ABOUT IREX
IREX is a global development and education organization. We strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive worldโwhere individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive. With a projected annual portfolio of more than $100 million and 600 staff worldwide, we work with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.
POSITION SUMMARY
IREX seeks qualified Technical Deputy Chief of Party candidates for an anticipated USAID-funded higher education activity in Lebanon. This activity will aim to provide technical assistance and institutional capacity building to local higher education institutions and to key official higher education entities in areas such as strategic planning, administrative and financial management, and collaboration with other stakeholders, to improve their effectiveness at the system level and to develop linkages with the private productive sector, with international HEIs, and among local HEIs, not excluding the public/private alliances. The Technical Deputy Chief of Party will be based in Beirut and will support HEI improvements in private sector outreach and engagement.
Only citizens of Lebanon or residents with work authorization will be considered. This position is contingent on funding.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the development of sustainable partnerships between HEIs and various private sector firms, associations, and networks
- Develop and drive tailored capability strengthening activities to support improved sustainable HEI-private sector engagement in both directions
- Ensure the program adaptively responds to changes in the operating environment to meet the desired objectives
- Manage and supervise a team of technical support staff
- Ensure activities are gender sensitive/transformative, aligned with positive youth development principles, and emphasize participatory and youth-led approaches
- Establish, cultivate, and maintain relationships with the ecosystem of program stakeholders, including private sector firms/service providers, industry associations, civil society organizations, the donor, program beneficiaries, and others
- Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning; project communications; and project reporting
- Other duties, as assigned
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
- Lebanese citizenship or residency with work authorization
- At least eight (8) years of relevant experience leading education-focused programs with a masterโs degree in a relevant field such as business, economics, education, international development, non-profit management, etc.; or a bachelorโs degree in a relevant field with at least 10 years or relevant experience also considered. Successful track record of at least five (5) years supervising, managing, and implementing USAID-funded programs and or other related donor-funded programming.
- Experience working in the private sector and a thorough understanding of the Lebanese private sector and actors in productive sectors
- Demonstrated understanding of private sector engagement principles and an ability to develop a vision for aligning private sector and HEI collaborations
- Excellent skills in stakeholder mapping, outreach, engagement, and partnership development in support of program activities
- Eight years of relevant and progressively increasing responsibility developing and maintaining strategic relationships between public and private sector partners and growing those partnerships with at least four of those years in Lebanon
- Demonstrated success working with senior private sector partners, donors, international organization partners, and other key program stakeholders creating linkages and fostering long-term productive relationships
- Demonstrated track record of working in teams and fostering partnerships
- Experience managing staff to ensure timely, accurate and impactful reporting and communications
- Experience working on large-scale donor-funded projects (preferably USAID) strongly preferred
- A graduate degree in a relevant field such as business or international development
- Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic.