Lebanon: Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator

Nov 27, 2017 | Première Urgence Internationale
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Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilians’ victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency. The association leads in average 190 projects by year in the following sectors of intervention: food security, health, nutrition, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, water, sanitation, hygiene and economic recovery. PUI is providing assistance to around 7 million people in 21 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and France.

A protracted crisis...

 

As the Syrian Crisis is in its sixth year, the number of Syrians seeking refuge in other countries has reached an unprecedented scale. With more than 250,000 people killed, 1.2 million injured and 6.5 million people displaced, there are now 13.5 million vulnerable people inside Syria alone. Over 4.5 million refugees from Syria have fled to neighbouring countries particularly Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.

After Turkey, Lebanon is the second host country for Syrian refugees with over 1.1 million refugees registered for an overall population of less than 4.5 million (Source: LCRP 2017). Prior to this crisis, Lebanon was already hosting 350.000 Palestinian refugees; the pressure on the Lebanese government and local population is very high. Although Lebanon remains stable and Lebanese institutions are expected to function again, increasing tensions between communities are also expected, in line with the decisions made in 2015 to put a limitation to the registration and movements of refugees.

Due to some concern of infiltration of terrorist groups in Lebanon, in March 2015, the government of Lebanon, through the General Security Directorate, is enforcing entry regularization among refugees entering from Syria. The Lebanese government has also asked the UNHCR to stop the registration process hence new refugees and new born babies cannot be registered anymore either. Since then, it is now much harder for Syrians to enter the country, while those residing in Lebanon are also facing difficulties in renewing their residency or having access to humanitarian aid or public facilities. This situation will cause an increased economic strain on the families, although the ban on work has been left (for occupations related to construction, agriculture and maintenance only) in late 2016.

As the Syrian crisis is now protracted, with unprecedented number of civilians affected by the constant violation of the Humanitarian laws, there is little perspective for the refugees to return to their home country. The Syria Crisis Response Conference which took place in London in 2016 clearly intends to address the humanitarian needs of this protracted crisis, by setting up consistent multi years response tackling current issues, considering the evolution of needs and the and the necessity to provide the refugees from Syria with some perspectives and ensuring the social stability in Lebanon. The spill over of the Syrian crisis into Lebanon compounded pre-existing vulnerabilities among the Lebanese society, especially in areas where the level of social infrastructures is not developed or strong enough to cope with.

PUI’s strategy/position in the country 

 

Present in the country since 1996, PUI has a long experience in assisting conflict affected populations in the South. Since 2012, PUI has been actively involved in the Lebanon emergency response to the Syrian crisis with presence in the North (Akkar), Mount Lebanon and South (Saida) of Lebanon.
In 2018, PUI aims to reinforce the ability of each vulnerable community to become self-reliant and resilient to crisis, through 3 programmes orientations targeting the most vulnerable populations (Poorest Lebanese, most vulnerable Syrians Refugees, Populations of Palestinian camps) :

  • Humanitarian Assistance Programme: to provide a protection-based humanitarian material assistance and services for the most vulnerable refugees and host communities affected by the Syrian crisis, based on the targeting system at national level. This targeting modality also needs to be completed with and needs base assessments in order to fill in the gaps in the currently implemented humanitarian response and tackle emergencies situation.
  • Resilience: Improvement of access to safe, stable, sufficient and sustainable livelihoods: This requests a proper understanding of the vulnerabilities dynamics at community and household level, both for Lebanese and Refugees.
  • Resilience: Improvement: to develop and strengthen access to quality and affordable social and community infrastructures (schools, health facilities) and support household-level economic survival and well-being with regards to specific poor and vulnerable groups. 

Job Descriptions 

The PUI Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) Coordinator designs and oversees the country technical sector strategy (analysis, strategic positioning, programmatic approach, programme development) and is responsible for the quality of current and future FSL programming. Builds the capacity of technical teams, supports the field teams in the implementation of project, and develops relevant partnerships. Contributes to the monitoring, evaluation and learning of the FSL projects. 

