Assistant Technical Officer, Child Protection at FHI 360

Project Description

• Northeast Nigeria is currently facing a growing humanitarian crisis with a vast number of Internally Displaced Persons in need of emergency assistance.
• These IDPs are living among host communities, lacking access to livelihoods and resources, ultimately leading to unprecedented levels of malnutrition and food insecurity.
• FHI 360 has been working in Nigeria for over 30 years and responded to the humanitarian crisis in the NE for five years.
• In anticipation of a new project, and in support of ongoing ones, FHI360 seeks an experienced Assistant Technical Officer - Child Protection to support our response to the humanitarian crisis in NE Nigeria.   

Basic Function

• Under the Protection Sector, FHI 360 aims at improving the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals through increased access to psychosocial support services and integrated Gender-Based Violence (GBV) support and Child Protection. 

Job Purpose

• Under the overall supervision of the Filed Coordinator, the ATO-CP will daily ensure effective and timely implementation of all child protection prevention and response activities in his/her assigned location.
• Key activities include specialized and individualized case management and psychosocial support services to children affected or at risk of abuse, violence, neglect, early forced marriages and exploitation,  and other vulnerable children including those with special needs.
• S/he will also oversee implementation of a community mobilization strategy aimed at creating an enabling environment for children to develop mentally, physically, social, and psychologically without fear of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or violence.
• The ATO- CP will supervise community volunteers who would conduct peer education sessions and community awareness sessions to children, men, women, leaders, and youth on child protection issues in the community.
• S/he will also set up and support the operationalization of community-based child protection mechanisms.
• S/He will be responsible for strengthening Child protection coordination with other actors at the LGA level to ensure FHI 360 project visibility.

Duties and Responsibilities
Program implementation:

• Provide child protection individualized case management to children in need identified in the community in accordance with IASC Guidelines.
• Engage caregivers, parents, and other key relations of the child in implementation of case planning with an aim to provide social support to the child to cope with different distress they may face.
• Provide confidential referral based on the best interest of the child to other CP service providers as part of case management; do regular follow-up to ensure that all the cases adequately receiving needed support.
• In coordination with the local government, child protection management committees and the Senior Technical officer- CP and other community stakeholders, identify children in need of alternative care placement. and implement it in compliance with related guidelines.
• Identify alternative caregivers for unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), abandoned and orphaned children as per the alternative care identification and placement process, vet and train them.
• Conduct regular and rigorous monitoring of children placed in alternative care to ensure children remain safe, well cared for and nurtured.
• Work with community volunteers and community- based protection mechanisms  ( CBPMs) to identify other children with special needs ( including children with disabilities) and do necessary referrals as well as advocacy from relevant services providers.
• Under the supervision of the STO-CP &PSS, review current child protection sensitization guides to ensure they respond to current child protection concerns and trends in the target Local Government Authorities (LGA).
• Engage with community leaders, local government authorities and the Field Coordinator to select CP community volunteers in compliance with  related SOP.
• Provide training, weekly coaching, on-the-job training and daily mentoring  to CP community volunteers and perform all tasks related to their  contracts in VMS.
• Monitor quality of message dissemination by community volunteers by conducting joint awareness sessions together with the community volunteers
• Oversee CP awareness campaigns in handy collaboration with other sectors (Health, Nutrition and WASH) and various stakeholders (government authorities, local and religious leaders) especially during the celebration of Child Protection related special events.
• Contribute to the development of appropriate IEC materials on Child Protection
• Initiate creative facilitation skills to be used by community volunteers during dissemination of CP related messages such as participatory education theatre among others.
• Oversee the formation and strengthening of Child Protection CBPMs in collaboration with community leaders and local government authorities in accordance with the existing Terms of Reference ( ToR).
• Conduct monthly meetings and coaching sessions with CP CBPMs to support their commitment to child protection activities to improve welfare of children in the community.
• Conduct training for members of the CP CBPMs on child protection related topics to increase their knowledge of child rights and child protection.  
• Develop and regularly update the CP referral pathways as per the updated CP service directory.
• Support the M& E team in conducting Post Distribution Monitoring for reintegration kits.
• Monitor the implementation of CP mainstreaming activities in WASH, Health, and Nutrition sectors at LGA level
• In coordination with the CP TO and Protection Coordinator, conduct workshops and training for sector staff, community volunteers and Community health workers on Child Protection mainstreaming and FHI 360 child safeguarding policy.

External coordination:

• With support from the Protection Coordinator, the STO CP & PSS, and the Child Protection Subsector Working Group (CPSWG), conduct quarterly review of the Child Protection service director and update agency focal points.
• Attend or chair (where applicable) the CP monthly coordination meetings and share minutes including action points with the STO-CP& PSS for review and submission to the Protection Coordinator for action and / or higher-level advocacy.

Reporting:

• Conduct trend analysis for child protection concerns to inform community awareness messaging.
• Input all CP data into the CPIMS+ on a regular basis and submit to the supervisor for review and approval.
• Complete and maintain case management records and ensure that they are stored in a safe and confidential manner.
• In collaboration with the ATO Psychosocial Support, compile weekly, and monthly activity reports and M& E database as required

Other responsibilities:

• Update monthly activity workplans to indicate accomplished tasks, any postponed tasks and tasks that remain unfinished.
• Always adhere to the child protection guiding principles and FHI 360 Child Safeguarding policy.
• Practice self-care
• Contribute to the development of concept notes and project proposals when necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisors.

Knowledge, skills, and attributes:

• Proven experience in setting up and managing child friendly safe spaces in humanitarian context.
• Experience in facilitating training and mentorship of local communities to support child protection, GBV and PSS activities.
• Understanding Protection and child protection related coordination mechanisms.
• Excellent reporting skills.
• Strong communication and negotiation skill.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Understanding and commitment to child’s rights and child protection and GBV issues.
• Ability to live in the field with minimum access services.
• Excellent computer skills
• Dynamic, pro-active, and self-motivated.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and deliver high volumes of work with minimal supervision.
• Mandatory fluent in English and local languages – Hausa, Kanuri
• Acts according to FHI360 values; uses ethical considerations to guide decisions.
• Solid understanding of Safeguarding and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). 
• Flexible, respectful, willing to cooperate with and support project stakeholders including colleagues, beneficiaries, local community, and local leaders.
• Safeguarding of Children:  FHI 360 is committed to protecting the dignity, rights and well-being of all children involved in its programs and activities around the world.

Qualifications and Requirements

• BA/BS in social work, sociology, Social Sciences, Psychology, or a similar degree with at least 1-3 years relevant experience in GBV programming including GBV Case management and PSS, GBV prevention as well as setting up and management of women and girls’ safe spaces (WGSS).
• 1-3 years of experience child protection case management and PSS as well as child protection prevention in humanitarian context.
• Extensive knowledge of child protection and PSS in humanitarian context.
• Good knowledge of “Caring for child survivor of sexual violence”.
• Proven experience in using CPIMS as part of CP case management. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Proven experience in working with IDPs or refugees, returnees, and host communities. 
• Familiarity with Nigerian law enforcement systems and NGOs and CBOs is highly desirable.