About the Role Tr caire is seeking to recruit a Head of Programme Development & Quality (HoPDQ) to be based in Beirut, Lebanon to support local partners in Lebanon and Syria. As a member of the Country Management Team (CMT), the Head of PDQ is responsible for driving cross-functional engagement in the development and delivery of Tr caire s Country Strategy Plans in both Lebanon and Syria, developing annual plans and reporting on results. S/he is responsible for ensuring development and delivery of high quality, evidence-based, innovative programmes in all contexts, that contribute to Tr caire s Global Strategic Plan. The Head of PDQ ensures that a robust monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) system is in place, that the country office engages in the collection and use of evidence and that this is shared across the organization, and that reliable data is used for decision-making. The Head of PDQ supports strategic positioning with donors and partners and leads on programme and project design to ensure that the country office strategies can be delivered in line with Tr caire s programme framework, Localisation agenda and a gender transformational approach. As a senior leader in the country office s/he plays a representational role with the government/authorities, donors, partners, peer agencies, and others. As one of the most senior staff in the Country Office, the Head of PDQ must demonstrate the qualities of agile leadership. S/he plays a key role in defining and pursuing the strategic direction for Tr caire s programmes in Lebanon and Syria, ensuring the relevance, coherence, safety and impact of our programmes in all contexts. This is a challenging role requiring an individual who can work with complexity and multiple tasks at one time. It demands dedication to demonstrating outcomes for communities at risk, experience in integrated programming and a highly motivated leader. S/he has specific oversight for ensuring that programmes demonstrate thematic excellence in contributing to Tr caire s Global Strategic Plan. The Head of PDQ will report to the Country Director in Beirut and will lead, develop and empower an experienced, committed and hardworking team of 9. The Head of PDQ will directly line manage four Programme Managers including the MEAL Manager, and a Humanitarian Response Coordinator. The Head of PDQ will work closely with the Business Development & Grants Manager, Finance Manager, and HQ/global technical advisors. This is a two-year fixed-term contract, renewable, based in Beirut, with frequent travel to programme locations in Lebanon and Syria. The contract includes a six-month probation period. For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, Tr caire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits. This position is open to both national and international candidates. For international candidates, this is an unaccompanied duty station, and preference will be given to candidates who already have the right to work in Lebanon.

Key Areas of Accountability

Strategy, Planning and Reporting

• Lead the development, implementation and review of programme strategies across Lebanon and Syria, ensuring alignment with Tr caire's Global Strategic Plan and Country Strategic Plans.
• Drive strategic programme planning, prioritisation and adaptive management to ensure programmes remain relevant, context-responsive and impactful.
• Lead annual planning, programme reviews and reporting processes, ensuring evidence-based decision-making and organisational learning.
• Promote innovation, learning and continuous improvement across programmes and partners.
• Identify and monitor strategic and programme risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation measures are integrated into planning and decision-making.
• In collaboration with the BDGM, ensure programme growth, fundraising prioritisation, donor positioning, and strategic partnerships.

Programme Development, Quality, and Learning

• Provide strategic leadership to ensure programmes are evidence-based, partner-centred and aligned with Tr caire's Programme Quality standards.
• Ensure robust MEAL systems, knowledge management and learning processes are embedded across programmes.
• Lead programme quality improvement efforts, including reviews, evaluations, learning and adaptive management.
• Ensure cross-cutting priorities including gender equality, safeguarding, disability inclusion, accountability, conflict sensitivity and nexus approaches are integrated across programming.
• Promote innovation, evidence generation and the use of learning to strengthen programme effectiveness and impact.
• Promote a culture of learning, reflection, evidence generation, knowledge management, and adaptive management across programme teams and partners, organization wide and externally.
• Ensure research and evaluation jointly with PIL Unit at HQ to generation of evidence for development and improvement of programme approaches, sound decision making and policy influencing internally and externally.

Programme Oversight and Risk Management

• Maintain strategic oversight of programme performance, grant health, compliance and risk management across the portfolio.
• Support Programme Managers to deliver high-quality programmes that achieve intended outcomes and meet donor and organisational standards.
• Ensure effective programme monitoring, reporting and documentation systems are in place.
• Ensure regular documented structured 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.
• Promote integrated programme and finance oversight to strengthen accountability, risk management and partner support.

Essential Requirements & Skills

• Minimum 7 years in leading humanitarian/development programming.
• At least 5 years managing managers and playing a leadership role in ensuring cohesiveness, inclusion and development of staff at all levels.
• Proven technical experience in designing and leading the implementation of humanitarian and development strategies, program development and sectoral interventions across multiple thematic areas: Livelihoods, Food security, Social Cohesion, Cash-based interventions as well as applying a nexus approach, is highly desirable.
• Experience in partnership-based programming and Program Quality benchmarks.
• Demonstrated successful fundraising and donor engagement experience.
• Strong strategic leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to navigate security protocols and develop risk management strategies for operations in Lebanon and Syria.
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Desired Candidate Profile

Minimum 7 years in leading humanitarian/development programming.

At least 5 years managing managers and playing a leadership role in ensuring cohesiveness, inclusion and development of staff at all levels.

Proven technical experience in designing and leading the implementation of humanitarian and development strategies, program development and sectoral interventions across multiple thematic areas: Livelihoods, Food security, Social Cohesion, Cash-based interventions as well as applying a nexus approach, is highly desirable.

Experience in partnership-based programming and Program Quality benchmarks.

Demonstrated successful fundraising and donor engagement experience.

Strong strategic leadership and people management skills.

Ability to navigate security protocols and develop risk management strategies for operations in Lebanon and Syria.

Solid experience of managing teams in a multi-cultural environment and playing a leadership role in ensuring cohesiveness, inclusion and development of staff at all levels.

Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and demonstrated ability in using these with internal and external stakeholders (partners, donors, host government etc.).

Demonstrated ability to manage budgets in complex humanitarian contexts.

Highly organised, with excellent planning, prioritisation and problem-solving skills.

Excellent written, oral and presentational communications skills.

Fluency (written and spoken) in English; Arabic.

A team player but also willing and able to work with minimal supervision.

Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.

Patient and pays high degree of attention to detail.

Understanding of, and empathy with, the role of the Catholic Church in development.

Ability and willingness to travel within and across countries (Lebanon and Syria) and internationally including travel to HQ in Ireland.