Child Protection Manager - Access to Justice - Beirut

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Job Overview/Summary:

Based in Beirut, with travel to other regions where IRC and its partner projects and activities are implemented (Bekaa, North, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and South), this position will be responsible for managing funded consortium project under the Access to Justice for Children initiative. The focus is on supporting vulnerable children in need of judicial protection and/or those in conflict with the law, while advocating for their rights within the judicial system in Lebanon. The role includes overseeing case management, PSS (psychosocial support) activities, legal assistance, and representation.

The consortium is led by IRC and implemented in partnership with Terres des Hommes Lausanne and Himaya. In addition to the consortium, the Access to Justice Manager will also be responsible for managing a project for juveniles in Roumieh Prison, as well as any other access-to-justice-related initiatives for children.

Reporting to the child protection coordinator, this position will work closely with partner organizations, finance, and operations on reporting, donor engagement, compliance, and project monitoring. This role will work alongside the Partnership, and MEAL teams to ensure effective project management.

He/She will be responsible for the capacity building of the IRC access to justice team and the partners, with a heavy focus on their technical competencies in the area of Access to justice. The Manager will have critical thinking skills and will be able to identify gaps in processes that obstruct access to justice for children. The Manager will be responsible for identifying specific gaps in process and systems that need to be improved, and will be responsible for recommending concrete solutions to address these gaps in the national system and based on IRC strategy to better serve children in contact with the law. Conducting  assessments to identify areas where counterparts providing services for children require technical support, in addition to how this can be provided.

Major Responsibilities:

Access to Justice Consortium Lead:

• Serve as primary focal point between all consortium agencies and IRC. Maintain responsive and clear communications with the consortium focal points on the ongoing access to justice project.
• Convene and provide reporting/updates to consortia steering committee
• Represent the IRC and the consortium, demonstrating strong communication skills and understanding the project, and consortium priorities.
• Coordinate all meetings with the consortium members.
• Coordinate all meetings among consortium working groups (Steering Committee, Project Management, Technical, Advocacy, MEAL), document and share key discussions points and decision making.
• Maintain and update shared consortium folder with all relevant information and documents.
• Ensure ‘lessons learnt’ through the consortium are followed up upon by relevant focal points
• Track progress,
• Access to justice for children in Prison project:
• Manage the access to justice for children in prison project,
• Coordinate with IRC local partner who are working inside the prison,
• Advocacy, coordination and networking:
• Identify key stakeholders within the Judicial system who play a key role in Access to Justice for children at risk of harm
• Build strong relationships with formal and non- formal key leaders and influencers of the justice system for children: judges, legal prosecutors, municipality members, head of police stations, frontline police workers, representatives of political parties, religious leaders.
• Responsible for starting and driving the implementation of the Access to Justice for Children Program forward.
• Responsible for developing implementation plans, actively contacting relevant stakeholders to target for advocacy initiatives, developing content and approaches for workshops.
• Represent IRC as a strong advocate of child rights, more specifically of children fair and transparent access to justice
• Proactively meet with key stakeholders and consortium members on bi weekly and monthly basis for project implementation.
• Participate and actively contribute to coordination meeting at the national and local level when necessary, Liaise closely with governmental departments and/or international and local, NGOs including UN agencies and identify areas for collaboration.
• Support the CP coordinator  in related activities of the Case Management Task force and collect information in specific thematic areas.
• Work closely with Legal counterparts to jointly identify specific components for technical capacity building plans, draft and deliver workshops together, based on the programs vision.
• Flag important gaps in processes and the system to CP coordinator to inform strategic priorities for the National Case Management Task Force.
• Contribute to research, Access to Justice need-assessments, and organization of events pertaining the Access to Justice for children.

Project Management

• Take the lead on internal and external reporting with partners, programs and finance teams, ensuring high-quality, well-written and timely reports meeting donor and IRC requirements. Maintain close collaboration with all relevant parties in preparation of donor reports.
• Lead project monitoring meetings in close coordination with partners, proper operational openings and closings of grants, and monitoring and evaluation of programmatic progress. Support the follow-up on action points from meetings.
• Conduct monitoring visits to field locations to observe and understand the progress of project implementation.
• Responsible for all aspects of budget monitoring and tracking – this includes preparing accurate spending plans, monthly reviews of budget versus actuals, amending budgets, re-aligning budgets
• Oversee the IRC and the partners implementation.
• Prepare and monitor project detailed implementation plan and consistently review and monitor.
• Responsible of preparing and monitoring project procurement plan in line with IRC processes.
• Responsible of the recruitment of the project vacant positions
• Oversee logistical and financial arrangements of all related project activities
• Responsible of weekly/monthly reporting on the project activities, progress, targets, challenges, suggestions and lessons learnt.
• Draft and submit monthly and quarterly donor reports
• Provide concrete recommendations based on lessons learnt for proposals to build systems
• Document child protection trends and highlighting major risks that affect children at risk in Lebanon.
• Monitors activities progress and reporting: pre-posttests’ documentation and analysis, focus group discussions, surveys etc
• Monitor and evaluate project’s progress and implementation quality in accordance with IRC M&E standards and procedures
• Document project files

Capacity building:

• Work closely with the consortium members, the legal counselors and the caseworkers to ensure quality case management for children, and to synchronize case management and legal interventions for the best interest of children.
• Identify the team’s and the partners’ capacity building needs and link them with learning opportunities
• Deliver child protection trainings to staff and consortium members and support staff to make the most of the interventions they  are responsible for.
• Support different stakeholders to identify organizational and technical needs and gaps, coach partners and mentor partners staff.
• Review and modify (when necessary) case management tools and train staff on them.

Staff Management and Development:

• Empower staff to drive results forward for children with special focus on children in contact with the law who require safety and justice.
• Supervise and motivate the team to excel this includes a capacity building officers, legal counselors and indirectly supervising the caseworker to ensure we maximize our potential to influence change for children.
• Working closely with the capacity building officer to support the organization and implementation of capacity building activities such as workshops, trainings, discussion meeting and learning sessions around transparency measures and access to justice for children, clinical management of rape, and steps for Physical Examination and Forensic Testing protocols, child friendly communication, accountability, transparency, etc.
• Provide support to the IRC and partners caseworkers in complex case and ensure cases fit within the required profile of the program on Access to Justice
• Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.
• Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to the Child Protection Coordinator
• Position directly supervises:
  • Capacity Building Officers
  • CP Case workers
  • Legal counselors
  • Partners
  • And leading the consortium

Job Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor degree in law, political, criminal, social sciences or related field.
• Master’s degree relevant to the position will be an added value.

Work Experience:

• minimum of 6 years of experience in managing humanitarian projects
• Extensive experience in child protection and case management
• Proven coordination experience and representation in front of governmental authorities.
• Strong experience is managing capacity building programs, delivering trainings and coaching activities.
• Experience in working in juvenile justice. Working with the Lebanese justice system is strongly preferable.

Demonstrated Skills Competencies and ethics:

• Strong management skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Self-driven person
• Strong advocate of child rights and child protection
• strong and high-quality proposal and reports writing
• Results oriented and driven
• Motivation and Inspiration to drive the program forward
• Respect IRC policies and procedures

Language Skills: Strong English and Arabic speaking and writing skills

Computer skills: Mastering Microsoft Office Package.

The position is based in Beirut with frequent visits to Tripoli and Akkar (60% travels)

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality, and Accountability. with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.