Complaints Feedback Mechanism Focal Point

National Project Personnel - Complaints Feedback Mechanism Focal Point 

Job Posting: 19/May/2021

Closure Date: 03/Jun/2021, 12:59:00 AM

Organizational Unit: FNLEB

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Lebanon-Beirut

Duration: 8 Months

Post Number: N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

In response to the devastating impact of the economic and financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic on the agriculture sector and food security, the Government of Lebanon (GOL) has designed a program to provide direct support to farmers engaged in crop and livestock production and help them restore their productive capacities. The Programme will be financed through a US$10 million reallocation under the World Bank-financed Roads and Employment Project and implemented through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representation in Lebanon under the overall technical leadership and guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). The Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) will be in charge of the overall contract management responsibility in respect of the Outputs Agreement signed with the FAO.

The programme will be implemented by FAO in close collaboration and co-ordination with concerned government line departments at national, regional, governorate and district levels. It will contribute to reduced poverty and increased resilience for vulnerable rural people of Lebanon. Preserving and strengthening domestic production and value chains is not only critical to mitigate the short-term risk related to agricultural livelihoods but also to boost the local economy in the medium and long term.

The programme is expected to generate four interrelated outputs:

Output 1: An effective support mechanism is designed and rolled out that will enable targeted smallholder farmers to purchase or receive agricultural inputs and animal feed (and other items covered by Law 186) for the 2021 agricultural season.

Output 2: The livelihood and productive capacity of 26,700 vulnerable smallholder farmers, including at least 2670 women, is restored through the distribution of vouchers for the purchase of key agricultural inputs and animal feed.

Output 3: The livelihood and productive assets of 10,000 vulnerable livestock herders, including at least 1000 women, are protected from potential losses due to infectious diseases through the procurement and distribution of essential animal vaccines, veterinary equipment and other agricultural inputs.

Output 4: An efficient and effective monitoring, verification and grievance redress mechanism is implemented to ensure that the targeting of beneficiaries and the application and approval procedures are appropriate and equitable, that the “agricultural inputs’ voucher and distribution scheme” perform correctly and that disputes are resolved amicably.

This current assignment is part of Output 4 above. While assisting MoA in supporting the most vulnerable smallholder farmers to access agriculture needed inputs and animal feed through a paper vouchers system and in the vaccination of livestock, the programme will need to redress any complaints, grievances or feedbacks received from applicants, beneficiaries, input suppliers and agricultural communities. Accordingly, FAO established a Complaints Feedback Mechanism (CFM), specifically designed for filing and processing complaints at all levels, and to facilitate concerns of applicants, beneficiaries, service providers (e.g. agricultural input suppliers) and agricultural communities concerned with the Programme’s agricultural inputs voucher scheme and the vaccination campaign.

Reporting Lines

The Complaints Feedback Mechanism (CFM) Focal Point will perform his/her tasks under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Lebanon, and the direct supervision of the Ethics Officer.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Follow the FAO Complaint Feedback Mechanism process specially designed for this purpose;
• Ensure familiarity with the Environmental and Social Management Framework of the programme;
• Receive feedback, comments and complaints from all stakeholders, including applicants, beneficiary farmers, input suppliers and agricultural communities through hotline or phone calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages, and emails;
• File the complaints (programmatic, fraud, corruption, misconduct, sexual harassment or sexual exploitation and abuse) and send it through one of the channels of the established CFM;
• Send the programmatic complaints to the Programme Manager, who will assess whether the complaint is eligible;
• Send the complaints of fraud, corruption and misconduct to the CFM Committee for assessment;
• Send the sexual harassment or sexual exploitation and abuse complaints to the PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) focal point in FAO;
• Document and report any complaint or feedback received, its responses and resolutions in a specific database developed for this purpose, and send a written proof to the complainant;
• Interact with complainants or conduct interviews and meetings along with the Programme Manager to better understand the complaints or feedbacks reasons;
• Coordinate with Programme Manager to assess eligibility of complaints;
• Copy all complaints received, its responses and resolutions, to the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) in Lebanon for registration purposes;
• Maintain objectivity when dealing with complaints and feedbacks and focus on facts without speculating or making value judgements;
• Understand the boundaries of the job and seek help when a situation may compromise his or her ability to perform assigned duties;
• Strive for equity in response to complaints and results of complaint assessment, such that if a particular resolution becomes known to others, it will be viewed as reasonable and consistent with how other complaints have been resolved;
• Maintain confidentiality if requested to do so by a complainant and consider anonymity during the process;
• Ensure the timelines to respond to complaints are respected;
• Track/Follow-up on cases until they are solved

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements   

• University degree in social sciences or related field;
• Three years of relevant experience as a focal point or operator in a Complaints Feedback Mechanism or Grievance Redress Mechanism or related fields;
• Good written and oral working knowledge of Arabic and English;
• National of Lebanon.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Highly organized individual, punctual, capable of handling multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and managing time effectively;
• Ability to work on issues that may lead to conflict or be emotionally charged;
• Ability to work and deliver under pressure;
• Proven experience in active listening skills;
• Relevance of experience in complaint or grievance mechanisms including PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse);
• Excellent communication skills;
• Relevance of experience in data collection and dissemination;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to work independently as well as an effective team player;
• Motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Computer literacy of the Microsoft package including Excel, Word and email use;
• Computer skills sufficient to maintain a database of complaints, and prepare reports and/or presentation of results;
• Previous experience with a UN agency or international NGOs is an advantage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions. 

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile.
• Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile.
• If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org    

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT