Program Quality Officer

Job Summary:

The main role of the Programme Quality Officer will be to provide effective quality assurance to the Lebanon country programme to ensure compliance with organisational policies and strategies and the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), including strong partnership relationships and a robust, responsive Complaints Response Mechanism (CRM).

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support the adoption and internalisation of Concern’s global Strategies and Policies across Concern Lebanon’s programmes and functions.
   1. In coordination with the HR Department, ensure all staff fully understanding and comply with Concern’s Project Participant Protection Policy and Code of Conduct.
   2. In coordination with the MEAL and programme departments, integrate quality, gender-sensitive monitoring processes based on protocols into program implementation, including internal and external reviews of program quality.
   3. Provide training, mentoring and advice to the Concern team on Concern’s global Strategies and policies, including How Concern Understands Extreme Poverty.
   4. Support programme teams during the design phase of the project cycle to ensure all stakeholders are consulted and actively engaged, and Concern’s global Strategies and Policies are appropriately addressed.
   5. Contribute feedback and support in the development of Strategies and Policies when requested, ensuring global policies are relevant and applicable for the Lebanon context.
   6. Ensure all staff have access to copies of up-tp-date versions of Concern’s global Strategies and Policies.
   7. In coordination with the Finance and Systems Departments, undertake periodic reviews to ensure support functions are compliant with Concern’s global Strategies and Policies.

2. Support the integration of the Concern’s Commitments, Actions and Responsibilities under the Core Humanitarian Standards across the Country Programme
   1. Support the Programme and MEAL departments to establish, monitor and, when required, adapt processes to ensure assistance is appropriate to the needs of individuals and communities.
   2. Support the Programme and MEAL departments to extract and utilise evidence and learning from monitoring and evaluations to adapt and improve programmes;
   3. Advise programme teams on the inclusion, active participation and development of project beneficiaries in all phases of the project cycle.
   4. Assess and advice programme teams on the quality and appropriateness of communication, participation and feedback to beneficiary groups and communities.

3. Oversee the effective and efficient implementation and functionality of Concern’s Accountability and Complaints Response Mechanism (CRM)
   1. Consult with Concern staff and beneficiaries in the periodic review, implementation and monitoring of complaints-handling processes.
   2. Develop, disseminate and review communication materials on the how the mechanism can be accessed and the scope of issues it can address.
   3. In coordination with relevant Concern staff, manage complaints in a timely, fair and appropriate manner that prioritises the safety of the complainant and those affected at all stages.
   4. Design and conducted internal and external training on the CRM to ensure it is well understood by all staff and to promote an organisational culture in which complaints are taken seriously and acted upon.

4. Support the Development and Consolidation of Strong Partnerships between Concern and relevant national actors
   1. In coordination with the Finance Department, conduct due diligence processes with new Concern Partners.
   2. Ensure all national partnership relationships are governed by clear and consistent MOUs and Agreements that respect each partner’s mandate, obligations and independence, and recognise respective constraints and commitments.
   3. Provide training, mentoring and capacity support to Concern partners on the Core Humanitarian Standards and Concern’s Project Participant Protection Policy and Code of Conduct.
   4. Coordinate with Programme, Finance and Systems teams to provide training, mentoring and capacity support to Concern partners in areas and functions in which both parties have agreed to strengthen.
   5. Identify, develop and conduct events and/or activities which strengthen Concern’s partnership relationships.

5. To support quality implementation of Concern’s programming
   1. Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct.
   2. Support the promotion of the standards outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct to the team and to the beneficiaries, and contributing to providing a safe working environment.
   3. Undertake translation activities when required.
   4. Support Concern’s work in Lebanon by undertaking other tasks as appropriate and required.

Skills, Qualifications, Experience and Attitude Required

1. Education
   • Bachelor level degree in Social Sciences or related field. Masters degree preferred.
   • Relevant Diplomas and short courses

2. Job related Experience and Knowledge
   • Demonstrable experience in the implementation and training of others on the Core Humanitarian Standards and organisational Codes of Conduct.
   • Demonstrable experience developing and strengthening partnership relationships within an I/NGO context.
   • Demonstrable understanding and knowledge of inequality and rights related to development and emergency contexts, and specific skills and knowledge of gender inequality and analysis
   • Excellent computer skills
   • Strong analytical skills, report writing skills, facilitation skills, team building and coordination skills
   • Demonstrable capacity to work under strictly confidentiality conditions.
   • Excellent written, verbal, communication and interpersonal skills in English and Arabic
   • Previous experience in policy development highly desirable.