Education Programme Manager - LIFE - Lebanon

Education (Nurture) Programme Manager - LIFE Lebanese International Finance Executives - Lebanon

Scope of the role
The post-holder will be LIFE main coordinator of activities in Lebanon and will be responsible for all areas relating to the Nurture programme taking place in Lebanon. In order to fully fulfill its role, the post-holder will have close links with LIFE headquarters in London and with the chapters most involved in the Nurture programme, namely France, London and the US.

Tasks will include

1. Scholarships
- The management and supervision, in coordination with NC, of the selection of LIFE scholars, including receiving applications, answering requests, gathering needed documents, interviewing all relevant candidates, preparing their presentation dossiers and dissertations to NC.
- Liaising with NC to organise interviews between pre-selected candidates and designated Committee Members.
- Collecting interview feedback, aggregating comments and annotations as well as presenting them in a summarised manner.
- Reverting NC's decisions back to candidates.
- Gathering scholarship fee payment information, keeping track of payments and of budget, preparing payment orders. Following up/monitoring scholarship finances/financial reporting.
- Ensuring a regular academic follow-up for each scholar, collecting quarterly grades, keeping track, aggregating info, sending it to CEO and NC's chair.
- Whistleblowing, in case of need.
- More generally, acting as the point of contact between LIFE and the educational institutions in Lebanon supported by LIFE. This includes coordinating a programme of visit and talks of LIFE members at universities, colleges and schools and ensuring agreements, advantageous to LIFE, are in place with the main universities.
- Communicating Nurture programme through the appropriate channels to guarantee a steady flow of scholars or projects.
- Liaising with other organisations and their representatives in Lebanon who may have a partnership with LIFE, as in the case of the Philippe Jabre Foundation.

2. Mentorships
- Ensure Each and every scholar globally is assigned a mentor.
- Nurture's Coordinator will participate actively to the "recruitment" of mentors and their matching with mentees.
- In agreement with our Mentorship guidelines, ensure a thorough follow up between mentor and mentee; introduction, setting up meetings, follow-up, quarterly reporting to CEO & NC's Chair as well as, when needed, Beirut's Committee.

3. Internships
- If and when needed in Beirut, to monitor and follow up on internships.

4. Others
- Reporting regularly to the Nurture committee and occasionally to the Beirut committee.
- Maintaining a database of scholars funded and keeping in touch with LIFE alumni.
- Be the main point of contact for LIFE members in Lebanon.
- Be the main point of contact for the Beirut Junior Council.
- Monitoring a scholarship budget, reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, the budget-holder.

This position will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of LIFE with a dotted line to the Chairmen of Nurture and of the Beirut committee.
Desired Skills and Experience

The successful candidate is likely to have had at least 5/6 years of experience in a similar organisation and is likely to have a track record of success in all or most of the following:
- Experience of working in an NGO/voluntary sector/membership organisation and with volunteers’ boards.
- Management of the scholarship process at any level and from any angle e.g. in a university or school or NGO etc.
- Proven organisational skills, scheduling complex meetings with various individuals in different locations and time frames.
- Proven ability to manage and coach young and inexperienced students, as well as to interact with senior finance professionals and their designated staff.
- Financial acumen.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Experience of negotiation at senior level.
- Database management.
- Familiarity with Excel.
- Experience of creating and monitoring relevant management information, ability to summarise.
- A capacity to trace performance through KPI’s and presentation of management information.
- Marketing and production experience.
- Excellent copywriting skills.
- Fluent English, working knowledge of Arabic and French.
- Solid administrative skills including minute taking.

Skills & Competencies
- The ability to maintain and monitor all operations and systems necessary to the functioning of a scholarship programme.
- The capacity to operate in a small and dynamic environment, in constant growth and change, where everyone lends a hand.
- The ability to operate as part of a decentralised team.
- Understanding of the functioning of a membership and volunteer-led organisation.
- Ability to monitor and maintain goals for own areas.
- Sensitive and effective interpersonal skills - able to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with members and fellow staff.
- Experience to manage financial transactions related to scholarships or any other programme that LIFE may establish in Lebanon.

Preferred Qualifications:
Personal Qualities
- Proactive with a strong achievement drive and ability to work under minimal supervision.
- Commitment to the vision, mission and values of the organisation.
- An understanding of and commitment to the values of accountability, probity, openness and diversity.
- BA level or equivalent.
- Relevant professional qualifications.

Terms of Appointment
This is a key position within the organisation and will report directly to the CEO and work very closely with the CEO, The Chairman of Nurture, the Chairman of the Beirut Committee and the Director of Finance and Operations.

How to apply
- Please enclose a full CV, including educational and professional qualifications, a full employment history showing the more significant positions, responsibilities held, relevant achievements and budgets and staff managed, and latest remuneration including any benefits.
- A covering note, of not more than half a page, summarising your proven ability related to the person and job specifications and what you think you can bring to the organisation.
- Daytime, evening and/or mobile telephone numbers (to be used with discretion).

Please send your CV and Cover Letter by email to vacancies@lifelebanon.com

Closing date - 30th October 2013