Senior Protection Assistant (Community-Based) – UNOPS Contract – BEY107 – G5 - Beirut, Lebanon

General Background

Eight years into the Syria crisis, Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with nearly 950,000  Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, about 20,000 refugees of other origins - mostly Iraqi - and Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.  There are no formal camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and refugees are living in hundreds of communities and locations across the country. 

The refugee response is led by the Government and UNHCR and UNDP, supported by the international community. As the designated lead agency in the refugee response, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field. The structure brings together over 150 UN agencies, national and international NGO partners [over 150 actors, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs and Ministries] in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The Lebanon Chapter of the Response Plan falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response and UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.

The UNHCR operational response in Lebanon is one of the largest for the organization. Media attention and the frequency of influential high-profile visitors is high. The Office has grown substantially in the past years and is currently operating with around 650 staff. Aside from the country office in the capital city of Beirut, UNHCR has field offices in Mount Lebanon, Qobayat, Tripoli, Tyre and Zahle.

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff. 

The Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.  
• Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Contribute to the development of the MHPSS Strategy for the operation and support the implementation of its workplan
• Contribute to a country-level child protection and youth strategy as part of the overarching protection strategy.
• Support the development of Theories of Change exercise for Persons with Specific Needs, Child Protection and Sexual and Gender Based Violence  and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programming.
• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities, particularly those related to Child Protection, SGBV, PwSN and MHPSS.
• Contribute to the enhnacement of Case Management systems and tools for PWSN, CP and SGBV. 
• Produce reports, assessments, training materals and tools on Child protection, SGBV, PWSN and MHPSS when needed. 
• Participate in Interagency Coordination meetings on Child Protection, MHPPS, PWSN and SGBV or other relevant meetings as requested
• Contribute to the development and implementation of countrywide Community-Based Portection programs inclduing but not limited to the Specialized Outreach Volunteers on PWSN/CP/SGBV.
• Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
• Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). 
• Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.
• Perform other related duties as required

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Under the supervision and with the support of the Associate Protection Officer: 
• MHPSS strategy and work plan developped and implemented 
• Youth programming strengthened
• Theories of change related to PWSN/CP/SGBV and MHPSS developed
• Specialized Outreach Volunteer program harmonized, tools developed and reports systematized 
• Timely reports drafted