Child Protection Officer (Deadline: Oct 27, 2022)

Hello Hello! Alight is recruiting a 2 Child Protection Officers to be based at Afar & Amhara. You’re interested in joining us? Welcome, we’re happy you’re here!

If you join us, you will find…

A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.

A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.

Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee) is an international non-profit organization with its headquarters located in the United States. Alight has provided humanitarian assistance to millions of beneficiaries in 29 countries over the past 40 years, currently reaching over 10 million refugees, IDPs, and disaster-affected communities in 17 countries around the world, helping people regain control of their lives after conflict and natural disasters. Alight maintains full-fledged humanitarian programs in Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Thailand, and Myanmar. Alight is currently in the process of responding to humanitarian situation in Ethiopia.

Alight focuses on lifesaving humanitarian interventions as well as recovery and resilience building programs designed to create lasting positive change in the lives of vulnerable people. Alight works closely with displaced persons, returnees, refugees and communities affected by natural and man-made disasters, providing a range of integrated assistance including primary and curative health care, water and sanitation, protection services, restoration of strategic health and water infrastructure, dignified housing for returning refugees, and sustainable job creation. Alight has also built strong relationships with development partners, agencies, as well as federal and local governments in order to approach challenges in an inclusive and holistic manner and come up with innovative solutions that best fits the local context.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

Under the supervision of the protection manager and with technical support from the protection technical unit in Addis Ababa and Nairobi, the Child Protection Officer of shall supervise, coordinate and manage Alight child protection (CP) program in Afar. She/he will demonstrate technical capability and assist the CP staff to make sure the program is holistic, upholding according to standards, procedures and principles of CP. She/he will coordinate the various services available in Alight intervention sites. The CP Officer will also mentor, coach, and build the technical capacities of CP team in the field.

MAJOR/KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Planning Development and Implementation

• Undertake and ensure situational assessments, data collection, compiling and analyzing to inform Alight protection programs in general and child protection in particular.
• Participate in the development of CP strategy, approaches and contribute actively in its revision, monitoring and improvement.
• Takes primary responsibility for the implementation and follow-up of CP program including development/update of relevant strategies, SOPs and referral pathways, case management, CP IMS, psycho-social support interventions and community-based support for at-risk children including unaccompanied/separated children in his/her specific location and the region.
• Ensure well-coordinated to address needs and cases concerning Unaccompanied/Separated children and youth living in the camp.
• Support program staff in the design and implementation of effective community mobilization and awareness raising strategies.
• Maintain standard, design and undertake diversified psycho social support activities at the Safe Healing and Learning Space (SHLS).
• Facilitate and take a lead in the arrangement (establishment) of family based care system or appropriate care system and promote community based protection mechanisms, including developing of standard process of support including case planning, referral, follow up and review of case management.
• Provide training for CP staff, implementing partners, caregiver/families and the community and opinion leaders including children.
• Strengthen protection mechanisms through mobilizing and involving the community in reducing risks and harm of (abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect) against children in the camp, set up a mechanism of documentation and responding to the needs of identified, verified, and planned cases, as well as identify gaps and build the capacity of the community along with children to be able to support harmed and at risk children and their families including unaccompanied/ separated children and promote understanding among the community on the rights of children, and ensure their access to case management services available in the camp.
• Promote the capacity of children through the provision of social-emotional learning sessions.
• Work with the community and caregivers /parents through undertaking a positive parenting skills and ensure a positive parents and child communication skills.
• Responsible for planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring of the program in line with organizational and donors’ guidelines, policy and procedures.
• Follow-up, monitor and supervise the implementation of program activities based on the work plan, spending plan and ensure the proper utilization and tracking of budget and materials allocated to the program.

Program Liaison, Coordination and Networking

• Develop and maintain skillful and effective communication and working relationships with relevant partners including children, families, community leaders and other implementing partners.
• Represent the program in all partner meetings and communicate the outcomes with program staff.
• Coordinate, lead and facilitate regular monthly meetings with the community, children and implementing agencies and sectors including preparation of agenda and circulate the minutes of the child protection working groups (coordination body) meetings.
• In collaboration with the CWI, health, education and Sanitation staff hold community awareness raising campaigns/ keep fit on child protection concerns.
• Interact with Government and other partners, NGOs, UN and bilateral agencies in the different stages of CP program implementation and follow up on agreed points.
• Collaborate with other Program Officers to ensure the integration of other (Education, Health, Sanitation and CWI) programs.
• Ensure accountability and collaborate with the Operations Sections to establish and maintain sound internal controls according to financial and supply management requirements.
• Mentor and support social workers and other child protection staff’ and develop a positive team spirit to encourage innovative and quality programming.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Initiate/ Participate in periodic program review meetings with partners and community members.
• Support the CP team in ensuring the availability of accurate, complete and up-to-date information required for effective Child Protection program implementation, follow-up, review, and M&E.
• Regularly review and give feedback on the child protection program information management system and follow-up and report on the progress of the IA CP IMS.
• Prepares monthly progress, quarterly and annual implementation and donor reports and review budget required for protection manager and regional/national office as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, sociology, psychology, child protection, public health, Law, political Science or related field;
• Minimum 4 years’ relevant experience for first degree and 3 years for second degree holders;
• Work experience in child protection, Psychosocial support, protection advocacy/coordination and related area;
• Experience of program/project development and management in emergency context;
• Experience in working with harmed and at-risk children and International NGO Environment;
• On hand experience in basic protection aspects;
• A competent trainer with good experience of developing and implementing training plans;
• Proficient in use of computers, able to use – Microsoft Word, Excel and Epi-Info and relevant data processing software packages. Should be conversant with use of internet and email systems;
• Fluency in English & local language/Afar
• Fluency in other local and national languages is an advantage

Key Behaviors and Abilities:

• Excellent coordination and communication skills.
• Should have good documentation and dissemination / presentation skills.
• Should be able to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, following strict security guidelines at all times.
• Proven capacity to work in a quickly moving, unstable situation and work against targeted outputs with tight time frames and deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• High level of confidentiality and integrity.
• Experience of working under high pressure, in fast-paced environments.
• Strong service orientation with the ability to proactively approach staff to understand their needs and to find effective solutions.
• Strong organizational skills ability to handle multiple priorities in an autonomous manner.

Plus

• COVID-19 sensitivity
• Gender-sensitive
• Understanding of and commitment to the “Humanitarian principles”
• Understanding of and commitment to Alight code of conduct and organizational goals