Accountability Coordinator

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organization’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. These attitudes and believes shall guide our actions and relationships. 

Background

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) supports people affected by displacement living in Lebanon and advocates for their rights inside the country, regionally and internationally. We also work to serve vulnerable Lebanese affected by the deteriorating economic situation in the country, and are providing assistance to vulnerable households in the neighbourhoods most affected by the Beirut port explosion. In 2019, our programmes reached over 330,300 refugees and vulnerable Lebanese with legal assistance, shelter, water, sanitation & hygiene and education. NRC Lebanon’s Covid-19 response includes crosscutting activities and sector-specific Covid-19 support. NRC also implements activities with partners to extend its access to people in need. We have operations in Beirut/ Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, South and North Lebanon.

1. Role and responsibilities

NRC Lebanon is committed to ensuring an effective two-way communication between NRC and its stakeholders, and that the affected population have access to information and can make a request for services. Additionally, NRC is committed for beneficiaries and stakeholders to have access to NRC’s Complaints, Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM), which are the established processes through which we receives, addresses and responds to complaints and feedback. The CFRM has three main objectives. The first and most important one is to enable individuals benefitting from NRC's assistance and key stakeholders affected by NRC’s response to provide complaints and feedback to NRC and to receive a response. The second is to improve accountability towards beneficiaries and stakeholders. The third is to contribute to improve programme design and organisational performance. 

The Accountability Coordinator will oversee the operationalisation of the helpline and CFRM, ensuring that is adapted to the context in Lebanon, and the mechanism accessible, trusted and utilised. The Coordinator will ensure that standard procedures are followed, staff and partners are trained, communities are aware of how to communicate with NRC, and communication channels are functioning. The Coordinator will prepare periodic reports and analysis to inform programming and increase overall organizational accountability to beneficiaries and the wider affected population.

Generic responsibilities

1. Design and support efficient and transparent dissemination of relevant information to affected population on requesting services and make a complaints or feedback.
2. Ensure smooth operationalization of the helpline and CFRM, ensuring that it is adapted to the context in Lebanon, and the mechanism is accessible, trusted and utilized, and follow up is appropriate.
3. Follow up on process of handling service-related complaints with field focal points, and ensure that standard procedures are followed
4. Ensure that sensitive cases (staff misconduct, PSEA, protection, fraud/corruption) are shared immediately with pre-identified focal points for action.
5. Contribute to monitoring accountability minimum standards in coordination with the Monitoring & Evaluation and Protection teams.

Specific responsibilities

• Management of the Accountability Officer and Helpline Assistants.
• Contribute to drafting NRC’s Accountability Framework in Lebanon and develop/update CFRM/Helpline Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
• Train staff and partners on accountability standards and reporting channels, to ensure they have the capacity and skills to deal with complaints at the field level.
• Conduct awareness sessions with affected population and key stakeholders on CFRM, outside the regular helpline/CFRM channels.
• Prepare periodic reports and data analysis (trends in complaints, response procedures, and any other relevant issues).
• Ensure accountability procedures are embedded in NRCs operation, in coordination with the protection coordinators in each area, and contribute to feedback loops within programmes.
• Close coordination with implementing partners and consortia on applying the minimum standards of accountability.
• Support Core Competency Specialists and Project Managers in reviewing information across projects, to ensure that feedback and complaints are taken into account in programme management decisions.

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• Project Managers, Protection Coordinators, Protection Coordinators, Referral focal points
• M&E, Protection, Grants, Partnerships and Technical Specialists, Consortia
• Human Resources Manager and Investigations Coordinator
• Compliance Unit

2. Competencies

Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organisation to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

A. Professional competencies

These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.

Generic professional competencies for this position:

• At least 3 years of experience in NGO setting, preferably in an emergency setting in HR, beneficiary reception and/or counselling, accountability, or related field.
• Solid experience in handling sensitive feedback
• Ability to present (sensitive) data and convey information clearly and concisely and identifying trends
• Fluency in both English and Arabic (speaking, reading, writing)
• Computer skills, including MS Office (Word, Excel)

Context related skills, knowledge and experience (shall be adapted to the specific position):

• Strong management skills
• Strong analytical and communications skills
• Ability to receive and handle confidential and sensitive information (highly approachable, trustworthy and confidential)
• Experience and ability to train others and transfer knowledge
• Familiarity with NRC’s core competencies is an asset
• Knowledge of the context in Lebanon / Middle East

B. Behavioral competencies

These are personal qualities that influence how successful people are in their job. The following are essential for this position:

• Working with people
• Influencing
• Analyzing
• Planning and delivering results
• Managing performance and development
• Handling insecure environments