Conflict Sensitivity Expert – Lebanon At Cowater International

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Conflict Sensitivity Expert – Lebanon

The Middle East Field Support Services Project (ME-FSSP)

KEY INFORMATION

Job Title:

Conflict Sensitivity Expert – Lebanon

Position/ Contract Type:

Long Term Consultancy

Duration of Initial Contract:

12 months, starting ASAP (up to a total of 40 days)

Position Location:

Lebanon

Language Required:

Arabic and English

1. BACKGROUND

Lebanon is facing significant challenges, including political instability, economic collapse, and rising social tensions fueled by strained resources and ongoing regional conflicts. These factors create a highly volatile environment where development initiatives risk exacerbating tensions if not carefully designed. In this context, applying a conflict-sensitive approach is essential to ensure that interventions promote peace, reduce risks, and strengthen social cohesion. Lebanon’s active civil society presents an opportunity to support these efforts, providing a foundation for sustainable, inclusive development and peacebuilding.

1. SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

In February 2016, the Government of Canada released a new and comprehensive whole-of-government strategy to respond to the ongoing crises in Iraq and Syria and their destabilizing impacts on the middle east region, particularly in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. Canada’s ‘Middle East Strategy (2016-2025)’ includes budget provisions for both development assistance and humanitarian response.

On June 9, 2017, Canada launched its Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), which targets gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The Feminist International Assistance Policy recognizes that supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the best way to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous world. To do this, it supports targeted investments, partnerships, and innovation and advocacy efforts with the greatest potential to close gender gaps and improve everyone’s chance for success. For more information on FIAP, please visit https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/priorities-priorites/policy-politique.aspx?lang=eng.

Launched in December 2021 and implemented by Cowater International, the Middle East Support Services Project (ME-FSSP) will primarily support the development and humanitarian objectives of Canada’s Middle East Strategy by providing administrative, financial, procurement, and logistical services in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and the region.

1. OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this consultancy is to integrate conflict sensitivity and the Do-No-Harm approach into all Global Affairs Canada (GAC) initiatives in Lebanon. The Consultant will lead the application of these approaches within GAC-funded projects, providing technical advice to inform strategies, project designs, and briefings. They will engage stakeholders, ensure alignment with GAC’s programs, and strengthen connections between GAC initiatives and conflict sensitivity considerations. The Consultant will also represent GAC in relevant forums and contribute to better development outcomes by embedding conflict-sensitive practices in Lebanon’s complex environment.

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES

Services Description

In collaboration with the International Assistance team in Lebanon and Canada’s implementing partners, the consultant will be overall responsible for applying a conflict sensitive approach to all taskings.

Deliverables will include as needed:

1. Conflict Analysis and Risks Assessment:

• Examine proposals, project implementation plans, and annual progress reports from implementing partners through a conflict sensitivity lens to ensure activities do not unintentionally contribute to conflict, but instead promote peace and inclusion.
• Conduct an in-depth conflict analysis to identify key actors, sources of tension, and local capacities
• Produce written briefings on the ongoing conflict including main findings of risks assessment, context monitoring, and impact updates, making recommendations for more conflict sensitive interventions.

1. Integration of Conflict Sensitivity

• Design indicators that monitor impacts on social dynamics, inclusivity, and community tensions, and integrate these into project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework.
• Provide recommendations and suggest ways to adapt activities to minimize negative impacts of the conflict.
• Provide advice to the International Assistance team on conflict sensitivity issues to be raised in policy dialogue and advocacy with government, other donors, civil society organizations and private sector.
• Assist in documenting lessons learned and best practices ensuring that findings are incorporated into future programming.
• Advise on peacebuilding opportunities by offer guidance to Global Affairs Canada staff and partners on incorporating peacebuilding elements, including activities that enhance social cohesion, dialogue, and trust-building between communities.

1. Capacity Strengthening

• Conduct training sessions and workshops for Global Affairs Canada partners on conflict sensitivity and Do No Harm principles and best practices.
• Mentor and support GAC staff and partners to strengthen their understanding and application of conflict-sensitive approaches.

1. Coordination

• Attend donor and technical group discussions on conflict sensitivity as a resource person, contributing to knowledge-building/sharing and dialogue.
• Maintain ongoing communications with the Lebanon, HQ and Regional team members and specialist(s) as appropriate.
• Research, collect, analyze, update and exchange country and region-specific conflict sensitivity information and perspective with GAC field staff, HQ officers, and recipient country partners as relevant.

