Children are at the center of the Ebola crisis in Liberia. While clinical care of persons with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and infection control and prevention measures for the general population are the two most urgent needs to protect all people in Liberia, children have been severely affected in unique ways that reflect their relative vulnerability to the loss of adult care which require special consideration and response.
In this context there is a need for measures that reduce transmission among children but also added interventions that address the social and emotional consequences of the crisis. As such providing safe temporary care and psychosocial support for children to promote healing and foster resiliency are important elements of the response The interventions planned will also promote social mobilization, including appropriate health and social messages regarding the importance of family care for children, in order to reduce separation and stigmatization and make it easier for children to transition back into family and community.
The number of child Ebola survivors who are unable to return home, the number of children who have lost one or both parents and who are not taken in by relatives or other alternative caregivers, and the number of separated children is increasing by the day. In these extreme circumstances, there is a need for dedicated spaces to provide separated or orphaned children protection from infection, discrimination and destitution, while family care options are simultaneously pursued for the early return to family. The range of facilities available include, Transit Centers for children who have recovered from EVD and been released from a formal Ebola Treatment Center (ETC), and Interim Care Centers (ICCs) for children who have been exposed to EVD and need to be monitored for 21 days, but are temporarily unable to return home.
ChildFund is supporting Interim Care Centers, which are linked in to other services including the ETC. The ICC will provide care and support for separated children while they are on the 21-day watch. Importantly, ICCs will promote family reunification, and contribute to enhancing a system for IDTR that will scale up over time, from a pilot project related specifically to reunification of children placed in the ICCs, to a networked system linked to a range of child focused services and organizations vetted by the MOHSW. A range of measures will be put in place to ensure the best interest of the child is served including appropriate safety/protection protocols for staff conduct, confidentiality of child records, etc. The ICC services are to be linked to and supportive of other child protection efforts, to ensure effective transition to a strengthened nationwide system for documentation and referrals, with a strong emphasis on the linkages between community and central referral pathways. For this purpose ChildFund will make use of new innovative SMS technology.
Children affected by Ebola will be cared for in ICCs temporarily with the aim of early reunification with a surviving parent or other appropriate caregiver available locally. Further, each child’s case will be documented and will bolster what is in Liberia nascent information and case management system, but with stronger linkages between community-based child protection mechanisms and a national system. This will be achieved via the efforts of actors at both the community and national levels, but facilitated via a mobile technology platform. The continued well-being of reunified children, especially those in alternative care arrangements, will be regularly monitored via well-being checks embedded in the system.
The goal of this project is therefore to provide on an interim basis a safe and caring environment where children can be protected from the effects of stigmatization, desertion, or institutionalization as a result of exposure to Ebola Virus Disease, and to support early reunification with their families or caretakers.
This document outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of the Project Director
Purpose and Objectives
The Project Director leads, manages, and supervises a program’s administrative, financial, technical and operational aspects and provides overall leadership to the program. The Project Director will implement the program, manage the project and budget, and report to the Liberia National Director. The Project Director will be responsible for overall leadership and guidance to ensure that services for the care and protection of children in the ICC are provided at the same time that steps are taken so that children separated and or orphaned due to the Ebola crisis can return to the care of family wherever possible and as soon as possible. In cases where no immediate alternative family solution is available to work with relevant authorities to identify appropriate care alternatives. The Project Director will oversee the establishment of ICC and to ensure proper coordination with the key stakeholders including government agencies such as the MoHSW, UN agencies and WHO for example.
Scope of Work/Key Responsibilities
The Project Director will lead an emergency response team with approximately six members to establish Interim Care Centers for children exposed to EVD and currently living outside of family care.
Specific responsibilities for the Project Director include:
1) Project management and oversight:
Serve as the team lead for the project and ensure strong communication and coordination with and between all key stakeholders as a means to effectively achieving program objectives.
Lead the planning of project activities and set high quality performance targets ensuring adherence to technical quality standards, child protection policies, CP program best practices and donor guidelines.
Use appropriate project management tools to plan, review and track progress on project implementation as well as on the utilization of project resources.
