Reporting to the EECD Coordinator, the EECD Senior Implementation Manager leads the overall implementation and operational management of IRC Lebanon’s EECD programs. The position oversees multiple projects and program teams, ensuring implementation remains on track against approved workplans, targets, indicators, budgets, donor commitments and timelines.
The Senior Implementation Manager leads programme planning and implementation follow-up, monitors progress and expenditure, oversees programme and partner performance, and ensures implementation challenges are identified and addressed in a timely manner. The position works closely with regional teams, MEAL and Finance, as well as Grants, Partnerships, Supply Chain, HR and other support departments, to ensure strong project-cycle management and evidence-based decision-making.
The role also maintains regular implementation coordination with relevant government ministry focal points, implementing partners and other stakeholders to facilitate timely delivery, approvals and follow-up.
Major Responsibilities
Programme Management, Implementation and Oversight
- Lead the overall implementation and management of EECD programs, ensuring quality, timely delivery, and alignment with program objectives, donor commitments, and IRC standards.
- Lead program planning and workplan development and management, working with program teams to develop, regularly review, and update implementation plans, identify delays or bottlenecks, and ensure corrective actions are taken and escalating critical issues as needed.
- Oversee partner implementation and coordination, ensuring partners receive appropriate support, meet agreed deliverables, and comply with program quality, monitoring, reporting, and operational requirements.
- Oversee program budgets and spending, working closely with Finance and EECD Senior Program Officer to review BvAs, monitor burn rates and projections, identify under/overspending, and ensure timely and appropriate use of funds.
- Ensure timely and high-quality program and donor reporting, coordinating inputs from program teams, partners, and MEAL ensuring consistency between narrative, and results.
- Provide regular guidance and support to ensure smooth day-to-day delivery.
- Escalate significant implementation, financial, operational or performance risks to the EECD Coordinator in a timely manner, with recommended actions.
Monitoring, Learning and Donor Reporting
- Establish and maintain robust mechanisms for tracking workplans, activities, outputs, indicators, targets and key deliverables.
- Work closely with the MEAL team to regularly monitor program performance, track indicators, targets, and outcomes, ensuring data is accurate, timely, and used to inform decision-making.
- Participate in data review and reflection/learnings meetings to inform adaptive programming and flag concerns.
- Ensure meeting donor reporting requirements and deadlines.
Coordination, Partnerships and External Engagement
- Coordinate closely with Finance, MEAL, Grants, Supply Chain, HR, ECD Regional team, relevant programs’ sectors, and other support functions to anticipate and resolve operational constraints affecting program delivery.
- Coordinate with communications and advocacy regional and in-country focal points, ensuring timely implementation and follow-up of communication plans, documentation of success stories and program impact to meet donor and IRC communication and visibility requirements.
- Contribute effectively as needed in project cycle meetings and reflection and learning sessions.
- Maintain regular communication with partners, and sub-grantees to ensure alignment with workplans and partnership agreements.
- Maintain strong relationships and coordination with relevant ministries to ensure program implementation is aligned with government priorities, effectively coordinated with ministry counterparts, and that required approvals and follow-up are secured in a timely manner.
- Support capacity assessments, strengthening and follow up with partners, ensuring partner compliance with IRC and donor requirements.
- Represent the EECD program in relevant external coordination forums, working groups (national and sub-national levels), sector meetings, donor meetings when needed, regional meetings, and meetings with peer and government organizations.
- Coordinate with the Partnerships team on sub-grant management, partner reporting, and partner performance follow-up.
Team Management and Capacity Development
- Supervise and support direct reports, setting clear priorities and accountabilities, monitoring performance, and ensuring effective coordination across projects and locations.
- Support onboarding and capacity development of direct reports.
Compliance and Safeguarding
- Ensure adherence to IRC policies, safeguarding principles, and relevant EECD standards throughout program implementation.
- Promote safe, inclusive, and child-friendly learning environments across supported activities and spaces.
- Minimum 5 to 7 years of relevant professional experience in program management, implementation, and coordination in education-ECD (a must).
- Demonstrated education and/or ECD experience required (preferably in ECD).
- Previous NGO/INGO experience required. (a must)
- Experience working with MEAL systems, indicator tracking, and results-based program management.
- Previous experience working with government counterparts. (preferable)
- Prior supervisory or team-management experience. (a must)
- Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Education
Bachelor's degree in social sciences, education, development studies, management, or a related field; a Master's degree is an asset.
Language Skills
Fluency in Arabic and English.
- Standard office environment with regular travel to field implementation sites and partner locations.
- Position is based in IRC Beirut office.
