Protection Project Manager - Lebanon

Title: Protection Project Manager - Lebanon

Tracking Code: 218599-927

Job Location: Beirut, Beyrouth (Bayrūt), Lebanon

Position Type: Full-Time/Regular

Job Description

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, civil society and economic development initiatives. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has been running community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while responding to emergencies as they have emerged. Until recently Mercy Corps’ focus had been on programs aiming to bolster civil society and give voice to under-represented groups through the empowerment of young leaders. Recently, the program portfolio has expanded in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria, including grants from UNICEF, ECHO, private foundations and the EC.  The emergency response component of the portfolio will be an increasing focus and driver of programming in Lebanon.

The conflict that began more than two years ago in Syria has resulted in a steady increase in Syrian refugees to Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.  To date, more than one million refugees have fled their country and the numbers continue to mount. All refugees who have entered Lebanon are staying with host families or in rented accommodation.  As numbers rapidly increase, humanitarian conditions are deteriorating.  The burden on host communities and the financial and emotional stress on refugees and their hosts is tremendous. Mercy Corps is responding to these needs by addressing urgent basic needs, child protection as well as the psychosocial impact of the conflict and displacement.  A growing programmatic focus is on mitigating the emerging tensions between hosts and refugees, particularly over economic resources, by addressing both livelihood opportunities and conflict mitigation capacity.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

The Protection Project Manager will report to the Deputy Country Director and oversee the implementation of the Psychosocial Response Support for Vulnerable Refugees (PRSVR) program by providing technical support and guidance to field project managers, officers and partners as they carry out protection monitoring and community engagement activities. S/he will have some office oversight responsibilities in coordination with the Beirut-based Operations Manager and the local operations team and will be responsible for coordinating with government and international and national NGOs working in the child protection and psychosocial support sectors to promote protection standards in policies and program activities, including coordinated referral mechanisms.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Team Management

• Supervise the field teams to develop work plans focused on outcomes;
• Ensure field teams complete tasks as assigned in a timely, professional way, while being sensitive to the confidentiality of the information they are collecting;
• Support and conduct trainings on protection and humanitarian work, Training of Trainers, and planning workshops targeting national teams, community organizations and leaders, service providers, and ministries;
• Identify in coordination with the area managers training needs for national staff and local partners for program quality and accountability; identify professional resources; and encourage peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing and other forms of staff capacity-building.

 Project Management

• Provide technical support for the protection program through support to field staff and partner organizations;
• Establish and maintain effective project reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use;
• Provide feedback to local partners and report periodically to the M&E team for tracking purposes.
• Monitor and train team and local partners on data collection and protection monitoring tools;
• Identify and support mechanisms for effective project monitoring and evaluation efforts and systems for information sharing internally and externally.

 Representation

• Liaise with key stakeholders to disseminate findings and identify additional support to communities and individuals to address needs and threats identified through protection monitoring; as well as with relevant Mercy Corps staff to ensure programmatic synergies;
• Identify local organizations or groups working to resolve protection concerns within their communities and oversee strategic, technical, and operational support to those organizations or groups;
• Develop service provision referral mechanisms and case management capacity with local partners, national ministries, and other actors;
• Support the development and implementation of community engagement activities in partnership with area managers, local partners and IDP and host community leadership to address protection concerns.
  

Organizational Learning 

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Area Managers

ACCOUNTABILITY:

Reports directly to:  –Deputy Country Director

Works directly with:  Operations Manager - Security Focal Point

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• BA/S or equivalent in social science, management, international development, or other relevant field; MA/S in law, international relations, human rights or other relevant field preferred but not necessary.
• At least 3 years of progressive experience and proven high level of competence in working in protection-related programs, ideally in relief and/or post-conflict settings.
• Experience with humanitarian work and managing aid distributions and emergency response.
• Specialized background in gender, child protection, and minority rights and other vulnerable groups preferred.
• Some knowledge of Lebanon, in particular its displacement context, and protection threats relevant to internal conflict preferred; preference also given to candidates with background in the North Africa – Middle East region.
• Strong knowledge of, and experience with, international humanitarian and human rights law.
• Proven track record in staff and stakeholder training and capacity building, as well as TOT training.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of conflict mitigation, peace building and negotiation and ability to translate them into capacity building elements for peace actors.
• Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability and interest to work with a multi-ethnic team in a culturally appropriate manner.
• Proficiency in English essential

SUCCESS FACTORS

A successful candidate will have the ability to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with a capacity to spark innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to programming and inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs. S/he will have proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results, with an ability and willingness to remain mobile for short-term and/or long-term as necessary within the region, based on programmatic needs. Knowledge of security standards, equipment, precautionary measures, communication protocols, various unstable conditions and familiarity of the Sphere Project’s Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response are essential, as is an ability to work independently and as part of a team, with curiosity about and sensitivity to new cultures, a desire and ability to learn and grow, both personally and professionally, and a great sense of humor.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

This position is based in Beirut, a pleasant and cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean, with frequent travel throughout Lebanon. The security situation is uncertain in Lebanon, with a possibility for rapid deterioration, particularly dependent on the Syrian conflict.  Though currently secure in Beirut, all security guidelines and protocols must be closely followed at all times.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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