Outreach Officer

Beirut Outreach Officer (x2)

Concern has been running a ‘Migrant Protection Programme’ since the Beirut Blast, which combines addressing immediate and basic needs with long term efforts to address the underlying and structural causes of migrant vulnerability, and works with and through migrant-led initiatives in a migrant-community based, bottom-up approach. Thus far, while multiple proposals have been developed, it is likely that only one (LHF) will bear fruit. Nonetheless, operating on a small budget, other components of the programme are being implemented – chiefly protection of homeless migrants (with Al Makan), migrant-led advocacy/MLI support, strategy development, and launching of two pieces of research into MSME support and the needs of children of migrant workers.

Working with migrant workers, and migrant-led initiatives, comes with its challenges, chiefly with regards to the obstacles of language, culture and trust. The highly diverse migrant communities number more than 20 nationalities, with only the kafala system and migration to unite them. In view of this complex reality, it is important to have representatives of the migrant communities on Concern’s team, so as to forge trusting, appropriate relationships in order to guarantee access and understanding. This is the key role of the Outreach Officers, who must be from the migrant communities, but who also must have an intimate understanding of the Lebanese legal and cultural context and the relationship of migrant workers with it.

The LHF funded project “Food security and nutrition for 450 migrant worker households in Beirut and Mount Lebanon” is due to launch in August 2021.

This project will target 450 vulnerable migrant households in Beirut and Mount Lebanon with balanced and nutritious food (both dry rations and fresh vegetables) for a period of 6 months. All recipients will also receive multi-sector messaging translated into languages appropriate for migrant workers in Lebanon. For households with children under 2 years old malnutrition will be prevented through IYCF awareness raising and the provision of micro-nutrient supplements to complement the food distributed. Early detection and referral for treatment of moderate or severe malnutrition for children aged 6-59 months will be improved through a family MUAC approach with strong referral pathways to referent malnutrition treatment centres in nearby PHCs.

The project will work with members of Migrant-Led Initiatives and focus on building their capacity in warehouse management, distributions, M&E, nutrition education, accountability to affected populations and referrals; ensuring benefits that last beyond the duration of the project.

The project and post is an 8-month duration, starting on the 1^st August 2021 until the 31^st March 2022.

Outreach officers (x2) will be 50% funded under LHF and 50% funded under other funding streams, or Concern’s internal financial resources. Managed directly by the Beirut Programme Coordinator, they will be involved in all aspects of the Migrant Protection Programme, ensuring that all interactions with migrant communities are maintained to the highest standards of trust, accountability, transparency and open two-way communication

This job is based in Beirut.

The post holder will be expected to work on weekends, with Monday and Tuesday being rest days in lieu.

Roles and responsibilities for this post:

Under LHF (50%)

• Support MLIs to provide members to the various aspects of the project, supporting them with understanding, interactions and achievement of the roles they are assigned
• Ensure that migrant capacity building is central to all functions of the project
• Ensure that all interactions between migrants and non-migrants are respectful, following the principles of solidarity, anti-racism and gender transformation at all times
• Assist with beneficiary selection based on vulnerability verification processes
• Ensure that beneficiaries understand the project, their allocations and expectations
• Be the point of contact and method of communication between project participants, MLI members and Concern so that a verbal complaints response mechanism is implemented through all aspects of the project without exception
• Assist in translation or other facilitation aspects of MEAL, distributions, nutrition and logistics
• These activities will be line managed by the Beirut Programme Coordinator, but supervised by the LHF Project Manager

Under migrant-led advocacy (35%)

• Ensure close working relations and seamless two-way communication with migrant-led initiatives in the development and implementation of a migrant-led advocacy strategy
• Assist MLIs with the facilitation of workshops with MLI members in order to develop a unified migrant voice, set of advocacy messages and strategy
• Ensure that if/when communications materials or research are developed, that informed consent is guaranteed
• Be the point of contact and method of communication between project participants, MLI members and Concern so that a verbal complaints response mechanism is implemented through all aspects of the project without exception
• These activities will be line managed by the Beirut Programme Coordinator, but supervised by the Beirut Advocacy Project Manager

Under migrant protection / additional outreach (15%)

• Develop and maintain networks with all nationalities that make up the migrant communities in Greater Beirut
• Manage referrals of identified needs to the relevant service providers, including those offered by UN, INGOs, NNGOs, CSOs, government etc
• Ensure that the referral database is kept updated at all times
• Continually update the service map for migrant focused service providers, adding or removing services that emerge or expire, as well as continually monitoring the quality and reliability of service provision
• Maintain referral pathways
• Assist in any other Concern interactions with migrants, such as research processes, MEAL etc.
• These activities will be line managed by the Beirut Programme Coordinator

Qualifications for this post:

Necessary:

• Fundamental agreement and ethical buy-in to the principles of solidarity, anti-racism, feminism, equality and impartiality, with an acceptance that any discriminatory behaviour of any kind based on nationality, legal status or gender is the grounds for immediate dismissal
• Deep understanding of migrant worker issues in Lebanon, and the Lebanese system/culture
• Proven experience interacting with MLIs and referring migrant needs to service providers
• Fluency in Arabic, English and at least one migrant language, both written and spoken

Preferred:

• Prior experience working with migrant workers in Lebanon
• Prior experience working with INGOs

Women are encouraged to apply. This post is reserved for people who come from one of the migrant communities in Lebanon.

Concern Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies.