Child Protection Advisor

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Program Development, Quality and Impact (PDQI

Duty Station: Addis Ababa with 50-70% travel to the field

Grade 1B

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3 the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Child Protection Advisor is responsible for leading Save the Children (SC) Ethiopia’s child protection (CP) Programs, both in humanitarian and development contexts, working closely with other thematic advisors and relevant units. That include designing multi-year CP strategies; designing and building CP programs and securing the grants; and producing and utilizing high quality and well-articulated project evidence and research work for learning, for advocacy and for the continued development of the CP program portfolio.  The Advisor is also responsible for developing strong external relations with donors, government and strategic partners; and represent Save the Children Ethiopia Country office by taking active part in relevant global and national CP networks, and relevant meetings and forums in Ethiopia.  This will include building a strong professional network on behalf of the organization at national and regional/local level. The Advisor is also responsible to ensuring quality implementation of CP programs working closely with program Implementation teams; and ensure the mainstreaming of CP into other thematic sector programs, both in humanitarian and development contexts.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Thematic Director of Child Protection and Migration

Staff directly reporting to this post: no direct reports but expected to provide coaching and mentoring support to program implementation team and local partners

Budget Responsibilities: None

Dimensions:  The role is expected to foster relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including Save the Children members, the Country Office Programme Development, Quality and Impact, and programme implementation team, advocacy colleagues, Regional Advisors, technical counterparts in other organization, donors, academia etc. The role is also expected to engage with internal technical working groups and communities of practice.

Context: Humanitarian and development

Scope: The role will be based at the country office and will demand frequent travels to the field.  Save the Children works in all 8 regions in Ethiopia, and Addis Ababa and Diredawa City Administrations.  We work in humanitarian and development contexts to meet needs of children. And in the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to travel to the field and vary working hours accordingly.

   A.KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

• Provide overall technical leadership for the Child Protection (CP) strategy development and quality implementation of the CP programme and its individual projects; and jointly plan and implement advocacy/policy engagement activities. This includes leading the development of strategic plans and the portfolio of projects, research and initiatives required for achievement of strategic objectives and outcomes.
• Contribute to annual planning, and regular internal programme planning and review meetings for the CP, as well as related inputs to quarterly and annual reports.

• Document and communicate programme achievements against agreed strategic objectives and milestones for a wide range of internal and external audiences. Ensure the key strategic documents related to CP are understood and internalised by those who are either contributing to the evidence base or responsible for representation of organisational objectives at district, regional or national level.
• Identify technical support requirements, inclusive of field visits, as and when necessary, and ensure adequate support is provided and recommendations are followed up.
• Serve as focal point for CP program of the country office, for coordination with relevant stakeholders including clusters and national taskforces; regular liaison and communication with relevant staff at the Regional Office, Save the Children members; and the Child Protection Global Initiative.

Strategic Fundraising and technical proposal development: 20%

• Technically lead strategic fundraising to support resourcing the CP Strategic Plan and related Advocacy Plan.  This includes funding for projects, research and advocacy to support policy change objectives.
• Build on technical knowledge, research and current/previous programming to lead development of proposals for new programme initiatives and institutional learning in close coordination with the relevant staff.  This includes conducting/overseeing situational analyses, concept note development, and opportunity identification, and technically engage in proposal development for funding working closely with program development unit.
• Contribute to initiation and lead the technical development of high quality proposals that takes into account the programing principles and quality standards of SCI
• Provide technical input to improve the planning through provision of up-to- date needs/data/information; data management and use for reporting
• Actively contributing to enlarge the existing network of partners/donors agencies and to gather relevant information about their ongoing initiatives and future programming.
• Through external contact with relevant counterparts in donor/research agencies, identify new potential funding sources and share with the program development unit.
• Contributing to the development of programs material, brief papers and info notes with a view to attract donor’s interest for Save the Children activities;
• Supporting the line manager and technical leaders to effectively liaise with Account focal points for the development of a joint programming and monitoring the process of engagement with Donors.
• Develop and maintain contacts with relevant staff of current and potential donors, partners and key technical agencies, in coordination with the line manager, other technical leaders, and the PDQ Director.
• Ensure that each proposal and annual implementation plan contain a (funded) research and policy dimension to it that directly feeds into the agreed Thematic Advocacy Plan and lead the implementation of research necessary for evidence based advocacy.
• As necessary, accompany and facilitate donor visits and provide relevant background materials in collaboration with the program implementation team.

