UNHCR TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICER (JPO) CATEGORY (When finalised and approved by the Post Manager(s), to HQPC00)

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1 UNHCR TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICER (JPO) CATEGORY (When finalised and approved by the Post Manager(s), to HQPC00) A.1 CURRENT / OFFICIAL POSITION DATA JPO Position No.: JPO Position Title: Associate Education Officer DATE SUBMITTED: dd/mm/yyyy PART 1A - CLASSIFICATION DATA JPO Position Grade: P2 Position Category: JPO JPO Position Location: Beirut, Lebanon Supervisor Position No: Supervisor Position Title: Education Officer Supervisor Position Grade: P3 - ACTION REQUESTED - A.2 CREATION OF JPO POSITION (Tick as appropriate) A.3 REVISION OF EXISTING POSITION (Tick as appropriate, and indicate the current, revised title) Change of Title Update of Duties Others (Specify): From: To: Title: Grade Category JPO JPO PART 1B - POSITION JUSTIFICATION JUSTIFICATION ( Creation / Revision) Explain below why the creation of position is needed. If the position is to be revised, explain any new contextual developments or changes in position requirements that justify the review. The Education team in Branch Office Lebanon is currently composed by three (3) UNHCR staff: P3 head of unit, one NoB and one G6. UNHCR s education work in Lebanon is wide-ranging, comprising not only implementation of a demanding community programme for referral of children to formal education and retention activities, but also advocacy at high level, contributing to development of education policy, liaising with donors, raising visibility of education gaps and demands, and fundraising for UNHCR and the education sector in general. The JPO position would substantially strengthen the operation s ability to keep education in the forefront of the humanitarian and transitional agenda in Lebanon, as well as to ensure an effective, well monitored and qualityfocused implementation of education activities at community level. An international position at this level will also support the Head of Unit in setting up and maintaining solid relationships with donors and sustaining the trust of the international community in the capacity of humanitarian actors to respond to the education needs of Syrian children. Page 1

2 UNHCR TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICER (JPO) CATEGORY (When finalised and approved by the Post Manager(s), to HQPC00) Date of Classification (1) : PART 2A IDENTIFICATION OF POSITION Position No: Job Code (1) : Position Title: Associate Education Officer Job Profile (1) : Position Location : Beirut, Lebanon Functional Group (1) : Supervisor Position No., Title & Grade: , Education Officer, P3 CCOG Code (1) : Position Grade: P2 Category: (1) : JPO (1) To be completed by PCU PART 2B POSITION REQUIREMENTS Page 2

3 2.1 ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT. Define the role of the position within the team, it s external/internal work relationships or contacts, the contextual environment in which it operates and the scope of supervision received, and where applicable, exercised by the incumbent. The Government of Lebanon is channeling its education response linked to the Syrian crisis through a national plan known as RACE (Reaching All Children with Education), now in its second phase, covering the period UNHCR supports this by contributing to the three pillars of the plan: (i) improved access to education opportunities, (ii) improved quality of education services, and (iii) strengthened capacity of the education system. Despite its limited direct funding to RACE II, UNHCR is a major strategic partner of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and of UNICEF (the latter being the sector lead). UNHCR sits at the RACE Executive Committee, composed by MEHE, UN agencies and main donors, and which assists MEHE in policy development and follows up on the implementation of the national education strategy. UNHCR s has an influential role in bringing forward refugee s concerns and ensuring that refugees right to education is addressed in MEHE s planning. At the same time, UNHCR is a main actor in the organization and coordination, together with MEHE and UNICEF, of the Back To School campaign, which runs every year from August to December, as well as implementing its own outreach programmes, aiming at informing parents and referring children to formal school; and working on retention of those already in school through community activities. The incumbent will be supporting UNHCR s Head of Education Unit in the education portfolio as a whole, with two areas of focus: coordination of UNHCR s education programme at community level; and liaising with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Lebanon (MEHE) and other partners to improve access to education of refugees and other persons of concern. This entails exercising a monitoring and guiding role toward UNHCR education staff in the field; as well as coordinating and advocating with MEHE very regularly, at different levels: strategic, programmatic, and on a case-by-case basis, when there are children with protection issues, or who have been denied access to public schools. The incumbent will also collaborate closely with other Units in UNHCR, specially Protection, Programme and Resettlement, to ensure protection mainstreaming in UNHCR s interventions (specially Child Protection and Sexual and Gender-based violence-sgbv), as well as efficient implementation of UNHCR s projects and accurate reporting. He/she will coordinate and complement activities with the other members of UNHCR s Education Unit, and often supporting each other, so as to ensure quality deliveries of the Unit, and in general of UNHCR s education strategy in Lebanon. The JPO will have responsibilities in monitoring and guiding the work of education staff in the field. SUPERVISION: The JPO will be under the direct supervision of the manager indicated under Supervisor title and position number. The supervisor will be responsible for the performance evaluation of the JPO. The manager will also ensure that the JPO is provided a thorough induction and orientation briefing, followed by on-the-job training as well as continuous guidance for training/learning opportunities throughout the assignment. In support to the manager, the JPO Unit provides the Supervisory Guidelines upon recruitment/reassignment of the JPO. LIVING CONDITIONS AT THE DUTY STATION Please indicate if the following is available at the Duty Station Housing/accommodation Health care Educational facilities Security Other (transports, banks, etc). Category B in all duty stations in Lebanon, except Tyre Category C Page 3