Ensure the establishment and implementation of a mobile phone based (SMS) system, including mobilization of a network of messengers (input information) and responders to take active part in data exchange, data collection and information management to track, trace, refer and support reunification of children to family care as well as to extend access to services including health service delivery.
Promote good knowledge management, documentation and learning, including supporting staff to develop, pilot, and share learning on technical innovations around the use of ICC and TC’s to support children exposed to EVD obtain medical care and/or be re-integrated with their families/communities.
2) Budgeting, financial planning and reporting:
In this context there is a need for measures that reduce transmission among children but also added interventions that address the social and emotional consequences of the crisis. As such providing safe temporary care and psychosocial support for children to promote healing and foster resiliency are important elements of the response The interventions planned will also promote social mobilization, including appropriate health and social messages regarding the importance of family care for children, in order to reduce separation and stigmatization and make it easier for children to transition back into family and community.
The number of child Ebola survivors who are unable to return home, the number of children who have lost one or both parents and who are not taken in by relatives or other alternative caregivers, and the number of separated children is increasing by the day. In these extreme circumstances, there is a need for dedicated spaces to provide separated or orphaned children protection from infection, discrimination and destitution, while family care options are simultaneously pursued for the early return to family. The range of facilities available include, Transit Centers for children who have recovered from EVD and been released from a formal Ebola Treatment Center (ETC), and Interim Care Centers (ICCs) for children who have been exposed to EVD and need to be monitored for 21 days, but are temporarily unable to return home.
ChildFund is supporting Interim Care Centers, which are linked in to other services including the ETC. The ICC will provide care and support for separated children while they are on the 21-day watch. Importantly, ICCs will promote family reunification, and contribute to enhancing a system for IDTR that will scale up over time, from a pilot project related specifically to reunification of children placed in the ICCs, to a networked system linked to a range of child focused services and organizations vetted by the MOHSW. A range of measures will be put in place to ensure the best interest of the child is served including appropriate safety/protection protocols for staff conduct, confidentiality of child records, etc. The ICC services are to be linked to and supportive of other child protection efforts, to ensure effective transition to a strengthened nationwide system for documentation and referrals, with a strong emphasis on the linkages between community and central referral pathways. For this purpose ChildFund will make use of new innovative SMS technology.
Children affected by Ebola will be cared for in ICCs temporarily with the aim of early reunification with a surviving parent or other appropriate caregiver available locally. Further, each child’s case will be documented and will bolster what is in Liberia nascent information and case management system, but with stronger linkages between community-based child protection mechanisms and a national system. This will be achieved via the efforts of actors at both the community and national levels, but facilitated via a mobile technology platform. The continued well-being of reunified children, especially those in alternative care arrangements, will be regularly monitored via well-being checks embedded in the system.
The goal of this project is therefore to provide on an interim basis a safe and caring environment where children can be protected from the effects of stigmatization, desertion, or institutionalization as a result of exposure to Ebola Virus Disease, and to support early reunification with their families or caretakers.
This document outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of the Project Director
Purpose and Objectives
The Project Director leads, manages, and supervises a program’s administrative, financial, technical and operational aspects and provides overall leadership to the program. The Project Director will implement the program, manage the project and budget, and report to the Liberia National Director. The Project Director will be responsible for overall leadership and guidance to ensure that services for the care and protection of children in the ICC are provided at the same time that steps are taken so that children separated and or orphaned due to the Ebola crisis can return to the care of family wherever possible and as soon as possible. In cases where no immediate alternative family solution is available to work with relevant authorities to identify appropriate care alternatives. The Project Director will oversee the establishment of ICC and to ensure proper coordination with the key stakeholders including government agencies such as the MoHSW, UN agencies and WHO for example.
Scope of Work/Key Responsibilities
The Project Director will lead an emergency response team with approximately six members to establish Interim Care Centers for children exposed to EVD and currently living outside of family care.
Specific responsibilities for the Project Director include:
1) Project management and oversight:
Serve as the team lead for the project and ensure strong communication and coordination with and between all key stakeholders as a means to effectively achieving program objectives.
Lead the planning of project activities and set high quality performance targets ensuring adherence to technical quality standards, child protection policies, CP program best practices and donor guidelines.
