View all jobs
OCHA-CMCoord Officer-P4-Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut, BeirutPosition Title: CMCoord Officer
Receiving Agency: OCHA
P Level: P4
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Duration: Until March 31st, 2025 with a possible extension
Language: English is required. Arabic is an asset.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
Main tasks and duties to be executed (specify precisely in a maximum of 10 bullet points):
Under the supervision of the Head of Access/CMCoord Unit and the overall guidance of the Head of Office, the standby partner CMCoord Officer will serve as the operational focal point for the implementation of the HCT Access and CMCoord strategy, contributing to the effective functioning of the Humanitarian Notification System and broader civil-military coordination (CMCoord) efforts in Lebanon.
• Support and maintain the Humanitarian Notification System (HNS) for movements in Lebanon as one of the HNS focal points, providing training and guidance to humanitarian partners and disseminating HNS Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Map and maintain an up-to-date database of stakeholders and relevant actors, analyzing trends and access impediments to planned missions, preparing regular reports, presentations, minutes, snapshots, and other products on access and CMCoord issues, including analysis of HNS-related access trends.
• Ensure all notifications are processed and followed-up according to HNS SOPs and guidance, including triangulating coordinates, checking and inputting information into forms, verifying information with
partners and tracking notified missions in real time. This may involve direct contact with parties to the conflict.
• Establish and maintain relationships with humanitarian partners to address issues and incidents requiring negotiation, collecting feedback from partners to support upgrades to the HNS system. This may include travel to field locations.
• Serve as a liaison with HNS recipients, resolving operational issues, ensuring effective information exchange on ongoing activities.
• Backstop members of the Access CMCoord Unit, particularly for civil-military coordination matters, including chairing Civil-the Military Coordination Cell, drafting agenda and minutes, in close consultation with the Head of Unit.
• Organize meetings and briefings on UN-CMCoord matters with focal points as needed; participate in and support working groups, meetings, consultations with UN agencies and humanitarian partners, as well as tabletop exercises and simulation activities related to the joint operational platform in support of the HNS. This may include travel to field locations.
• Support the Head of Access/CMCoord Unit in developing operational strategies to navigate access constraints, utilize access enablers, and expand the operational space for humanitarian actors in Lebanon,
aligning with overarching coordination efforts.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of contextualized humanitarian access practices, standards, mechanisms, and tools, including but not limited to, Joint Operating Principles and Access Monitoring and Reporting Frameworks, under the established OCHA guidelines led by the national level AWG & Access team.
• Perform other duties as may be requested by the Head of Unit and Deputy Head of Office.
Expected outcome of the deployment (detail in bullet point form the anticipated achievements and added value expected from the deployment):
• Effective support to the Head of Unit on HNS and CMCoord-related tasks.
• High-quality information analysis and production of reports related to the HNS.
• Strong relationships with relevant stakeholders, supporting negotiations and troubleshooting, including with parties to the conflict.
Specific required skills (languages, experience, ability to work remotely/as a singleton, soft skills, etc.):
• Advanced knowledge of civil-military coordination systems, policies, and mechanisms.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Capacity to train others effectively.
• Creativity in resolving CMCoord challenges.
• Professional-level fluency in English is mandatory; knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in Middle East countries and Lebanon in particular is desirable.
• Teamwork and flexibility in a highly fluid environment.
• Ability to remain calm in particularly stressful and challenging situations.
• Willingness to travel to the field, including to high risk and very high risk locations.
• Willingness to work outside regular working hours, including weekends.
OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Brief description of emergency outbreak/upsurge and the consequences for OCHA:
Lebanon is facing the largest escalation of conflict since the 2006 War, with 1,030 people killed between 16 and 27 September 2024 alone, including 87 children and 156 women, according to the Ministry of Public Health. In the early hours of Monday, 23 September, a large-scale military operation launched by Israel in Lebanon resulted in the deadliest exchange of fire across the Blue Line since October 2023. Israeli airstrikes have hit towns across all governorates of Lebanon, leading to mass casualties, internal displacement and rising needs across the
country. The latest escalation was preceded by an unprecedented increase in attacks across the Blue Line since October 2023. Between 7 October 2023 and 20 September 2024, over 10,200 attacks were reportedly exchanged between Israel and Hezbollah and other armed groups in Lebanon, including over 8,300 attacks carried out by Israel killing at least 752 people in Lebanon and over 1,900 attacks by Hezbollah and other armed groups killing at least 33 Israelis, according to Armed Conflict Location Event Data (ACLED). On 19 and 20 September, simultaneous attacks against communications equipment in Lebanon—including pagers and two-way radios— killed 37 people and injured more than 3,000, according to MoPH.
Displacement now surpasses the 2006 war, triggered by intense Israeli strikes and orders for civilian evacuations. A fragile ceasefire took effect on 27 November, triggering mass returns including into areas facing widespread destruction, UXOs, and lacking basic infrastructure and inadequate services. Humanitarian actors anticipate rising needs in many areas of return, including immediate support in transitional shelters and the re- establishment of basic services, including health, shelter, WASH, and food assistance.
