Humanitarian Child Protection Manager at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Humanitarian Child Protection Manager Job ID: 2000034O Location: Maiduguri, Borno Employee Status: Fixed Term

Child Safeguarding: Level 3

• The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children or young people and, in the overseas context all posts are considered to be level 3 posts in view of potential situations which may allow staff unsupervised access to vulnerable children and young people.
• As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis.  The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Role Purpose

• The Child Protection (CP) Manager will be based in Borno State and is the sectoral manager of all Child Protection implementations in the Humanitarian Response, NE Nigeria.
• The overall aim of the CP Manager is to manage the CP team and ensure CP interventions are in line with Save the Children’s CP Strategy and donor guidelines; including assessment, design and managing staff to initiate quality interventions to address violations of children’s rights to protection from abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect.
• The post holder is responsible for ensuring that quality programmes are implemented and capacities developed to provide these kinds of protection to children in a range of Save the Children’s emergency responses in NE Nigeria.
• The post holder is expected to also support on proposal writing and is responsible for programme reporting, programme design and capacity building of staff.
• The manager will support in the development of the sector strategy and will represent Save the Children in coordination groups and support fundraising, recruitment and procurement.

Key responsibilities Technical Management:

• Manage team of child protection, case management, PSS, Gender and child protection information management teams.
• Lead on child protection assessments and implementation using Save the Children assessment processes and tools and the Inter-agency Child Protection Assessment Resource Toolkit adapting the tools as necessary. The manager will coordinate with other Save the Children thematic areas to ensure integration, attend and be active in the Child Protection Working Group, and other external sector agencies.
• Integrate quality child protection programming throughout the response and across sectors in the NE. Including in the areas of:
  • Emergency family tracing interventions and alternative are options for unaccompanied and separated children, utilizing tools within the Inter-Agency Child Protection Information Management System;
  • Prevention and response to child recruitment including advocacy and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration initiatives;
  • Prevention and response to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) and gender-based violence (GBV);
  • Prevention and response to the main risks for children’s exposure to physical harm;
  • Prevention and response to all forms of exploitation including harmful child labour and child trafficking; and
  • Integration of child protection in to other core sectors.
• Ensure quality delivery of programme activities, for example, monitoring against log frames, budget forecast and reporting and monitoring on the BvA.
• Preparation of timely programme and donor reports for child protection project activities in compliance with internal and external requirements.
• Ensure the coordination of case management and Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) database activities for quality reporting.
• Ensure that the concept of confidentiality and do no harm are integrated into programming.
• Working closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation team to put in place a child protection M & E plan, IPTT, CFM, ensuring this links to reporting requirements, and capacity build child protection.
• Put in place accountability activities for child protection, ensuring that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered in programme design.
• Ensure the child protection response complies with the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Settings, the Sphere Charter, CHS and Red Cross Code of Conduct.
• Working closely with the human resources team, identify child protection staffing needs for the emergency programmes, and facilitate rapid recruitment, induction and training of new staff.
• Identify child protection programme supply needs and work with logistics team to put in place a sensibly phased procurement plan.
• Ensure quality and comprehensive case management systems are in place to support UASC and at-risk children.
• Anchor the development of contextual manuals for foster care placement, case management tools, child friendly spaces, child protection committees, for use on the field.
• Ensure quality of child protection activities implemented on field.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for child protection staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model.
• Build capacities of government and ministries staff.
• Build capacity of local partners’ staff.
• Build capacity of other core sectors for fluid integration.

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with other agencies and the government; take a leadership role in the Interagency Coordination forums to ensure children needs of children are addressed. This may involve taking the lead in the Child Protection Working Group, cluster and/or sub-groups.
• Identify opportunities and material to contribute to external communications and media work, acting as a spokesperson when required.
• Prepare reports to donors to ensure that correct and appropriate sector information is included.
• Facilitate field visits by donors and Save the Children Member representatives
• Take steps to document lessons learned for wider dissemination.
• In collaboration with senior programme staff, play a lead role in child protection advocacy activities targeting decision-makers.
• In collaboration with Save the Children colleagues feed in learning experiences and evidence to relevant global child protection advocacy objectives.

General:

• Demonstrate leadership in relation to Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Deliver high quality results and development effective relationships with country programme staff which enhances the reputation of Save the Children

Scope of Role

• The CP Manager will be responsible for developing and managing the CP Programme implementation of the humanitarian response, including Case Management and CPIMS. The position is based in Maiduguri, Borno State.
• Reports to:  Programme Operations Manager
• Staff directly reporting to this post: 3
• Budget Responsibilities: yes
• Dimensions: S/he is expected to work closely with the Child Protection team, the Nutrition, Food Security & Livelihoods, Health and Education Programme Managers, the Logistics, Finance, Awards, Human Resource Managers, the MEAL team and his/her team.

Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice) Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Qualifications and Experience Required:

• Significant management experience (of at least 5 years) working in an emergency response contexts or fragile states in the area of child protection
• Education to B.Sc/ BA/ BEng/ MSc/ MA/ MEng level in Social Work, Human Rights Law, International Relations, Development Studies or similar, or equivalent field experience.
• Previous first phase emergency response experience is essential
• Ability to identify the main gaps in child protection in the given context to inform a holistic response for children.
• Good knowledge of and experience in using established inter-agency standards and guidelines in child protection, such as the Inter-agency Guidelines on Separated and Unaccompanied Children, the Paris Principles, MRM, SC Child Friendly Spaces Handbook, and the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Settings.
• Previous experience of managing a team and of project management
• Excellent communication skills
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• A high level of written and spoken English
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to and understanding of child rights, the aims and principles of Save the Children, and humanitarian standards such as the Sphere Charter and the Code of Conduct. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support
• Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating child protection programmes in emergency, transition and development contexts
• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity
• Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to child protection.
• Experience of representation and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums.
• Experience of budget management and reporting across multiple awards
• Ability to write clear project reports

Desirable:

• Good working knowledge of the Inter-Agency Child Protection Information Management System
• Specific experience of working in inter – agency projects
• Knowledge of area and region
• Knowledge of local language, culture and traditions
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts
• Specific experience of managing DFID, OFDA, ECHO, GAC, USAID and other major projects

Other:

• Other duties as assigned by the Program Operations Manager
• Contribute as requested to implementation of norms and procedures of child safeguarding policy;
• Ensure that Save the Children Child Protection and Safeguarding policies are understood, implemented and monitored and that it is integrated into all aspects of the response work
• Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child protection, health and safety, security, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
• Support a positive and productive work environment.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply Note

• Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported as it is contrary to the values and practices of our organization.
• Due to the volume of applications received, Save the Children may not provide feedback to all applicants. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as received. Save the Children reserves the right to change the closing date, if considered necessary

Borno State, Maiduguri