About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners, people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
CRS has worked in Kenya since 1965. Over the years, CRS’ focus shifted from direct relief and food distributions to a comprehensive development program that works with partners and enhances local capacity. CRS Kenya programs now support children affected by HIV, and community-based efforts to increase household incomes, improve family health and sanitation, and enhance agriculture livelihoods.
Background:**
CRS is implementing a 5 year orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) program, Mwendo, which seeks to empower local and county-level OVC stakeholders to strengthen the formal and informal HIV and child protection systems and services and the linkages between them, including cross-sectoral service referrals and coordination to ensure quality service delivery for OVC and their HHs.
Job Summary:**
Reporting to the ESL Specialist, the Positive Parenting & ECD Advisor will provide technical leadership for the project on positive parenting and ECD. S/he will lead in capacity strengthening of LIPs on positive parenting & ECD, ensuring multi-sectoral roll-out at community level. S/he will work with LIPs on school improvement plans to increase OVC enrolment and retention and ensuring that Mwendo improves ECD services for OVCs and their families, referral guidelines are updated, and that PSWs, and LIPs provide appropriate referrals linking to ECD services.
The Positive Parenting &ECD Advisor will serve as the primary point person to engage the Ministry of Education in policy, buy-in, support to reach children in schools and identify out of school children. S/he will also link with CRS’ 4Children project, UNICEF, and other key national stakeholders on parenting for ECD, assuring that the Mwendo approach and activities build on and strengthen ongoing efforts.
Specific Responsibilities:**
- Act as a contact person in Positive Parenting & ECD with other stakeholders and provide guidance on positive parenting and Early Childhood Development.
- Support preparation of reports, issues-papers and case studies on positive parenting and ECD perspectives with the help of other CRS colleagues.
- Promote engagement in positive parent/child relationships especially for adolescents.
- Lead in the roll out of the various positive parenting curricula for different ages, stages and special populations (e.g., CLHIV and ALHIV).
- Organize and facilitate training of trainers (TOTs) for LIP staff on evidence-based parenting curricula that have been contextually adapted and ready for scale-up.
- Ensure that LIP staff have the knowledge and skills to successfully deliver positive parenting curricula.
- Lead assessments of the positive parenting curricula in use and make recommendations to address gaps.
- Identify and appropriately adapt evidence-based curricula and guides for training in ECD-serving approaches with tools for applying these approaches with a focus on OVC and ALHIV.
- Work with the LIPs and the Kenyan government’s Ministry of Education and Department of Children’s Services to develop programs and strategies with the aim of increasing OVC enrollment and retention in schools.
- Collaborate with Mwendo program technical staff to include parenting-related benchmarks into LIP and County sustainability plans and household case plans
- Ensure appropriate benchmarks are identified to monitor household progress.
- Synthesize best practices and develop guidelines and training programs in these areas, and support local LIPs to incorporate robust prevention interventions into their programs.
- Attend important and relevant events on positive parenting and ECD and the substantive areas covered by CRS to disseminate information on progress made as necessary.
- Identify opportunities for advocacy for the promotion of positive parenting and ECD.
- Represent CRS and participate in relevant fora, conferences and trainings.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Serves with Integrity
- Models Stewardship
- Cultivates Constructive Relationships
- Promotes Learning
Competencies Relevant for the Specific Position:
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by the Positive Parenting & ECD Advisor to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results:
- A broad grasp of socioeconomic policy issues with respect to Positive Parenting, ECD, OVC and HIV/AIDS in both rural and urban settings;
- Experience working with government line ministries, private sector partners, civil society, donors, and local communities;
- Training/coaching skills;
- Supervision skills;
- Understanding of children issues regarding development;
- Commitment to humanitarian principles and action;
- Strategic thinking and vision.
Supervisory Responsibilities (if none, state none):
Project Officer – Positive Parenting & ECD
Key Working Relationships:**
Internal: The Positive Parenting & ECD Advisor is a key member of the Mwendo project. S/he will report to the ESL Specialist, and collaborate with other technical staff to ensure a holistic, integrated, and comprehensive project.
External: Key functions include representing CRS in various forums and forging relations with the GOK, IPs, other stakeholders, and the community.
Required Qualifications and Experience:**
Education
- Master’s degree in social work, social sciences, education or a closely related field.
Knowledge
- Minimum 5 years’ professional field experience in parenting and ECD programming in an HIV/OVC context.
- Experience in curriculum development and review for use in positive parenting and ECD programming.
- Excellent understanding of child development and its application in a programming context.
- Experience in the development and use of ECD programming approaches, tools and strategies.
- Experience working with local partners and participatory methods for child integration and promotion of positive parenting.
- Understanding of USAID OVC programming priorities, strategies and monitoring and evaluation tools and systems.
- Track record of designing and writing successful funding proposals in public health or areas related to vulnerable children programming.
- Technical expertise in principals, theories, concepts and techniques in the area of vulnerable children programming, including knowledge of and ability to integrate across related disciplines.
- Knowledgeable of vulnerable children programming professionals and resources both within and outside of CRS (such as within academia, UN agencies or donor agencies).
- Preferred area of expertise in programming for OVC, positive parenting interventions, early childhood development, and/or HIV service delivery.
- Experience working in consortiums with both international and local NGO partners.
- Experience working with and/or managing USAID OVC projects.
Skills and Abilities
- Experience in implementing donor-funded projects
- Staff supervision
- Ability to transfer skills and knowledge through, training, mentorship and accompaniment
- Demonstrated ability to work with and in teams
- Excellent written, oral communication
- Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office)
- Demonstrated ability foster integration in programming approach
- Excellent understating of GOK, and CRS operating procedures
- Strong conceptual and analytical skills
- Ability to think innovatively and strategically
- Excellent negotiation skills
Required Foreign Language:**
None
Required Travel:**
The Positive Parenting & ECD Advisor will be travelling to the different counties for 30% of the time.
Disclaimer:
This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
How to apply:
Written applications indicating the reference number of position applied for and CV including day-time contact phone numbers, as well as names and contact information of three references should reach the below-mentioned by Close of Business Friday, June 30, 2017.
Human Resources Manager
Catholic Relief Services – Kenya Program
E-mail : [email protected]
Note: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) does not charge any fees from applicants for any recruitment. Further, CRS has not retained any agent in connection with this recruitment
CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation
More Information
- Job City Nairobi
