Community Communications and Accountability Team Leader Consultant

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY

FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST – UNRWA

UNRWA is the United Nations agency responsible for the protection, care and human development of a population of some 4.6 million Palestine refugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Syrian Arab Republic. The Agency is committed to assisting Palestine refugees in maintaining a decent standard of living, acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills, enjoying the fullest possible extent of human rights, and leading a long and healthy life. UNRWA is by far the largest UN operation in the Middle East with over 29,000 staff. Most of the staff members are refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities – as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers.

Community Communications and Accountability Team Leader Consultant

Location

Lebanon Field Office

Type of Appointment

Individual Service Provider (International)

Deadline for Application

30 October 2017

Vacancy Announcement Number

978/2017

Department/Division

Office of the Director – Public Information Office

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent will develop and implement: (i) a structure and processes that facilitate the engagement of senior UNRWA field management with the refugee population, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized, at key points during the Programme Management Cycle; (ii) a model feedback and complaints mechanism; and (iii) a methodology to measure overall refugee satisfaction with UNRWA services and areas for improvement.• The incumbent will:

A.     Manage all aspects of the AAP Pilot Project in Lebanon.

a)     Lead project implementation and identify operational, administrative, financial and other constraints which may affect project implementation and propose solutions to ensure quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness of deliverables.

b)    Develop and adjust the project's work plan in coordination with donors and management, ensuring that the project outputs are aligned with the project design and the partnership agreement and providing advice and guidance as required.

c)     Assess needed institutional changes to support systematic mainstreaming of people-centered approaches.

d)    Ensure existing interagency AAP guidance and learning is taken into account to ensure that the lessons learnt, good practices and tools developed inform UNRWA's approach to AAP.

e)     Identify opportunities with the Protection program for aligning AAP with the need to reinforce protection mainstreaming.

f)     Ensure that UNRWA's teams in Headquarters are kept abreast of the project's progress and that it informs the agency's implementation of its AAP work.

g)    Coordinate a Project Board at LFO level, to keep colleagues abreast of the pilot's development, help them build their support on the basis of the lessons learnt and good practices, and make recommendations to the LFO Front Office.

h)     Draft or oversee the preparations of regular reports and updates on project activities to donors (i.e. narrative reports and financial reports) in coordination with UNRWA Donor Relations Unit and the UNRWA Programme Support Office.

B.      Develop refugee community engagement to inform UNRWA's strategy, planning, programmes and projects in Lebanon.

a)     Review, in consultation with Programs and the Department of Internal Oversight, existing forms of engagement with the refugee community, including complaints mechanisms such as the grievance process, and establish new ones as appropriate, with a view to ensuring their integration and compliance with best practice standards including in terms of accessibility, effectiveness and confidentiality where needed.•

b)    Facilitate community inputs into the annual planning process in the fourth quarter of the year, in order to ensure that community priorities are taken into account. Review the Camp Improvement Plan in Rashidieh camp and support community engagement in projects with Nahr El Bared and Beddawi camps.

c)     Facilitate feedback to the community on what UNRWA has accomplished during the annual programme cycle and what priorities have been set, with meetings in the first quarter of the year, and communicate community concerns to departments and projects.

d)    Support and document participation of management in meetings in each of the five areas in Lebanon, targeting representatives of political factions, camp committees, main NGOs and community-based organizations in the camps, youth and women's committees, and other relevant community organizations including those involving Palestine refugees from Syria.•

e)     Enhance communications with the community with specific efforts towards vulnerable groups, including through using social media and other tools to communicate outcomes.

f)     Demonstrate UNRWA's commitment to accountability to affected populations by ensuring that feedback and accountability mechanisms are integrated into planning, programmes, monitoring and evaluations, staff inductions, trainings and partnership agreements, and are highlighted in reporting.

Specifically:

a.     Based on the priorities decided, assist programs in analyzing current programmatic response gaps and opportunities identify the strategic and operational actions needed to address prioritized needs and issues and define objectives and milestones they will be accountable to.

b.    Support programs in diagnosing barriers and opportunities to people-centered programming. Using the agreed methodologies, help analyze, 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 upon it.

c.     Translate identified priorities into programmatic approaches and tools.

d.    Provide hands-on support to programs in implementing a tool / approach that improves the quality and accountability to affected populations mechanisms within their response. This could include the questionnaires for Annual Operational Plan [spell out] consultations by departments / areas and projects with community engagement requirements.

e.     Develop questionnaires for Annual operational planning consultations by departments/areas and for projects with community engagement requirements.

f.     Document methodology used, lessons learnt and good practices.

g.    Elaborate a system to design and implement a people-centered approach that helps demystify, simplify and operationalize AAP at all steps (identify needs, analyses, priorities, program operation, monitor).•

g)    Organize or support field visits, assisting in the preparation of visibility material/activities as required.

C.      Contribute to monitoring and evaluation

a)     Develop managerial tools for monitoring, evaluation and reporting; produce regular reports on implementation and achievements; ensure compliance with relevant standards including UNRWA's 'Framework for Accountability to Affected Populations' and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee 'Tools to assist in implementing the IASC AAP Commitments'.