CP Technical Advisory Support and Programme Quality: 40%

• Technically lead the roll out of our key child protection common approaches
• Lead the development and application of robust program quality benchmarks for all health and nutrition projects
• Work closely with colleagues in Programme Operations and with MEAL, and identify and provide technical support to ensure quality implementation of CP projects.
• Conduct regular joint supportive supervisions by using predesigned quality benchmarks and indicator tracking tools, identify gaps, provide on-site hands-on support to address quality gaps and ensure that improvement measures are captured into the automated system and adequately addressed
• Working closely with MEAL unit, provide guidance, advice and support to program managers to actively engage them in conducting assessments (both quantitative and qualitative), reviews and evaluations; as well as while conducting workshops or trainings as necessary.
• Provide technical input to improve the planning, data management and use, training, monitoring, and/or evaluation of health and nutrition and immunization services
• Support the development and implementation of capacity building activities for staff involved in CP projects across the organization based on needs assessment.
• Coordinate and review quality periodic reports of CP projects, including reports to donors, working closely with the field team.
• Strengthen linkage and integration of CP programming with relevant thematic interventions, works of local partners and relevant government agencies
• Ensure that gender, disability, resilience and children’s and beneficiaries’ participation are fully considered and are reflected in all child protection programme design and implementation
• Provide technical backstopping as needed during humanitarian child protection responses for the country office
• Provide technical assistance to projects through on-site and virtual platforms as appropriate
• Take responsibility for discharging TE related responsibilities of PDQ as shown in CO’s Activity Map document
• Produce and roll out technical manuals, guidelines and tools to ensure the effective and quality implementation of projects.

Evidence and Learning: 30%

• Provide technical support to the development, implementation and evaluation of Save the Children’s evidence-based advocacy strategies related to CP to ensure that the voices of children guide advocacy and policy changes and related activities.
• Develop policy papers and advocacy asks (or related material) based on research evidence, technical learning from projects, policy gaps’ analysis, and the development of good practices.
• Extract, synthesize and produce high quality evidences and work closely with evidence and learning team in disseminating findings internally and externally including SCI
• Roll out the technical evidence and learning plans and agendas and produce and present high quality reports

·       In cooperation with PDQ Learning and Knowledge Management, ensure proper documentation of experiences and lessons learned in CP projects under supervision.  Work with MEAL unit to technically contribute to the development of an M&E framework for the overall CP programme that monitors the impact of projects and progress towards strategic operational and advocacy objectives

• Monitor new developments in child protection technical areas and facilitate transfer and application of knowledge
• Provide technical leadership and closely work with MEAL and other sectors in strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation and use of data across all levels to improve program performance
• Identifies emerging practice, pilot and assesses impact and added value for child protection and advises on modifications to standard programing based on the result to maximize impacts
• Identify, introduce and take measures for scaling up effective and efficient or evidence-based best/innovative practices/approaches for emergency and development context emergency response and apply in emergency settings.
• Exercise digital technologies, generates evidence of the effectiveness of digital solutions to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of child protection programs
• Undertake child protection community of practice sessions regularly for CO teams

·       Develop and lead a CP community of practice for the country office, engaging different thematic sector focal points and program implementation staff, and that will serve as a platform for learning and institutional capacity on CP programming.    

External engagement and advocacy: 5%

• Develop and strengthen strategic relations, bilaterally and in network, with key influencing stakeholders in the sector, particularly government departments, UN agencies and private and institutional donors in country.
• Identify key influencing moments and Engage in CP related technical discussions and represent the Organization in technical meetings and roundtables to ensure that children’s specific needs and vulnerabilities are included.

·       Participate in relevant Save the Children’s regional and global CP working groups and learning initiatives

• Represent SC at all relevant technical external task forces, clusters, working groups, seminars or other meetings / forums which have been identified and approved by line manager and the PDQ Director, and use these meetings to negotiate strategic, and advocacy positions

KEY COMPETENCIES (Indicative / Key Competencies): A selected candidate is expected to possess the competences shown below.

