Communication Officer

Expertise France is a French public agency under the tutelage of the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy and Finance with a strong inter- ministerial vocation. Expertise France offers project engineering and technical assistance by developing and implementing international cooperation actions worldwide. EF operates in various fields of development and institutional cooperation including safety and security reform, post-crisis/ stability, public health, human rights, strengthening of institutions and NGOs and governance. Carrying out large-scale, multi-stakeholder projects, EF can ensure the cooperation between individuals, teams and institutions with very different statuses, cultures and specialties. Besides, EF has acquired a sound experience in administrative and financial management of large-scale international projects and is accredited by the European Union for the management of delegated Community funds.

Context

The Middle East is currently experiencing a profound crisis. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq are both a reflection and a transmitter of this crisis, with growing potential to further destabilise neighbouring countries and the wider region. These crises have resulted in a humanitarian disaster affecting more than 13.5 million people who were forced to flee their homes from Syria, and more than 17 million people in need of humanitarian aid (12.2 in Syria and 5.2 in Iraq).

Lebanon is now home to the largest number of Syrian refugees per capita relative to its total population, putting a severe strain on the country’s fragile infrastructures, economy, and security. The population of Lebanon was estimated at about 4.8 million (including almost half a million Palestinian refugees[1]) in 2013. Even though Lebanon has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, up to date it has taken in about a fourth of its own population. According to UNHCR, in September 2016 about 1,017,433 persons from Syria were registered as refugees in Lebanon.[2] In the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan 2017- 2020 (2018 update) (LCRP), the total number of people living in Lebanon is estimated at 5.9 million, with 3.3 million people in need. Among the Syrian refugee population in Lebanon, which today comprises over 1.5 million people.[3]

Background information on Qudra Specific Objective 3

’Qudra – Resilience for Syrian refugees, IDPs and host communities in response to the Syrian and Iraqi crises’ is a regional action financed by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the Madad‘ Fund and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), seeking to strengthen the resilience of Syrian refugees, IDPs and host communities in response to the Syrian and Iraqi crises.  The programme launched in June 2016, is being jointly implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Expertise France (EF) and Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID) in programme partner countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and North Iraq.

In Lebanon, Expertise France ensures the consistency and the implementation of the Specific Objective 3 of Qudra. The project seeks to improve social stability between communities in Lebanon through a comprehensive and local approach of protection for children and adults. To do so, activities will revolve around four pillars: (i) support to Social Development Centers (SDCs) of the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), (ii) Child Protection activities, (iII) protection activities and (iv)campaigns and communication activities. Expertise France will work within the framework of the LCRP and MoSA National Plan for Safeguarding women and children in close partnership with Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA). The programme will be implemented in the SDCs of the MoSA and if needed in annexes that might be developed during the project’s lifespan. Expertise France will select local NGOs as partners to implement the activities, these NGOs will hire the necessary staff and implement the activities following a precise programme drafted with the MoSA.

Expertise France is looking for a Communication Officer to support and communicate on the programme implementation. The position is based in Beirut with frequent travel to all regions of Lebanon where the activities will be implemented.

Description of the Tasks:

• Communication strategy – Elaboration of a communication and visibility plan.
• Communication tools – Contribute to the elaboration and diffusion of communication materials.
• Organisation of communication events – Prepare and organise launching events.
• Technical assistance - Provide programme partners, beneficiaries and stakeholders with necessary technical assistance to improve performance.

Under the supervision of the programme director and the support of implementing partners and sponsors, the communication officer will:

• Setup a communication strategy and work plan covering all project´s actions and targeting all project beneficiaries and stakeholders.

• Liaise and coordinate with relevant actors (EU, GIZ, Implemented Partners, MoSA, SDCs, Municipalities…)
• Prepare the project visibility plan in line with EU external actions visibility requirements and QUDRA guidelines for visibility.

• Support the implementation of the programme and increase the visibility of the actions

• Prepare and organize launching events (launching events foreseen in at least 8 SDCs, starting in November 2018) and any other relevant side event.
• Facilitate the production of communication materials according to the targets of the visibility plan (beneficiaries, institutional communication…)
• Organize and coordinate the shooting of EF work in SDCs (rehabilitation of centers, mobile units, protection activities…). Organize the dissemination of these films, in coordination with GIZ, EF HQ, and in accordance with EU guidelines.
• Standardize the communication of our partners on the project (4 local NGOs), respecting the guidelines
• Manage contracts and projects to provide external communication services and products (such as online tools, publications or visuals) by external service providers.
• Delivery of communication products on budget and time: Supervise service providers, monitor the delivery and use of results, and evaluate external services.

• Facilitate the communication on the programme and dissemination of knowledge

• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme goals and activities.
• Gather information and data, and produce and distribute messages through appropriate channels
• Preparation and dissemination of newsletter or any relevant material to stakeholders and community awareness, where appropriate, to support projects implementation
• Contribution to the preparation of relevant items for Committee meetings
• Facilitate the dialogue between local actors regarding communication and visibility
• Produce a final report capturing all deliverables and achievements of the assignment

Requested Profile

• University degree in communication, international relations or any relevant field;
• Requested highest demonstrable professional skills on : Inter-cultural communication, Team work, Show autonomy and initiative
• A minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience in communication and organization of events;
• Experience within public agencies/ public offices, European programmes or international projects
• Good knowledge of the Lebanese political context as well as of the relationship between host and refugee communities.
• Excellent reporting and writing skills
• Professional working knowledge of English & Arabic are required. French is an asset.

Location, Duration and Arrangements for performance

Location: Lebanon

Starting date: 1st of November 2018

Duration:  4 months (renewable, based on availability of funds, performance and need for the position)

[1]              Source: UNRWA

[2]              http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=122

[3]              http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/region.php?id=90&country=122, last update, September 2016