Turkey: Economic Development Manager

Job Title:Economic Development Manager
Deadline to apply:10 February 2017

CARE International in Turkey, together with local Syrian NGO implementing partners, is providing much needed humanitarian assistance to alleviate the impact of the crisis in Syria in a highly complex, fluid, remote-management environment. Due to access and security issues, CARE is working exclusively through partners to deliver aid in northern Syria.

Protracted conflict in Syria has exposed people to recurring shocks and undermined coping capacities at personal, household, community and societal levels, resulting in loss of livelihoods, breakdown of economy and market functions, increased vulnerability to inherent protection risks and changing gender roles. The aim of this DfID funded program is that families affected by conflict and displacement have achieved a greater level of resilience, through an intervention that mitigates protection risks and negative coping mechanisms and participate in economic life. Key outputs to support these outcomes are that vulnerable households are supported through:

1.Provision of temporary income opportunities.
2.Provision of multipurpose cash/voucher grants enabling them to meet their essential needs; NFIs and food assistance.
3.Formation of value chain plan to be implemented in targeted Syrian sub-districts to restore and expand livelihoods at the community level in the long term
4.Provision of protection related information and access to specialised protection services and the capacity building of key CBO and NGO partners in protection is supported
5.Provision of rapid humanitarian response
I – Position Summary

The Role

The Economic Development Manager role reports to the Program Manager, who, in turn, reports to the Area Director based in Gaziantep. The Economic Development Manager will work collaboratively with other relevant program team members and units for the Whole of Syria response, including close consultation with CARE’s regional Value Chain Advisor and in close coordination with livelihoods actors responding to the needs in northern Syria. Recognising the extremely high levels of need in Syria and INGOs’ collective responsibility to address them, CARE has been increasing our efforts to ensure that we reach as many people as possible. This is done with a combination of programmes, addressing urgent needs, as well as ensuring that resilience is built and livelihoods are protected. In our several projects CARE works with local and international partners to improve both the scale and quality of the response. We are also providing technical expertise as global leaders in developing best practice, tools, and resources.

As an Economic Development Manager you will be responsible for the development and delivery in the CARE Syria northern programs on Resilient Markets Systems, with a focus on inclusive markets, value chain development and their contribution to women’s economic empowerment. You will provide high-level technical advice and programme design support across a range of areas inside Syria throughout the programme cycle. You will ensure consistently high programme quality, help measure impact and foster learning across CARE and with our external partners. The Economic Development Manager will actively contribute to strengthening CARE’s conceptual thinking and approach to resilient markets & the strengthening of women’s economic empowerment & market systems in fragile settings by drawing on experiences in Syria. The post holder will be expected to ensure a coordinated collaboration which allows CARE to leverage greater impact and learning through different concurrent projects and synthesize best practice in north operations.

The position will be based in Gaziantep, Turkey and involve signification coordination with operating hubs involved in the Syria response in Beirut and Amman. Syria is an extremely complex operating environment, the current security rating for Syria is Extreme, and our programs are currently operated through local partners (although we aim to establish physical presence as/when feasible). Thus, the Economic Development Manager will be required to follow the Safety and Security procedures at all times.
II – Specific Areas of Responsibility – Expected Outcomes/Outputs of Role

Programme Quality and Impact throughout the Programme Management Cycle

Programme Start-up
•Responsible for market analysis and identification of economic development opportunities including value chains
•Play an key role in programme development team
•Lead inception phase with a focus on economic development
•Provide high quality technical advice and capacity-building for CARE and its implementing partners, as well as with the other two CARE hubs in the Syria response
•Collaborate across teams in the hubs regarding the development of roles for livelihoods, resilience, food security in value chains work to maximise impact with a focus on impact & opportunities for women

Responsibilities Throughout Implementation
•Lead the development of technical resources, materials and knowledge products to improve practice around value chain development and its inter-linkage with financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and dignified work within a disrupted crisis context
•Report against global indicators for livelihoods and economic development programming
•Support training and capacity building initiatives for CARE and implementing partners, including developing training packages / curriculums on market assessments, value chains, business planning, production management, market access, entrepreneurship, etc
•Worked Collaboratively to facilitate quality programme delivery and impact at the hub level
•Participate in coordination fora related to livelihoods and economic development, including engagement in relevant networks to Initiate and develop strong actor linkages; between traders / processors / exporter and producer organizations
•Collaborate and coordinate closely with the Protection /Gender Advisors to ensure that interventions sufficiently incorporate gender and protection considerations
•Worked closely with the colleagues from all technical teams as required: Gender in Emergencies, Resilience, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Inclusive Governance, etc. as well as colleagues working on humanitarian advocacy and communications
•Collaborated with technical staff to support CASH/vouchers as a delivery mechanisms and how they support resilient markets

Evaluation and Organizational Learning
•Strengthen CARE International’s approach to addressing gender inequality and its contribution to women’s economic empowerment, particularly in a fragile crisis contexts, like Syria
•Drive learning and knowledge management by contributing to economic development publications, policy documents, and other resource materials for internal and external audiences
•Stay abreast of current debate and practice related to economic empowerment, in particular women in value chains and resilient markets.
•Represent CARE externally where appropriate at different coordination fora and regional events

An Effective Team Member
•Contribute towards the development of the successful implementation of the program
•Ensure that information on Syria was proactively shared and opportunities for program engagement are known
•Support and provide cover for fellow team members as and when needed
• Assist in ensuring that the program is planned and implemented in a consultative, participative and gender-sensitive way and to ensure this is articulated well in proposals and reports.

III. Qualification and skills
Essential
•MA in development or related subject, or MBA, or equivalent expertise
•Minimum 5 years’ experience in and demonstrated expertise in economic development projects in high profile international donor-funded aid and development programs (DfID, ECHO, EU, USG etc)
•Outstanding ability to support and advise non-specialist colleagues, communicates complex ideas clearly, and facilitates learning and reflection activities
•In-depth understanding of key concepts in Value Chain Development & Market Systems Approaches and expertise in applying these to development & humanitarian programmes
•Market Analysis & Value Chain Mapping
•Experience with Gender and economic development methodology in context of fragile settings
•Significant experience in advising designing and implementing programmes involving private sector, markets or economic development in development & humanitarian contexts
•Proven track record of project design and project implementation capacity building working with local authorities, local private sector, and other related players
•Ability to summarise and synthesise learning into plain English and produce high quality publications
•Strong negotiation, influencing and networking and Problem Solving
•Strong project management and budgeting skills
•Understanding of principles of participation, gender equity and women’s empowerment
•Skills in budget and financial management
•Fluent in English

Desired
•Ability to speak Arabic
•Experience of remote management methodologies
•Experience of working with local partners
•Cash Transfer methodologies in market systems
IV – Work conditions
Duty station: Based in Gaziantep with occasional travel to regional meetings with other Whole of Syria hubs (Amman, Beirut)
Contract length: 12 months (1 March 2017- 2018)

REPORTING LINES: Post holder reports to: Program Manager

Works with: Country Director, ACD/PS, Program team members for cross border programs; relevant Program Support unit team members, Finance Staff, Regional Program Management Unit, CARE member partners (CMPs) partner organisations.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates please send a Curriculum Vitae in English and a Cover letter (in a separate file of no more than one A4 page) describing how your skills and experience match the requirements of this post, to the following e-mail address:

Applications in languages other than English will not be reviewed.
Make sure to include [200117 Economic Development Manager] in the subject line of your application. Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Our diversity is our strength; we encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences, particularly women, to apply.

NOTE: All candidates must be eligible to work in Turkey or have Residency/valid passport/diploma …etc.

* *CARE International is an Equal Opportunity Employer **