D.     Perform any other duties as required.

PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

(A) •••• Academic and Professional level of study

An advanced university degree in social research, communications, public relations or other related discipline.

•(B)••• Experience

At least eight years' experience in the application of the knowledge acquired in (A) above, preferably in a large national or international organization.

(C) •••• Language

Excellent command of written and spoken English is required, written and spoken Arabic is an asset

(D) •••• Skills and Competencies

a)      In-depth understanding of accountability to affected populations and support to refugees;

b)      Experience in facilitating senior management engagement with the community, in conducting Beneficiary Satisfaction surveys and in establishing feedback and complaints mechanisms.

c)      Experience in project management and financial oversight;

d)      Strong organizational, interpersonal and communications skills;

e)      Ability to develop clear goals and identify priority activities and assignments;

f)       Proven critical thinking, creativity and innovative skills;

g)      Excellent drafting and reporting skills;

h)      Experience in managing and motivating a small team;

i)        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

j)        Proficiency in relevant computer applications.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of UNRWA Rules and regulations;

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

Experience with relevant computer applications.

Conditions of Service•

Salary: P4 relevant to salary scale

Contract Duration: 6 months extendable subject to availability of funds, needs and performance.

EQUIVALENCY

Candidates with an equivalent combination of relevant academic qualifications, professional training and progressive work experience may also be considered.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The Recruitment process is based on the Agency's strategy to obtain the best qualified and suitable employees through a competitive recruitment process. After the deadline for receiving applications, all applications will be reviewed by the Human Resources Office and the Hiring Department.  Only Short-listed candidates who fully meet the required criteria shall be contacted and undergo technical/practical tests and the candidates with the highest passing scores will then be invited to interview (see "Technical and Practical Tests Required" below). An absence from tests or interviews will be considered automatically as a withdrawal from the recruitment process. The final recommendation for selection is based on the test results, interview assessment, Agency priorities and needs and the candidates' profiles. For all posts, the weight allocated for the technical/practical tests (listed below) is 60% and for the interview is 40%. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women.

It is Agency Policy to give full consideration to qualified disabled candidates whose disability does not impact their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the post. Priority will be given to fully qualified registered Palestine refugees.

•         Prior to the commencement of services, the consultant shall confirm and acknowledge in writing, and provide proof of the existence of, self-procured adequate private insurance against medical, disability and accident for the duration of the contract.

UNRWA staff members with fixed term appointments may apply for any consultant/contractor consultancy while in service. Upon selection, a staff member may be offered the consultant/contractor contract upon resignation from fixed term appointments and a three month break-in-service.

Candidates who are no longer employed by the Agency must have a minimum of 3 months break-in-service, before they apply to any consultant/contract positions

As a member of the United Nations system, UNRWA maintains a close relatives' policy.• In this regard, if a candidate has a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter) who is already employed by the Agency, he/she can only be employed if the Agency is unable to find another suitable candidate.

UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights, for diversity, and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking working environment.

Where there are two or more equally qualified candidates, selection preference will normally be given to internal candidates, Palestine Refugees and candidates of the under-represented gender. If the post is a project funded post (this will be indicated in the vacancy), an internal candidate with a temporary-indefinite or fixed-term appointment selected for this post will not retain his/her current contractual status and entitlements in accordance with current letter of appointment and applicable Area Staff Rules. The Agency maintains the discretion to fill future vacancies for this position from the roster without re-advertising the vacancy.

TECHNICAL & PRACTICAL TESTS REQUIRED

Short-listed candidates will sit for one test:

•       Computer based technical test (100%)

The top 05 scoring candidates, in the technical test given that none have scored less than 50% will be invited for an interview.

HOW TO APPLY

If you have the skills and experience required above, and want to make an active and lasting contribution to improving the lives of Palestine refugees, then register on http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing the UNRWA Personal History Form; it is the responsibility of the candidates (internal and external) to make sure that their Personal History Form is duly completed with the needed information before they apply as amendments to the Form will not be accepted after the deadline of the vacancy announcement. Only applications received through this website will be considered and the system will not allow applications after the deadline. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Candidates may also be invited to take a technical exam in order further evaluate their qualifications for the post. Due to a high volume of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted –"سيتم الإتصال فقط بالأشخاص الذين تنطبق عليهم متطلبات الوظيفة". The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. For further information in how to apply for a post, please visit the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JreyKoXXKEA&feature=youtu.be

For any queries please send an email to: recruitmentquestions@unrwa.org. Please apply as requested above, do not send your CV To this email address, all cvs sent to this email address will be automatically ignored. يرجى تقديم الطلبات حسب التعليمات اعلاها وعدم ارسال السيرة الذاتية الى هذا البريد الالكتروني, سيتم تجاهل السير الذاتية التي ترسل الى هذا العنوان تلقائيا. Or contact the recruitment unit on 009611830403.

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Date of issue: 17 October 2017