Task and Responsibilities

  • Strategy: Working alongside the Coordination team, s/he participates in the design of the PUI country strategy. S/he leads on the
  • development of the strategy and positioning for the FSL sector, proposing innovative and sustainable approaches.
  • Identification of needs and formulation of project proposals: Actively participates in the definition and implementation of 
assessments and participates in the development of proposals (in coordination with the Deputy Head of Mission (DHOM), other 
Technical Coordinators and relevant Field Coordinators). 

  • Representation, external coordination and partnership: Represents the association to partners, authorities, donors and local 
stakeholders involved in implementing FSL programmes. Ensures the active participation of PUI in national sectorial working groups 
and forums, and develops sectorial partnerships aligning with the FSL strategy. 

  • Programmes implementation: Ensures that programme(s) are in line with PUI’s FSL intervention framework and country strategy 
and monitors them for efficacy, quality, and cost effectiveness. Supports teams in ensuring that logistical and administrative procedures 
are respected by the FSL teams and alerts/relays the gaps to the coordination team. Ensures quality reports are submitted to donors. 

  • Monitoring, evaluation and learning: Develops qualitative and quantitative data analysis in the FSL sector; promotes capitalization 
on FSL research and technical developments in the sector, and ensures that analysis is disseminated to PUI. 

  • Staff technical management and supervision of consultants/Training and capacity building: Participates in the recruitment and technical management of FSL staff. Coaches and support field staff and provides guidance in technical aspects of project implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning. Provides and supervises technical training activities based on identified needs. 


Specific objectives and linked activities 

1. Strategy and positioning of the FSL technical sector

  • Leads and oversees the preparation, development, dissemination, understanding and implementation of a mission FSL strategy. 

  • Involves local and international team members in the FSL strategy development, and makes recommendations/suggestions to the 
Coordination team. 

  • Conducts research and analysis to inform strategy development. 

  • Participates in the follow up of the humanitarian situation in the country and reports as appropriate. 


2. Programme design and implementation

  • Ensures that FSL programmes (objectives, schedules, budgets, reporting, etc.) are properly implemented and reports potential issues as appropriate. 

  • Alerts when delays in carrying out FSL programmes have been identified and suggests adjustments (in terms of activities, operation area, budget, schedule, etc.).
  • Ensures the quality of donor reports for FSL projects, jointly with Coordination and field teams. 

  • Ensures FSL information is communicated efficiently between field and Coordination teams. 

  • Ensures that FSL teams respect PUI’s procedures and formats and are in compliance with the PUI operation policy. 

  • Participates in coordination meetings and ensures a proper coordination and information sharing with other national level Coordinators 
(Health Shelter and Infrastructure, Logistics, Administration, FieldCos, etc.). 

  • Encourages coordination between different sectors and departments in the field (operational meetings, functioning reports etc) and 
ensures efficient circulation of information between the FSL teams and other departments. 


3. Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning

  • Supports efforts towards accountability, specifically to the beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, 

  • Leads and ensures an Institutional Knowledge Building strategy for FSL interventions and defines, with Coordination team, the relevant documents and tools to be produced. 

  • Develops qualitative and quantitative data analysis in the FSL sector; 

  • Promotes capitalization on FSL projects 

  • Identifies research opportunities and advocates for technical developments in the sector. 


4. Staff management and supervision of consultants, training and capacity building

  • Provides technical support of the direct managers of the FSL projects at mission level. 

  • Coaches and supports field staff and provides guidance in project implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning. 

  • Writes and authorizes job descriptions before sending to the relevant Field coordinator, HR coordinator and/or DHOM. 

  • Participates in the recruitment of FSL teams, and participates in performance management as functional manager. 

  • Conducts and/or supervises training of FSL teams (primarily technical and methodological trainings), participates in the identification of training needs and recommends training action internally or externally.
  • Prepares terms of reference for consultancies, supervises consultants, validates reports, and provides feedback on the work accomplished.

5. External engagement, coordination, and representation with other stakeholders

  • Coordinates the FSL representation of PUI among partners, donors and different authorities at mission level, in collaboration with DHOM. 

  • Participates in interagency working groups, such as Basic Needs Assistance, Food Security, Social Stability and Livelihoods. 

  • Identifies opportunities for collaboration with other stakeholders,develops sectorial partnerships, and identifies donor opportunities 
aligning with the strategy.