Technical/Speciality and Primary Competencies

• SCI Common Approaches, programming principles, Theory of Changes and Program Quality Framework and applies them in all stages of a program
• Child Protection systems analysis and employment of impactful systems strengthening programs
• Analysis and application of appropriate and effective preventive and response child protection programs
• Understanding of impact of emergencies on child protection: Engages in the humanitarian aid architecture, the cluster approach and inter-cluster coordination of child protection
• Writes strong and high quality documents such as proposals, reports, technical papers
• Able to build sustainable and integrated child protection programs: Builds the capacity of others to design and implement integrated CP programming and advocacy
• Able to link local to national and global level advocacy efforts, supporting localisation of change and influencing global policy development
• Advance adaptive and innovative CP programs
• Designing of adoptable, efficient and high quality CP programs
• Data analytic and presentation

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

•   Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

•   Holds suppliers accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and takes responsibility for their own personal development

•   Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

•   Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters

•   Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

•  Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

•   Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

•  Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence

•   Displays consistent excellent judgement

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant Social Science field, Master’s degree preferred
• Technical expertise in migration and displacement programming, preferably in both in emergency and development contexts, including with long-term multi-sectoral programming (in livelihood, protection, and education and other basic services)

EXPEREINCE

• 10 years of relevant progressive experience in an international NGO or similar environment, on migration and displacement program management and technical advisory role.
• Experience in designing migration and displacement related strategies and proposals.
• Significant experience in providing expert advice for effective implementation of migration projects
• Experience in working with government counterparts and other partners at various levels – federal to district.  This includes experience in technical support, capacity-building and in promoting effective coordination and linkages between informal and formal parts of migrant protection system at different level
• Strong programmatic and analytic skills in migration and displacement.  That includes demonstrated experience of migration and displacement related research, capacity building, M&E and knowledge management, programming and advocacy
• Proven technical knowledge on rights based approaches on programming, and in systems building
• Experience in policy, advocacy and/or fundraising is desirable

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITY

• Excellent understanding of migration and displacement issues in Ethiopia at both field and policy levels.
• Practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities in realising children’s rights in Ethiopia, in relation to thematic area.
• Strong data collection, analysis and communication material/proposal/report writing skills.
• Strong analysis of migration and displacement related data and ability to summarise and communicate this to a range of audiences.
• Proven advocacy and representation skills
• Ability to develop strong professional relationships and collaborations externally with stakeholders, and internally across functions, projects, and teams
• Understanding and experience in monitoring and evaluation
• Good presentation, training and facilitation skills
• Proven conceptual skills and an ability to think and plan strategically
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to train and mentor staff
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, fast-paced, matrixed, and multi-cultural environment
• Proven ability to manage a complex and demanding workload
• Strong organizational skills
• Experience with major donors such as USAID, the US Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration, UNHCR, SIDA, DFID, and the EU.
• Willingness to travel to remote field locations including refugee camps
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches
• Good spoken and written English, fluency in Amharic
• Desireable
  • Strong leadership; communication and time management skills

  Experience with multi-sectoral nutrition projects such as USAID ENGINE or USAID Growth through Nutrition

  KEY COMPETENCIES

  Generic Competencies

  ·      Child Rights: Promotes an enabling environment for participation, and accountability to children

  ·      Be the Innovator: Promotes innovation to find new and better approaches to driving progress for children

  Deliver Results at Scale: Promotes a clear focus on impact in a project and programme design, management, and oversight

  Generic Competencies

  • Being the Voice of Children: Promotes evidence-based policy and public engagement that includes the voices of children and their communities
  • Advancing Equality & Inclusion: Displays a commitment to ensuring everything we do considers the most deprived and marginalised children and adolescent
  • Building & Strengthening Partnerships: Promotes working with diverse partners as critical to delivery
  • Child Rights: Promotes the rights of children in own work and in work with colleagues and peers,

  Additional job responsibilities

  The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience

  Equal Opportunities

  The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI’s global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Gender Equality Policies, supported by relevant procedures.

  Child Safeguarding:

  We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

  Safeguarding our Staff:

  The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

  Health and Safety

  The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SC Health and Safety policies and procedures.

  We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector. The duty station of the position holder will be in Addis Ababa This role is offered on the basis of national terms and conditions only.

  The Organization
  We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

  We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
  • No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
  • All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
  • Violence against children is no longer tolerated

  We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.