Protection Coordinator – Lebanon At INTERSOS

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Protection Coordinator

Code: SR-34-9516

Duty station: Beirut, Lebanon with regular field visits to Bekaa, South, & North Lebanon

Starting date: 20/11/2024

Contract duration: 12 months

Reporting to: Head of Mission

Functional Supervisor: Protection Advisor

Supervision of: Deputy Protection Coordinator / Protection Analysis Specialist / MHPSS Specialist / Protection Managers / relevant protection focal points

Type of duty station: Accompanied duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS is an Italian non-profit, humanitarian aid organization founded in 1992. INTERSOS works towards a world of equality, justice, peace, and solidarity, to achieve this INTERSOS helps people to live in dignity and safety, alleviating suffering and meeting their needs. The mission of INTERSOS is to support people, families, and communities in areas most affected by crises around the world, providing crucial assistance to populations in life-threatening situations, in situations of famine and suffering resulting from extreme poverty, disasters, and conflict.

INTERSOS started to work in Lebanon in 2006 to support the Lebanese people affected by the Lebanese-Israeli war. Since 2013 INTERSOS has been supporting the vulnerable populations in Lebanon affected by the Syrian conflict, including both Syrian refugees and affected Lebanese people.

Today INTERSOS has 4 bases in Lebanon (North, South, Bekaa, and Mount Lebanon) operating in all Governorates of the country and implementing 7 projects in different sectors: Protection, which is the biggest part of the portfolio, WASH and Shelter, and Education. The main donors are UNHCR, BPRM, ECHO, AICS, & OCHA.

General purpose of the position

In collaboration with the HOM, define and coordinate the implementation of protection and advocacy strategy as well as the protection program of the mission.

Lead and provide technical guidance to protection staffs ensuring the different components of the protection programme are delivered according to internal guidelines and in line with international standards and principles, in order to ensure quality and achieve mission’s goals effectively, according to INTERSOS vision and values

Main responsibilities and tasks

Definition of the strategy and implementation

• Design and draft the protection and advocacy strategy for the mission based on context, identifying suitable approaches and interventions
• Design a Theory of change or a defined model of protection response and ensure it is aligned to the Global Protection Strategy
• Support the understanding of the community using participatory community engagement and strength based approaches. Ensure community mappings are done and adapt the program to the different scenarios
• Participate in exploratory missions, situation assessments in current and prospective areas of operations (providing technical inputs and recommendations for new and ongoing interventions in the country and defining protection operational priorities when needed) and support the development of the mission policy, annual plan, position papers, budget review and project proposal and reports to donors
• Ensure evidence based response through researches and evaluation of the interventions
• Draft position papers for issue based response depending on context and learning papers on challenges and best practices to ensure technical quality of protection activities
• Support the implementation and monitoring protection activities according to INTERSOS protection strategy and project plans, standards and protocols
• Identify and build Niche areas of technical expertise at mission level and share learnings and good practices with other missions
• Ensure proper integration of gender, inclusion, disability and age in protection program
• Ensure cohesion and harmonization of protection activities and services across the different implementation sites within the mission
• Support the Programme Coordinator and/or Project Managers to finalize project proposals ensuring protection integration in the programme and the respect of international internal and donor’s protection standards and appropriate technical language
• Facilitate and guarantee protection mainstreaming in the other sectors

Technical Quality and Capacity building

• Is responsible for the capacity building of the entire protection team ensuring technical quality
• Draft SOPs for protection interventions (Case Management, Protection Monitoring, Cash, Legal, MHPSS, CB[P) and ensure the respect of it in all projects
• Conduct regular case audits, critical case conferences, and learning events to provide guidance and ensure adherence to standards and quality
• Design training materials for capacity building of protection staff and ensure staff respect the basic principles of protection and are trained to implement good quality programs
• Deliver training and workshops to non-protection staff to build skills and knowledge of protection principles and enable them to mainstream protection in different sectors
• Develop resources and guidelines to support protection activities targeting children and adults in Case Management, PSS, Community Based Protection, Cash, Protection Monitoring, and Holistic Protection Prevention and Response
• Work along with the Protection team and Specialists to ensure that all interventions are coordinated and that technical resources are available
• Create opportunities for experience sharing and learning within the protection team to strengthen cooperation and collaboration.

