Senior Case Worker

INTERSOS is an International NGO 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.

THIS IS A TENTATIVE VACANCY

Job Title      : Senior Case Worker

Reports to         : Protection Officer

Duty Station     : Tyre, Saida or Nabatieh with regular Field visits                                                               

Position Type    : Full Time

Job Purpose:

Act according to the guiding principles of General protection and gender based violence case management including: survivor centred approach, respect of confidentiality, prioritize according to safety concerns, ‘do not harm’, ensure a non-discriminatory approach, act according to the best interest of the child, ensure accountability, respect professional boundaries and avoid conflict of interest;

• Provide appropriate and timely case management for critical and high-risk child protection case.
• Act as the interagency referral focal point and assume primary responsibility for managing INTERSOS hotline in areas of coverage
• Provide day-to-day technical support to and monitoring of the case worker team.
• Supervise and manage a team of caseworkers, ensuring that principles of case management are respected and that quality services are guaranteed to children with protection concerns.
• Responsible for regular reporting on case management activities of case worker team in area of assignment
• Carry out all tasks respecting key protection principles, including but not limited to: do no harm, non-discrimination, confidentiality, accountability and need-to-know principles and in full compliance with child protection principles, policies and standards.

Case Management responsibilities:                                                    

1. Conduct intake interviews with individuals, particularly high risk and/or urgent cases identified during outreach work or referred by other agencies, and open a case if vulnerability criteria are met
2. Carry out comprehensive assessments, including where feasible and necessary through home visits, for each client after receiving their consent and consider emotional, behavioural and social factors that affect their psychosocial well-being as well as protection and risk factors
3. Develop a tailored case plan with the client, based on needs identified during the assessment
4. Refer clients to appropriate services, including emergency cash assistance, and when necessary, accompany them and/or advocate on their behalf to different service providers
5. Provide continuous basic emotional support and counselling through regular follow-up meetings, establishing a relationship built on trust respecting confidentiality protocols
6. Complete all forms and documentation in an accurate and timely manner, ensure relevant forms are uploaded on the internal case management platform and ensure that any progress on action plan and any significant change in client’s psychosocial well-being and overall situation is timely and duly recorded
7. Close cases when objectives in the case plan are met and no further needs are identified

Technical support

1. Provide day-to-day technical support (including through weekly in-field presence) and regular monitoring of all aspects of case management services undertaken by case worker team in area of responsibility, including action plan development and implementation, referral procedures, documentation and uploading of cases and adherence to principles and standards.
2. Provide regular coaching and technical feedback to caseworkers through direct observation and file checks, case audits and case management meetings.
3. Conduct regular, periodic case audits and monitor the documentation of cases through the case management platform to ensure cases  maintain compliance with standard operating protocols and minimum standards in general protection and GBV case management.
4. Identify ,tailor and report to the protection officer specific training needs of the caseworkers team.
5. Ensure proper and safe filing and archiving of case management files, both those high-risk cases managed in person, and those managed by case workers, in compliance with INTERSOS data confidentiality standards and procedures.
6. Supervise the accuracy of case documentation through weekly review of files and case management platforms and provide feedback to Case Workers. Overview the proper filing and archiving of case management files to maintain data confidentiality.
7. Ensure proper planned and documented handovers are implemented for leaves/separation and case transfers are implemented and documented.
8. Conduct weekly meetings with caseworkers to discuss challenges and workplan.
9. Maintain close collaboration and liaison with INTERSOS psychologists to ensure individual and group counselling provision is reflected and consistent with case action plans.
10. Support the planning, implementation and reporting of case management activities including through the development of technically sound work plans consistent with the goals and objectives of the project.
11. The Senior Case Worker is responsible for overseeing the wellbeing of case workers under their supervision. This includes monitoring workloads, identifying signs of stress or burnout, and implementing a structured approach to support staff wellbeing. The structured approach may involve regular check-ins, promoting self-care practices, facilitating peer support mechanisms, and coordinating access to additional resources or professional support when needed.
12. Ensure regular and frequent meetings with the case worker to discuss and approve cases in need of cash assistance according to Cash assistance SOP’s and minimum standards.

Referrals

1. Act as the referral focal point for INTERSOS General protection and GBV  case management in area of coverage and distribute the cases between the case workers according to the level of experience and case complexity. Ensure equal division of workload, timely follow-up of target and flag issues of overload to the Protection Officer ensuring proper handover between case workers if required.
2. On a rotational basis, be responsible for holding and responding to hotline calls, including ensuring that calls are responded to, appropriately documented, provided with immediate advice where necessary and assigned to case workers for intake.
3. Compile updated information on referral pathways provided by case workers and submit to Case Management Officer for updating at interagency level.

Reporting

1. Provide daily, weekly and monthly reports to Protection Officer compiling statistical and analytical information including on case management activities, identification pathways, case status, timescale and duration of responses.
2. Ensure internal case tracking sheets and internal case management platform are consistently updated and accurate.
3. Provide support in extracting data for monitoring and reporting purposes
4. Check the correct application of the case management standards during assessments and emergency cash assistance assessments are correctly and fully completed by case workers and compile weekly reports for submission to Protection Officer for review and approval.    
5. Update and report service mapping to protection Officer and Reporting /MEAL officer.    

Outreach and community-based activities:

1. Identify opportunities for and conduct awareness raising sessions and training sessions on protection topics in the field;
2. Coordinate with other organizations and internally to organize and plan awareness raising sessions and training sessions;

Education:

• University Degree in Social Work, Psychology or equivalent

Competencies: (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

Professional Competencies:

• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work in humanitarian context.
• Good understanding of protection and refugee rights.
• Computer literacy (Word, Excel)
• Reporting skills
• Driving License issued since more than 2 years.

Behavioural competencies:

• Cultural Awareness; High confidentiality, respect and non-discrimination attitude.
• High planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Teamwork.
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Initiative
• Problem solving and decision making
• Strategic vision
• Leadership: developing and motivating staffs
• Driving and achieving results
• Humanitarian motivation and commitment to INTERSOS values
• Respect of INTERSOS policies and procedures

Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English