Social Stability Officer

Background
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1.      Project Description 

The impact of the Syria crisis on Lebanon is reaching a scale unprecedented in the history of complex, refugee-driven emergencies. The crisis is not only challenging the country’s existing social and economic infrastructure, it also brings to Lebanon a new set of disparities, cleavages and tensions that threaten to undermine Lebanon’s delicate social and political stability.

With the escalation of the crisis, Lebanese, refugees and migrants are increasingly living in poverty, accumulating debt and making tough choices to reduce costs, with negative consequences for quality of shelter, access to health, clean water and education opportunities. Forced displacement has impacted on access to services, led people to live in the street or in over-crowded shelters were the diseases outbreaks and protection risks are high. Areas affected by strikes have lost infrastructures with people in hard to reach areas, surviving only due to the humanitarian aid while in areas impacted by displacement, municipalities and local authorities are struggling to ensure services to the displaced and the populations living the area before the crisis. Furthermore, areas with the highest concentration of people in displacement are among the poorest and most underserved regions of Lebanon (the Noth and Akkar) or densely populated like Mount Lebanon. Even before the crisis, social services, infrastructure and livelihood opportunities were inadequate. Now, the results of the conflict are putting enormous pressure on water, sanitation, education and health care systems, with critical consequences for Lebanon’s natural and environmental resources. 

Furthermore, this dynamic is unfolding within the context of a socio-economic crisis in Lebanon where on 17 October 2019, nation-wide protests erupted throughout the country, coinciding with a major economic and financial crisis. The unfolding crisis presents new challenges which are resulting in further difficulties for both Lebanese and Syrian refugees in terms of livelihoods, food security, and health care (including mental health). The number of vulnerable families has severely increased and the situation for those already living in poverty will worsen. The unpredictability and fluidity of the situation is affecting the crisis response.

Reflecting the protracted nature of the crisis and its profound impact on Lebanon, the response to the crisis moved in 2023 towards a two-year integrated humanitarian-stabilization response, the Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) 2024-2025 which remains the main overarching framework to address the needs of the country and whose Flash Appeal, launched on the 1st October 2024 is an integral part. The main objectives of the LRP are to: (1) Ensure protection of vulnerable populations, (2) Provide immediate assistance to vulnerable population, (3) Support service provision through national systems, and (4) Reinforce Lebanon's economic, social and environmental stability by investing in Lebanese institutions, services and systems in a manner that helps maintain Lebanon's stability throughout the crisis. UNDP’s role has evolved in parallel, with UNHCR leading on the refugee dimension of the response, UNDP leads on stabilization, under the overall leadership of the Government of Lebanon. In addition to this overall leadership role, UNDP is also leading three of the ten sectors and two clusters of the response, the social stability and livelihoods sectors, while UNDP programmes are providing crucial contribution to Lebanon’s stability by supporting host communities in the areas of livelihoods, basic infrastructure and environmental and social stability.

2.      Scope of Work 

The key role of Social Stability Officer will be to serve as UNDP’s key technical officer on Social Stability. The incumbent will also support with the coordination of the Social Stability sector and other stabilization elements as needed under Lebanon Response Plan with a primary focus on ensuring conflict sensitivity mainstreaming. The primary responsibility of the Social Stability Officer is to ensure that UNDP effectively leads the implementation, coordination, monitoring and mainstreaming of social stability efforts at the national level, in close liaison with other co-leads, particularly MoSA, MoIM and UNHCR, as well as UNDP technical team. The incumbent will work in close liaison with the field level. The Social Stability Officer will be responsible for the following functions: 

A. Provide implementation and analytical support to the Tensions Monitoring System (TMS) 

• Provide insights on analysis on key social stability issues and trends to the Tensions Monitoring Systems in close collaboration with colleagues. 
• Support research and monitoring activities carried out by the Tensions Monitoring System to measure and evaluate impact of tensions in Lebanon. 
• Write and quality assure reports on tensions, communal relations, and social stability.  
• Ensure feedback loop of analysis into and from the Social Stability sector identify follow up actions and programmatic interventions and contribute to drafting material as requested. 
• Support the planning, coordination and implementation of conflict sensitivity mainstreaming in coordination with the Conflict Analysis and Conflict Sensitivity Mainstreaming Officer. 

