Icla Information Field Officer

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent, international humanitarian nongovernmental organisation which provides assistance and protection to refugees and internally displaced persons in over twenty countries worldwide. NRC has been working in Lebanon since 2006, initially assisting displaced Lebanese. In early March 2012, NRC commenced its Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance ICLA (ICLA) programme in Lebanon, with a focus on assisting refugees and displaced persons to understand and enjoy their rights. Initially providing assistance to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (Palestinian Response), since May 2012 ICLA has also been implementing a programme throughout Lebanon targeting those affected by displacement from Syria. Under its Syrian response, NRC currently works through seven community centres around Lebanon (two in the North, three in the Bekaa, one in the South and one in Mount Lebanon), as well as through extensive outreach. NRC has recently initiated activities in the Beirut and Mount area, providing information, counselling and legal assistance to people who are affected by displacement as a result of the crisis in Syria; develops understanding of the protection and legal issues affecting the target communities, and, in coordination with other actors, identifies ways to address them. JOB PURPOSE The Information Field Officers are responsible for developing and organising ICLA activities in BML (in their designated area) and for providing quality information and counselling to beneficiaries and, through this work, developing better understanding of the protection situation for the target communities. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Management Responsibilities Provide direct supervision of Information Field Assistants in BML, in close coordination with Senior Information Field Officer; Responsible for managing the performance of staff under his / her supervision, including working with the staff members to set and monitor objectives and workplans, and provide constructive feedback on an on-going and scheduled basis; Responsible for conducting recruitment for those positions under his / her responsibility and in doing so identifying appropriately qualified staff in a timely manner, in liaison with the ICLA Project Coordinator and Human Resources in BML. Project Implementation and Management Develop and manage a weekly activity plan for the provision of information sessions at the community centre and through outreach, which clearly identify roles and responsibilities of ICLA team members; Responsible for developing materials to be used in ICLA field activities, in liaison with the Senior Information Field Officer and the Information Field Assistants, ensuring that they are consistent with materials being developed elsewhere by ICLA in Lebanon, through close liaison with ICLA Management and other field offices; Develop and implement effective ways of publicising ICLA's services amongst target communities, in accordance with the ICLA structure and under the guidance of the Senior Information Field Officer; Services Mapping: Gather information on activities being implemented by other humanitarian actors in BML, and provides it to the Senior Information Field Officer in order to maintain a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date written mapping of services; Information and Counselling Services: Provide inputs to the Senior Information Field Officer on technical issues and questions that arise during the course of information and counselling activities; As necessary, assist the ICLA team in BML in providing information and counselling to beneficiaries on how to access basic services through individual and group information sessions conducted in the community centre and through outreach, in accordance with ICLA structure and guidance, and agreed workplans; Provide information and counselling to beneficiaries on legal issues (currently NRC's legal focus is on legal status and documentation, including birth registration, and Housing, Land and Property rights), in accordance with ICLA structure and guidance, and agreed workplans; Legal Assistance: In close liaison with the Legal Field Officer (and / or legal focal points, as relevant), arrange appointments with ICLA lawyers and appropriately manage ICLA's legal assistance cases, in accordance with ICLA structure, guidelines and principles. Project Cycle Management Needs Assessment: Provide inputs to the Senior Information Field Officer on information, legal and protection needs of target communities that are identified during the course of information and counselling activities; Project Planning: Develop monthly and weekly activity plans for ICLA in BML, in accordance with NRC project commitments; Assist in identifying suitable locations for the ICLA activities (including outreach work, and additional community centres, as applicable); Monitoring and Evaluation: As requested, provide inputs into the design and standardisation of forms, questionnaires and other templates used to document ICLA's activities in the fiel; In liaison with the Senior Information Field Officers in BML, ensure that the ICLA Field team in BML understand the purpose, and consistently use the agreed templates and tools to document ICLA's activities in the field; Responsible for ensuring that the ICLA team in his / her designated area in BML consistently use agreed templates and  tools to document ICLA's activities in the field; Undertake monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the satisfactory progress, quality, efficiency and accountability of ICLA's activities in BML, in accordance with the agreed monitoring and evaluation plan for BML;