Senior Cash-Based Interventions Assistant – G5 – TRI123 – UNOPS Contract - Tripoli, Lebanon

General Background

The Senior Cash-Based Interventions Assistant reports to the Assistant Field Officer or Field Officer. S/he performs a variety of functions related to cash assistance activities within the office. The supervisor defines work processes and provides regular advice and guidance. The incumbent will assist in monitoring the quality of the provision of cash assistance for the operation under area of responsibility. S/he will be required to maintain strong relations with other units within UNHCR as well as implementing and operational partners and contractors working with UNHCR on the delivery of cash assistance to persons of concern (PoCs).The incumbent may also have a geographical area of coverage as part of Basic Assistance unit field monitoring to undertake activities such as ATM monitoring, non-food items distribution monitoring as part of the emergency/ regular response, support in monitoring the distribution of cash cards/ PINs and participate in cards validation including mobile cards validation/ distribution for PWSN beneficiaries.

The duties of the incumbent may also include support on monitoring data collection during the Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR) exercise and other CBI related data collection and assessments processes, including the cash assistance Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), Score Improving Household Visits (SIHV) and Cash Targeting Qualitative Validation household visits.  In addition, the incumbent may be required to directly follow up on individual CBI cases including liasing with relevant units and support in activities based on the needs of the office at any time. As such, the candidate needs to be flexible and proactive, ready to spend significant time in the field and possess excellent English drafting skills and data management.

The Senior Cash-Based Interventions Assistant also ensures that PoCs feedback on processes and decisions that affect their rights and dignity are adequately collected and reported. This may include participation and contribution to participatory assessments, information sessions for refugees and Outreach Volunteers (OVs), providing support and counselling to refugees at UNHCR Reception Center and support the Call Center, as and when required. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern and basic assistance and protection staff and partners.

The candidate will have experience relevant to the function, working in the area of basic assistance including CBI, and/or refugee protection, or closely related areas, with experience from the Syrian refugee response, and the capacity for analytical thinking. Experience interviewing persons using a rights based and AGDM approach is a plus, as is the completion of the CBI or closely related trainings.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

• Coordinate data collection and cash assistance eligibility determination with relevant partners and contractors.
• Assist in monitoring the implementation of the UNHCR cash assistance programme including the delivery of all assistance item, monitoring of infrastructure, completion of home visits, etc.
• Export and manage data related to the cash assistance delivery.
• Perform data analysis and reporting as required.
• Coordinate with relevant units and personnel on decisions and visits related to cash assistance program. 
• Coordinate with the financial service providers and other institutes on actions related to cash delivery issues.
• Receive queries from internal UNHCR units and external agencies related to the cash assistance delivery and provide feedback and follow up as necessary.
• Ensure proper filing and record keeping.
• Support in monitoring Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for CBI activities.
• Support in managing individual CBI cases including cards distribution/ validation no-show cases and cash beneficiaries no-withdrawals. 
• Support in monitoring activities including COVID-19 precautionary measures at the ATMs and distribution centers, data collection related to cash targeting and vulnerability assessments.
• Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoCs and their problems.
• Facilitate and deliver information sessions and counselling to PoCs as part of the CBI targeting and cash delivery processes.
• Liaise with PoCs, assistance beneficiaries, and partners.
• Direct incidents and problems to the supervisor when they cannot be resolved at their level.
• Perform other related office duties as required.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Participate in the monthly cards/ PINs distribution and quarterly cards validation of cash beneficiaries as and when required.
• Follow up phone calls for no-withdrawal and no-show cash beneficiaries and ensure continuous monitoring of the cash tools.
• Participate in identifying cases for high profile missions.
• Join the implementing partner activities for monitoring purposes.
• Support in collecting and following up on basic assistance related referrals.
• Support in conducting monitoring and evaluation of basic assistance programs including CBI and non-food items (PDM and OM).
• Join missions with other units as and when required.
• Ensure that needed information sessions on cash program are provided.
• Report on field mission outcomes, needs, issues identified and follow up as required.
• Update UNHCR reporting tool as and when required (ActivityInfo, RAIS, etc.).
• Ensure monitoring of ATMs and cash beneficiaries and follow up as required.
• Ensure contingency stocks are reported and maintain up to date information.
• Timely analysis, overviews and reporting of contextual and operational issues in relation to basic assistance activities.