JO# 31576 – Assistant Programme CBI Officer – NOA – PN 10036313 – UNHCR Fixed-Term Appointment - Beirut, Lebanon

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant Programme CBI Officer is an active member of the bureau/field operation/division and is normally supervised by a professional member who manages and oversees the UNHCR cash assistance programmes. The incumbent supports to ensure that operations are compliant with the technical guidance and administrative instructions on CBI, and adequately monitored.
S/he normally receives guidance and direction from the Senior Programme CBI Officer or Programme CBI Officer or Programme Officer or other more senior staff. S/he may maintain close links with CBI staff in UNHCR HQ.
Internally the Assistant Programme CBI Officer will also liaise with UNCHR field offices and country offices. Externally s/he will liaise with Implementing and Operational Partners, National Governments, line ministries and UN agencies.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

There are currently over one million Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR in Lebanon, which makes Lebanon the highest refugee-hosting country per capita in the world. There are no approved camps in the country, and refugees are spread over 1,750 localities. The refugee response is led by the Government and local actors, 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 to support the Government. The structure brings together 13 UN agencies, 60 national and international NGO partners in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and other affected populations. The Lebanon national response falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response and UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.

The Assistant Programme CBI Officer will work in UNHCR¿s operation in Lebanon, in the Basic Assistance Unit (BA), under the supervision of the Programme CBI Officer. Basic Assistance Unit implements and oversees cash and in-kind assistance provision to nearly 1.3 million refugees and poor Lebanese. The Multipurpose Cash (MCAP) and Winter assistance programmes (WINCAP) are in monetary terms and volume of beneficiaries the largest of all UNHCR operations. These programmes are also considered UNHCR flagship programmes globally and other operations look to Lebanon for learning and best practices, especially on the sophisticated targeting system to select families to benefit from assistance.

The incumbent will ensure adequate implementation, operational monitoring and reporting of cash-based interventions in line with existing SOPs, card management cycle and timelines, in close coordination with Field Offices Basic Assistance Focal Points and relevant units (Programme, Finance, ICT, Communication with Communities, Protection, Shelter etc..) and other UN agencies, especially WFP and UNICEF. These includes support in processing assistance payments preparation, ensuring inclusions of new beneficiaries, distribution of cards, validation of beneficiaries, no-show follow-up and exclusion of no shows and inactive cases, preparation of upload and invoices verification reports, preparation of KYC files and letters, etc¿ The Assistant Programme CBI Officer will be responsible to ensure activities are implemented in accordance with existing SOPs, to ensure a proper documentation of all steps, and to suggest and contribute to the update and enhancement of existing processes and guidance notes. She/he will ensure continuous collection and archiving of key documentation of the BA Unit and prepare required documentation for audits.

The incumbent is expected to familiarize him/herself with all the details of the UNHCR Lebanon CBI programme, SOPs and guidance notes, Post Distribution and Outcome Monitoring reports, as well as research, surveys, and studies. In addition, the incumbent is expected to take part in various meetings, discussions and reviews of strategic and operational documents related to BA and is therefore expected to be able to independently express opinion, make suggestions and presentations relative to the topics under his/her responsibility.

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 considering 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. She/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.

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
- Support the strategic and coherent use of CBI's in the operations, assisting to ensure that CBI is maximised in assistance and service provision, strongly linking it to CRRF, MYMP and development, including linkages with Social Protection and Financial Inclusion.
- Support the review of and assist in coordinating the final clearance with DFAM of the CBI Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the operations, with support from more senior staff.
- Support the development of cash assistance programmes and support the senior management to ensure that CBI is fully, effectively integrated into the country operations plan for protection and solutions and Annual Program Planning and COP.
- Assist in ensuring compliance to HALEP and that CBI is included in the preparedness and response planning and be a first responder to new emergencies/ and returns situations to ensure operations are using CBI as a modality, in collaboration with more senior staff.
- Support the effective and coordinated procurement and contracting of Financial Service Providers by procurement/supply and finance. 
- Provide technical support on planning and assist in policy making on activities within the area of CBIs as an integral part of UNHCR programmes including assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects, implementation modalities and coordination.
- Support and collaborate with sectors to increase the use of CBI in education, shelter, livelihoods and where applicable in health and WASH programmes.
- Support the adequate inter-agency coordination mechanisms on CBIs and assist in building and maintaining strong relations with partners, regional entities and represent UNHCR in CBI coordination, with support from more senior staff.
- Support the establishment of a sound monitoring process for cash assistance, with proper collection, use and monitoring of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyse CBI¿s performance. Assist the supervisor in analysing trends and target interventions including CBI expenditure, upstream and downstream activities.
- Assist the supervisor in assessing the technical soundness of the operations and generate data for evidence-based decisions.
- Assist the supervisor in fulfilling CBI related reporting requirements.
- Support the use of UNHCR corporate tools and systems.
- Perform other related duties as required.