Child Protection Coordinator - PLANE at Save The Children

Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; ore because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

• The child protection coordinator will provide technical support and strategic oversight on the child protection component of the FCDO-funded education project in Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa to eliminate barriers to education and respond to the protection concerns of children and their families.
• The CP coordinator will strengthen the child protection systems in the three states. As a single project integrating education and child protection, the CP coordinator must also have the capacity to manage and track results in other components of the project and coordinate activities on behalf of the project manager.
• S/he will build the capacity of partners and the government to establish new or strengthen existing child protection and case management responses for children who are vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, neglect, and violence.
• S/he will address child protection-related barriers to education by establishing or strengthening community-based referral systems and specialist services to support children in need.
• S/he will work to transform the social, cultural, and religious norms that discriminate against boys and girls, including children living with a disability, and affect their ability to access education.
• It entails the integration of child protection into the community-level catch-up clubs, incorporating family strengthening activities using the ecological model to build a support system around the child.
• In close collaboration with the Programme Manager, manage project field activities, ensuring project objectives are being achieved and ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of our field work.
• Promote a Child Protection Systems Strengthening approach as the overarching framework, that supports working in collaboration and partnership with governments and local partners and working towards impact, scale and sustainability.
• Working closely with the Project Manager, ensure that the project implementation strategy is clearly understood by the implementing partners, teams, and ensure that project plans and strategies are adhered to during implementation,
• Establishment/strengthening of child protection referral pathways
• Work with government child protection services, community and LGA-level actors and other service providers to strengthen referral and response mechanisms for child protection concerns as well as data collection and reporting platforms.
• Lead CP project planning, including development of work plans (Annual and Monthly) with the project team
• Ensure quality  timely reporting on progress as per SC and donor required quality standards.
• Provide technical support, capacity building and on the job supervision to build the capacity of the respective Save the Children’s field staff and partner staff to effectively deliver the project
• Monitor integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of child protection programmes at the community level.
• Train key CP team members and resource people within the state and community on CP concerns
• Working closely with Save the Children’s CP team, contribute lessons learnt and best practice experiences from the project inform SC’s strategic planning and the design of future programming strategy and direction, including funding proposals
• Participate in regular meetings with government, local authorities, partners and other stakeholders to draw lessons, share experiences and monitor progress of the project.
• Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with key stakeholders and partners at field level – NGOs, civil society organizations, Government and other FCDO projects.

Program Management and Implementation:

• Coordinate and liaise with field and national support teams to ensure quality project support in HR, logs, procurement, finance etc.
• Ensure that other technical sectors in the state (e.g. Education, Community Mobilization) are coordinated, integrated and support each other to optimise the project purposes and objectives.
• Provide updates to the Programme Manager at regular intervals
• Ensure project team is undertaking monthly Awards review meetings and all actions implemented.
• Inspire, lead and motivate the state team to deliver project objectives; including technical advisors and consultants, and the finance and admin staff working on the project.
• Oversee the development and successful implementation of state work plans for the programme components.
• Ensure compliance with all grant provisions, and timely fulfilment of the State programmatic reporting requirements.
• Support the development of Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) and procurement plan.
• Oversee timely expenditure of approved state budgets, avoiding both under spending and overspending on grant line items.
• Take full responsibility for the delegated budget holding function on the programmatic aspects of the managed grant, participate actively in finance meetings and contribute to financial decision making.
• Ensure programme delivery happens in strict adherence to security policy and procedures.
• Document programme learning, and incorporate analysis and lessons learned into new strategies/activities and advocacy work.

Human Resources Management and Administration:

• Supervise assigned advisors: maintain updated job descriptions for each position, conduct annual performance evaluations, identify staff skills development needs.
• See that all staff and partners are aware of and understand SCI policies and procedures; take appropriate disciplinary measures as needed.
• Ensure all administrative procedures are followed, such as those regarding vehicle use and procurement; ensure logistics/administrative staff provides sufficient and timely support to the team.
• Lead, manage and motivate the programme’s staff, ensuring they have clear objectives and receive meaningful feedback on their performance regularly, in collaboration with the human resources department.
• Lead on capacity building of staff through coaching, mentoring and training.
• Create and maintain a cooperative and positive working environment where staff have clear roles and responsibilities, participate in decision-making and are supported in progressing towards their objectives.

Safeguarding

• Ensure safe programming in the planning and implementations across the project period.
• Adhere to the Do no Harm principles across the entire steps of the project within the Programme Management Cycle.
• General:
• Comply with 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.

Additional Job Responsibilities:

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or relevant field experience.

Experience 

• At least Nine (5) years post NYSC relevant experience in child protection programming
• Demonstrable commitment to a holistic vision of children’s welfare
• Substantial management experience, preferably in development and emergencies
• Excellent written and spoken English; local language skills a major advantage
• Demonstrable competence in report writing
• Experience of financial planning and expenditure monitoring as applied to grants management
• Experience of working with communities, and supporting their participation, ownership and empowerment
• Strong representational and communication skills sensitive to the cultural and military/political environment
• The ability to plan and ensure the implementation of projects, and to oversee the management and report on resources effectively.
• Able to work calmly under pressure in a rapidly changing context
• Proven team management skills
• Adaptability and flexibility; ability and willingness to live in the field
• Competent in Outlook, Word and Excel
• Commitment to upholding Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy, and other Global Policies.
• Strong experience in providing technical assistance and mentorship.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a range of stakeholders including government representatives, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and writing skills.
• Demonstrated experience in project and time management.
• Familiarity and understanding of donor policies and procedures is a plus.