Disaster Vulnerability Focal Point Project Manager in Lebanon

Handicap International is an independent and impartial international aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights. Handicap International is a not-for-profit organisation with no religious or political affiliation. It operates as a federation made up of a network of associations that provide it with human and financial resources, manage its projects and implement its actions and social mission.

For more details on the association: http://www.handicap-international.org

Handicap International is composed of 3 operational divisions: • Emergency Response Division (ERD) • Mines Division • Development Division

Under the Emergency Response Division, the expatriate will be recruited for this mission:

JOB CONTEXT A critical humanitarian situation According to UNHCR latest figures (October 11th 2012), there is between 2,5 and 3 millions IDP within Syria. More than 250,000 refugees are now registered Syria neighboring countries. The current humanitarian response is far from answering to most urgent needs, growing by the day, with a partial coverage only. 19 months after the initial starting of the crisis, number of injured within Syria and neighboring countries is still rising, with a patent lack of immediate rehabilitation and psychosocial relief. Inclusion of vulnerability in the global humanitarian response remains a major concern. The lack of follow-up of the most vulnerable persons, having often experienced 2 or 3 displacements may generate discrepancies in the provided relief, and – in neighboring countries - could even create tensions between refugees and host populations. Voluntary returns (i.e : from Za’atari camp, Jordan) and pendulum movements (i.e : Turkish borders) are hurrying the need for risk education dissemination.

Lebanon Situation The complexity of religious and political components as well as fighting events in Lebanon set a more difficult assistance response. Issues of access to services remain. Half of the refugee population is not prepared to winter, which could lead to life threatening conditions. Few injured are now in Bekaa as the flux has been directed toward North and Tripoli since the beginning of the conflict even if some still arrives in Northern Bekaa.

Humanitarian coordination, if getting better, is not yet fully effective. Relevant stakeholders have not consistently taken into consideration specific needs of vulnerable populations. UNHCR-registered households are receiving most of the consistent assistance, while the unregistered ones are struggling to find any kind of support beyond local charity associations and organizations which doesn’t deliver through registration status. Some tensions are rising at host community level, in relation with general poverty of the area.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES HI implementation After a first round of assessment on March 2012, HI emergency department is implementing since May 15th an emergency intervention for the most vulnerable people affected by the Syrian crisis in Jordan and Lebanon, funded by ECHO, Centre de Crise (French MoFA), Swiss Cooperation and private donors, and aiming at supporting persons with injuries and other vulnerable groups (including persons with disabilities). HI is until now the only organization to address those issues through community outreach, and benefits from the trust of both communities’ representatives, local stakeholders and other field implementing organizations. In August 2012, HI initiated a basic needs assessment in Bekaa, leading to strong recommendations for winterization activities targeting vulnerable populations. Simultaneously, after a technical assessment in Jordan, HI decided to support a first risk education project addressing both Syrian refugees and local host populations living at the Syrian border. HI regional strategy HI decided to develop and strengthen a regional strategy along 4 central points: 1. Disability and Vulnerability Focal Point 2. Inclusion 3. Risk Education Activities 4. Contingency stocks

Activities in Lebanon The situation of the most vulnerable persons (including people with injuries) leads HI to implement a three dimension intervention in Central, West and North Bekaa and the North, So that the most vulnerable population (refugees, returnees, minorities and host families) affected by the Syrian crisis in Lebanon (including people with injuries and other vulnerable groups) see their vulnerability reduced and are better able to cope with the situation through the better coverage of their basic and specific needs (directly or through referral/channeling). 1. Provision of essential rehabilitation and other essential services to injured persons in order to avoid development of further impairment/vulnerabilities

Bekaa: 100 conflict-affected injured persons have access to essential rehabilitation and other essential services and avoid development of further impairments/ vulnerabilities. North: 400 conflict-affected injured refugees in Tripoli and in North Lebanon (Kaza Akkar, Danniye) benefit from essential emergency rehabilitation including post surgery rehabilitation cares Provision of support to 3 hospitals (Tripoli Governmental Hospital, Dar El Zahar Centre and Abrar Centre) in order to improve the provision of emergency rehabilitation care for Syrian refugees with injuries

1. Improvement of identification of the most vulnerable persons (including refugees with injury) with uncovered needs and individualized support in the response to their needs/such as physical rehabilitation services and psychosocial support (accompaniment to other stakeholders' services and/or to HI's services)

Bekaa: 1629 and their families (ie.8145 persons) of conflict affected vulnerable persons who have a better coverage of their basic and specific needs through direct provision of services and/or referral upon needs North: Identification, assessment and specific support to ensure tailored response to the needs of 1040 individuals affected Syrian and their families (ie. 5200 persons) conflict including refugees with injuries and other vulnerable groups (through direct and indirect services) at community level.

