Scope of the position:
Under the immediate supervision of the National Coordinator Côte d’Ivoire and the technical supervision of the Deputy National Coordinator responsible for Programme Activities in Cote d’Ivoire and the Human Resource Manager in Geneva, the Regional Child Protection Specialist will provide technical guidance and support to all child protection components of ICI’s operations, and will supervise and actively contribute to the implementation/achievement of the ICI Child Safeguarding Policy across the organisation.
S/he will be responsible for setting up strong systems across the Ivory Coast and Ghana programs, to ensure that quality child protection interventions and child safeguarding practices are exercised and delivered across all sectors. S/He will help to design and implement ICI’s operational and management strategies to deliver strong child protection impacts in ICI-assisted communities, and to protect all children we work with from exploitation, neglect and abuse
RESPONSABILITIES
- Technical Leadership and Support to Child Protection Activities
- Provide remote and on-site technical support and assistance in the design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies, programmes and project activities within the domain of child protection. Maintain relationships with regional team and country program coordinators and managers and offer them support, as needed.
- Support all activities necessary to ensure that the foundation and its programs activities meet its objectives to improve child protection.
- To provide technical support to operational child protection activities, including specialist advice to key staff, development of local procedures and guidelines, preparation of training manuals and delivery of training.
- Promote the knowledge and skills of program staff and cooperatives members for the prevention and protection of children; as well as supporting program staff and communities in the identification of vulnerable children.
- Based on assessed needs, train and strengthen regional and country program teams’ capacities on child protection interventions
- Develop tools and guidance with management team and program staff, as appropriate.
- Represent the child protection mainstreaming across the foundation, serving as a resource to ICI staff seeking information about child protection activities, including external relations. Respond to field queries regarding program activities in this area. Actively participate and organize meetings/workshops on the child protection topic.
- Develop and nurture a relationship and dialogue with key national authorities, donors and external stakeholders in the domain of child protection.
- Ensure data collection, analysis and interpretation of data and information from ICI program activities regarding child protection, including for M&E purposes against annual and strategic KPIs.
- Ensure child participation guidance is put in place to make sure any child participation events, media and communication efforts linked to ICI programme activities do not put children at risk.
2. Supervision and Roll-Out of Institutional Child Safeguarding Policy
- Support all activities necessary to ensure that the foundation and its programs activities meet its responsibilities to safeguard children from abuse.
- To coordinate and facilitate national and regional level roll-out of ICI’s child safeguarding policy by putting the policy into practice using standard implementation guidelines
- Contribute to ICI’s risk management assessment with external partners and ensure all departments of the foundation are periodically assessed on child safeguarding risks, with mitigation plans designed and managed appropriately
- Ensure system is in place for reporting and responding to incidents, and that appropriate support is given to senior managers on managing child safeguarding incidents based on the local procedure and global guidance
- Establish/strengthen focal point representations for the implementation, monitoring and reporting of child safeguarding procedures and practices.
- Ensure the child safeguarding policy and implementation standards are understood by key/senior staff and the management system and process incorporate the practice.- Create awareness among all staff, associates and beneficiaries and children on child rights/safeguarding issue.
- Ensure advice, support and interface with partners, competent authorities and beneficiary communities in the field.
- Ensure that child safeguarding implementation plans and costs are adequately reflected in country plans and budgets
- Develop a detailed annual child safeguarding action plan and prepare a specific mid-year and end-of-year progress report.
- Advocate for, and support, the adoption and roll-out of coherent child safeguarding policies and procedures amongst ICI’s partner organizations and companies.
PS : This job description describes the general scope of the activity, the basic duties and responsibilities associated to this position.
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:
Skills and Experience:
- Master’s Degree in law, social sciences, international relations or relevant field
- Specialized training or extensive experience in human rights and in child rights and their application and implementation
- At least 5 years’ of relevant work experience in socio-economic development, policy analysis, research, or child protection
- Strong background and experience in working with vulnerable children and managing related issues.
- Fluent written and spoken in English and French is mandatory
Job specific:
- Strong experience in developing and implementing child protection policies and procedures.
- Strong experience of child protection / children’s rights programming
- Experience in conducting assessments, monitoring and evaluation, strong analysis and writing reports
- Solid knowledge base and practical experience in community-based child protection approaches, including experience in participatory approaches and child participation methodologies.
- Experience of planning and delivering training programmes/workshops in child protection/safeguarding.
- Flexibility and willingness to travel intensively in Ivory Coast and Ghana
General:
- Excellent verbal communication and report writing skills
- Self-sufficient, proactive and self-motivating.
- Ability to prioritise and deal with competing demands to deliver results.
- Ability to provide remote support from a distance and establish supportive relationships and networks.
- Awareness of own strengths and weaknesses and evidence of commitment to self-managed personal development.
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders and influence using a variety of different styles, taking into account cultural differences
- Commitment to upholding and promoting ICI’s values (Humanity, Integrity, Neutrality, Partnership and Innovation) at all times
- High degree of organisational ability, working well under pressure & to deadlines
- Strong and clear communicator and public speaker who is capable of delivering messages to a variety of audiences, and to build a sense of passion and engagement.
- Trustworthy and respectful of confidentiality
HOW TO APPLY:
Qualified applicants should send their CV and Cover letter with the titles “<your name> cover letter” and “<your name> CV to hr@cocoainitiative.org by the 23th of December 2016.
Please put “Regional Child Protection Specialist” in the email subject line.
Please note that only selected candidates for the interviews will be contacted.
