National Ombuds Lebanon

The National Ombuds works independently from SOS Children’s Villages.

Mission of the functional area

He/She is to provide additional safeguarding support, including checks and balances to the present SOS systems, so that children, young people, care leavers, programme adults and staff have a reporting and response process when they feel that their concerns have not been heard or addressed appropriately.

The Ombuds Office is based on a rights-based approach in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Developed with input from children and young people, the Ombuds Office functions on the principles of independence, impartiality, confidentiality and informality. Honouring these principles is critical to the success of the Ombuds Office.

Purpose of the position:

The National Ombuds serves as a designated independent practitioner providing informal and confidential conflict resolution support to children, young people, care leavers, their families, and staff at the SOS country levels.

Historical and current children, young people, care leavers, families and staff in SOS programmes who have safeguarding and/or HR inquiries that were not resolved satisfactorily within the local safeguarding teams can contact the National Ombuds for advice, guidance, and support. The National Ombuds works to promote fairness of process and conflict resolution within SOS Children’s Villages Member Associations through the SOS Ombuds Office's fundamental.

Main duties and responsibilities including key tasks

SOS Children’s Villages International is seeking a National Ombuds in accordance with the International Ombudsman Association’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to support the SOS Ombuds office. The National Ombuds will:

Serve as a vehicle for historical and current children, young people, care leavers, families and staff to make safeguarding or HR inquiries about issues that have not been dealt with to their satisfaction by SOS. The Ombuds will

· receive and address concerns in a timely manner;

· listen carefully to concerns, discuss an ‘action plan’, suggest next steps, guide Inquirers through the agreed process as needed, and be available for ongoing support;

· help Inquirers to understand SOS processes and navigate between SOS and community structures and systems; and

· make referrals to appropriate SOS departments, local child protection agencies, legal advice, and/or community resources when appropriate.

Collaborate and support children, young people and staff:

· within their roles as Children/Young People and Staff Representatives;

· within child-friendly and staff-friendly Safeguarding and Ombuds policies and processes; and

· to share their views and feedback to improve the Ombuds Office.

Develop and maintain a confidential database that tracks concerns until they are resolved. 

Identify relevant national trends within SOS programmes, services, and human resources; recommend changes to the National MA Board of Directors and the SOS Regional and Global Ombuds, while maintaining the confidentiality of the Inquirers to the Ombuds Office.

Child Safeguarding 

Responsible within own area of work to raise awareness of the SOS Child Protection Policy principles and to prevent and protect children from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination. 

Responsible to report any CS suspicion, concern, allegation or incident immediately following Child Safeguarding reporting procedures.  

*You have the right to live and work in Lebanon;

**To protect the independence of the Ombuds Office, this position is not open to SOS Children's Villages employees or those who have been employed by SOS Children's Villages within the last 2 years. 

***In accordance with the organisation’s child protection policy, this position will be subject to applicable background checks, including criminal record checks.