Country Child and Youth Safeguarding Technical Manager at Plan International

Role Purpose

• We are 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 occur throughout the world and in all societies and include physical, sexual, and 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, protect them from all forms of harm.

Dimensions of the 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, teamwork, and learning and sharing on safeguarding and safe and meaningful engagement at the National level.
• Leads and promotes a culture of 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 share program patterns, and new directions and submit a report to the Director of Programmes and the Country Director. 
• Undertake regular field visits per month in the PUs and submit a report to the Head of Programmes, CD and POM/PAM.
• Execute other tasks at the request of the CD within the domain of his/her competence.

Accountabilities
Programme development & Quality Management:
In collaboration with the Field Team, Director of programmes, Quality and Innovation, Head of People and Culture, Country Director, team leads and sector Specialists, the Child and Youth Safeguarding Technical Manager 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 of associated standards in Nigeria. This should give full consideration to the safeguarding implications of different individual identities/intersectionalities (e.g. gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin, race, colour 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 delivery 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, development 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 the potential and emerging risks/issues that could impact the organization’s commitment to keeping children and young people safe and protected and particularly as they pertain to the 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.
• Provide leadership to the Safeguarding unit and supervise line reports.
• Responding to CYSP cases may require the 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.

Dealing with Problems:

• Identifying or supporting the identification of Child and Youth Safeguarding opportunities and risks through knowledge of the organisation’s internal environment including its operations, the capability of people and resources, the needs and expectations of key stakeholders, its activities and interventions and the external developments in the sector and decides what CYSP processes, procedures or controls are needed and should be developed to ensure opportunities are exploited and risks mitigated.
• Taking initiative on a range of often difficult and complex CYSP implementation issues and CYSP breaches reported at short notice often with support from the Country Management Team. Ability to be resilient in the face of often traumatic reports.
• Giving high-quality technical advice often under pressure and in response to policy and procedure implementation, issues and breaches including when the impact of the advice may challenge the behaviour or management style of senior managers and may challenge the risk appetite or response of the organisation.
• Effective management of large volumes of qualitative and quantitative data from Programme Offices to report on Child and Youth Safeguarding implementation, trend analysis of CYSP risks and recommendations on the same.
• Discussing and training on a range of sensitive topics with the ability to manage and remain calm in the midst of strong emotional reactions from staff and managers.
• Anticipates, and forward plans and schedules work required for specific areas of responsibility and projects using professional judgement and experience to identify potential issues, timings and likely costs.
• Develops cost-effective and sustainable solutions and materials to enhance awareness, understanding and implementation of the organisation’s commitment to keeping children safe and deliver on its current operating plan.
• Holding into confidence information that are provided with regards to safeguarding and during investigations and case managements

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
Qualifications and Experience:

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

Essential Skills & Knowledge:

• Expertise and substantial experience in safeguarding 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, investigations and case management.
• Experience in 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 the child and Youth Safeguarding programming and/or child protection in emergency interventions is 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 behaviour/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 the high performance of others.
• Very strong commitment to continuous learning.