BACKGROUND 

In the 2010 update of the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) is the explicit commitment that appropriate and experienced staff and personnel with relevant deployment training are provided and rapidly deployed, that focus on action in the first eight critical weeks of humanitarian response and provide guidance for action beyond that, moving towards defined benchmarks. Traffic at the Syrian border remains high: the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that 50,000 Syrians returned from Lebanon in the past week, most of whom are residing in camps in the border area. The ongoing surge in displacement following the hostilities has accelerated, particularly since the widening in evacuation warnings for the south and Beirut. IOM estimated that 183,000 people were already displaced across the country on 3 March. However given extensive displacement in the last three days, and based on the population breakdown in 2024 between those inside and outside collective shelters, the current overall displacement figure could be at least twice as high. Authorities are urgently working to open new collective shelters to meet the growing demand. Following the displacement order for Beirut’s southern suburbs on 5 March, the Minister for Social Development announced that all public schools and universities across the country would be opened to host displaced persons. The Ministry has directed that these be open to all nationalities, though reports indicate this rule continues to be applied inconsistently across the country. Those displaced have been advised if possible to move to Bekaa, North and Akkar governates, where they are most likely to find shelters with capacity. In addition, three large-scale locations are being prepared in the Beirut area: the bus station in Charles Helou bus terminal, the Dbayeh Olympic pool and the Sports City stadium. Of these only Sports City (which is located between the coastal highway and the southern suburbs, within the latest evacuation zone) was used as a shelter in the 2024 escalation. It is due to open on Monday with capacity to host 2000 individuals. Latest data from the Disaster Risk Management unit (DRM) indicates that 483 shelters are currently activated, of which 430 are full and just 53 are open. Over half of these (294) are in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. According to the DRM, a total of 23,076 families (102,563 individuals) are currently housed in these shelters, although figures may be unreliable due to reported challenges in information management, data sharing and coordination.1 The DRM project that as many as one million people could become displaced if escalation persists, with an estimated 250,000 requiring collective shelter accommodation.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

 Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results: 

· Respond to the national and sub-national participants’ needs for information.

 · Adapt existing in-country IM approaches for collecting, analysing and reporting national and/or subnational activities and resources, and identifying information gaps. 

· Establish and maintain information databases that consolidate, analyse and report/disseminate information critical to decision making.

 · Maintain monthly reporting from national coordination and sub-nationa participants, including 5Ws (‘Who does What, Where, When and for Whom?’ databases). 

· Support the estimation of spatial and temporal gaps, overlaps and coverage of activities and projects. 

· Work with participants WASH sector to identify information gaps at national and sub-national levels and propose ways to bridge those gaps.

 · Work with the OCHA IM Specialist to develop appropriate supportive strategies. 

· Use GIS mapping for map production and geographic data management.

 · Adopt and promote the use of global standards for IM for inter-operability.

 · Manage flows of information and dissemination in an appropriate way, including website management. · Manage an inventory of relevant documents on the humanitarian situation.

 · Support the development and analysis of needs assessment and monitoring programmes.

 · To provide IM leadership in assessments and monitoring, including joint assessments and training.

 · Lead on the preparation of SitRep inputs with emphasis WASH sector plans, targets and achievements. · Develop and strengthen IM capacity through the training.

 · Where there is both a national and a sub-national coordination, the post holder will ensure that there is effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the two levels. Core coordination functions: Supporting service delivery

 · Provide a platform to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities 

· Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response

 · Needs assessment and gap analysis (across other sectors and within the sector)

 · Analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues.

 · Prioritization, grounded in response analysis Planning and strategy development

 · Develop sectoral plans, objectives and indicators directly support realization of the HC/HCT strategic priorities 

· Application and adherence to existing standards and guidelines 

· Clarify funding requirements, prioritization, and cluster contributions to HC’s overall humanitarian funding considerations 

· Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to HC and HCT messaging and action

 · Undertaking advocacy activities on behalf of cluster participants and the affected population 

· Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the cluster strategy and results; recommending corrective action where necessary Contingency planning/preparedness for recurrent disasters whenever feasible and relevant. Accountability to affected populations

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES 

Core competencies:

 · Strong understanding of logical framework approach and different types of indicators (baseline and output especially), basic understanding of the project cycle management (especially monitoring and evaluation steps).

 · Good understanding of humanitarian approach, humanitarian reform, transformative agenda and roles of each humanitarian actor (Government, UNOCHA, Clusters, organizations).

 · Basic understanding of coordination in emergencies to be able to engage with sector participants.

 · Proactively build trust, establish, and maintain effective working relations, and share ideas through IM networks and promote synergies with other clusters with a respect for diversity.

 · Diplomatic skills and able to establish excellent working relations with partners in order to collect information. Understanding of the data and information virtuous cycle.

 · Facilitation and capacity-building skills. 

· Ability to perform several tasks in a timely manner with a focus on quality.

 · Communicate key messages effectively to different audiences: tailoring languages, tone, style, and format to match audiences; actively listens to perspectives of stakeholders and team members; interpreting messages and respond appropriately; speaking and writing clearly and efficient; and makes presentations in public with confidence. 

· Strong interpersonal, team work, and self-management skills, as well as mature judgment. 

· Ability to perform well under pressure. 

Technical competences 

· Understands key technical issues for the cluster sufficiently well enough to be able to: engage with cluster participants; understand their cluster-specific IM needs.

 · Excellent knowledge of MS Excel or MS Access (e.g. pivot tables and functions); proven technical expertise for managing data capture and storage, for analysing diverse datasets, and presenting information in understandable tables, charts, graphs and reports; knowledge of establishing and managing basic websites (e.g. UNOCHA’s Humanitarian Response platform); proven skills in using map-making packages, data visualision (e.g. Tableau), web design and software development are an asset. 

· The ability to lead assessment processes is an advantage. 

Education: 

· University degree, preferably at an advanced level, in Public Health or environmental engineering / hydrogeology / Earth science / Public Health. Experience

 · Minimum of 2 years professional experience is required.

 · Formal training in cluster IM an advantage 

· 5 years of relevant experience in knowledge and Information Management is an asset including minimum two to three years of experience in the emergency humanitarian operations.

 · Knowledge of sector approach, UN System, and NGO humanitarian community, especially in capacity of Information Management Office is highly desirable. 

· Experience working as WASH Sector IM is highly desirable. Language: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic and French is an asset