Legal Officer (South Lebanon)

INTERSOS is a non-profit humanitarian aid organization that works to bring assistance to people in danger, victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts. Established in 1992 with support from the Italian Federation of Trade Unions, its actions are based on the values of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equal rights and opportunities for all people and respect for diversity and coexistence, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable and the unprotected.

INTERSOS identifies with the core values of CONCORD, the European Confederation of NGOs; it adheres to international codes of conduct for humanitarian organizations and the values and principles expressed within those codes. INTERSOS is recognized by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and the principal UN agencies; it is privileged to hold an advisory status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

INTERSOS is an independent association which, through its own humanitarian operators, intervenes to effectively answer the needs of people in serious crises situations, mainly in the world's poorest regions, who are suffering, deprived of rights, dignity and essentials goods. It maintains a flexible operating structure. The head office in Italy coordinates, supports and monitors the planned activities in the countries of intervention carried out by decentralized offices.

Job Title      : Legal Officer (LO)

Reports to         : deputy project manager

Duty Station      :  Nabatieh safe space roving between the districts of Nabatiyeh, Marjaayoun, Hasbaya and Bintjbeil with regular visit to Tyre office when needed

Position Type    : Full time

Job Purpose:

The Legal Officer is responsible for supervising the Legal Consultants (Lawyers), the legal assistant in providing legal information, and counseling to vulnerable persons, in accordance with INTERSOS’ mandate, priorities and donor agreements. The Legal Officer directly reports to the INTERSOS deputy project manager. The Legal officer will be also responsible to respond  and manage legal cases when needed in the field.

Main legal issues to be covered:

• Family Law
• Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection
• Legal identity including obtaining civil documentation necessary to access rights and services (birth registration, marriage registration)
• Citizenship and statelessness issues related to displacement

Exceptionally, the team may engage in other thematic areas based on needs and external requests.

Generic Duties:

Main responsibilities:

In his/her function of Legal Officer, he/she will be responsible to:

• Prepare, manage and regularly update the legal component’s work plan and related financial plan in close link with the Deputy Project Manager, protection officer and Administration, ensuring timely and quality implementation in compliance with the sector strategy as well as INTERSOS and donor guidelines;
• Undertake technical assessment of Protection needs and gaps for anticipating potential changes on protection strategies and implementation;
• Periodically update the Legal Protection situation analysis and informing relevant colleagues accordingly;
• Set-up a capacity building Programme, with clear timeline, steps to be undertaken and goals to be reached to capacitate legal staff.
• Organize regular meetings with Lawyers, and the Legal assistant as well as other project’s components for:

1. coordinating activities in the field;
2. sharing information acquired in the field
3. discussing about new protection trends/gaps/challenges/needs and possible adaptation of the program;
4. Discussing about new ideas for new activities for legal projects.

• Take part in protection working group, wherever necessary with protection manager, as per project and INTERSOS guidance;
• Ensure self-care for legal staff is scheduled in accordance with the Project Document.  and budget of 2020.
• Manage legal cases, consultations, coordination with lawyer and the protection team, follow up on cases,
• Document cases under his/her responsibility on the internal legal platform/database and ensure that any progress on action plan and any significant change in client’s overall situation is timely and duly recorded
• Ensure proper and safe filing and archiving of legal cases files maintaining data confidentiality

Specific Duties:

• Develop the legal assistance annual and monthly work-plan
• Support the Protection Specialist in developing the criteria for prioritization of beneficiaries who will benefit from legal assistance under the mixed mobile approach
• Update the legal referral pathways for INTERSOS intervention and update it regularly
• Provide technical support for the legal team in the implementation of all legal related activities run under BPRMproject;
• Weekly and monthly planning of legal assistance activities
• monitor the quality of the implementation of legal activities providing feedback to Protection Manager;
• Report weekly, monthly and quarterly the progress on targets, constraints and lessons learnt to the protection manager
• Promote the organization of ad hoc trainings provided by internal staff and/or external stakeholders;
• Lead the training of Mukhtars, Noufus, Judges and partners on legal topics such as civil registration, legal status and residency, GBV/CP, family violence and related topics
• Develop the awareness IEC materials, brochures, hotline to be used for info sharing, awareness and counseling
• Support and provide input when requested by the deputy project manager and the Head of base on project proposals and share new ideas for legal activities.
• Receive regular risk analysis of potential court cases.  Upon recommendation of the lawyer and decide based on timing, do no harm, cost involved if a case will be represented administratively or in court.
• Keep current with any new circulars, memos, updates issued by governmental premises and report to protection coordinators.
• Expertise on Legal status and residency
• Expertise on House, Land and Property
• Lead the recruitment of the legal staff
• Draft a monthly monitoring plan of the legal activities and M&E tools to measure performance progress.
• Attend the Legal Partner Coordination working group and others when requested by PM
• Coordinate with logistics, administration and finance staff for funding and support of legal activities;
• Provide training to the legal staff on the Birth Registration Inter-Agency SOPs, Legal Court Representation SOPs, Guidance on Early Marriage Registration
• Initiate routine case audits according to established audit procedures, to be undertaken as part of a general performance evaluation of the legal team.
• Undertake regular monthly field visits to provide technical guidance and supervision as well as regularly monitoring the progress of Legal Protection activities.
• Ensure that legal teams refer and monitor promptly vulnerable cases identified to the Agency in charge of case management in the different catchment areas
• Prepare the needed payments for the legal expenses in the project
• Coordinate with the different projects in the base to refer and receive cases

Competencies: (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

Professional Competencies:

• 3 to 5 years of relevant experience in humanitarian Work (working on refugee and Lebanese related legal problems)
• Previous experience in working with governmental authorities is a plus;
• Familiarity with international protection and human rights legal standards;
• Knowledge on how to communicate with vulnerable population groups, such as women, children, youth, elderly, disable and refugees
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of local communities and customary rules;
• Excellent analysis and reporting skills;
• MS proficiency (OS Windows/Linux, MS Office, Internet etc.);
• Driving License

Behavioral competencies:

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent planning and organizing skills
• Driving and achieving results
• Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures
• Strongly objective and impartial reasoning
• Cultural awareness
• Ethical and transparent decision-making
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Independence, i.e. conducting tasks with minimal supervision, and ability to work under pressure
• Team work
• Developing and motivating others
• Problem Solving 
• Initiative
• Strategic vision
• Humanitarian motivation and commitment to INTERSOS values
• Respect of INTERSOS policies and procedures