Legal Counselor (Economic Recovery And Development Program)

Job Overview/Summary: Under the technical supervision of the Legal Manager, and the day-to-day management of the Senior Job and Legal Counselor, the Legal Counselor will receive self-identified cases and cases referred by other Livelihoods Center staff.  The Legal Counselor will identify legal needs, and provide counseling and assistance with relevant administrative procedures. The Legal Counselor will refer cases requiring representation in courts to other specialized service providers.  The Legal Counselor will be responsible for conducting legal information sessions on protection, rights and entitlements, legal status, statelessness and other issues, as dictated by the needs of Livelihoods Center beneficiaries.  As part of the structure of the Livelihoods Center, the Legal Counselor will be focused on a particular pool of beneficiaries from the surrounding catchment area, enabling him/her to conduct consistent follow-up with beneficiaries, as needed. The Legal Counselor provide input for advocacy initiatives as required, and will engage in mediation and negotiation, as needed (especially with regard to employment related disputes, but also housing, land and property matters and ID confiscation). Major Responsibilities: Identify legal needs and provide on-site counseling to Livelihoods Center beneficiaries; Under the guidance of their technical supervisor, assist persons of concern by representing them in relevant administrative bodies; Conduct case intake on site utilizing digital data collection system; Deliver information sessions on protection, rights and entitlements pertaining to work, legal status and employer sponsorship, and other issues as dictated by the needs at field-level; Engage in mediation and negotiation as needed (e.g. in employment related disputes); Analyze data and highlight trends and legal protection needs; Produce weekly reports on activities based on IRC tools; Provide input for advocacy initiatives, as requred; and, Conducts other duties as assigned by supervisor. Under the guidance of direct supervisor, facilitate one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions with refugees, host community members, state actors and service providers in the field on selected protection and legal concerns; Keep records of the urgent legal needs identified and the actions taken to assist affected PoCs Key Working Relationships: Position Reports to:  Senior Job and Legal Counselor with indirect reporting to Legal Manager. Job Requirements Work Experience: At least two years of prior professional experience in a similar post, preferably with an international organization. Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Belief in human rights including gender equality. Strong communication skills including ability to gain trust and build relationships with new communities. Strong understanding of International Human Rights, Refugee Law and Lebanese law with special focus on Family Law; Familiarity with the Lebanese legal community; Basic computer skills including Microsoft Word. Experience in regular report writing. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, as well as independently. Flexible and able to work in a dynamic and diverse environment. Language Skills: High standard of spoken and written Arabic and basic English required. Working Environment:   Travel and other requirements: Standard office environment with limited travel in the vicinity of the Livelihoods Center, or to IRC Offices in Akkar, T5 and Beirut