JO# 17892 – Programme Associate (CASH) – G6 – UNHCR Temporary Appointment - Beirut, Lebanon

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Eight years into the Syria crisis, Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with nearly 950,000  Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, about 20,000 refugees of other origins - mostly Iraqi - and Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.  There are no formal camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and refugees are living in hundreds of communities and locations across the country.

The refugee response is led by the Government and UNHCR and UNDP, supported by the international community. As the designated lead agency in the refugee response, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field. The structure brings together over 150 UN agencies, national and international NGO partners [over 150 actors, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs and Ministries] in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The Lebanon Chapter of the Response Plan falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response and UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.

The UNHCR operational response in Lebanon is one of the largest for the organization. Media attention and the frequency of influential high-profile visitors is high. The Office has grown substantially in the past years and is currently operating with around 650 staff. Aside from the country office in the capital city of Beirut, UNHCR has field offices in Mount Lebanon, Qobayat, Tripoli, Tyre and Zahle.

The post of Programme Associate (Cash) is located in the Basic Assistance Unit and its incumbent will be supervised by the Senior Field Coordinator (Basic Assistance). The Unit falls under the overall supervision of the Assistant Representative (Programme).  UNHCR Manual, programme objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the Programme Officer. In addition and in light of the specificity of the position, she/he is expected to be very familiar with financial and delivery of service awareness on cash transfers in humanitarian and development contexts. S/he is also expected to stay abreast of the developments in terms of bilateral and multi-agency approaches related to cash transfers and cash based interventions in humanitarian and development context. 

The incumbent will assist in refining and ensuring proper implementation and delivery of a multi-sectorial programme for cash-based interventions to meet basic and survival needs for UNHCR¿s persons of concern. The Multipurpose Cash (MCAP) and Winter Assistance (WINCAP) programmes are based on the UNHCR Basic Needs approach and the Agency¿s core business; the basic needs approach facilitates the delivery of an immediate minimum safety net, to be complemented by specific protection and sector interventions through in-kind or cash, or ensuring access to services. The incumbent, along with the technical team in the Basic Assistance Unit will assist and provide support to the development of a coherent operational plan and the implementation of both MCAP and WINCAP Cash Based Interventions.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Assist in managing the relations of the CBI network of partners, multi-agency approaches and others related to the disbursement of assistance to persons of concern. 
• Assist in the monthly reconciliation and refund process for the cash assistance project.
• Assist in preparing detailed reports and breakdown of the cash assistance provided to the refugees. 
• Troubleshoot issues related to implementation of CBI across the country, in terms of loading and offloading of assistance. 
• Support in the co-ordination with different cash actors and financial service providers (LOUISE, Basic Assistance, banks), acting as a focal person for Unit in terms of financial monitoring related to CBI. 
• Provide support to the field with operational advice to ensure the delivery of assistance via cash is established in a timely manner. Regularly monitor and report on issues that would emerge in this regard. 
• Inform and act on the reports provided from BA focal persons in the field as well as other staff in the BO related to the implementation of cash programmes as well as follow up on card management issues that refugees report to UNHCR in order to ensure that all timely addressed. 
• Support the implementation of MFT exercises related to the delivery of CBI, especially on multi-purpose and winter assistance. 
• Contribute to the review and provide feedback on UNHCR programme-cycle exercises: needs assessments, COP, mid-year and year-end reports. 
• Follow up with UNHCR technical Units in Beirut on the financial process related to CBI. 
• Ensure timely generation on financial and programme documentation in order to generate the loading of assistance via CBI, 
• Perform other duties as required