Child Protection in Emergency Specialist
Location: Kibondo, Tanzania
Company: Plan International
ROLE PURPOSE
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan has over 80 years’ experience and works in more than 75 countries across the world. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.
Plan International has been working in Tanzania since 1991. Our work supports marginalised children and youth, especially adolescent girls, to grow up physically and mentally healthy and ready to shape their future. We create an enabling environment and empower girls to be active drivers of change in realising their rights. We prioritise working with partners, and ensuring all of our work is evidence based.
Plan International Tanzania has responded to the Burundian Emergency program in Kibondo and Kasulu since October 2015 due to Burundian refugees’ influx with special focus on Case Management, Psychosocial support activities and Education in Emergencies (EiE).
The CPiE Specialist is responsible for leading the strengthening of the quality of Plan International’s Child Protection in Emergencies (CPiE) programme, with a focus on case management including support to implementation of durable solutions such as repatriation, cross boarder reunification and resettlement, community based protection and community and family based psychosocial support (PSS). S/he will be responsible for strengthening community groups and mechanisms that have a role in protecting children in humanitarian settings, enhancing accountability to the affected population with a strong emphasis on meaningful child participation. In addition, the specialist will ensure implementation of the child and youth safeguarding policy, PSEA and CP mainstreaming. The Specialist will also play a lead role in external advocacy and interagency coordination at response and district levels as necessary and ensure adhering to interagency SOPs and dissemination to Staff.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST HOLDER
Dimensions of Role:
- Programme Development and Quality Implementation: Provide technical support for:
- Case management, including the information management system (CPIMS+) and transition to Primero V.2 and mobile app rollout when necessary.
- Community based child protection and PSS elements of the emergency response programme including the implementation of durable solutions in line with Best Interests Procedures and safeguards.
- Regular protection assessments and analysis, making strategic suggestions for programme design/modification, document of learnings.
- Project implementation that is compliant with donor and partner contracts, delivers on time, and responsive to the changing needs of beneficiaries.
- Resource mobilisation in collaboration with the business development team.
- Representation and Advocacy: Represent Plan in government / inter agency coordination meetings and initiatives on child protection. Contribute to ongoing efforts to develop context specific guidance notes and policy-making efforts. The CPiE Specialist will ensure Plan Tanzania representation on relevant Plan International regional and global technical meetings.
Key End Results and Responsibilities:
Programme implementation
- Lead and manage CPiE programme design and implementation to effectively respond the protection and development needs of vulnerable children
- Ensure participation in inter agency and plan initiated assessments and other relevant studies
- Work in close collaboration with the sector leads, support staff coordinators to ensure child protection mainstreaming in all Plan’s activities
- Lead comprehensive case management activities by developing case management tools and guidance notes to ensure appropriate and safe alternative care arrangements with special attention to the unaccompanied and other most vulnerable children.
- Provide supportive supervision and technical backstopping for the strengthening of case management, community based child protection systems and PSS
- Regularly visit to Plan’s field activities and provide on ground technical support, supervision and coaching where needed
- Develop a strategy and mechanisms to integrate child protection into other Emergency Response Program activities with IASC guidelines and CP Minimum Standards (CPMS) in humanitarian settings
- Ensure the access of child protection services and psychosocial support as needed to affected population (precise programming depending on identified needs, existing services and capacities and actions of other agencies)
- Develop or support development of programme tools including case management
- Co/lead the development of funding proposals and donor reports.
- Support on program design and the development of new concepts and proposals in line with donor requirements and Plan International policies.
- Support budget development and activity plans for new proposals and concept papers.
- Act as the Child Safeguarding and SEA Focal Point for the office; deliver orientation sessions and full training packages to staff, ensure compliance to policies
Representation and advocacy
- Work in close relationship with the government representative in the area of operation and other partner’s/UN agencies present in the refugee setting
- Support liaison between Plan International and any relevant stakeholders, local, national and international partners and local authorities
- Participate in protection, child protection and SGBV working groups/bilateral meetings and represent Plan in all relevant forums as need arises
- Maintain regular interaction with other NGOs and UN bodies to effectively respond to emerging child protection and strategic issues
- Coordinate with Country office advocacy teams to develop child rights and child protection advocacy initiatives
Documentation and M&E
- Lead, facilitate or conduct annual child protection assessments to guide context specific programming
- Contribute in documenting Plan’s experiences, lessons learned, case studies, impact stories and advocacy documents
- Lead teams to ensure quality donor and other reports and ensure reports are developed and submitted on time.
- Conduct regular assessments, analyses and thus advise programme design and modifications to meet the existing needs and ground realities
- Participate in the development/ operation of a monitoring and evaluation system including CPIMS (Child Protection Information Management System) and lead engagement on the information management systems on behalf of Plan International.
- Participate in inter agency MEAL engagements at all levels as required
- Support the establishment and strengthening of child friendly and/or centred complaints and feedback mechanisms
Capacity Building
- Conduct capacity building assessments and develop a comprehensive capacity building plan for staff teams including inter agency ones and other resource plans
- Train Plan staff in key aspects of CP essentials, CP SOPS and principles, IASC guidelines and 2019 revised CPMS standards
- Build capacity of national staff to implement Child Protection CM, PSS and CBCPM activities
- Lead the development of orientation and training materials for staff and stakeholders including children
- Conduct training for staff and partners including tailored Training of Trainers on children with special needs and gender equality
- Coach and mentor Plan staff to implement timely, quality and appropriate CP interventions
Team Management
In strong linkage with the ERM, ensure good communication and coordination with team members through regular programme coordination meetings (or other if needed)
Continuous meetings with CP Teams for activities follow up and with youth and Education teams for effective coordination and integration to respond the holistic needs of children and adolescents.
HR Management
- Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to Plan International Policies and Procedures and strategy.
- Advise SMT on child protection related human resource and administration needs including CP team welfare.
- Provide regular updates to ERM regarding priorities and constraints – verbally and in writing on an agreed frequency.
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
This position is managed by the ERM. The Child Protection in Emergencies Specialist will have significant contact with Plan’s Child Protection team and will coordiante closely with the CPiE Managers, CP Coordinators, MEAL team, EiE Team and Business Development Manager.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
The qualified candidate will be a child protection in emergencies professional with relevant degree in Psychology, anthropology, Social work or equivalent.
Essential:
- 3-5 years’ experience working of child protection in emergencies, Particularly on comprehensive Case Management, Best Interest Assessments and Child Protection Information Management System and alternative care arrangements
- Experience of working in refugee settings and in host communities
- Demonstrated project design, participatory monitoring and evaluation skills
- Experience in coordination and technical assistance provision at the level of working group/task force or equivalent
- Proven capacity to train, coach staff and provide supportive supervision
- Effective team management skills across several locations and operating in a cross cultural structure
- Strong communication and reporting skills in English
- Ability to work under high pressure with a great level of personal organization
- Good knowledge of and experience in Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Inter-agency Guidelines on Separated and Unaccompanied Children, case management, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
- Experience leading child and youth safeguarding implementation as well as Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Abuse
Desirable:
- A Bachelor Degree in Social Sciences or as relevant. Masters’ degree would be an added advantage.
- Previous experience leading/being part of an inter-agency transition to CPIMS+ Primero
- Experience of managing grants and donor’ reporting requirements
- Excellent IT skills: knowledge of MS Word; Excel and Outlook required.
- Previous experience in leading/co-leading a child protection coordination mechanism
- Experience supporting implementation of durable solutions such as repatriation and resettlement
- Previous experience leading and providing oversight regarding child and youth safeguarding
PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE
- We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
- We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN
High level: Frequent interaction with children during field visits