Position: Child Protection and Safeguarding Coordinator (National)
Location: Nairobi – with frequent travels to Somalia and Somaliland
Duration: 1 year (Renewable)
Reports To: Program Director, EGEP-T
About RI:
Relief International (RI) is a home to teams of humanitarian and development professionals committed to transforming adversity into renewal for the world’s most vulnerable populations. By partnering with beneficiaries and communities on the front-lines, RI innovatively bridges the gap between immediate relief and long-term community development.
Position Summary:
The project, Educate Girls, End Poverty- Transition (EGEP-T) is being implemented by a consortium led by Relief International and funded by DFID. EGEP-T is implemented in 258 primary & secondary schools across Somalia & Somaliland. Apart from leading the consortium, RI is implementing the project in 89 MoE & HE schools in Puntland. The overall purpose is to enroll more girls in school, inspire them to stay in school, improve their learning level, and make sure they graduate with the knowledge necessary to break the cycle of poverty. The Child Protection and Safeguarding Coordinator is expected to play a key role in this project, both in relation to the development and implementation of work-plans, technical quality and effective coordination & liaison with relevant stakeholders within and beyond the education sector ensuring the results of girls’ education in general & EGEP-T in specific in Puntland are achieved as per the project outline.
As part of the Program Management Unit (PMU) of EGEP-T program, the Child Protection and Safeguarding Coordinator will work closely with the implementing partners i.e. ADRA and CISP, and RI staff at various levels & locations as well as other key stakeholders to provide technical & programmatic leadership in ensuring child protection commitments & requirements, and safeguarding principles are met by various stakeholders involved in the implementation of the EGEP-T programme across Somalia/Somaliland. Further, engagement with Ministries of Education (MoEs) in mainstreaming Child Protection in various policies and strategies will be an added dimension of this job.
Child Safeguarding
The role holder will have direct contact with girls & boys and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. ten days in one month or more or overnight) because of the nature of work.
Essential Responsibilities & Duties:
- Ensure that all EGEP-T partners have a set of child protection policy and strategy & guidelines in place
- Review & follow up the CPP Self-Audit reports of all the partners regularly (at least quarterly) and provide timely feedback
- Provide technical support in Child Protection to staff and volunteers (of the consortium partners) implementing and/or engaged in implementation of EGEP-T
- Provide leadership on EGEP-T and RI’s programming with children especially girls in education sector
- Ensure agreed global as well as programmatic quality standards are met in all interventions
- Building capacity of RI and partners’ staff in child protection action planning & establishment/ revitalisation of relevant CP structures and mechanisms on the ground e.g. child protection committees, referral pathways etc.
- Support child protection committees to be active and linked with other community based structures
- Building capacity of partners and RI staff on Child Protection monitoring, referral and skills in dealing with children
- Engage with relevant state agencies through a phased capacity building approach to establish necessary CP mechanisms and structures
- Maintain strong relationships with other CP actors e.g. UNICEF, Save the Children etc.
- Help to ensure Standard Operating Procedures to refer cases for child protection and GBV are used by RI and partners’ staff
- Uses results from the Monitoring , Evaluation, Accountability and Learning systems to inform current and future interventions
Capacity Building
- Manage a child protection team supporting them in their professional growth and development
- Identify learning and training opportunities for RI and EGEP-T Partner agency staff and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff.
Representation & Advocacy & Organizational Learning
- Ensure that EGEP-T work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed. This may involve taking the lead in the Child Protection Sub-Working Group and/or task forces.
- Ensure lessons learned and good practice are documented and communicated to shape in-country strategies and program approaches, and contribute to broader sector learning
- Influence policy and practices and represent EGEP-T at national forums, working groups and other co-ordination and liaison meetings with partners, donors and government.
- Document lessons learned for wider dissemination.
- In collaboration with senior programme staff, develop child protection advocacy plans and support advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
- Identify opportunities and material to contribute to communications and media work, acting as a spokesperson when required.
General
- Comply with RI policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
Qualifications & Requirements:
- University degree in Social Work, Education or any relevant area
- Practical experience in the field of child protection
- Understanding of and working experience in fragile and conflict affected contexts and/or with people/children
- Ability to identify the main gaps in child protection in the given context to inform a holistic response for children
- Commitment to and understanding of child rights, RI’s aims, values and principles and humanitarian standards as Sphere Charter and Code of Conduct.
- Good knowledge of and experience in using established inter-agency standards and guidelines in child protection, such as the Inter-agency Guidelines on Unaccompanied Children.
- Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to child protection
- Self-awareness and proven ability to operate successfully in different cultural environments
- Ability to achieve results and maintain consistent high standards of professional behavior and achievement, including when working alone
- Good team leader and team member skills, including the ability to be part of and organize, support, manage and develop a team
- Ability to communicate and maintain appropriate and productive relations with a range of actors, including children, parents, local and national authorities in political and militarily sensitive environments
- Experience of working with partners and in participatory approaches
- Ability to manage stress, flexible and accommodating in difficult and frustrating working circumstance
- Computer literate
RI Values:
We would like to share Relief International’s Values with you.
We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.
We value:
- Inclusiveness
- Transparency and Accountability
- Agility and Innovation
- Collaboration
- Sustainability
More Information
- Job City Nairobi
