Protection Specialist (Legal)

DRC has been responding to various humanitarian crises in Lebanon since 2004, working with Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian refugees. DRC received registration from the Ministry of Interior in 2011, and since then has focused primarily on responding to the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon and the resulting impact on Lebanese host community. DRC Lebanon’s focus is to ensure that we are able to respond to critical emerging humanitarian needs whilst improve the living conditions of displacement-affected populations and contribute to the achievement of durable solutions. With an annual portfolio of $10million, and with approximately 180+ staff, DRC is focusing its response in protection and economic recovery sector in Bekka, North Lebanon and Beirut. DRC is also contributing to the evidence base and coordination structures in country through our Evidence Generation and RIMS teams.

About the job

Under the supervision of the Protection Manager (Country Office), the Legal Specialist is responsible to oversee and provide technical guidance to DRC legal teams and its partners. To this end, the Legal Specialist will support the harmonization and roll-out of legal tools and guidelines, quality assurance and reporting systems, strengthen legal referral pathways, and advance legal advocacy. 

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

• Develop and review existing information materials regarding legal services, civil documentation, residency, Housing, Land and Property (HLP), Decent Work Conditions (DWC), and other relevant legal issues to DRC’s legal aid program; 
• Under the supervision of the Protection Manager (Country Office), produce, roll out and adapt technical products based on identified needs, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and technical guidance notes. 
• In collaboration with the Protection Manager (Country Office), make recommendations for the strategic direction and design of DRC’s legal aid program and drive innovative approaches to legal aid programming in Lebanon; 
• Feed into the Protection Strategy and proposal development by providing legal context analysis, prioritization of legal needs, and identifying appropriate interventions in line with community consultations; 
• Provide regular technical support and supervision to DRC’ legal teams following the Protection Coaching & Supervision Framework to ensure harmonization of approaches, tools, and standards of legal aid activities (awareness, counselling, assistance and representation) amongst all field offices;  
• Regularly and pro-actively monitor and analyze ongoing trends in Lebanon and the region as related to legal programming, and provide regular updates and analysis on how it affects legal programming, including the monitoring of laws relevant to DRC’s protection program 
• Produce analytical reports to inform legal programming and document lessons learned from program implementation to feed into program adaptation and advocacy efforts; 
• Support in the development of MEAL tools relevant to legal aid programming; 

Staff Capacities and Recruitment  

• Overall responsibility for the development of sustainable structures to reinforce legal staff capacity for both DRC and its partners' legal staff members.   
• In coordination with Protection Project Managers and under the supervision of the Protection Manager (Country Office), assess training and development needs within the DRC and its partners' legal team members; develop and implement the capacity building plan in coordination with the relevant colleagues. 
• Provide technical support to area teams (as relevant) on the recruitment of legal staff roles. 
• Develop and roll out a standardized induction package (for use by area teams) for legal consultants as well, to ensure consistent information and standards on legal SOPs and tools are applied by new staff. 
• Conduct field monitoring visits (including shadowing of teams) for job-coaching and support as well as to develop a thorough understanding of area-specific legal procedures and challenges for the DRC legal team, including legal consultants. 
• In collaboration with the Protection Project Manager at area levels, support DRC’s legal teams and its partners to achieve program objectives and targets; 

Coordination and Representation

• Represent DRC in relevant inter-agency coordination groups and technical committees, including the Legal Aid Working Group; 
• Strengthen referral pathways within the Protection/legal program, with other DRC sectors, and external service providers to also ensure that legal assistance is mainstreamed across different areas of programming within DRC; 
• Explore opportunities to strengthen programme integration with other sectors, including economic recovery/livelihoods sectors (e.g., labour law). 
• Support identification and development of strategic partnerships on legal, in collaboration with the Partnership Coordinator, including the development of technical capacity-building plans; 
• Support Protection Manager (Country Office) and Advocacy Coordinator in the development of position papers and other information products to inform response and advocacy. 

Other 

• Ensure adherence to DRC national staff policy guidelines and Code of Conduct. 

• Ensure compliance with DRC AGD policy and AGD programmatic minimum standards. 

• Ensure compliance with the zero-tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy  

• Ensure compliance with DRC guidelines and policies on HR, admin, finance, and supply. 

• Perform any other relevant tasks as requested by the Protection Manager (Country Office)

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have:

• Masters Degree in Law,
• Minimum 3 years of proven professional legal experience in Lebanon, ideally specializing in services provided to vulnerable clients and refugees; 
• Excellent understanding of the national legal framework related to refugees and national legal framework and policies related to civil status, family law, criminal law, employment law, and Housing Land and Property (HLP) law;  
• Significant technical experience in Legal Aid Programming (including in the provision of legal representation, legal counseling, and legal awareness raising); 
• Experience interacting with judicial, security, and administrative authorities; 
• Experience working in an international organization; 
• Good understanding of humanitarian and do no harm principles; 
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills; 
• Demonstrated ability to conduct trainings on legal matters; 
• Experience in coordination across agencies and sectors; 
• Experience in internal and external representation; 
• Demonstrated intercultural sensitivity and motivation; 
• Strategic thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of the conflict, the human rights situation, and the political environment of the program country;  
• Experience working in partnership with national/local NGOs and civil society organizations is essential. 
• Ability to work in a deadline-driven environment and undertake a proactive approach. 
• Willingness to travel regularly as needed. 

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. 
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. 
• Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

• Contract length: 31^st of July 2025
• Band: G-2, Non Management
• Duty Station: Beirut
• Start date: August 2024

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Nationals; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact [email protected]