Use appropriate project management tools to plan, review and track progress on project implementation as well as on the utilization of project resources.
Ensure the establishment and implementation of a mobile phone based (SMS) system, including mobilization of a network of messengers (input information) and responders to take active part in data exchange, data collection and information management to track, trace, refer and support reunification of children to family care as well as to extend access to services including health service delivery.
Promote good knowledge management, documentation and learning, including supporting staff to develop, pilot, and share learning on technical innovations around the use of ICC and TC’s to support children exposed to EVD obtain medical care and/or be re-integrated with their families/communities.
2) Budgeting, financial planning and reporting:
Ensure grant management compliance for the project with multiple donors and ChildFund regulations with support from the National Office and Regional Office.
With support from the finance and compliance teams, prepare donor finance reports.
Coordinate with management quality staff for purchasing and inventory control per ChildFund protocols (as required).
In collaboration with the finance/compliance teams, review and analyze budget comparison reports and take necessary steps to ensure proper management and utilization of budgets.
Approve project expenditures, carry out regular budget tracking and take the lead on request for modifications as and when needed.
3) Coordination and communication:
With support from the finance and compliance teams, prepare donor finance reports.
Coordinate with management quality staff for purchasing and inventory control per ChildFund protocols (as required).
In collaboration with the finance/compliance teams, review and analyze budget comparison reports and take necessary steps to ensure proper management and utilization of budgets.
Approve project expenditures, carry out regular budget tracking and take the lead on request for modifications as and when needed.
3) Coordination and communication:
With limited direct oversight, serve as the primary point of contact and collaboration for the project and in-country stakeholders, including the donor, implementation partners, government partners and other key stakeholders.
Ensure that relevant knowledge and technical resources are shared by promoting coordination and linkages with other stakeholders involved in the Ebola response.
Represent the project in key coordination bodies and at events/forums.
4) Supervision:
Ensure that relevant knowledge and technical resources are shared by promoting coordination and linkages with other stakeholders involved in the Ebola response.
Represent the project in key coordination bodies and at events/forums.
4) Supervision:
Lead a core team of social workers, health care workers (who are Ebola Survivors) and other supporting staff and support operations at the ICC.
Mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork and assess and ensure response where staff support is needed.
Ensure staff compliance with all ChildFund administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.Required Skills
Mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork and assess and ensure response where staff support is needed.
Ensure staff compliance with all ChildFund administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.Required Skills
Experience in management and coordination of emergency response.
Knowledge of infectious/communicable disease outbreak and response.
Strong knowledge and experience in child protection in emergencies highly desirable.
Field level experience and demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders such as the UN, World Health Organization, USAID, government national health agencies, as well as local district officials, state-level agencies, local and international NGO partners.
Demonstrates experience managing complex grants and working with USG and international donors (i.e. DFID, USAID, CIDA etc.).
Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports.
Demonstrated leadership, management and consensus building experience.
Demonstrated abilities in NGO reporting, budgeting, procurement, and project management.
Experience in financial management and administration of a large complex budget.
Proven leadership in the administration of similar activities with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision and budgeting.
Evidence of excellent skills in intercultural communications.
Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral.Required Experience
Knowledge of infectious/communicable disease outbreak and response.
Strong knowledge and experience in child protection in emergencies highly desirable.
Field level experience and demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders such as the UN, World Health Organization, USAID, government national health agencies, as well as local district officials, state-level agencies, local and international NGO partners.
Demonstrates experience managing complex grants and working with USG and international donors (i.e. DFID, USAID, CIDA etc.).
Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports.
Demonstrated leadership, management and consensus building experience.
Demonstrated abilities in NGO reporting, budgeting, procurement, and project management.
Experience in financial management and administration of a large complex budget.
Proven leadership in the administration of similar activities with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision and budgeting.
Evidence of excellent skills in intercultural communications.
Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral.Required Experience
- Graduate degree in International Development (emergencies), Public Health, Child Protection, Epidemiology, or related field.
- 8 - 10 years’ experience emergency response and development and grants and program managementJob LocationMonrovia, Grand Cape Mount, LiberiaPosition TypeFull-Time/Regular
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