4 2.2 FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT. Describe the accountabilities, responsibilities and authorities associated with the position. Accountability (key results that will be achieved) - The education needs of refugees are met through the application of International and National Commitments, including the MDGs and EFA commitments, relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC principles governing humanitarian coordination, including those of the INEE; - Education activities are guided by global, regional and country priorities and reflect UNHCR s policy on age, gender and diversity (AGD); -Issues related to education access and quality are addressed from a longer-term perspective; -Collaborative and consultative partnerships ensure quality education planning and service provision for refugees; -Participation of persons of concern in decisions and initiatives pertaining to their own education is assured through continuous assessment and evaluation using participatory, rights and community-based approaches; -All protection incidents related to education activities are immediately identified and addressed; - Refugee education needs are properly reflected in national education strategies (RACE II) and complementing government-led work plans (Lebanon Crisis Response Plan-LCRP); - A majority of refugee children have access to free education; Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results) - Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on access to and quality of education; -Actively pursue opportunities to implement UNHCR s urban policy and support mainstreaming of refugees, and other persons of concern, within the national education system; -Assess needs for services of persons of concern, as related to education; -Propose and undertake initiatives to build the capacity of communities and persons of concern to assert their right to education and access to quality education; -Design, deliver (or, where relevant, guide partners in implementing) and monitor programmes on a community and Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) basis to address identified education needs; -Coordinate with UNICEF, NGOs and other relevant partners to support access to education for refugees and host communities, including active participation in the Lebanese Country Response Plan (LCRP), education sector working group, and education donors coordination group; ensuring that refugee education interests are understood and included in relevant policies and initiatives; -Identify gaps in education service provision by the government, and advocate with relevant authorities; -Advocate with authorities for respect of the right of persons of concern to an education, and for their access to education services; in particular, liaise with competent authorities to ensure admittance of children of concern to Lebanese public schools, as well as the issuance and recognition of education relevant documentation; and intervene in cases of denial of access to education with the Ministry of Education, or other relevant parties; -Promote and participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen access to quality, certified education for refugees; -Facilitate inter-sectoral linkages between education in child protection, SGBV, gender, community, livelihoods, shelter and health, among others; both at strategic and programmatic level; - Identify and promote education activities that support durable solutions, and, in particular, collaborate with the Resettlement Unit in the chaneling of education opportunities abroad as a "complementary pathway" towards solutions; -Support education information management through collection, processing and analysis of education data; -Participate in drafting of reports, proposals, and analysis documents by using and interpreting education data accurate and coherently; -Ensure that best practices are identified, documented and widely disseminated; -Contribute to a communications strategy that generates external support for UNHCR s education activities and the education rights of persons of concern; -Provide technical support to the Public Information Unit in UNHCR on how to inform persons of concern about education pathways, and which are the messages to pass on; -Supervise lower grade education staff, as required. Page 4

