Community Services Associate – G6 – P.n. 10020013 - Beirut

The Community Services Associate is part of the Community Development Unit in the Country Operation, which is an integral part of the Protection team. The incumbent reports to the Head of Unit, and normally supervises some support staff. The community services role, broadly described, is to act as a critical interface between UNHCR and communities of concern, providing an AGD sensitive analysis of community risks and capacities that form the essential foundations to all UNHCR work in a given country context. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, Community Services staff work directly with communities to leverage their capacities for community-based protection. To fulfil this role, the Community Services Associate, and all Community Services staff, are required to spend a substantial percentage of their time working outside of the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern Accountability (key results that will be achieved) Effective support and advice is provided to promote AGD sensitive analysis of community risks and capacities as the essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work. Support and advice is provided to establishing community activities which address the social, cultural, and livelihood needs of populations of concern. Support and advice is provided to involve the host community in the protection of persons of concern.  The Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach is applied in all aspects of his/her protection and solutions work on behalf of persons of concern. Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results) Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection delivery strategy and operational procedures. Work with host communities to identify opportunities for national civil society involvement and hence the protection of persons of concern. Work with implementing and operational partners as well as with displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to SGBV. Assist in analysing protection risks and capacities of communities of concern.   Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with persons of concern. Assist in planning and monitoring of programmes and budgets, with an AGD perspective. Build office capacity for community-based protection through training and establishing systems for community mobilization and participation of persons of concern. Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results) Contribute to the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work. Contribute to reporting, including on information management issues, to reflect the work being done and its impact on enhancing refugee protection. Participate in conducting situation analysis through disaggregating and analysing quantitative data and qualitative information, including review of assessments, media, good practices, etc. to better enhance protection understanding and protection delivery. Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office, with external interlocutors, groups and individuals based on agreed parameters. Identify and select which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.