Programme Manager – Child Protection & Policy

Job Title: – Programme Manager – Child Protection & Policy

Department: – Programmes

Reporting to: –Director of Programmes

Main Purpose:

To provide overall technical, and programmatic leadership throughout Hope for Justice Ethiopia’s programming in trauma-informed, survivor-centered child protection services, and policy and system strengthening work. With the main target group being children and youth affected by human trafficking and modern slavery, the job holder is expected to oversee the lighthouses (LHs) technical management and support, lead in relevant technical & policy advocacy initiatives, build and manage child protection related partnerships with government and others, and support programme design & resource acquisition. S/He will also support in overall programme administrative activities, and general organizational management.

I. Lighthouses Management and Support (35% time):

• Technical oversight and support with the aim of maintaining & leading the LHs as a best practice center of excellence in protecting human trafficking and modern slavery/exploitation victims.
• Provide overall guidance & support to LH programs and Managers.
• Support the planning, coordination, and effectiveness of identifying victims, supporting survivors and restoring lives at the Lighthouses.
• Ensure restoration services are child centered, amplifying their voice and agency, using trauma-informed survivor focused support system
• Support implementation of appropriate alternative child-care exits from the Lighthouses including family reintegration, independent living, referral to other care options, followed by follow ups and phase-out services.
• Ensure program activities to be the highest quality and compliant with Hope for Justice’ Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs), and review/develop new ones where needed
• Identify collaboration & advocacy areas with our legal support officer to enhance outcomes in access to justice for children who are victims of child exploitation and abuse.
• Conduct assessments, quality checks, including field visits, and service mapping activities to identify gaps in service provision and/or to guide the development of new ways of doing interventions.
• Work in close collaboration with Safeguarding & Psycho-Social Support Manager (SPSSM) to ensure safe Lighthouse programming that upholds the best interest of the child.
• Monitoring children’s progress in Lighthouses or other placements to analyze trends and to understand opportunities/learning and work with relevant thematic/operational team.
• Work in close collaboration with the MEAL team and quality assure Lighthouse data and its collection, including in evaluations/research, to produce evidence showing outcome and impact.
• Manage capacity building and technical assistance activities for LH staff, partners and stakeholders by organizing training and cross-learning events.
• Organize, lead, and/or participate in different community of practice and learning events with an aim to enhance the practice of HfJ Lighthouses, scale up in system strengthening, and to share best practices.

II. Technical Leadership and Policy (35% time):

• Lead the inclusion of survivor’s voice and child participation in all aspects of HfJ’s programmes, and create ways to get feedback from survivors, their family and community to inform program design & implementation.
• Represent HfJ in different technical working groups, policy platforms, stakeholders’ meetings to contribute to system strengthening and practices that uphold child protection and reduce exploitation and abuse by HTMS, and ensure HfJ’s value is captured in outcomes
• Lead in delivery of training and national standards, (e.g minimum service standards, alternative childcare, etc), and maintain HfJ’s positioning and leadership in such national initiatives.
• In collaboration with global team, DoP and PM, technically lead HfJ Ethiopia’s policy initiatives focusing on child protection working towards identified targets at local/national/global levels and related issues that can reduce HTMS
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, learning and/or advocacy.
• Work closely with Programme Manager Prevention and teams to ensure complementarity and cross learning for holistic programming.
• Work closely with SPSSM to review and maintain policies, procedures and systems that provide the requisite safeguarding measures for children accessing our services and programmes.
• Work closely with MEAL team to support the development & use of tools and frameworks to assist quality implementations across the organization and evidence generation.
• Support in building internal capacity in integrating child protection and safeguarding in programming.
• Conducting in-depth assessments of reports concerning child abuse or neglect and recommend corrective programmatic & policy actions.
• Support (& lead where relevant) the digitalization of case management in HfJ

III. Partnership Management and Programme Development (20% time):

• Manage grants and ensure effective delivery of project(s) and/or initiatives under one’s supervision
• Support timely submission of quarterly, semi-annual and final reports for donors and government, including closeout process and audit, ensuring the necessary compliance requirements
• Build and sustain effective working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, and donors through active networking, advocacy and communication to create and reinforce cooperation in child protection.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, and conduct brief situational analysis, to understand effectiveness and to capture learning in new programme development & design
• Facilitate and collaborate with relevant communication team, donors and partners to share Lighthouse best practices, survivor stories, child protection initiatives, through media, social media, UK Comms, print/digital communication platforms.
• Contribute actively in organization resource mobilization, fund raising, programme design efforts

IV. Overall Administrative Activities (10% time):

• Conduct monthly one-to-one supervision with Lighthouse Managers, identify successes as well as challenges and puts way forwards.
• Prepare, oversee and supervise Lighthouses other projects annual plans and minimum standards.
• Prepare project proposals and annual plan for the Government in collaboration with DoPs.
• Facilitate mid-term and terminal evaluations and new project agreements as required.
• Collect weekly Friday bullets from all programmes for submission to DoPs.
• Actively engage in internal, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly meetings, including grant management meetings, review meetings, etc
• Support the DoP in the strategic development and program management and other duties

V. General Organizational Requirements:

• Uphold and work within Hope for Justice’s policies and procedures, including Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Child & Vulnerable Adult Protection policies.
• Promote Hope for Justice’s core values of Honoring, Openness, Professionalism and Empowerment across the organization and partners.

Undertake any other duties, as appropriate to the post, as delegated by the DoPs/CD.

Education

• MA/MSc in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Community Development, Development Studies, and related social and behavioural science fields

Experience

• At least 8 years’ experience working in a similar senior position in INGOs.
• Extensive experience in programme development, management and monitoring.
• Strong knowledge and experience in Child Protection in programming and current policy
• Experience working with vulnerable children and families

Key Skills & Attributes

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, reporting and presentation skills.
• Excellent English communication skills, both verbal and written are required
• Establishes and maintains excellent track record of communications with partners and colleagues.
• Managing Partner Relationships.
• High level of professionalism and integrity.
• Computer literacy in all Microsoft Office functions.