5 Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results) - Intervene with authorities, namely MEHE, on protection issues related to children in public schools; - Negotiate agreements with education partners, in collaboration with the field offices and Programme Unit; - Prioritize activities within UNHCR's education community-based strategy; - Enforce compliance of education implementing partners with global protection policies and in particular with child protection principles, and guidelines from UNHCR's global education strategy; 2.3 REQUIRED COMPETENCIES, which illustrate behaviours that are essential to achieving deliverables described above, and that are critical to successful performance. All jobs require the staff to abide to the Values and Core competencies of UNHCR. Where applicable, select a maximum of six Managerial and three Cross-Functional Competencies. (Note that the Performance Appraisal and Management System (PAMS) allows for up to five Cross-Functional Competencies to be selected by the staff member and the supervisor.) Code Managerial Competencies (Max. 4) 1. M001 Empowering and Building Trust 2. M002 Managing Performance 3. M003 Judgement and Decision Making 4. (M004) Strategic Planning and Vision (Not applicable to JPOs) 5. (M005) Leadership (Not applicable to JPOs) 6. M006 Managing Resources Code Cross-Functional Competencies (Max. 3) 1. X001 Analytical Thinking 2. X002 Innovation and Creativity 3. X003 Technological Awareness 4. X004 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution 5. X005 Planning and Organizing 6. X006 Policy Development and Research 7. X007 Political Awareness 8. X008 Stakeholder Management 9. X009 Change Capability and Adaptability 2.4 ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. Define the educational background, the relevant job experience and the language(s) that are essential to perform the work of the position. EDUCATION/QUALIFICATION: Education: University degree, preferably in Social Sciences or Education; WORK EXPERIENCE: Minimum 2 years in an area related to education or social/community work SKILLS: Excellent drafting and reporting skills in English; basic management of data, literacy in statistics, able to elaborate and track budgets; strong sense of organization, good communication skills and ability to interact with colleagues and counterparts in a cordial yet professional manner. LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE Please indicate languages required (Official UN Languages: English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic) - Essential: English, - Desirable: Arabic (basic reading) Page 5

6 2.5 DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES. Describe any experience or knowledge that would be an asset, such as: UNHCR Learning Programmes, other training, additional languages, Field/HQs experience, etc. - Knowledge of education systems, including curricula; - Work experience in refugee education programme planning, including costing and budgeting; - Field experience in education programme implementation and coordination; - Field experience in community, development/social, social surveys/asessment, counselling, or related areas; - Familiarity with refugee protection principles and frameworks; -Familiarity with INEE standards; - Training and coaching skills/facilitation of learning. - Team building/development training - Working knowledge of French 2.6 TRAINING COMPONENTS AND LEARNING ELEMENTS TRAINING COMPONENTS: - Mandatory training courses: 1. Basic Security in the Field (NB: needs to be retaken every 3 years) 2. Advanced Security in the Field (NB: needs to be retaken every 3 years) 3. Protection Induction Programme (PIP) 4. UN Course on Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority 5. Orientation to IPSAS Page 6

7 - Recommended training courses Please indicate at least 1-2 training courses relevant to the particular JPO function, available through Learn &Connect platform. Protection Learning Programme Child Protection Learning Programme Creating Safe Learning Environments Different needs-equal opportunities Best Interests of the the Child - Basic Principles and Procedures Urban Refugee Learning Programme Introduction to Focus Reader LEARNING ELEMENTS Please indicate what the incumbent will learn during the assignment, defined in measurable results through applied skills or demonstrated competencies and specified per year. Year One: Familiarisation with UNHCR s mandate and mission, policies and procedures Familiarisation with UNHCR s protection, community-based, people-centered approaches Exposure to the humanitarian field, including interacting with donors, UN agencies and NGOs Basic understanding of global humanitarian trends, specially refugee and displaced situations around the world First-hand knowledge of the effects of the Syrian crisis and its human cost in Lebanon Familiarisation with the concept of "international protection" and how it is applied by UNHCR in different contexts and sectors Understanding of the links between child protection and education, including how education is used as an education tool Introduction on how to use a community-based approach in the practice, concretely in education programmes aiming at empowering parents and community to follow up on children s education Familiarisation of the structure and functioning of the Ministry of Education in Lebanon Development of liaison and negotiations skills in the relations with Ministry of Education and Government officials in general Opportunity to enrol in Arabic classes subsidized by the office (depending on demand by UNHCR staff, there is a possibility that this can be offered for the whole period os the assignment). Year Two: Deepening knowledge on the Syrian refugee influx and its implications at regional level Understanding the work of the different units in UNHCR (Protection, Resettlement, Registration, Refugee Status Determination) and how these areas are related to education and child protection Familiarisation with education indicators and interpretation of statistics to analyze education trends Developing skills in monitoring and evaluation of education projects in the field, reporting and analysis Familiarisation with technical elements of the national education strategy such as content and standards of primary, secondary and vocational education Acquiring confidence in representing UNHCR in education technical meetings as well as in more general events covering refugees Year Three: Opportunities to acquire a good grasp on the complexity of political stakes and actors in the Middle East, through participation in technical meetings and conferences, and interaction with researchers and other stakeholders. Know-how on how to develop an education programme at community level from scratch, including setting up partnerships, trainings, gender mainstreaming, work plans, budgets, and monitoring and evaluation plans. Assessing education strategies from a protection point of view Speaking with authority about the education situation and challenges faced by refugees, both globally and at regional level, and being able to analyze diverse education settings and explain its commonalities and differences from a technical perspective Page 7