Housing & Land Property (HLP) Project Officer

Job Description

Position Summary

Project implementation

Main responsibilities:

• Conduct quarterly Forced Eviction Monitoring at target sites under the project to understand eviction threats and risks faced by the communities.
• Accurately input and update beneficiary data into HLP data tools, and periodically disaggregate and analyse data gathered during eviction monitoring and response activities to identify trends.
• Gather and compile up-to-date technical information on relevant HLP laws, procedures, and practices operative in South of Yemen.
• Advocate for recognition of the HLP rights of displaced/returnees persons when engaging with land owners, building owners, local authorities, and humanitarian partners, particularly the most vulnerable among them (i.e female-headed households, persons with disabilities, the elderly …etc.)
• Undertake regular monitoring & and evaluation of protection activities, and prepare monthly progress reports on activities, highlighting any technical or operation successes and challenges in relevant to protection.
• Following up on HLP issues in the target sites, and working closely with the ExU, CCCM and Protection Clusters, and HLP TWG to resolve arising issues in a timely manner, including identification of new lands with signed land agreements for IDP relocation.

Coordination with HLP partners, relevant clusters, and local authorities:

• Where the risk of eviction is confirmed, ensure referring that with NRC (HLP Technical Lead in YDR) to provide legal assistance through Collaborative Dispute Resolution mechanisms (i.e. facilitated negotiation) to Returnees’ households, including engagement of and advocacy with land/building owners, local authorities and humanitarian partners to prevent or delay evictions until alternative Shelter arrangements have been secured, and where feasible, assistance to households with establishing lease agreements to ensure the security of tenure;
• Liaise and coordinate with all humanitarian partners and stakeholders working in IDP sites to highlight evictions and to have the required support for IDPs before and after relocation;
• Coordinate with relevant local authorities to share key HLP challenges identified (i.e. land disputes, eviction threats, or site evictions) and to advocate for effective solutions to improve access to HLP rights in each location. 

Capacity building and awareness raising:
Facilitating access to HLP rights and information at targeted IDP sites through the following:

• Training IDPs community committees/FPs to help in identifying and referring HLP issues at the site level to project focal points at sites.;
• Working with community committees to disseminate key information to the wider community through sensitization sessions and the display of information on the site signs.

Community participation and representation

• Conducting ad-hoc meetings with CCCM team and community representatives in sites under eviction threats by taking minutes of meetings and attendance sheets;
• Work with the CCCM team to establish HLP community committees’ members in the sites, ensuring representation and participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups;
• Support organization of trainings to community committees, humanitarian agencies, and community members, on topics including protection and HLP.

Information Management

• Compile regular reporting from partners on their intervention in relevant to HLP in the sites;
• Tracking all HLP referrals for protection, cash, or NFIs/shelter partners and making sure this tool is updated weekly based on partners’ feedback;
• Ensure all HLP issues are reported timely and accurately by HLP CCs members.
• Ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.

Protection mainstreaming

• Consider gender, protection, and GBV concerns in all aspects of activities;
• Promote and adhere to ACTED’s Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy;
• Promote participation and representation of women, youth, people with specific needs, and marginalized groups in all project activities;
• Support establishment of referral mechanisms, in collaboration with protection partners.
• Ensure confidentiality is respected in all activities.

Transparency, & Compliance

• Ensure accurate record-keeping of project documentation and timely submission of regular reporting to the project manager;
• Adhere to ACTED policies, donor agreements, work plans, budgets, and procurement plans.

Other

• Adhere to ACTED Human Resource, Financial, Logistics, and security policies and procedures and coordinate with these support departments to ensure timely implementation of HLP activities;
• Any other task relevant to the position as requested by the line manager. 

Job Requirement (Qualification and Experience)

• University degree in a relevant subject (Preferably in Law);
• At least 2 years experience in a project implementation position in an NGO. Experience in HLP is strongly preferred;
• Excellent communication and external representation skills;
• Excellent capacity to plan, prioritize, and multitask;
• Excellent team-working skills;
• Flexible, with the ability to cope with stressful situations;
• Good computer literacy, including the use of smartphones and MS Office (Word and Excel);
• Good English skills, both oral and written;
• Knowledge of multi-sectoral humanitarian response, including Protection, CCCM, shelter, FSAC, and WASH is required;
• Experience in Protection programming is of benefit.