Protection Advisor

Job Purpose:

S/he will provide technical and strategic leadership and direction for Concern’s Protection Programme in Lebanon, including ensuring that all projects are sensitive to gender and power dynamics in design and implementation, and staff capacity is built to deliver accordingly.

Main duties & Responsibilities:

Technical leadership:

• Liaise with other Technical Advisors, Programme Quality Coordinator and MEAL Manager and support them in integration of gender and protection principles in all deliverables at all levels as appropriate.
• Lead the development and/or review and updating of tools and materials used on the protection projects and interventions of Concern in Lebanon, including monitoring and evaluation tools and databases.
• Stay informed on all global, national and Concern’s developments in the field of protection, generate trend analyses and gap identification to inform protection programme development in terms of target groups, target geographic locations and key interventions and approaches.
• Lead on the translation of Concern’s Global Equality Strategy into practice in all Concern’s programme and operations in Lebanon, with objectives and indicators for monitoring progress and achievements annually.
• Represent Concern at protection fora at sector, national, regional and global level, as appropriate.

Programme technical Support:

• Provide technical support, advice and direction to Concern’s Lebanon programme and operations on protection and equality, including reviewing relevant job descriptions, proposals, donor reports and communication materials, as you will be requested from time to time.
• Engage with Project Managers and support them in implementation of high quality gender-based violence and children protection case management services across Concern’s operational areas in Lebanon, and champion evidence based innovative adaptations as appropriate.
• Provide technical back-stopping for the protection interventions, ensuring that the standards agreed at sector, national and global levels are adhered to in protection project design and implementation
• Collaborate with the MEAL team to endure that gender and protection principles are taken into account during development of project logframes, and that gender and protection indicators are clear and SMART
• Work with the protection teams facilitating psychosocial support and emotional support group sessions in the adaptation of IEC materials and sessions delivery modalities that are not only technically sound but suitable to the context and desired social and behaviour change as well.
• Lead on gender and protection analyses, including conflict dynamics, in the contexts of Concern’s areas of operation, to inform gender transformation programming
• Work with the MEAL team to capture and disseminate learning in gender and protection internally and externally and with other Concern country programmes
• Work with the MEAL team to ensure that CRMs are appropriately communicated, structured, and managed to receive Protection- and Safeguarding-specific complaints

Capacity building and human resources development:

• Provide training, support supervision, mentorship and coaching to Concern and partner staff on protection, in both prevention and response to gender-based violence.
• Liaise with HQ based Advisors on trends in gender and protection in Concern and ensure awareness and adoption by the Lebanon country programme and operations.
• Lead on equality initiatives by Concern globally and as applies to Lebanon such as managing the support to Lebanon programme by Sonke Gender Justice, in consultation with HQ Advisors.
• Work with HR and the Systems Director in reviewing and revising, where necessary, Concern’s workplace, policies and recruitment procedures to address and advance equality, diversity and inclusion, and maintenance of a healthy working environment in Concern.

Safeguarding

• Integrate Safeguarding into Protection-related analyses, reviews, and adaptations.
• Ensure that key Safeguarding messages are integrated into Protection sensitization and IEC materials
• Support partners to integrate Safeguarding risks, messages and mitigation actions into their work
• Support HR, Safeguarding Focal Points and other relevant members of the team with capacity development on GBV disclosure, psychological first aid, and other relevant themes

Other:

• Actively participate in preparation or updates of Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) plan, Security Management Plan (SMP) and other Concern initiatives. 
• Take active measures to address equality issues, particularly relating to gender, in programme as well as operational activities.
• Ensure the highest stands of accountability through ensuring good communication and information sharing within and outside the organisation.
• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (finance, logistics, HR, security management etc).
• Actively participate in any emergency response if called upon to do so (within the existing programme area or in a new one).
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the CD or PD.

Work Ethic

• Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern’s Code of Conduct;
• Support the promotion of the standards outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct to the team and the beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment;
• Respect confidentiality and follow ethical guidelines

The tasks of this position are not limited to what is mentioned in this job description, additional tasks can be requested as per the programmatic needs

Person specification:

Essential

• Post Graduate Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Social Sciences, or a related discipline
• At least 5 years of relevant experience with an NGO, UN agency or donor
• At least 5 years in a protection programming role with NGO
• Proven experience in MHPSS, Child Protection, PSEAH and/or other relevant aspects of Protection
• Proven experience in the provision of technical advice and support to field programmes, and skills in staff and partner development and training
• Proven experience in developing training materials and delivering workshops, particularly in cross-cultural settings, including train-the-trainer sessions
• Proven experience developing guides, policies, standards and quality improvement tools.
• Proven experience of working in insecure and unstable environments.
• Experience of management and/or technical advisory positions with NGO
• Knowledge of humanitarian law and principles, standards and system (e.g. IHL, CHS, Sector System, etc.)
• Experience of organisation representation, advocacy and coordination with NGOs/UN, donors
• Experience of protection programme design, planning, management and implementation with community level engagement
• Excellent communications and relationship-building skills, both formally and informally.

Desirable

• Experience of working in the North and Akkar is an advantage

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Aptitude to inspire creative growth, innovation and learning.
• Strong human resource development skills including capacity building and mentoring.
• Ability and personal resilience to work in fast paced, dynamic and pressurised environment.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English & Arabic.
• Ability to work, live and thrive in a complex environment.