Humanitarian partners continue to face access challenges in affected areas, particularly in southern Lebanon, including restricted access to conflict-prone areas, destruction and disruption of basic services, ongoing violence and clashes, airstrikes, restrictions on civilian movements and returns, interference in humanitarian activities, criminality, political and intercommunal tensions, disrupted supply chains and markets. These challenges are exacerbated by road closures and supplier reluctance in transporting goods to certain areas, resulting in a
supplier-to-supplier transfer increasing prices and duration. The districts of Marjaayoun, Bent Jbeil, Tyr, and Hasbaya, also continue to witness an acute shortage in service provision, namely health care, electricity, education, as well as the availability of fuel. Additionally, the socio-economic vulnerability of communities in hard-to-reach areas, where many rely on agriculture, is worsened by the ongoing conflict increasing the number of people in need of assistance.
The humanitarian community remains concerned regarding instances of discrimination against Syrians, including denial of access to collective shelters, as well as ongoing restrictive measures that risk impacting freedom of movement, employment, and ability to rent property. Dialogue continues with government officials on these matters, including ensuring the principle of non-discrimination within the response is upheld.
OCHA’s role and key challenges:
Lebanon is experiencing a constantly evolving multi-layered crisis which is exacerbating long-term structural vulnerabilities, reversing previously made development gains, and leading to acute and increasingly visible humanitarian needs among the most vulnerable populations. Since 2019, the country has been going through a complex governance, economic and financial crisis, further deepened by a political deadlock, a steady deterioration of social stability and systems, and additional internal and external shocks. The massive 2020
Beirut port explosions, the summer 2021 fuel crisis and the cholera outbreak in the country highlighted the deeply rooted unfolding crisis and worsening needs. Global and regional developments, including the COVID-19 outbreak and the impact of the Ukraine crisis and global economic deterioration, further impacted on the
situation. Additionally, Lebanon continues to manage the spill-over from the Syrian crisis and hosts the largest number of refugees per-capita in the world. While Syrian communities continue to be largely welcomed, antagonistic sentiments, public institutions’ decisions and statements regarding refugees have been further increasing as the society struggles to adjust to the rapidly evolving context and the growing humanitarian needs among its residents.
In this context, OCHA’s focus is to promote and support the coordinated response in Lebanon in line with the vision and leadership and the RC/HC and HCT. In 2024, a unified planning framework, the Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) aims to address humanitarian needs in a way that promotes stability and progress towards sustainable development goals. OCHA will support the maintenance of accountability lines to the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Humanitarian Country team through its engagement in the LRP coordination mechanisms, while
focusing its capacity on strengthening operational coordination as well as more robust collective advocacy to support resource mobilization.
CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.
Receiving Agency: OCHA
P Level: P4
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Duration: Until March 31st, 2025 with a possible extension
Language: English is required. Arabic is an asset.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
Main tasks and duties to be executed (specify precisely in a maximum of 10 bullet points):
Under the supervision of the Head of Access/CMCoord Unit and the overall guidance of the Head of Office, the standby partner CMCoord Officer will serve as the operational focal point for the implementation of the HCT Access and CMCoord strategy, contributing to the effective functioning of the Humanitarian Notification System and broader civil-military coordination (CMCoord) efforts in Lebanon.
• Support and maintain the Humanitarian Notification System (HNS) for movements in Lebanon as one of the HNS focal points, providing training and guidance to humanitarian partners and disseminating HNS Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Map and maintain an up-to-date database of stakeholders and relevant actors, analyzing trends and access impediments to planned missions, preparing regular reports, presentations, minutes, snapshots, and other products on access and CMCoord issues, including analysis of HNS-related access trends.
• Ensure all notifications are processed and followed-up according to HNS SOPs and guidance, including triangulating coordinates, checking and inputting information into forms, verifying information with
partners and tracking notified missions in real time. This may involve direct contact with parties to the conflict.
• Establish and maintain relationships with humanitarian partners to address issues and incidents requiring negotiation, collecting feedback from partners to support upgrades to the HNS system. This may include travel to field locations.
• Serve as a liaison with HNS recipients, resolving operational issues, ensuring effective information exchange on ongoing activities.
• Backstop members of the Access CMCoord Unit, particularly for civil-military coordination matters, including chairing Civil-the Military Coordination Cell, drafting agenda and minutes, in close consultation with the Head of Unit.
• Organize meetings and briefings on UN-CMCoord matters with focal points as needed; participate in and support working groups, meetings, consultations with UN agencies and humanitarian partners, as well as tabletop exercises and simulation activities related to the joint operational platform in support of the HNS. This may include travel to field locations.
• Support the Head of Access/CMCoord Unit in developing operational strategies to navigate access constraints, utilize access enablers, and expand the operational space for humanitarian actors in Lebanon,
aligning with overarching coordination efforts.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of contextualized humanitarian access practices, standards, mechanisms, and tools, including but not limited to, Joint Operating Principles and Access Monitoring and Reporting Frameworks, under the established OCHA guidelines led by the national level AWG & Access team.
• Perform other duties as may be requested by the Head of Unit and Deputy Head of Office.
