Assistant Government Liaison Officer

CFamilyFamilyNOANational Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular AssignmentNo2023-03-01-08:00March 6, 2023Assistant Government Liaison Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Assistant Government Liaison Officer is usually located in country operations. S/he plays a crucial support role in ensuring UNHCR¿s approach to the Government is consistent, strategic and coherent. UNHCR assists the Government on coordination, response delivery and protection issues. Typically, this involves joint coordination arrangements, partnership with various government departments in service delivery, and regular dialogue at all levels on refugee protection issues. The main aim is to assist senior management to ensure that UNHCR can fulfil its role to support the Government to lead the refugee response ensuring the protection of refugees and - in line with the GCR - promote the inclusion of refugees into national systems by coordinating with other actors - including development actors at the early stages of a refugee response and in mixed situations supporting the Government to prevent, respond to and resolve internal displacement while complementing and reinforcing national response efforts. This should be done in line with UNHCR¿s Mandate, the Global Compact for Refugees, the IDP policy, and agreed inter-agency commitments. More specifically, s/he advises the senior management on issues and processes concerning the relationship with the Government and related positioning, coordination, advocacy, information, resource allocation, fundraising, reporting, and communication with other UN agencies, NGOs, civil society actors, private sector, media and other relevant actors through strong engagement in humanitarian inter-agency processes, but also with a focus on development processes as they impact on UNHCR. The overall goal of the position is to support the effectiveness of UNHCR¿s leadership roles and responses to situations affecting people of concern to UNHCR (refugees, asylum-seekers, IDPs, stateless persons, returnees, host communities) through an open and transparent partnership approach with the Government. The Assistant Government Liaison Officer ensures that support is provided for strategic planning, assessment, monitoring and analysis concerning the relationship with the Government. The Assistant Government Liaison Officer will support all planning and reporting activities. The incumbent will support the supervisor in maintaining a constant dialogue with the Government on the overall protection context. A key tool in this regard will be the facilitation and support of periodic meetings with the Government, as well as to support the broadening of mutual information through meeting reports, situation updates and newsletters. All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity. Duties - Assist in the establishment of close working relations with Government Officials and/or other external parties. - Provide suggestions for promoting UNHCR¿s policies and liaising with Government authorities on issues related to latest humanitarian and development processes. - Support coordination meetings as required, including by preparing meetings and background information, drafting minutes and follow-up documentation. - Manage the flow of information to/from the supervisor and other senior staff; identifies priority matters that need to be urgently addressed by the supervisor. - Draft correspondence, documents and reports, and prepares tables and ensures follow-up. - Assist in ensuring appropriate links with the Government through establishment/maintenance of appropriate coordination and information exchange. - Act on behalf of the supervisor to convey, clarify and explain UNHCR¿s positions to Government or other external parties as applicable. - Inform the supervisor on a continuing basis of relevant information on the outcome of discussions with external parties. - Act as interpreter during meetings held by the supervisor with senior officials or other external parties. - Accompany the supervisor and Headquarters visitors to camps, border missions and provincial cities. - May be required to coordinate the work of lower level staff. - Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law/International Law; Political Science; Social Science; Business Administration; or other relevant field. (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential) Certificates and/or Licenses Not specified. Relevant Job Experience Essential: Not specified. Desirable: Not specified. Functional Skills CO-Drafting and Documentation CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community SO-Networking (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential) Language Requirements For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English. For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language. For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English. All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power. As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise. This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.The incumbent is responsible to ensure the liaison with the authorities from mayors level to Governors and counterparts from MoI and MoSA and security forces and community leaders. S/he also supervises the ER of the SO, is responsible for the weekly update, support the HoSO for the coordination of the humanitarian programmes within BML, s/he is also part of the MFT in particularly for the CSPs and tensions task force. Therefore the incumbent must have experience in dealing with local authorities to Senior level as well as security forces, diplomatic skills, negotiation and advocacy are very important. S/he must be S/he must be well versed in the organization/support external high level missions. The incumbent must have very good drafting skills in English and Arabic, French is a plus. PI experience is a plus. S/he must have a good understanding and analysis of the political scenery in BML, and its links with national policies.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

The Assistant Government Liaison Officer reports to the Head of Sub-Office (P-5) in the Mount Lebanon Sub-Office. S/he supervise the External Relations Associate. The Sub-Office has a mostly urban refugee caseload in Beirut and Mount Lebanon Governorates of Syrian and other nationalities.

 

The incumbent ensures the liaison with the authorities in the Governorates of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, from the mayor level to the Governor one. The incumbent must systematically follow up on refugees, evictions, tensions between the host community and the refugees and any change of situation that could trigger tensions and or incidents between or within those communities.

The incumbent is also part of the MFT for the selection of CSPs and plays a key role in facilitating implantation of CSPs by partners on the field.

S/he is also in charge with the support of the external relation associate and in consultation with the relevant unit in SO to organize VIP, donors and other official visits.

The incumbent is also responsible for keeping up to date the BML briefing and to produce the weekly update with the help of the IM.

The incumbent is also representing the SO in the tensions task force.

 

The Assistant Government Liaison Officer is supporting the HoSO for the coordination of the inter-sector at BML level and other coordination forum which may arise based on needs (Cholera task force etc.). S/he should also ensure a good collaboration with BML representatives of MoSA and MoFA as well as with his counterpart within UNDP, in particular in regards to the tensions working group.

 

Living and Working Conditions:

Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with the Government estimation of 1.5 M Syrian refugees plus some 13,347 refugees of other nationalities. The socio-economic downturn coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic and Beirut blast have all contributed to nine out of ten Syrian refugees living in extreme poverty. Syrian refugees holding valid legal residency has further decreased, hampering their access to basic services, civil documentation and increasing the risk of deportation.

Lebanon is experiencing a prolonged and severe economic crisis. The situation is unpredictable and could deteriorate without warning. Basic commodities (fuel, medicines, food) have become increasingly scarce at times and are facing a continuous sharp inflation. Electricity in Lebanon, which also affect water availability is also very limited with most residential buildings relying on generators. The availability and quality of medical treatment is affected by the economic crisis and fuel shortages.

 

Mount Lebanon Sub-Office has some 105 staff and is located within the Country Office in Beirut which is classified as "C" family duty station.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, CO-Drafting and Documentation, SO-NetworkingBA: Business Administration (Required), BA: Economics (Required), BA: Law (Required), BA: Political Science (Required)

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.This position doesn't require a functional clearance

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