Safeguarding Officer - Beirut

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.

Basmeh & Zeitooneh has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation, abuse, child abuse, fraud, bribery, and corrupt activities.

Basmeh & Zeitooneh (B&Z) is committed to maintaining your personal information's security, confidentiality, and privacy.

Basmeh & Zeitooneh is committed to safeguarding the well-being of children and upholding the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Basmeh & Zeitooneh maintains a zero-tolerance policy on child abuse.

Job Purpose :

The Safeguarding controller is the first point of contact, concerning safeguarding matters at B&Z Lebanon. She/he will seek to ensure the implementation of safeguarding policy and its annexed policies (CFHM, SEA, CPP, CoC), raise awareness and promote safeguarding best practices. The Safeguarding controller ensures safeguarding concerns involving children, young people, staff, and adults at risk are managed confidentially and safely in line with B&Z Lebanon's safeguarding policy and complaint-handling mechanism. 

Reports To : 

• Directly:  Regional Internal Control Manager
• Technically :Protection Technical Manager

Major Activities:

• Safeguarding implementation and capacity building
• Lead on the roll-out, sensitization, and monitoring of the implementation of B&Z Lebanon safeguarding policy and practices
• Coordinate with the relevant B&Z Lebanon Departments/Units (Programs, M&E, communication, and HR) to identify training needs, develop a capacity plan, source providers, and prepare resources
• Provide support and guidance to Departments/Units on the safeguarding rolling out and safeguarding-related matters
• Assess the Development, as required, and the materials related to the safeguarding policies, for use in induction, information, and training across the organization, and recommend and required modifications to the relevant
• Keep up to date with current safeguarding best practices and ensure the dissemination of information and updates to relevant staff and senior management.
• Attend all relevant external meetings including but not limited to protection conferences, core-working groups including PSEA, child protection, etc.
• Audit activities on the Lebanon program
• Audit activities on HR, Finance, communication, advocacy, and Procurement units to ensure that all unit operations are in line with safeguarding policy and its annexed policies (CFHM, SEA, CPP, CoC).
• Generate a comprehensive audit report with findings, and recommendations.
• Safeguarding and complaint mechanism
• Serve as B&Z Lebanon’s first point-of-call for any emerging concerns regarding safeguarding and its annexed policies.
• Ensure safeguarding concerns are documented, responded to, monitored, and managed promptly and appropriately to due process
• Maintain at all times an updated, accurate, and confidential recording system
• Make case referrals internally when appropriate
• Safeguarding and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation policy (PSEA)
• Serve as B&Z Lebanon’s first point-of-call for any emerged concerns regarding SEA
• Ensure SEA concerns are documented, responded to, monitored, and managed promptly and appropriately to due process
• Maintain at all times an updated, accurate, and confidential recording system
• Make case referrals internally when appropriate

Reporting

• This position has no direct supervision of staff.
• This position reports directly to the Internal Control Department manager Provide monthly detailed reports that show the analysis of the status of complaints and feedback received, in addition to received/sent referrals through the B&Z team.
• The reports provided by the job holder should be accurate, organized, updated, and comprehensive ensuring that the right corrective actions are taking place for B&Z programming;
• Integrate accountability reports into regular donor reports, under accountability to affected population sections;
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of standard and custom accountability performance indicators (such as addressing complaints and successful referrals) within the project progress reports;
• Update existing reporting tools on B&Z Feedback Complaint and Response Mechanism procedures every quarter;
• Track referrals on the Referral Information Management System (RIMS) database and extract reported referrals every month; and
• Research accountability collection tools, assess, suggest, and implement improvements
• Attend Leadership team meetings upon request.

Miscellaneous:

• Fulfill other reasonable duties and responsibilities, as requested by the line manager
• Attend inter-safeguarding-relate-dated meetings
• Establish and maintain positive and professional relationships with staff, volunteers, and others as part of duties
• Liaise with the incumbent over safeguarding issues

Education & Experience:

• Professional experience in a relevant role working with adults and/or children
• Experience in implementing, working with, or demonstrating an understanding of Protection, and Safeguarding
• Relevant professional experience in the field of sexual exploitation and abuse, protection, gender-based violence, gender mainstreaming, and/or humanitarian affairs
• Experience in conducting training sessions
• 3 years experience in social care, development, or related sector
• Qualification in protection, social care, humanitarian or international development, or related areas.

Competencies

Functional: 

• Technical knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding, Protection, Child protection, and Core Humanitarian standards, in an international context
• Capacity building and facilitation skills
• Excellent systems knowledge (Office 365, CRM)
• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic & English
• Willingness to take ownership and to be accountable

Behavioral:

• Ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Ability to build rapport and communicate effectively, especially in a multicultural setting
• Commitment to justice and development