Refugee Liaison Officer– LEBANON

Within the framework of Sweden’s Regional Strategy for the Syria Crisis 2016–2020, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) through its affiliate SKL International is implementing the Resilience of Local Governance (RESLOG) project in Turkey and Lebanon. The specific objective for the Lebanon component is ‘Strengthened municipal governance, service provision, and area-based coordination in the Akkar governorate’ and the following outcome results, relevant to this position, are set:

Regional: Improved capacity, coordination and accountability within and between municipalities, unions and the Governor’s office in Akkar

- Institutional capacities, incl. in the area of transparency and participation, of UoMs and Member Municipalities in Akkar developed

- Improved functional relationships and communication between LDO, UoMs and Member Municipalities in Akkar

Local: Inclusive local development planning and service provision in Akkar

- Strengthened participatory local development planning and identification of service projects

- Improved accountability and effectiveness in implementation of service improvement projects

The main official partners in Lebanon are two Unions of Municipalities in Akkar governorate – Dreib al Awsat and Jurd al-Qaytee. Due to the protracted and current crises in Lebanon we are continuously adjusting our project and a current upcoming need is to support our partner unions in the area of Crisis Management in response to the effects of the Covid -19 crisis.

 SKL International is therefore looking for an experienced Syrian National Refugee Liaison Officer with the main responsibility to work together with the RESLOG Lebanon team, including the RESLOG Crisis management Expert, in the outreach of UoMs and their municipalities to the refugee population and vice versa during the different crisis management measures to be planned and implemented.

Scope of work:

The Refugee Liaison Officer will be responsible for Collaborating with the Crisis Management Expert as well as RESLOG Project management team in:

1. Working with the Crisis Management Expert and give advice concerning the refugee population in regards to setting in place an effective crisis management plan, and effective working methods of the UoMs crisis cells
2. Providing knowledge and facts about refugee population areas, conditions of residence, living conditions, and needs for resources to mitigate the spread of the virus.
3. Helping to ensure that refugee populations are reached with any essential information from the UoM/Municipalities to its population in regards to Crisis management of Covid – 19 crisis.
4. Helping to ensure that the needs of refugee populations are integrated in the efforts to mitigate the spread of Covid -19, done by the UoM/Municipalities.
5. Coordinating volunteers tasked to assist the UoMs/municipalities in collecting Covid-19 related information.
6. Writing brief weekly analytical reports on the Covid-19 related situation among refugee populations
7. Ensuring liaison with agencies such as UNHCR/UNDP specifically working with the refugee population to avoid overlap and maximize synergies.

Profile and qualifications

• Proven longer term-experience from working with outreach to refugee communities and liaison with local authorities in Lebanon  
• Good analytical skills
• Experience of writing research reports
• Solid understanding of international development cooperation work
• Curious, interested in understanding change, excellent social skills, collaborative attitude

Good communication skills

Additional aspects considered a strong merit for the position includes the experience of working with:

• Community development work – for example, through consultancy work,  international organization, or local NGOs/CSOs
• Subject areas such as leadership & management, local economic development, strategic planning, gender, social stability issues, community mobilization, citizen participation
• Experience from working in Akkar
• English language

The assignment will start as soon as possible and run for at least 3 months (with likelihood of extension). It is estimated that the assignment will need about 10 working days per month. In the current situation work will be done remotely and when situation allows field visits to be carried out as per need concluded by the project management.

Contracting

The Refugee Liaison Officer will be engaged as a part-time consultant through a consulting contract. The contract will initially be valid until September 2020 and renewable based on performance and need to 31 December 2020.