Analysis and reporting

• Periodically (quarterly) analyze the protection trend and the data of INTERSOS protection intervention to identify needs, issues, trends
• Provide strategic protection analysis and development of periodic trend reports (including aspects of conflict analysis, gender, and risk management) from programme experience to improve development, implementation, and policy and advocacy activities
• Track indicators, and ensure that protection data are collected, archived, processed, analyzed, and disseminated in ethical modalities, in line with internal data protection protocols. Manage protection database guarantying all the data are regularly encoded
• Ensure Protection reports are submitted to HQ monthly
• Support the Programme Coordinator and/or Project Managers to finalize external reports
• ensuring the protection integration, the respect of international internal and donor protection standards, and the appropriate technical language.

Coordination and support

• Contextualize and adapt internal and global guidelines, guarantying these are rolled out and known by staff
• Update and inform the programme teams on the protection situation analysis
• Create opportunities for experience sharing and learning within the protection team in order to strengthen cooperation and collaboration.
• Work with other coordinators to build integrated programs in response to community needs
• Undertake regular field monitoring visits and provide support tools to monitor the quality of programme implementation

Supervision and Staff Management

• Directly supervise, coach, and mentor Protection Specialists and conduct regular performance reviews (IRP)
• Review work plans of Protection Specialists and define priorities together with Protection Project Managers
• Organize regular meetings with Protection Specialists and Protection team to discuss implementation and ensure quality
• Organize ad hoc meetings with SMT and Project Managers to share challenges and priorities and develop action plans to address them
• Plan and supervise, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training, performance evaluation, development, and internal communication) of the staff under her/ his responsibility in order to improve the staff’s capabilities and activities and to ensure learning and development

Monitoring

• Design M&E tools for protection activities and interventions guide the use of the tools and ensure they are used.
• Measure the impact of the activities and identify the best practices
• In cooperation with the accountability unit, support the development of complaints mechanisms for beneficiaries and make sure complaints are addressed properly
• In cooperation with the accountability unit, when required follow up on the implementation of the Child Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Harassment and Abuse (PSEA) policies

Networking and partnerships

• Establish and maintain collaborative relations with relevant donors, partners, project stakeholders, and other organizations.
• Maintain effective relationships with Protection, GBV, and CP clusters and related working groups at the national level
• Ensure that Protection Specialists maintain productive relationships with sub-clusters at the field level
• Ensure that main protection concerns are brought to relevant stakeholders to advocate for the respect of human rights and minimum protection standards
• Coordinate with other internal departments to guarantee good collaboration
• Network with Protection Coordinators from other missions to share best practices and resources and participate actively in monthly HQ Protection meetings and internal thematic Working Groups
• Collaborate and support HQ Protection Advisor in the development of technical resources and Guidelines

Required profile and experience

Education

• BA in a relevant field (Social Science, Psychology, Social Work, Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, or other fields related to social development and humanitarian work)
• Desirable Master’s degree (MA or LLM) in Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, or related subjects.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 8 years of experience with NGOs in developing countries of which minimum 5 years should be in protection technical roles and at least 2 years in senior management, coordination, or advisory position.
• Experience in implementation of key protection interventions related to Case management, PSS and Community based Protection
• Previous experience in the Middle East region (strongly preferred)

Professional Requirements

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel, and internet).
• Strong theoretical, technical, and practical background in protection.

Languages

• English (fluent)
• Arabic would be considered a strong asset

Personal Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work and integrate in a multicultural team
• Ability to work under pressure, flexibility
• Problem solver, dynamic, mature, proactive
• Diplomatic skills in networking with partners, authorities, and donors
• Experience in complex emergency settings involving internal displacements
• Reporting skills, experience with monitoring tools and systems, data collection and analysis
• Stress management
• Commitment to INTERSOS principles