Senior Integrated Protection Coordinator (National role)

The IRC’s violence prevention and response (VPR) programs have provided support to at risk and vulnerable Syrian and Lebanese communities through the delivery of critical case management, psychosocial support, community-based protection and prevention activities, and legal assistance. With years of protection monitoring programming, the IRC is a trusted resource for up-to-date information and analysis of key protection risks and trends amidst an evolving protection environment. The IRC’s protection teams are relied on for their wealth of technical expertise to deliver specialized GBV, CP and Protection response and prevention capacity building for NGOs, UN agencies, and Lebanese government staff.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Programs, the Senior Integrated Protection (IP) Coordinator will serve as the lead for Integrated Protection programming in Lebanon and provide quality technical direction and leadership for Protection programming, representation, and advocacy, in addition to staff management and IP business and strategy development.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Program Strategy and Business Development:

• Drive evidence-based program design through analysis of protection trends, needs assessments, and learning from program evaluations.
• Lead the development of new business concept notes and proposals for the continuation and expansion of Protection programming in Lebanon.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Lebanon Strategic Action Plan by ensuring that integrated protection priorities are clearly defined and implemented in line with prioritized outcome areas.
• Develop and implement an integrated violence prevention and response strategy for Lebanon, addressing the current and emerging protection issues and needs.
• Engage with potential donors to highlight IRC’s protection programming approach and strategic relevance.

2. Staff Management and Development:

• Lead on the change management of merging previously distinct Protection subsectors to shift to an integrated protection model, ensuring continuity of quality client-centered service delivery as well as efficient resource management. Set expectations and tone for the new integrated team to ensure clarity of vision. 
• Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.
• Develop and implement staff capacity building plans to ensure quality VPR programming across programming teams; Actively seek out and promote formal and informal training for all staff in the IP team.
• Lead an inclusive, efficient and responsive staffing structure for the VPR department which considers a balanced workload and optimal ways of working to support a large multi-sector program that prioritizes staff well-being and work-life balance.
• Discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance, including timely implementation of the annual staff performance management system.

3. Program Quality and Implementation:

• Plan and execute effective deployment of IP resources and materials to support quality and inclusive protection programming as well as support related to the development and implementation of sound M&E systems.
• Supervise the implementation of IRC and partner Protection programming, including case management, psychosocial support, community-based protection and prevention activities, legal programming, and protection monitoring.
• Provide technical oversight and guidance to ensure quality implementation of integrated protection approaches through partners. Act as a senior technical focal point for resolving critical challenges faced by implementing partners, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and donor compliance.
• Produce and distribute regular protection analyses for internal and external stakeholders.
• Liaise with IRC VPR Regional Technical Advisors regularly and proactively pursue technical guidance as needed.
• Provide direct technical support and strategic guidance to field teams on complex and high-risk child protection, GBV, and protection cases, serving as the final decision-maker when escalation is required.
• Ensure sound and effective management of the portfolio and donor compliance, including appropriate and timely spending of grants to achieve program goals, grant reporting contributions, use and distribution of supplies and resources.
• Ensure the submission of timely, accurate and well written donor reports and other reporting requirements for all IP programming in Lebanon.
• Work closely and coordinate with IRC other technical units, logistics, finance and grant staff to ensure timely and compliant program activities and expenditures; including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings and participation in bids opening and review.
• Utilize M&E findings and field-level feedback to drive evidence-based decision-making, optimize program performance, and ensure responsiveness to the needs and priorities of affected populations.
• Conduct regular reflection or program review meetings with field-based staff to assess the level of achievement and draw on learning and data trends (including client feedback) to further inform program design and management decisions. Lead the use of data from protection analyses and monitoring reports to integrate protection across other sectors.

4. Representation, Advocacy, and Partnerships:

• Establish and strengthen productive relationships with Protection-focused organizations and networks, technical experts, government agencies and donors within Lebanon that support advocacy, scaling and sustainability objectives.
• Participate actively in external coordination forums; Represent IRC as the lead Protection focal point at national coordination platforms, ensuring meaningful engagement, influence on sectoral priorities, and alignment with inter-agency strategies.
• Establish and maintain solid and trusted relationships with Protection stakeholders, networks and government agencies, donors, UN agencies, international and local civil society organizations (including women-led and women rights organizations) that support IRC’s scaling and sustainability objectives; work closely and coordinate with line ministries to influence national Protection strategies and initiatives, to ensure greater investments in Protection and greater access to Protection services in Lebanon.
• Work in close collaboration with the Partnerships teams to develop a holistic and collaborative approach to strategic and operational partners that can best leverage Protection programs, improve the quality and reach of IRC programs.
• Work in close collaboration with the Policy, Advocacy and Communications (PAC) team to ensure Protection advocacy priorities are articulated within the Advocacy strategy; Work alongside the PAC Coordinator to produce clear data-driven protection advocacy messaging in alignment with strategic priorities.
• Upon request by the Senior Management Team, support organizing and facilitating field visits for partners, donors and others interested in IRC’s IP programming in Lebanon.