Back Consultant – Project Lead Consultant Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) Project Beirut - Lebanon

CONSULTANCY - TERMS OF REFERENCE

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

Consultant – Project Lead Consultant

Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) Project

Beirut - Lebanon

Under the direct supervision of Head of Communications and Public Information Office, in close coordination with the Protection Mainstreaming Officer, and in accordance with established Agency Policy and Procedures, the incumbent will:

Description of Duties and Responsibilities

Ø Advising on all aspects of the AAP Project in Lebanon:

· Advising project team formed of a team coordinator and four area communications coordinators;

· Advising on implementation and identifying operational, administrative, financial and other constraints which may affect project implementation and propose solutions to ensure quality, timeliness and cost effectiveness of deliverables;

· Developing and adjusting the project’s work plan in coordination with UNRWA management;

· Supporting the integration of AAP feedback into UNRWA Lebanon programming, working in close collaboration with programme staff;

· Ensuring alignment of AAP with the Protection Mainstreaming programme;

· Keeping colleagues at Lebanon Field Office (LFO) regularly abreast of the project’s development and making recommendations to the LFO Front Office;

· Drafting regular reports and updating on project activities to donor (i.e. narrative reports and financial reports) in coordination with UNRWA Field Programme Support Office.

Ø Strengthening refugee community engagement to inform UNRWA’s strategy, planning, programmes and projects in Lebanon:

· Enhancing communications with the community, including through social media and other tools;

· Facilitating community inputs into the annual planning process on a quarterly basis, in order to ensure that community priorities are taken into account;

· Supporting the Camp Improvement Plan (focus on communications and community engagement) in Rashidieh, Beddawi and Burj Barajneh camps;

· Advising on the feedback to the community on UNRWA programme interventions and challenges during the annual programme cycle, quarterly priorities and ensure community concerns are escalated to departments and projects;

· Reviewing in consultation with programmes, existing forms of engagement with the refugee community, including feedback mechanisms and beneficiary satisfaction surveys, and establish new ones as appropriate;

· Demonstrating UNRWA’s commitment to accountability to affected populations by ensuring that feedback and accountability mechanisms are integrated into planning, programmes, monitoring and evaluations and are highlighted in reporting. Specifically;

· Based on the priorities decided, assisting programs in analyzing current programmatic response gaps and opportunities, identifying the strategic and operational actions needed to address prioritized needs and issues and defining objectives and milestones they will be accountable to while making sure not to raise expectations that cannot be met;

· Supporting programs in diagnosing barriers and opportunities to people-centered programming. Using the agreed methodologies, help identify and prioritize the specific affected groups and issues that require particular attention in their sectorial response. Some of this work follows on from current protection mainstreaming work and should build on it;

· Documenting methodology used, lessons learnt and good practices.

Ø Developing and advising on feedback collection mechanisms:

· Informing the design and development of a toolbox of research and feedback collection mechanisms (including, but not limited to: focus group discussions, key informant interviews, user research, mobile applications, satisfaction surveys, etc.;

· Advising on or conducting the above mechanisms to assess, measuring and evaluating the impact and perception of services provided by UNRWA in Lebanon Field Office to the affected populations;

· Where necessary, providing capacity building and training to in-field staff in the research methodologies described above;

· Supporting the analysis of feedback and data collected, in cooperation with relevant departmental colleagues, in order to provide actionable feedback to UNRWA programmes.

Ø Monitoring and evaluation:

· Designing, monitoring and evaluating the goals and objectives of programmes with the involvement of affected populations, feeding learning back into the organization on an ongoing basis and reporting on the results of the process;

· Producing regular reports on implementation and achievements;

· Ensuring that AAP principles are embedded in project-programme activities and cross-sharing of best practices and lessons learned.

minimum Qualifications and Experience

· An advanced university degree from an accredited education institution in social research or policy, community development or participation, communications, public relations or other related discipline;

· At least five years’ experience in the application of the knowledge acquired in social research or policy, community development or participation, communications, public relations or other related discipline, preferably in a large national or international organization; including 2 years of international experience outside one’s home country;

· Excellent command of written and spoken English.

COMPETENCIES

· In-depth understanding and experience in accountability to affected populations and support to refugees;

· Experience in facilitating senior management engagement with the community, in establishing feedback and complaints mechanisms, and in analysis of user and beneficiary feedback;

· Strong organizational, interpersonal and communications skills;

· Ability to develop clear goals and identify priority activities and assignments;

· Proven critical thinking, creativity and innovative skills;

· Excellent drafting reporting and monitoring and evaluation skills

· Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with colleagues and others in a team environment and with people of diverse backgrounds, cultures and nationalities; and

· Proficiency in relevant computer applications.

· Excellent oral and written communication skills

Desirable Qualifications

· Knowledge of UNRWA Rules and regulations;

· Previous experience with a UN organization, NGO, or donor government;

· Experience with Adobe Suite is an asset;

· Experience in user-centered design, user research, or service design;

· Experience in project management and financial oversight;

· Experience in advising and motivating a small team;

· Knowledge of the Palestinian Community is an asset.

· Knowledge of Arabic is preferred.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

· The duration of the consultancy is 2 months (extendable; subject to the availability of funds and satisfactory performance);

● Remuneration for this consultancy is equivalent to P3 level and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the consultant;

● The consultant will be based in Beirut, Lebanon.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV or UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements via consultancy@unrwa.org indicating the title of this consultancy “**Project Lead Consultant –Accountability to affected populations (AAP) Project**” in the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 10 April 2020.**

UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from qualified women. Only those applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking environment.