Diakonia is a global network of people, organizations and churches working towards more people living a life in dignity. We support 400 partners in about 30 countries. Diakonia's goal is a fair and sustainable development in which living standards for the most vulnerable people are improved, and democracy, human rights and equality are respected. Diakonia focuses on developing partnerships with local civil society organizations. In the Middle East Region, Diakonia works in five countries: occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq (the Kurdistan region) and Jordan.

Post Title:
Program Assistant

Organization:
Diakonia

Location:
Beirut, Lebanon

Duration:
One year contract (renewable)

Closing date:
19 April 2008

Entry on Duty:
1st of May 2008

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Collects information and assists in drafting monthly reports on the work of Diakonia partners in Lebanon.
2. Assists in the assessments of capacity building needs of the partners.
3. Assists in the preparations and logistics of training sessions/briefings and materials aimed at the partners.
4. Assists in identification of trouble areas within the project implementation process and alerts the country representative in a timely fashion,
5. Assist in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems for the partners.
6. Assist in the collection of information for designing and drafting project proposals.
7. Assist and prepare for meetings with NGO partners, working group meetings or other meetings between Diakonia and the public sectors, UN system and NGOs.
8. Assist in the review of financial and narrative partners’ reports and provide comments when needed.
9. Maintains up to date knowledge of events relating to development issues in general and in particular as they affect the thematic issues of Diakonia.
10. Takes minutes, keeps a filing and archive system; maintains a database of all partners and contact lists.
11. Performs any other duties as required

Qualifications required:

• Education: University degree in social sciences or related study.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 3 years experience with civil society organizations or other relevant entities. Experience with international organizations is an advantage.
• Languages: Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English.
• Other requirements:Ability to informally translate / interpret form Arabic to English and vice versa an asset; drafting skills are also sought.

Competencies:

• Professionalism: ability to identify problems, i.e. political, socio-economic; ability to understand and evaluate internal/national political situation; skill in developing sources for data collection;
• Planning and organizing: ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own plan;
• Communication: ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively orally;
• Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills; ability to develop and maintain effectively work relationship with different national and cultural backgrounds with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Technological awareness: good computer skills; proficiency in using word processing.

Submission of Applications:

Qualified candidates may submit their complete Curriculum Vitae including a letter of interest, via e-mail to syassir [at] cyberia [dot] net [dot] lb, or by fax to 01-705422.

Additional Considerations

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

* The contractual modality will depend on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

For more information on Diakonia, including its core values and competencies, please visit our website at www.diakonia.se