Accountability Consultant

Basmeh & Zeitooneh is a registered Lebanese organization, committed to serving refugees and vulnerable communities in Lebanon, through four community centers across the country. The organization runs educational, relief, livelihoods, and protection programs, and aims to serve as an inclusive and supportive focal point for the entire community.

Job Purpose : 

The Accountability Consultant is responsible for ensuring fully embedded practical and effective mechanisms for accountability to affected populations (AAP) within the countries program, via the capacity building of staff and ensuring accountability is built into all stages of implementation. S/he will also serve as the lead in ensuring AAP for all programming. The Accountability Consultant will oversee the operationalization of the helpline and CFM, ensuring that is adapted to the context in Lebanon, and that the mechanism is accessible, trusted, and utilized.

Major Activities :

Feedback and Complaints Mechanism:

• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for CFM within the implementation countries.
• Create the needed tools and framework for CFM management and complaint handling.
• Produce of report template for complaints, response procedures, and any other relevant issues.
• Hold training and refresher sessions for Accountability and program staff to ensure they have the capacity and skills to deal with complaints at the field level.

Accountability Capacity Building / Project

• Supporting the implementation of the Accountability Activities
• Providing coaching and technical support for relevant staff and, MEAL and Program Personnel on Accountability and Participation.
• Potential visiting target locations to manage and coordinate the implementation of the project
• Create tools and guidance for awareness raising on Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms in program locations with children and adults in communities where we work
• Coordinate with PMs on the adaptation of tools and modalities for the integration of Accountability within different programs, sectors, and activities.
• Produce of Learning report template/ form.

Accountability Strategy and System

• Ensure that accountability and participation are integral elements of all aspects of the organization’s approach to MEAL.
• Provide oversight on Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms and make necessary interventions for system corrections and suggestions to the MEAL teams.
• Adapt the associated tools required to implement the accountability and participation minimum requirements to ensure that roll-out is standardized across operational areas (e.g. information posters, complaints database, child-friendly methodology guidance);
• Develop information sharing plans across programs (selection, program actions plan, staff expected behavior, people’s rights…)

Program Implementation

• Provide support to MEAL and Program teams on community and children participation
• Develop Child-Friendly CFM tools and roll them out at the field level.

Program Monitoring

• Guiding field teams to ensure that CFM systems function as intended during the monitoring phase. This includes, among others, soliciting feedback from the beneficiaries on their experience, following up on the implementation of CFM recommendations, and course correction.

Staff Capacity Building

• Identify training needs and capacity-building support required in B&Z and partners.
• Train personnel on how to develop plan/ action points to manage, analyze and present feedback data for action, and close the feedback loop

Miscellaneous: Represent the MEAL unit at the internal learning and closing meetings to provide constructive feedback, and recommendations/solutions to fix problems.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Mainstream the accountability & learning part in the M&E system (MEAL) in three countries by December 2022.
• All received complaints were successfully handled and documented. 
•  Work on information sharing plan for XX projects.

Education & Experience:

• BA degree in an area of social development or equivalent.
• Recommended a minimum of 2 years of management experience including working specifically on MEAL and/or accountability;
• Previous experience in an Accountability related role is a distinct advantage
• Experience in child participation and/or community engagement is desirable
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation, and coaching
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner

Competencies:

Functional: 

• Fluent in Arabic and English
• Knowledge of NGO dynamics
• Experience in facilitating the capacity building for staff
• Experience in facilitating external evaluations and internal learning;

Behavioral:

• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and non-formal methods
• Analytic skills
• Ability to work under pressure, independently, and with limited supervision;