B. Social Stability technical advisory to UNDP 

• Provide technical advice to ensure UNDP’s interventions in social stability align with national strategies, the Lebanon Response Plan, and emerging needs. 
• Support UNDP management and programme teams to develop policy recommendations and programmatic guidance to integrate social stability objectives into UNDP projects, with a focus on reducing tensions and strengthening community resilience.
• Support the design and implementation of innovative approaches to stabilization, leveraging UNDP’s expertise and partnerships in the sector.
• Offer technical input for proposals, reports, and presentations to donors and partners, ensuring a focus on evidence-based interventions and measurable impact.

 C. Responsible to ensure the effective coordination of the Social Stability Sector 

• Coordinate the Social Stability Sector by chairing working group meetings, ensuring agency representation, and liaising with partners, donors, and government institutions.
• Provide close guidance and support to Social Stability working groups at field level and ensure priorities linked to the emergency are identified and addressed.
• Ensure sector strategy (including objectives and log frame) are in line with the strategic objectives of the Lebanon Response Plan and include both the humanitarian and stabilization components to address the current escalation in the short and medium-term.
• Lead Solid Waste Management efforts through mapping, coordination, and implementation under the SWM Task Force, addressing challenges from displacement pressures.
• Conduct regular reporting and programmatic and funding gap analyses related to the LRP. 
• Support LMAC and the Mine Action Sub-Group’s meetings and activities.
• Develop and harmonize monitoring, evaluation, and impact tracking for sector interventions.
• Draft reports, guidance, and correspondence for meetings and workshops.
• Participate with the sector in national inter-agency and inter-sector meetings.
• Support donor engagement on funding/resource needs for the sector.
• Contribute to inter-agency updates.

 D. Build and establish meaningful partnerships with other Social Stability actors

• Responsible for mapping and developing a good understanding and knowledge of what other actors are doing in the sphere of social stability. 
• Understand the responsibilities of the different Line Ministries with regards to social stability and advise and establish key partnerships, accordingly, ensuring a Government-led response for the crisis through the involvement of MoSA and MoIM;
• Responsible for developing partnerships with other UN Agencies, particularly UNHCR, and for developing new partnerships with partners for UNDP and for the sector and support partners to carry out advocacy and regularly flag key challenges and issues that requires coordination.
• Responsible for advising UNDP management on new partnerships in the area of Social Stability. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

3.      Institutional Arrangement

The Social Stability Officer will work in the Strategic Planning & Policy unit of UNDP. The Unit is based in the UNDP Lebanon Country Office in Beirut. The Social Stability Officer will work under the overall guidance and direct supervision of Senior Inter-Agency Coordinator at the Country Office in Beirut. 

4. Competencies

Core
Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Direction & Strategy Strategic Thinking Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
Business Development Knowledge Facilitation Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
Business Management Results-based Management Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
Business Management Partnerships Management Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Programme and Policy:

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness 

Crisis and Fragility Policy and 

Engagement

Humanitarian inter-agency coordination
Business Direction & Strategy System Thinking Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
 5.      Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA
Min. Education requirements

-Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Development or Humanitarian assistance, Economics, Social Sciences, Political Science or other related fields is required; or

-A first level University degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above mentioned fields in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience  Minimum 2 years (with a Master’s degree) or 4 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressive relevant experience in coordination with humanitarian and development partners, liaise and work with local authorities/governance. 
Required  skills 

-Experience in partnerships is required;

-Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages is required.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

-Experience in using Activity Info, FTS, Power BI or office software package. 

-Knowledge and experience from crisis response operations.

-Experience and knowledge of UNDP policies and procedures and experience from previous UN assignments and/or bi-lateral aid organizations.

- Experience in recovery and area-based programming. 

Required Language(s)  Fluency in Arabic and English is required.
Professional Certificates N/A

6.       The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Disclaimer

 Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders) 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters

 Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

 Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

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