Icla Senior Legal Field Officer

Job Purpose Summary The Senior Legal Field Officer will assist with the legal component of the ICLA programme, particularly for the Palestinian response, and will assist in managing the implementation of the ICLA programme Palestinian response in the South, in accordance with ICLA strategy, workplans, and technical and operational guidance regarding the situation for refugees in Lebanon. Key Responsibilities General Understand specific legal concepts, law and practices regarding the Lebanese legal system and, in particular, regarding rights to housing, land and property, civil documentation and legal identity. Understand the situation, including the legal situation (according to national and international laws and principles), for refugees and internally displaced persons in Lebanon. Conduct information and counselling (legal and non-legal) sessions for beneficiaries. Oversee the development and implementation of the ICLA Palestinian response (including budget and management responsibilities). Manage the Palestinian response team and Legal Field Officers in the South. Work with ICLA Legal team members, including Legal Advisor, Legal Field Officers and ICLA lawyers, to support and develop legal component of ICLA. Support the ICLA teams in the South s in developing materials to be used in ICLA field activities, ensuring that they are consistent with materials being developed elsewhere by ICLA in Lebanon, through close liaison with ICLA Management and other field offices. Support NRC Legal Aid Network (LAN), including through regular assistance and support to LAN participants (including jurists, lawyers, law students, legal aid organisations and paralegals). Identify training needs for beneficiaries and stakeholders and, as relevant, prepare and conduct training. Conduct legal research and draft legal memoranda and legal case studies. Assist in identifying legal test cases and document legal trends. Assist in strategic litigation of test cases. Document technical issues and questions that arise during the course of information and counselling activities, and in liaison with the ICLA Field Coordinator in the South and ICLA Management identify ways of addressing them. As necessary, assist the ICLA team in the South in providing information and counselling to beneficiaries on legal issues (currently NRC's legal focus is on legal status and documentation, including birth registration, and Housing, Land and Property rights). In close liaison with the Legal Field Officers (and / or legal focal points, as relevant) support the ICLA Field Coordinator in managing consultant lawyers working for ICLA in the South, and ensure that ICLA structure, guidelines and principles are applied in the provision of legal assistance to beneficiaries. Carry out administrative and financial tasks as agreed upon. Perform any other task as assigned by supervisor. Project Implementation and Management Responsible for coordinating and provide quality control over the implementation of activities being implemented by ICLA in the South. Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in taking timely and considered decisions on how to respond to changing needs of beneficiaries in the South. Oversee the development and implementation of weekly activity plans by the ICLA team in the South, working with the Legal Field Officers to ensure that roles and responsibilities of ICLA team members are clearly defined and applied. Support the Legal Field Officers in developing and implementing effective ways of publicising ICLA's services amongst target communities, in accordance with the ICLA structure. Overall responsibility for maintaining a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date written mapping of services provided by humanitarian actors in the South, by developing and following a plan to exchange information about activities with other humanitarian actors in the South. Project Cycle Management Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in identifying and assessing the main information, legal and protection needs of target communities in the South especially for Palestinian refugees. Provide inputs to the ICLA Field Coordinator on the design of ICLA activities in the South, as requested. Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in developing workplans for the ICLA programme in the South, and ensuring that project activities and outputs are delivered on target and in accordance with NRC and donor commitments, in close liaison with the ICLA Project Coordinator. Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in developing and implementing the monitoring and evaluation plan for the South, including designation of roles and responsibilities across the ICLA team in the South. Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in ensuring that design and standardisation of forms, questionnaires and other templates used to document ICLA's activities in the field meet ICLA project needs, in liaison with ICLA Management of other ICLA field teams, the NRC Monitoring and Evaluation team. Ensure that the ICLA Field team in the South understand the purpose, and consistently use the agreed templates and tools to document ICLA's activities in the field. Support in ensuring that the ICLA team in the South consistently use agreed templates and  tools to document ICLA's activities in the field. Undertake monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the satisfactory progress, quality, efficiency and accountability of ICLA's activities in the South, in accordance with the agreed monitoring and evaluation plan for the South. Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in ensuring that all financial transactions completed by ICLA in the South are undertaken in compliance with NRC and donor guidelines and procedures. Maintain a procurement plan for the ICLA programme in the South, and prepare procurement requests in accordance with NRC procedures. Maintain a movement plan for the ICLA programme in the South, and work closely with NRC Logistics in the South to ensure the transportation needs of ICLA in the South are met. Assist the ICLA Field Coordinator in ensuring that ICLA activities and staff are conducted in accordance with NRC security procedures. Develop and manage responsibilities within the ICLA team in the South for reporting to NRC management and donors. Review and provide feedback on draft reports prepared by the ICLA team in the South, and submit to the ICLA Field Coordinator for approval and submission to NRC donors and ICLA Management, as applicable. Coordination Participate in regular meetings with ICLA team and other NRC core competencies. Contribute to the development of referral mechanisms for legal matters. Establish excellent relations with beneficiaries, including understanding the needs of beneficiaries through regular visits and frequent contact with actual and potential beneficiaries. Assist in providing information to and cooperation with community representatives and relevant authorities. Regularly meet with other relevant actors and stakeholders and coordinate work, including attending meetings. Maintain excellent working relations with all partners; beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders. Attend and participate on behalf of NRC relevant coordination meetings. Qualifications and Competences Academic and Professional Qualifications University degree in law (preferably at master’s level) with minimum of 5 years’ legal work experience. Preferably qualified lawyer in Lebanon with experience of legal practice. Relevant Experience Experience of keeping and updating information. Excellent research and writing (in English) skills. Experience of working with beneficiaries and being able to establish and maintain excellent working relations. Excellent communication skills command of English and Arabic both written and orally. Strong organisational and logistical skills. Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision Experience of working with IDPs/Refugees is an advantage. Experience of working with non-governmental organisations is an advantage.  Knowledge, Skills & Personal Attributes Ability to work under pressure and to be flexible Ability to work independently, and to be proactive in seeking support when needed Proficiency in use of computers and Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Strong Computer Skills (Word, Excel, Powerpoint).   Team spirit and a sense of humour  Achievement indicators Delivering working tasks in a structured and professional manner Meeting deadlines Applying to the NRC standards, policies and guidelines Adapting and coping to change Communication with impact and respect