Lebanon Protection Consortium Adviser - Operations

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

1. Background:

NRC provides humanitarian aid to refugees from Syria, Palestine and vulnerable Lebanese host communities.  This assistance includes education; shelter; community management and coordination; water and sanitation; and information, counselling and legal assistance services. NRC also engages in advocacy with governments and donors to expand and safeguard refugee rights and protection.

NRC is the lead agency for an ECHO funded protection-focused programme, delivered by a consortium comprising Gruppo Volontariato Civile (GVC) and Action Contre la Faim (ACF). The challenge for humanitarian actors is to improve the overall accountability and effectiveness of aid; ensuring that programming outside of multi-purpose cash assistance is community-driven, where appropriate, and based on vulnerability analysis, prioritisation of needs and appropriate and timely response. The overall framework of the programme revolves around three inter-related and complementary outcomes to address this challenge: 1. generating the required data appropriate to inform the response and the advocacy; 2. the provision of a targeted and adequate response with clear protection outcomes; and 3. evidence-based programme advocacy with a focus on the coercive environment and ensuring effectiveness of aid.  

2. Role Summary:

The position will be part of the Consortium Management Unit and will work closely with the Head of Lebanon Protection Consortium (LPC), as well as field programme teams, including Area and Project Managers.

The purpose of the LPC Adviser - Operations position is to follow up on LPC practices and implementation across Lebanon. The position holder will ensure that procedures are in place and that the progress of implementation is reported through proper monitoring, follow up, field visits, and capacity building of concerned staff.

Generic Responsibilities:

1. Adhere and ensure compliance with NRC policies, procedures, handbooks, and donor/auditor requirements.
2. Contribute to the development of LPC strategies, initiate and participate in the development of relevant LPC activities
3. Coordinate and manage LPC project implementation (activities, budget and project documentation) in line with proposal, strategy and donor requirements
4. Implement technical direction and ensure high technical quality of projects
5. Provide regular progress reports to the LPC Consortium Management Unit and the LPC Agency Focal Points
6. Ensure that projects target beneficiaries most in need of protection, explore and asses new and better ways to assist
7. Ensure capacity building of LPC agency project staff and transfer key skills
8. Liaise and collaborate with relevant local authorities and other key stakeholders
9. Promote the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy
10. Oversee and take responsibility of mainstreaming protection guidelines in the LPC’s related activities as per NRC’s protection mainstreaming guidelines and ensures that all breaches/concerns reported are properly resolved.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Consolidate LPC activities in Lebanon, in coordination with LPC priorities and strategies.
• Understand context of refugee and host communities and work with LPC teams to ensure that LPC responds to the context and identified needs.
• Ensure the mobilization and participation of refugees in the LPC with particular emphasis on meaningful inclusion of women, children, elderly and persons with specific needs into decision-making processes.
• Develop and follow up on detailed project work plans and link with the LPC Consortium Management Unit members to ensure they link with the LPC procurement plans, spending plan, and M&E plan.
• Strengthen the framework of the LPC field teams, including working with the LPC Agency Focal Points to identify strengths and weaknesses within the team and adapt team accordingly.
• Train and coach the LPC field team leads and other relevant LPC staff members on effective project cycle management.
• Support and when required lead preparation of proposals (technical, financial and narrative aspects), reports and ad-hoc donor reports related to LPC.
• Evaluate, review and perform quality control of LPC field activities.
• Contribute to identification of trends in conditions/standards and donor priorities and assess better ways to assist refugees.
• Represent LPC in internal and external fora, develop partnerships in the humanitarian community in the relevant area and coordinate with authorities at local level.

Critical Interfaces:

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

• Consortium Management Unit
• LPC Agency Focal Points
• LPC Agency Programme Managers
• Other Project Managers/Coordinators across LPC Agencies
• Local authorities
• Other humanitarian actors

3. Competencies:

1. Professional Competencies:

Generic professional competencies for this position:

• University degree in a relevant field
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a senior level project implementation position in a humanitarian/recovery context
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
• Technical Camp Management expertise
• Proficiency in MS Office Application (Word, Excel…etc.)
• Knowledge of Open Data Collection systems (ODK/Kobo)
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal. Proficiency in spoken Arabic is an asset

Context/Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Designing and implementing training on project management and operational issues, including training of trainers to staff from a range of backgrounds.
• Experience with participatory fieldwork, methodologies, monitoring and reporting.
• Excellent knowledge of humanitarian principles and their application in high-risk environments marked by the presence of armed actors.
• Experience in conducting, organizing and managing conducting needs/vulnerability assessments and beneficiary selection processes.
• Experience organizing and leading teams working with vulnerable with an NGO or similar organization.
• Previous experience with the implementation of ECHO grants is an asset.

2. Behavioral Competencies:

• Handling insecure environments
• Managing resources to optimize results
• Empowering and building trust
• Managing performance and development
• Strategic thinking
• Analysing