WPE Senior Officer - Bekaa - National Candidates Only

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Since November 2012, the IRC Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) program established five Women and Girls Community Centers and ten mobile teams in North Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley to respond to and prevent Gender Based Violence (GBV). The WPE Program aims at increasing access of women and girls to psychosocial and case management services and enables communities to identify and mitigate safety and security risks faced by women and girls. All programming is implemented using survivor-centered approaches that prioritize confidentiality, dignity, safety, and respect.

Scope of Work:

The WPE Senior Officer is responsible for supporting and managing all programming activities that occur within the team and will be responsible for compiling program data and trends.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Management

• In collaboration with the team, develop operational Center and mobile team plans that include staffing and a schedule of psychosocial and outreach activities to be conducted in addition to GBV risk assessment and response tools.
• In collaboration with the Manager, develop work plans to achieve targets and follow up on the implementation.
• In collaboration with team members, identify the most vulnerable locations to implement the program activities.
• In collaboration with caseworkers and community mobilizers, organize work-plans for outreach workers that addresses work schedules, responsibilities, and training/support activities.
• Update and maintain referral lists and contacts for relevant organizations in the work area.
• In collaboration with the WPE Program Manager, craft emergency response and contingency plans to adapt to rapid changes in the work area.
• Coordinate with the AGO, CMO and CBOs when developing safe spaces individual strategies.
• Coordinate with the SDC directors and staff in regards to direct implementation when applicable.

Team Support and Supervision

• Hold regular planning and debriefing sessions with team members on a weekly basis.
• Hold monthly individual sessions with team members to review tasks and responsibilities, monitor job performance, and provide support as required.
• Ensure proper documentation for staff members (90 day action plan, onboarding plan, sick leaves, annual leaves etc…).
• In collaboration with the WPE Manager and CMO, AGO, CBO, facilitate or organize trainings that support technical skills of staff, e.g. how to run effective focus groups, how to conduct safety assessments, how to talk about services offered by WPE, how to talk about GBV, how to conduct referrals, and other identified needs.
• Oversee and monitor capacity building and support plans for team members.
• Shadow all WPE activities (Non-focused, GBV risk assessments and response tools, Focused PSS curriculums.
• Follow up on the implementation and reporting of trainings with community mobilizers for Community members and committees.
• Deliver in a timely manner all logistical functions (Movement plans, Materials needs, weekly calendar, room reservation etc…)
• Coordinate and follow up with other IRC departments to respond to needs of the area of responsibility/coverage.

Reporting

• Ensure that attendance records and other reporting tools (PSS reporting tools, w biweekly and monthly reporting tools) are implemented.
• Monitor data collection to ensure that staff collect data in safe and ethical ways.
• Maintain and update staff capacity-building and support plans and submit to Program manager according to an agreed upon schedule.
• Compile weekly and monthly reports to provide information on trends, challenges, and activities to Program Manager.

Advocacy and referrals

• Act as main focal point for referral of non-GBV cases and protection concerns within the area of responsibility.
• Identify key advocacy messages to share with Program Manager, relevant UN Groups (UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA, etc.), and government ministries.
• Represent WPE at Protection Working Groups, GBV Working Groups, and other meetings as requested by Program Manager to present challenges and concerns and to coordinate work with other GBV providers and other humanitarian actors.
• Collaborate with Program Manager to identify key advocacy messages to share with WPE Coordinator.

Other

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Professional Standards

All IRC staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position reports to: WPE Program Manager, Bekaa
• Position supervises: Community Mobilizers, Caseworkers, Adolescent Girls Assistant.
• Position works with: WPE Program Support Officer, Adolescent Girls Officer, Case Management Officer, Capacity Building and Partnership Team.

Requirements:

• Clear understanding of gender inequality and issues surrounding gender-based violence.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, train, supervise and motivate staff in their respective tasks in a professional, respectful, and supportive manner.
• Experience working in humanitarian responses targeting vulnerable women and girls. Experience working with refugee populations preferred.
• Familiarity with principles of monitoring and evaluation. Experience in writing brief narrative reports.
• Computer literacy, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Fluency in Arabic.
• Good ability to communicate in English and write clear and concise reports in English.
• Degree/diploma in Women’s Studies, Social Work, or a related field.
• Positive and professional attitude, able to organize, maintain composure and prioritize work under pressure, work overtime when necessary and be able to coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail. Proven ability to work as a member of a team essential.

Working Environment: 

Travel and other requirements: Staff will be based in Bekaa with extensive visits to mobile locations in Bekaa, Baalback and Hermel.