Child and Youth Safeguarding Technical Advisor at Plan International

Role Purpose

• Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child.
• We recognize that the abuse and exploitation of children and young people occurs throughout the world and in all societies and includes physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect. Furthermore, children and young people may be vulnerable and at risk due to, for example, reasons of gender, sexual orientation, disability and age, or illness. All children and young people have equal rights to protection.
• Therefore, the purpose of this position is to ensure Plan Nigeria is fully committed to providing a safe, protective, and supportive environment for all children and young people and intend that their welfare will at all times be the paramount consideration.  Furthermore, to seriously promote safe and protective practices for children and young people and, to protect them from all forms of harm.

Dimension of Role

• Provides technical and professional advice and support to Child and Youth Safeguarding Focal Points within Plan International Nigeria, empowering them to take full ownership of their role and strengthen the implementation of the policy and procedures within their departments and Programs.
• Provides technical support, input and/or implementation of safeguarding for specific Country/ regional level tasks as delegated by the Regional Child and Youth Safeguarding Technical Advisor (Country/Regional level tasks may be Safeguarding in - Emergency Response, Engagement, Case Management, Programming, and Sponsorship for example).
• Designs, develops and conducts specific projects and activities in relation to ensuring a robust child and youth safeguarding framework across Plan International Nigeria. This will include the design and development of guidance, toolkits and training materials.
• Carries out investigations into concerns or reported incidents or provides distance or onsite support on case management and case review.
• Proactively works with members of National and Local level Child and Youth Safeguarding networks to ensure the safe and meaningful engagement of children and young people.
• Actively facilitates and promotes collaboration, engagement, communication, team work, and learning and sharing on safeguarding and safe and meaningful engagement at National level.
• Leads and promotes a culture commitment to attain the Plan International Standards on keeping children and young people safe, ensuring it remains alive, current and reflects emerging risks in the sector.
• Assist in the preparation of grant proposals and reports and participate in the follow-up and evaluation of grant-funded projects.
• Each month meet PO staff to discuss progress, identify and find solutions to problems and share program pattern, new directions and submit report to Head of Programmes.
• Do at least 10 working days field visit per month in the POs and submit report to Head of Programmes and POM/PAM.
• Execute other tasks at the request of the Supervisor or the CD within the domain of his/her competence.

Key Roles/Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Field Team, Head of Programmes and Business Development, team leads and sector Specialists, the Child and Youth Safeguarding Technical Advisor will:
• Strengthen keeping children and young people safe and protected to contribute to the current global strategy.
• Ensure accountable and engaged leadership in keeping children, young people, girls and boys safe and protected.
• Strengthen the mainstreaming of and embedding protective measures of keeping children and young people safe across our programming and influencing activities and interventions.
• Ensure our partnerships embed and embrace principles of keeping children and young people safe and protected.
• Ensure that where children and young people, girls and boys participate in activities or engage with us this is done in a manner that is safe and meaningful for them and Plan International.
• Design, develop, implement, and maintain advice on Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy implementation procedures and practices which ensures the strengthening of keeping children safe and protected and the attainment associated standards in Nigeria. This should give full consideration to the safeguarding implications of different individual identities (e.g. gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin, race, color and or any other aspect of their background or identity).
• Support Child and Youth Safeguarding focal points to identify, manage and monitor risks to keeping children and young people safe and protected.
• Provide technical support to Youth Engagement Focal Points on safe and meaningful engagements
• Provide high quality technical support and advice on the implementation of the policy, implementation of associated procedures including those related to safe and meaningful engagement, attaining the CYSP implementation standards and dealing with concerns and policy breaches.
• Initiate/support/contribute to the design, development and/or delivering of training on keeping children and Young People safe and protected for various modalities (self-directed, online, face to face) and for various audiences (staff, managers, partners, children) to ensure high levels of understanding and awareness on the organization’s commitment to and framework for keeping children and young people safe, including reporting and responding to concerns.
• Support/contribute to/ or initiate the design, develop and/or delivering CYSP briefing information to make sure staff and particularly CYSP focal points have quick access to clear information on keeping children safe.
• Ensuring that the Country Director is made aware of potential and emerging risks/issues that could impact on the organizations commitment to keeping children and young people safe and protected and particularly as they pertain to focus areas outlined above.
• Responding to and providing high quality technical advice on and support for CYSP issues reported, supporting country management risk assessment and decision making on actions to address the issue and determining the level of escalation required and maintaining a high level of confidentiality and sensitivity.
• Responding to CYSP cases may require post holder to carry out:
• An administrative investigation
• A case management review
• A Country office or Partner review - a review of the safeguarding environment and policy implementation of the country office or partner organization, in all cases there would be a requirement to identify what went wrong, gaps to be addressed and implications for management.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree and not less than 5 years of work experience in Human Rights or equivalent in a large multi-year international development programs, with a robust Child and Youth Safeguarding component. Master’s degree is preferred.

Essential Skills & Knowledge:

• Expertise and substantial experience of safeguarding and child rights in an international development setting.
• Knowledge and understanding of safe and meaningful participation and engagement of children and young people and a deep understanding of safeguarding and protection issues that may arise.
• Expertise, technical knowledge and substantial experience in responding to issues, breaches, investigation and case management.
• Experience at providing advice and developing and delivering training on keeping children and young people safe on a diverse range of issues and to a diverse audience.
• Understanding of safeguarding standards within the sector (e.g. Keeping Children Safe Coalition standards).
• Excellent conceptual understanding of the organizational risks associated with keeping children and young people safe and protected.
• Knowledge of human rights, child rights, inclusion and gender equality.
• Knowledge and/or experience of child and Youth Safeguarding programming and/or child protection in emergency interventions a significant bonus.
• Knowledge and use of different learning modalities to design and deliver blended learning techniques.
• Knowledge of risk assessment approaches.

Desirable Skills & Knowledge:

• Excellent ability to influence, build strong relationships and inspire people at all levels.
• Highly effective at using skills and or creativity to identify and develop procedural, briefing materials and training programs that are user friendly, fit for purpose, robust and cost effective.
• Strong analytical and report writing skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Training, facilitation and clear communication skills.
• Ability to think and work under pressure.
• Ability to challenge behavior/attitudes in a non-confrontational evidence based manner.
• Self-motivated and efficient with the ability to prioritize tasks.
• Advanced Excel and computer skills.
• Please include those requirements that are desirable.

Behaviours:

• Creates strong sense of purpose and commitment within own part of the team and with stakeholders.
• Holds self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and standards of behaviour.
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism/integrity.
• Strategic thinking and effective contribution to own work and Organizational development.
• Sound judgement and decision-making in complex situations.
• Strong emotional intelligence including self-awareness.
• Leads by example to motivate high performance of others.
• Very strong commitment to continuous learning.