1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Expert:

The Expert is responsible for delivering the services described in section 4 of this TOR according to agreed timelines, expected results, and deliverables outlined in the online Service Requisitions/ tasking table, and any additional services as requested by the GAC Program Technical Leads – PTLs. The Expert will provide technical support and advice to GAC’s programming teams in Conflict Sensitivity. The Expert must work in close collaboration with the field staff and GAC HQ’s programming teams and assigned HQ Specialists, and whenever necessary with other consultants.

The Program Technical Lead (PTL):

The PTLs, identified by the International Assistance in Lebanon team, is responsible for:

• The provision of service requisitions to the Expert, including the approval of the Expert’s assigned work and deliverables.
• Reporting to GAC and ME-FSSP on the completion of services and deliverables against the approved tasking as set out in the online Tracking Table and Service Requisition forms.

ME-FSSP team:

• Managing the competitive process of identifying and hiring the Expert, including signing the contract.
• Communicating/disseminating key documents related to GAC policies, programming approaches and processes, regulatory or reporting requirements
• Delivering initial and periodic information sessions and ‘updates’ on GAC’s policies, programming approaches processes and, regulatory or other reporting requirements for Gender Equality relevant programming.
• Review and approve payments based on the invoices and timesheets submitted by the Expert.

1. REPORTING

• Technical Reporting: narrative reports or research, as requested by GAC, should be submitted to GAC only.
• Administrative and Financial Reporting: The Expert reports directly to ME-FSSP (Project Manager) who has full responsibility for the administration of the contract, including the approval of timesheets and invoices. Financial reporting which consists of a detailed monthly invoice, covering the Expert’s fees for the services rendered during the previous month indicating the date, the day and the number of hours worked for each day as well as any necessary and reasonable expenses incurred during the previous month, including all original receipts in support of the expenses claimed.

1. LOCATION, TIMELINES AND ESTIMATED LEVEL OF EFFORTS

• This contract will be valid for 12 months of signature.
• The consultant is preferably located in Lebanon; however, candidates with relevant experience from other countries are encouraged to apply.
• The Expert must be ready to travel to different locations in Lebanon to support GAC’s development and, to a lesser extent, humanitarian assistance programs’ planning and monitoring activities and to meet with partners.
• The ME-FSSP PM must approve all travel before the travel.
• The basis for payment will be based on a fixed-time rate contract.
• The level of effort is estimated at up to 40 days depending on the needs and activities of the program.
• No activities/tasks should be undertaken without GAC Lebanon PTL’s approval.

1. ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

• The Expert will be contracted under the ME-FSSP, administered by Cowater International on behalf of Global Affairs Canada.
• The contract will be administered through the ME-FSSP, and the Expert will be accountable for delivering the agreed-upon services and deliverables to the Global Affairs Canada team at the Embassy of Canada in Lebanon.
• The Expert is expected to use their own workspace, equipment, and materials, as office space will not be provided.
• Payment to the Expert will be made according to the agreed daily rate, reflecting the level of effort outlined in monthly financial timesheets and reports. All activities and services must align with approvals from the PTLs.

1. REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

To qualify for this role, the applicant must possess extensive experience across the full project cycle, with a specific focus on applying Conflict Sensitivity principles in development projects in Lebanon and the MENA region. Additional qualifications include:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience offering advice to donors/ organizations as senior specialist or senior program advisor in work related to conflict and peacebuilding in Lebanon.
• Experience in conflict analysis and applying such analysis to local development and humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in conducting training on Conflict Sensitivity and Do-No-Harm approaches, coaching, and mentoring for development programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge/understanding of Lebanon political, social, and economic aspects of conflicts in Lebanon.
• Demonstrated experience in the design and/or implementation of development and humanitarian programs.
• Demonstrated ability in producing clear, high quality analytical written work on conflict sensitivity in development and humanitarian topics.
• Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural and communication skills; and
• Commitment to teamwork and ability to build constructive and effective relationships.

1. EDUCATION

A minimum of Master’s degree (PhD or equivalent would be an asset) in Peace and Conflict Studies, International Development, Peace Building, Law or other related fields.