Awareness Raising Assistant (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program

In 2019, Mercy Corps, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Oxfam in Lebanon and Al Majmoua established the Consortium “Linking Vulnerable Populations and Inclusive Market Networks to Advance Sustainable Economic Development in Lebanon” - or “LINKED” - to contribute to sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic development in Lebanon. DRC is the consortium lead.

With support from the European Union’s MADAD Trust Fund (MADAD), LINKED intends to deliver an integrated livelihoods package comprising a series of mutually reinforcing and sequenced activities. On the one side, it will aim to ensure vulnerable households have enhanced capacities to identify and pursue decent livelihood pathways and improve access to employment opportunities for vulnerable job seekers through enhanced marketable skills and linkages with employers. In parallel, it will seek to strengthen capacities of selected local businesses to provide decent, inclusive and sustainable income generation opportunities.

The €14.5 Million programme will be delivered in Bekaa, Tripoli and Mount Lebanon governorates most affected by displacement for a period of 32 months and will target Lebanese vulnerable populations and refugees. The action is designed so that each agency will serve as thematic lead for various elements of each output – DRC for employability, Mercy Corps for Business Support, Oxfam for Advocacy and Decent Work conditions, and Al Majmoua for financial inclusion – while DRC and Mercy Corps will be delivering the bulk of employability and business support activities in their own geographical area of implementation.

The Position

The Awareness Raising Assistant will support the Livelihood Counselling Officers and the Livelihood Coordinator in carrying the counselling component’s activities through providing administrative support and supporting with day-to-day tasks, mainly outreach, session scheduling, and logistics of counselling sessions.  S/he will also support the team in coordinating with the MEL Officers on data collection and maintenance of the database, as well as managing the info line for the component.

Essential Responsibilities

Project Implementation

• Support the Livelihood Counselling Officers in the day-to-day tasks and tasks related to sessions’ preparation
• Follow-up with  UNHCR, NPTP, SDCs, municipalities, and service providers on outreach to and referral of potential participants
• Support outreach, counselling, employability/ soft skills and awareness raising activities in target areas, conducting all the necessary administrative and support tasks
• Support the data collection and maintenance of databases
• Support the Livelihood Counselling Officers and Livelihood Coordinator in the planning and administration of project activities to meet project deliverables based on timeline and scope agreed with the donor
• Receive/ Respond to phone calls on the info line
• Follow-up regularly with participants regarding the counselling sessions
• Update all the data and information on the relevant databases
• Responsible for mapping of services for referral system and referring applicants to other NGOs or/and service providers
• Provide day-to-day support to the Livelihood Counselling Officers and Livelihood Coordinator including administrative, financial, and logistical support
• Support the Livelihood Counselling Officers and Livelihood Coordinator in implementing activities and monitoring of project progress
• Support monitoring and evaluation efforts to document project outputs, outcomes, and impact to inform donor and other internal reporting
• Assist in filing and record keeping of project activities
• Assist in analysis of data collected to facilitate assessment results and lessons learnt

Coordination and Representation

• Follow-up with local officials including municipalities, local NGOs and INGOs, key community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders
• Represent Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings, where relevant
• Coordinate with MEL team to support monitoring, evaluation, learning, and accountability for the livelihood component

Other

• Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy;
• Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission in Lebanon
• Participate in internal office coordination, planning meetings, and workshops
• Other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibility

N/A

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Livelihood Counselling Officer

Works Directly With: LINKED Program team, MC Support Departments (MEL, HR, Finance, Operations), other employment programming within Mercy Corps Lebanon

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• BA/S or equivalent in social science, education, sociology, psychology, or other relevant field;
• At least one year of experience and proven high level of competence in working in economics and market development programs
• Strong organizational skills, and ability to work independently and take initiative under pressure in a rapidly changing, multi-cultural context, whilst adhering to strict deadlines
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent written and verbal English and Arabic skills
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel
• Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of grant management rules
• A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action as to not delay program activities
• Demonstrated ability in team work
• Ability and willingness to travel to the field as needed to support trainings and filed based activities
• General understanding of basic livelihood concepts

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a passion for supporting and facilitating access to vocational training and education. S/he will have proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results.  Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with curiosity about and sensitivity to new cultures, a desire and ability to learn and grow, both personally and professionally, and a great sense of humor.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.