Community Engagement Officer at Plan International

Department: Program

Reports to: Field Coordinator/ Child Protection Specialist

Duration: 6 Months with possibility of extension

Location: Plan International Nigeria, Mubi Office

Purpose:
The purpose of this role is to coordinate and lead community engagement and mobilization activities for the response programmes in line with International minimum standards in

Northeast Adamawa and Southern Borno states. The post holder will be supervised technically by the Child Protection in Emergencies Specialist and expected to work very closely with other members of the programme team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the strengthening of child protection community-based systems inclusive of developing trainings, supervision/coaching tools, monitoring and tracking tools and
• improve referral systems Provide support in the development of alternative care systems in accordance with international policies and national procedures/norms;
• Conduct and supervise training with men and boys, women and girls on social norms change and CP prevention and response using agreed methodology;
• Support the establishment and strengthening of self-help groups for informal foster careers, male and female youth, GBV survivors and women’s groups to work on CP and GBV issues;
• Support community advocates and children to develop participatory media and other IEC materials to use in the community to raise awareness;
• Conduct training and follow-up with teachers, government and partner staff and other stakeholders in community based protection
• Design and facilitate community mobilization/sensitization campaigns in collaboration with Community Engagement Workers, Community Based Protection Mechanisms, and children/adolescents
• Supervise the CFS staff members/volunteers on location to ensure quality implementation of activities;
• Provide ongoing support and ensure child participation and safeguarding practices are strictly adhered to;
• Identify, report and provide on-the-job training to staff members related to child participation and child protection;
• Report general protection issues present in the CFS locations to the Child Protection Officers
• Ensure the UASC Database is set up, regularly updated and efficiently managed in collaboration with partner organizations
• Produce monthly data and regular narrative reports for different stakeholders as well as donor narrative reports of high quality (in collaboration with line manager and the Program Quality Assurance Officer)
• Build the capacity of partners, project team in case management, and strengthen child protection case management activities
• Ensure project staff safety and security, and ensure all Plan International policies and principles are upheld as well as International Minimum Standards for Child Protection,
• Case Management, and UNHCR’s guidelines

Qualifications and Experience:

• University degree or equivalent in Social Science, Social Work, Psychology, Public Health, or related fields
• Minimum of 3 years relevant working experience in child protection prevention and response programming, humanitarian affairs or human rights.
• Experience working in emergency settings
• Experience working with refugees and other vulnerable populations (ideal)
• Experience in Community Based programming and Child Friendly Spaces Previous experience directly providing services to children at risk and victims of abuse,
• exploitation and violence and developing/implementing referral pathways and case management systems.
• Strong experience providing counselling services that are gender-sensitive and child friendly.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong skills in monitoring, evaluation, research and conducting participatory, community-led assessments. Experience working with case files and databases and providing regular documentation.
• Excellent community mobilization skills
• Ability to work individually and within a team with limited supervision. A self-starter.
• Good analytical, problem solving and project planning skills
• Able to communicate clearly and strategically with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of Plan. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
• Strong capacity building/training/coaching/mentoring skills with communities and internal and external staff
• Computer knowledge - Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
• Strong command of both written and spoken English

Physical Environment and Demands:
Extensive travel to lead and supervise programme activities.

Level of Contact with Children:
High contact- the job responsibilities of this position require the post holder to have frequent contact with children. It is expected that children shall be protected at all times.