Expected outcome of the deployment (detail in bullet point form the anticipated achievements and added value expected from the deployment):
• Effective support to the Head of Unit on HNS and CMCoord-related tasks.
• High-quality information analysis and production of reports related to the HNS.
• Strong relationships with relevant stakeholders, supporting negotiations and troubleshooting, including with parties to the conflict.
Specific required skills (languages, experience, ability to work remotely/as a singleton, soft skills, etc.):
• Advanced knowledge of civil-military coordination systems, policies, and mechanisms.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Capacity to train others effectively.
• Creativity in resolving CMCoord challenges.
• Professional-level fluency in English is mandatory; knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in Middle East countries and Lebanon in particular is desirable.
• Teamwork and flexibility in a highly fluid environment.
• Ability to remain calm in particularly stressful and challenging situations.
• Willingness to travel to the field, including to high risk and very high risk locations.
• Willingness to work outside regular working hours, including weekends.
OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Brief description of emergency outbreak/upsurge and the consequences for OCHA:
Lebanon is facing the largest escalation of conflict since the 2006 War, with 1,030 people killed between 16 and 27 September 2024 alone, including 87 children and 156 women, according to the Ministry of Public Health. In the early hours of Monday, 23 September, a large-scale military operation launched by Israel in Lebanon resulted in the deadliest exchange of fire across the Blue Line since October 2023. Israeli airstrikes have hit towns across all governorates of Lebanon, leading to mass casualties, internal displacement and rising needs across the
country. The latest escalation was preceded by an unprecedented increase in attacks across the Blue Line since October 2023. Between 7 October 2023 and 20 September 2024, over 10,200 attacks were reportedly exchanged between Israel and Hezbollah and other armed groups in Lebanon, including over 8,300 attacks carried out by Israel killing at least 752 people in Lebanon and over 1,900 attacks by Hezbollah and other armed groups killing at least 33 Israelis, according to Armed Conflict Location Event Data (ACLED). On 19 and 20 September, simultaneous attacks against communications equipment in Lebanon—including pagers and two-way radios— killed 37 people and injured more than 3,000, according to MoPH.
Displacement now surpasses the 2006 war, triggered by intense Israeli strikes and orders for civilian evacuations. A fragile ceasefire took effect on 27 November, triggering mass returns including into areas facing widespread destruction, UXOs, and lacking basic infrastructure and inadequate services. Humanitarian actors anticipate rising needs in many areas of return, including immediate support in transitional shelters and the re- establishment of basic services, including health, shelter, WASH, and food assistance.
Humanitarian partners continue to face access challenges in affected areas, particularly in southern Lebanon, including restricted access to conflict-prone areas, destruction and disruption of basic services, ongoing violence and clashes, airstrikes, restrictions on civilian movements and returns, interference in humanitarian activities, criminality, political and intercommunal tensions, disrupted supply chains and markets. These challenges are exacerbated by road closures and supplier reluctance in transporting goods to certain areas, resulting in a
supplier-to-supplier transfer increasing prices and duration. The districts of Marjaayoun, Bent Jbeil, Tyr, and Hasbaya, also continue to witness an acute shortage in service provision, namely health care, electricity, education, as well as the availability of fuel. Additionally, the socio-economic vulnerability of communities in hard-to-reach areas, where many rely on agriculture, is worsened by the ongoing conflict increasing the number of people in need of assistance.
The humanitarian community remains concerned regarding instances of discrimination against Syrians, including denial of access to collective shelters, as well as ongoing restrictive measures that risk impacting freedom of movement, employment, and ability to rent property. Dialogue continues with government officials on these matters, including ensuring the principle of non-discrimination within the response is upheld.
OCHA’s role and key challenges:
Lebanon is experiencing a constantly evolving multi-layered crisis which is exacerbating long-term structural vulnerabilities, reversing previously made development gains, and leading to acute and increasingly visible humanitarian needs among the most vulnerable populations. Since 2019, the country has been going through a complex governance, economic and financial crisis, further deepened by a political deadlock, a steady deterioration of social stability and systems, and additional internal and external shocks. The massive 2020
Beirut port explosions, the summer 2021 fuel crisis and the cholera outbreak in the country highlighted the deeply rooted unfolding crisis and worsening needs. Global and regional developments, including the COVID-19 outbreak and the impact of the Ukraine crisis and global economic deterioration, further impacted on the
situation. Additionally, Lebanon continues to manage the spill-over from the Syrian crisis and hosts the largest number of refugees per-capita in the world. While Syrian communities continue to be largely welcomed, antagonistic sentiments, public institutions’ decisions and statements regarding refugees have been further increasing as the society struggles to adjust to the rapidly evolving context and the growing humanitarian needs among its residents.
In this context, OCHA’s focus is to promote and support the coordinated response in Lebanon in line with the vision and leadership and the RC/HC and HCT. In 2024, a unified planning framework, the Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) aims to address humanitarian needs in a way that promotes stability and progress towards sustainable development goals. OCHA will support the maintenance of accountability lines to the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Humanitarian Country team through its engagement in the LRP coordination mechanisms, while
focusing its capacity on strengthening operational coordination as well as more robust collective advocacy to support resource mobilization.
CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.