Child Protection in Emergencies - Deployment Roster at Lifeline Children's Hospital

Location: Nationwide
Reports to: Emergency Response Manager

Emergency Roster

• The Emergency Roster is a database of pre-selected deployable internal and external candidates who have the appropriate skills and experience to support emergency preparedness and response. It also stores information on these candidates.
• The purpose of the roster is to ensure that we have the right people in the right place and the right time with the right skills.
• Roster Members are expected to deploy to an emergency response within 72 hours or once an entry visa is received. A Roster Member is selected from the Emergency Roster as and when a roster request is received from one of our country offices.

Dimensions of Role

• This position is responsible for assessment, response analysis, design, coordination, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the child protection components of Plan International's emergency response.
• S/he is expected to strengthen the capacities of Plan International's Country offices (COs) s/he will be deployed to.
• S/he will need to co-ordinate with other Emergency Response team members and Plan International's staff, especially Implementation Management and relevant technical sectors, to ensure a rapid, proportionate and effective response.
• S/he will need to ensure response to immediate child protection issues with simultaneous consideration of longer term needs and possible scenarios.
• The Specialist will need to take a very active role in technical co-ordination, support and advocacy with the country specific child protection coordination group and other stakeholders and technical agencies relevant to the sector.

Key End Results and Typical Responsibilities
Assessment:

• Ensure/lead on an initial rapid assessment of current situation using the Inter-agency Child protection Assessment resource Toolkit, in collaboration with local specialists and affected population; ensure assessment finding are documented, determine priorities and immediate activities and resources.
• Set up systems for situation monitoring with regards to child protection in areas affected by emergency.
• Ensure that Plan International’s child protection assessment activities are coordinated with other Plan International’s programmatic areas, protection actors, stakeholders and Governmental and non-Governmental agencies (and military where present).
• Assess in-country resources, human, material and financial for response with relevant staff and agencies.
• Identify potential partnerships to implement recommendations, assess potential partners where available or make recommendations on how to fill gaps.

Program Design:

• Define aims and objectives of the overall child protection response.
• In collaboration with national and international child protection actors, map current institutional response capacities.
• In coordination with child protection actors, develop a realistic evidenceâ€based, child protection program plan, including both programmatic and advocacy activities (results oriented).
• Design most appropriate child protection interventions based on the outcomes of assessments and the context.
• Ensure that issues of gender, education, DRR, and conflict sensitivity are factored into the program design.
• Ensure Plan International’s guidelines and the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action are considered and any deviation documented.
• Work in close collaboration with other program specialists to ensure that emergency interventions build upon each other and that inclusive child protection intervention are linked in to longer term programming.
• Develop a child protection Program/response Plan, master budget, concept papers, and proposals in respect of the above and contribute to Plan International’s overall response strategy.
• Support Plan International COs in the development of preparedness and disaster risk reduction plans for child protection and psychosocial support emergencies.

Response Management and Implementation:

• Ensure that effective planning, implementation and coordination of inclusive child protection programming that address the key child protection needs and barrier identified as well as child protection mainstreaming.
• Work closely with the relevant implementation manager(s) to ensure that the implementation of relevant activities are planned and implemented in a phased and prioritised manner in full consultation and co-ordination with all relevant agencies both governmental and non-governmental.
• Provide technical guidance and direction to Plan International for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of agreed child protection plans.
• Develop capacity building plans and provide training, support and mentorship to Plan International staff and partners.
• Make frequent field visits to all affected areas to monitor the implementation of activities, identify opportunities and constraints and any adjustments needed including additional staffing or staff training or other.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning:

• Work closely with the monitoring and evaluation team, design and develop appropriate monitoring, evaluation and learning systems for child protection interventions, ensure links to report requirements, build capacity of CP and M&E staff to collect quantitative and qualitative data and to document key learning from the child protection response.
• Evaluate the implementation of Plan International's child protection activities and draft recommendations for improved program design
• Draft child protection interventions reports to serve as standalone deliverables or to be included in larger emergency response reports for both donor and internal purposes.
• Disseminate learning as appropriate among Plan International staff, partners and other stakeholders.
• Ensure early and rigorous implementation of quality and accountability mechanisms, as well as feedback from the relevant stakeholders is considered throughout all phases of the response.

Information and Co-ordination:

• Provide regular updates to Emergency Response Manager and emergency team on progress, priorities and constraints - verbally and in writing on an agreed frequency.
• Engage and follow up with relevant implementation manager(s).
• Represent Plan International to governmental and non-governmental groups as needed and agreed with the Team Leader.
• Support the implementation of, and represent Plan International in child protection coordination mechanisms including any relevant cluster/sub - cluster.
• Provide brief updates and reports on sectoral activities/strategies to donors and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with the response management in resource mobilization, including development of quality concept notes and proposals and donor engagement.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives
Knowledge:

• Significant experience (of which at least 2 years in the field) of progressively responsible professional experience in child protection in emergencies work.
• Demonstrable technical expertise in implementing community-based child protection responses.
• Experience with participatory learning approaches.
• Experience of conducting child protection assessments in emergency contexts.
• Experience of training on child protection technical areas with a variety of audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent knowledge of the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Sphere and the Red Cross/ NGO Code of Conduct. Requires general finance, administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in information technology/ computer skills
• University Degree in Social Work, a Social Science or another related field.

Skills:

• Excellent written and spoken English
• Demonstrated ability to network and liaise with major food assistance donors including WFP, USAID, UNICEF and ECHO
• Excellent project design, participatory monitoring and evaluation skills
• Excellent communication skills: well argued plans for response that can be justified and delivered, persuasive of others.
• Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
• Excellent negotiation, representation, skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
• Ability to operate at advanced levels of authority and manage significant activities, budgets, and resources to produce and take responsibility for results
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work cooperatively.
• Proven ability to solve problems independently without direct supervision.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Strong organizational and work prioritization skills and attention to detail
• Good facilitation skills and ability to deliver induction briefing/training.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate clearly and effectively at all levels, and to maintain this under pressure.
• Ability to work with limited supervision from line manager.
• Well planned and organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem solving skills

Behaviours:

• Commitment and adherence to humanitarian values and standards,
• Willing to make rapid decisions even with inadequate information but ready to reflect and adjust course of action if necessary;
• Focussed  and striving for the delivery of programme;
• Cross-culturally agile
• Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self-development
• Aware of impact on others and uses impact to create positive climate at work
• Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan International's core values and humanitarian principles
• Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner.
• Awareness and sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity.
• Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. Has a capacity to make accurate self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts. Integrity: works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan International's core values and humanitarian principles.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.
• Preparedness to live and work in uncertain security environments.
• Experience working in conflict or emergency-affected areas (or other situations where insecurity and corruption can be big issues)
• Commitment to and skills in capacity building - together with the ability to assess and coach others.

Physical Environment and Demands:

• Internal country travel, sometimes at short notice.
• Periods of intense working hours
• Working in multiple locations and on the move