The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Child Protection in Emergency Officer (CPiE-Officer) is responsible to ensure implementation of child protection activities designed to prevent and respond to child protection risks/concerns affecting crisis impacted children in target locations. He/she will coordinate project activities at woreda level and make sure that the project is implemented in target woreda/locations in line with the agreement entered with respective government line offices/signatory bodies. The post holder is expected to provide guidance, mentoring and coaching to Social Workers/Community Volunteers to enhance the quality of child protection case management and provision of psychosocial support services. In addition, he/she will ensure a periodic and timely reporting of project activities as per donor and PIE’s internal reporting requirements.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Project Planning, Implementation and Monitoring (50%)

• Develop important project management plans and tools including detailed implementation plan (DIP), procurement and spending plan etc and revise them as necessary;
• Implement activities as per set quality standards and monitor progress of activities from time to time;
• Undertake and ensure situational assessments, data collection, compiling and analysing as per the required standard.
• Takes primary responsibility for the implementation and follow-up of child protection activities and programs including development/update of relevant strategies, SOPs and referral pathways, case management mechanisms, CPIMS, psychosocial support interventions and community-based support for at-risk children including unaccompanied/separated children;
• Ensure that there is a functioning child protection coordination mechanism/platform in project areas that addresses the needs of child survivors and at-risk children including UASC;
• Support program staff including Social Workers and Community Mobilizers in the design and implementation of effective community mobilization and awareness raising strategies;
• Maintain standard, design and undertake diversified psychosocial support activities at child friendly spaces (CFSs);
• Facilitate and take a lead role in ensuring that case management services are of high quality including arranging family-based care system or other appropriate care system for unaccompanied and separated children and children without appropriate parental care;
• Provide training for CP staff, implementing partners, caregiver/families and the community and opinion leaders including children.
• Strengthen protection mechanisms through mobilizing and involving the community in reducing risks
• Work with the community and caregivers /parents through undertaking positive parenting skills and ensure a positive parents and child communication skills.
• Responsible for planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring of the program in line with organizational and donors’ guidelines, policy and procedures.
• Follow-up, monitor and supervise the implementation of program activities based on the work plan, spending plan and ensure the proper utilization and tracking of budgets and resources/materials allocated to the project.

Program Liaison, Coordination and Networking (25%)

• Develop and maintain skilful and effective communication and working relationships with relevant partners including children, families, community leaders, government stakeholders and other implementing partners.
• Represent the program in all partner meetings and communicate the outcomes of the project in a professional manner;
• Coordinate, lead and facilitate regular meetings with the community, children and implementing agencies and sectors including preparation of agenda and circulate the minutes of the child protection working groups (coordination body) meetings;
• Interact with Government and other partners, NGOs, UN and bilateral agencies in the different stages of CP project implementation and follow up on agreed points;
• Collaborate with other Project Officers to ensure the integration of CP into other sectors such as Education, Health, Sanitation and Nutrition etc programs.
• Mentor and support social workers and other child protection staff and develop a positive team spirit to encourage innovative and quality programming.

Monitoring and Evaluation (25%)

• Initiate/participate in periodic program review meetings with partners and community members.
• Support the CP team in ensuring the availability of accurate, complete and up-to-date information required for effective Child Protection program implementation, follow-up, review, and M&E.
• Regularly review and give feedback on the child protection project information management system and follow-up and report on the progress of the CPIMS data.
• Prepare quality reports of project activities on regular basis and share with relevant actors as directed by the Child Protection Project Manager and review budget performance.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC).
• Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work.
• Ensure that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Psychology, Social Work, Law, Community Development or other related fields of social science studies.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in implementing child protection in emergency or other similar projects and clear understanding of child protection technical areas such as case management, PSS, CBCPS etc.
• Experience of working with child survivors and at-risk children in NGO working system;
• Experience in organizing and facilitating capacity building trainings on key child protection topics for a range of target groups including government frontline workers and Social Workers;
• Experience in community mobilization and conducting outreach activities.
• Fluent spoken and written English, and Amharic languages. Knowledge of the local language of the project area will be considered an asset
• Experience in capacity building and mentoring.
• Good computer usage skills: e.g. MS Word, Excel, power point etc
• Good interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills and flexibility
• Good understanding of Child Protection program approaches and practices

Skills required:

• Supervisory/basic managerial skills
• Technical and report writing skills

Languages required:

• Fluency in English language is essential
• Knowledge of local language is Mandatory

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organisation by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

We strive for lasting impact

We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

We work well together

We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

We are inclusive and empowering

We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

Location: Tigray Program Area, Mekelle

Type of Role: Child Protection

Reports to: Child Protection Coordinator

Grade: C1

Closing Date: June 25,2023

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.