Assistant Shelter Officer (Operation) – NOA – MTL153 – UNOPS Contract - Mount Lebanon

General Background

(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)

On the fourth of August 2020 the city of Beirut was hit by a devastating explosion which flattened most of the city’s port, damaging neighbourhoods and buildings across the capital. The Inter-Agency Shelter Sector estimates that the explosion impacted 291,180 individuals living in 72,265 apartments located across 9,700 buildings within three km of the epicentre. This has also led to the displacement of households to areas mainly located outside of the immediately impacted area. 

The Shelter Sector has classified the building damages into three levels: Level 1 (light), Level 2 (moderate) and Level 3 (severe). An estimated 29,771 apartments (89,313 ind.) fall within level 1 and have minor damages to property, an estimated 17,100 apartments (51,300 ind.) fall within level 2 and have moderate damages to property, and about 1,144 buildings (30,660 ind.) fall within level 3 and have heavy damages to the property including structural damages compromising the physical safety of the building and the household.

As a response to the Blast, UNHCR has delivered shelter kits, and is currently supporting cash for shelter programs, conducting minor and moderate repairs to restore habitability for the most vulnerable, repairing common areas of shelters damaged in the explosion, and implementing small-scale community support projects to help communities restore their lives. 

The Assistant Shelter Officer reports to a Shelter Officer and maintains a strong collaboration with the Shelter Sector. The incumbent contributes to ensuring that shelter & infrastructure responses within the AoR evolve according to the changing nature of the situation, progressively working towards more durable solutions and drawing from sustainable local building practices and materials. Specialized functions to be dealt with by the incumbent include shelter and general infrastructure planning, design and construction monitoring including remote monitoring, therefore the person should have a strong academic qualification in civil engineering, architecture or a related discipline.

It is essential that the shelter response takes into consideration urban planning strategies. In addition, shelter assistance should always minimize the risk of eviction, exploitation and abuse, overcrowded living conditions, limited access to services and unhygienic conditions. The candidate should be able to operate in an urban context of diverse building typologies which impact programmatic considerations.  Special attention must be given to the environment and low carbon approaches, attention to material selection through sustainable means to ensure a green approach to reconstruction and shelter delivery.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)

The incumbent will oversee the day to-day operations of all construction and general infrastructure projects within the Area of Responsibility (AoR) to ensure that works proceed as designed and comply with established standards and procedures for the full project cycle. In a first instance, the incumbent ensures that the Operation is supported in carrying out shelter and infrastructure needs assessments taking into account the current situation, projected population planning figures and the expected scale of returns. Close and regular contact is also maintained with technical and non-technical staff of UN Agencies, Implementing Partners, and shelter sector members, national and international NGOs and Government Authorities. The incumbent will also participate in discussions relating to shelter and infrastructure coordination and provision. Incumbent duties include:
Technical Guidance- Assist in developing and periodically updating a suitable shelter approach within Beirut Blast impacted areas, taking into consideration area-based approaches, age and gender, culture, climate, environmental protection and the availability of local resources, including materials, capacities and existing infrastructure. - Contribute to the development of a shelter strategy and periodically review it to reflect evolving situations and ensure alignment with national and global level policies and guidelines including: Global Compact on Refugees, Sustainable Development Goals, Relevant Global Strategies and Policies.- Oversee all construction and infrastructure projects within Beirut Blast impacted areas ensuring that works are carried out in compliance with established UNHCR and national standards/best practices for the full project cycle.- Review, identify and monitor shelter programmes within Beirut Blast impacted areas and initiate responses to address the gaps in collaboration and coordination with key UNHCR technical staff, operational partners and authorities as required. - Monitor and follow up the re-construction of infrastructure and other common and community facilities to confirm these are approved by the relevant authorities, technically sound, supplemented with accurate drawings, detailed BQs and specifications.- Support implementing partners on sound technical shelter issues while ensuring compliance with national and operational strategies and guidance. - Work with appropriate internationally accepted shelter standards, best practice and guidelines and disseminate this information among partners within the Beirut Blast impacted areas to meet quality and oversight expectations.Coordination - Support the supervisor in ensuring that UNHCR’s operation is technically sound in the field of shelter, construction and infrastructure development within Beirut Blast impacted areas to best meet the needs of people impacted by the explosion.- Participate in coordination and management of UNHCR’s shelter and infrastructure interventions in a timely, cost-effective, inter-sectoral manner providing adequate delivery of technical interventions and services to support operational needs. Work with the government and relevant authorities and counterparts to ensure strong coordination and partnership. - Participate on behalf of UNHCR, as technical focal point for shelter/infrastructure, in coordination meetings with various stakeholders including Government counterparts to ensure UNHCR’s interests and those of the impacted individuals are adequately reflected and disseminate information to all stakeholders in a timely, efficient manner.
Collaboration- Support Programme in reviewing technical components of the Project Partnership Agreements that contain any construction and infrastructure projects. Provide technical inputs and advise Programme colleagues during Implementing Partner Selection of shelter sector partners. - Actively work with Programme as a member of the Multi-Functional Team in the Operation and regularly participate  in multi-sectoral activities to ensure protection and assistance needs of the population are met. - When necessary, support Supply team on matters related to the procurement of construction, infrastructure and other sector related works and services. Draft complete sets of bid documents for all construction and infrastructure projects including technical specifications, BoQs, drawings, etc. - Carry out technical evaluation of the received bids as well as review/inspection of the quality of shelter and infrastructure products/works during implementation and at completion.- Work in close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders including local authorities, implementing and operational partners and affected communities on issues related to the shelter programme, while ensuring full participation of them in all work in order to achieve optimum levels of adequacy in the shelter response, for enhancement of skills development and income generating opportunities.- Perform other related duties as required. The selected candidate will be offered a contract for one year

Monitoring and Progress Controls

(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring)

The incumbend is expected to contribute to:

- Develop and update shelter strategy and operational approach within Beirut Blast response. 

- Produce periodic reports on UNHCR-supported construction and infrastructure projects within Beirut Blast impacted areas, including analysis of compliance with established UNHCR and national standards/best practices, agreed quality considerations and efficiency of intervention.

- Update supervisor on support provided to implementing partners on sound technical shelter issues and alignment with operational strategies and guidance.

- Provide early warning reports on gaps and opportunities related to shelter programmes within Beirut Blast impacted areas. 

- Meetings notes of coordination meetings with various stakeholders including Government counterparts, partners, impacted individuals and other relevant stakeholders