1. Direct provision of essential uncovered basic and/or specific services such as distribution of dedicated basic NFIs for winterization activities

Bekaa: Direct basic support in terms of winterization through the provision of warm blankets and clothes, fuel stoves and vouchers, and installation of insulation kits for 320 vulnerable households affected by the Syrian crisis (including Syrian refugees, Lebanese returnees and minorities such as Palestinian refugees - and 60 extremely vulnerable host communities)

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES OF THE EXPATRIATE

Under the responsibility of the Emergency coordinator and in close cooperation with the Rehabilitation technical advisor, Psychological technical advisor and the HQ technical Referent, he/she will be in charge of:

 To set up and ensure the continuous monitoring of the activities including quality monitoring, and using the appropriate HI guidelines and technical tools;  To set up and ensure the partnership (administrative, operational and strategic components) with the identified local organization;  To ensure a smooth co-ordination mechanism between the project’s components under his/her responsibility and the other project potentially developed by HI within the country;  To actively take part in the hiring of the project teams (job description, network identification, technical interviews, etc.);  To properly manage the team under his/her responsibility, including regular meeting and guidance, development of individual action plans when necessary;  In coordination with the logistic and administrative department, to ensure a correct follow-up of the administrative and logistic aspects of the project;  To manage the project budget and to follow-up the expenses;  To regularly report on the above activities (statistic, review monthly objectives, etc.) as per requested by the Emergency Coordinator and the HQ Advisor;

MAIN TASKS OF THE EXPATRIATE

Representation

 In coordination with the Emergency coordinator, to represent Handicap International in the project area with any relevant stakeholders, local, national and international partners, local and provincial authorities in order to facilitate the implementation of project’s activities;  On the Emergency coordinator’s demand, to ensure ad hoc additional representation with other stakeholders such as funding organisation, cluster meeting and medias;

Establishment of 1 Disability & Vulnerability Focal Point in the affected areas

 Identification of affected vulnerable persons and their families and more particularly persons with injuries, disability, serious medical condition and older persons, according to specific vulnerability criteria, adjusted against capacity criteria such as status of the house / shelter, remoteness of the living area, composition and income of the household, coverage by other relief actors; According to identified needs, channel and redirect other actors’ NFI response toward remote areas and isolated families;  Referral to relevant structures as per needed;  Collection of proper disaggregated data and activity data for all the HI different project’s components;

Ensuring essential rehabilitation cares and provision of assistive and mobility devices

 Physical rehabilitation oriented assessment of persons with injury and disability at DVFP level, but also at the house / shelter of the injured/disabled person if he/she has no capacity to reach the DVFP;  Monitoring of the persons’ physical rehabilitation needs taking into account habits and other needs (holistic approach of rehabilitation) in order to adjust physical rehabilitation plan;
 Reinforcement of the capacities of the families and care takers to ensure the best possible outcome on the physical rehabilitation process of the targeted persons with temporary / permanent impairment;  Distribution of dedicated NFI to respond to specific needs;  Training of HI paramedical and community staff on how to identify key family members and care takers, deliver appropriate essential messages on efficient fashion toward beneficiaries at community level, and monitor the impact in behaviour changes;  Provision of suitable assistive and/or mobility appliance;  Sensitization of the person and its family for proper use and maintenance of the device, completed by follow-up visit will be ensured to verify the adequateness of the donation;

Provision of emergency psychosocial services for the most affected persons:

 Provision of information to the most vulnerable persons about relief efforts, positive coping methods;  Identification of people in need of psychosocial support (people with psychological distress, etc...)  Identification of the sources of difficulties and expressions of distress through Focus Group Discussions conducted with an individual and group Do No Harm approach  Design of appropriate responses and provision of different kinds of psychosocial group activities adapted to the needs identified (group therapy using media activities such as theatre, role plays, drawing and other creative activities, group of expression, peer to peer support groups and network, etc...)  Referral to specialized local or international partners for individual counselling, should this be necessary;

Team management:

 You ensure a good communication – coordination – information level of each member of the team through regular coordination meetings (or other if needed) in close coordination and collaboration with the partner;  You define, with each member of your staff, his action plan and delay for reaching defined goals (IAP);  You support and advise your team in the implementation of their IAP;  You ensure feed back towards your team about issues potentially raised by them;  You are concerned and aware on the personal and professional evolution of each member of your staff, and its development within the mission : individual interviews, oral and written evaluations;  You ensure conflict resolution (personal and professional) within your team and inform the emergency coordinator and the administrator;  You propose relevant needed adaptation to the organisational chart of the mission and contribute to its implementation (job descriptions, etc.), in collaboration with the emergency coordinator and the administrator;  You support your staff in their management duty: coordination meetings, individual interviews, etc.

Partnership management:

 You ensure the partnership from an administrative, logistics and operational point of view

Reporting:

 Facilitate regular reporting on your activities to the Emergency coordinator upon his/her solicitation (coordination meeting, workshop meeting, etc.);  Participate to the monthly situation report (SITREP) by providing relevant data related to your position;  Provide a technical report on monthly basis to HQ technical Advisor  You provide the desk officer with a mission report and/or handover document at the end of your contract;  Debriefing at HQ at the end of your mission (and during Home-Break).

POSITION IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART Under the hierarchical supervision of: Emergency Coordinator Under the technical supervision of: Headquarters’ Technical Referent Hierarchical supervisor of: 2 Field officers, 1 database officer.

REQUIRED PROFILE

Educational background and experiences:

 Experience in humanitarian context, preferably in emergency  Proven ability to manage a partnership (from administrative, operational and strategic point of view)  At least 2 years of professional experience in the field of vulnerability / disability Skills:  Strong project and team management skills  Strong communication and reporting skills  Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills  Ability to work under high pressure and without constant supervision

Required languages & IT skills:  English mandatory (oral and written)

JOB ENVIRONMENT Accommodation : Based in North Lebanon Guest House paid by Handicap International

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

Status: Salaried or volunteer upon experience • Salaried: Upon experience + 457 Euros net/month expatriation allowance • Volunteer: 750 or 850 Euros monthly indemnity + living allowance paid on the field

Health Insurance: medical cover + repatriation insurance

How to apply: 

Please send your CV and cover letter to: Jeanne VOGT at officerh3@handicap-international.org With the reference as title of your email your NAME/First Name/DVFP Project Manager/North Lebanon