وظيفة شاغرة Child Protection Officer (CM & PSS)

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee is an international organization specializing in Emergency and humanitarian programming existing since 1933 and working in more than 40 countries. In response to the influx of refugees in Lebanon, the IRC started a Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) program and a Livelihood program in 2012 with program strategies implemented in various locations. To complement these ongoing programs in 2013 started child protection programming throughout the country. In 2015 Child Protection activities will continue to include: psychosocial support for children and caregivers, life skills for adolescents, and individual case management services. The IRC will also continue to implement specific activities for street and working children. Capacity-building efforts will be strengthened by the continuation of the program of case management coaching program, and more targeted case management and PSS training for local partners.

Job Overview/Summary: The IRC Child Protection program is seeking a Child Protection Officer to ensure the good delivery of Child Protection activities in one area of intervention.

Major Responsibilities: The Child Protection Officer will be responsible for technical support and supervision and will act as a focal point for local program partners. The Child Protection Officer will be supporting the design, set-up and monitoring, and evaluation of the program in the Bekaa area, ensuring timely, effective, and quality programming by sharing tools and resources and providing capacity-building support and on-the-job coaching to the child protection staff recruited by IRC and IRC’s local partner. Internally the Child Protection Officer will be working closely with the Street and Working Children (SAWC) team to support the Program implementation in Arsal and the Bekaa area. The Child Protection officer will work closely with the Child Protection Manager in Bekaa and the Senior Technical manager, to supervise and monitor the project implementations, and provide the required capacity building to IRC’s partners, and local partners.

Program:

• Support the design, set-up, monitoring, and evaluation of the child protection Psychosocial Support, and Case management activities implemented by the CP team in Arsal and in the Bekaa.
• Ensure timely, effective, and quality PSS activities, and Case management activities for street and working children and their caregivers as implemented by IRC’s SAWC team – and in line with the IASC Guidelines on MHPSS, and in line with the PSS committee guidance tools.
• Provide capacity-building support, on-the-job coaching, and technical supervision of the Child Protection case management staff of the partner team in Arsal and in the Bekaa on the implementation of center-based and mobile outreach psychosocial support activities (including night shifts on a rotational basis depending on the situation) and Case management activities.
• Support the development of Psychosocial Support, and Case management tools, resources, and lessons learned from IRC’s Street and Working Children program in Bekaa.
• Develop psychosocial support tools specific to the street and working children, including the development of activity modules in close consultation with the CP senior technical manager and CP Project Manager in Bekaa.
• Ensure monitoring, evaluation, and accountability tools are utilized and completed accordingly by the Psychosocial Support, and Case management team of the partners.
• Seek opportunities for close coordination and collaboration between the SAWC team and other IRC programs (i.e. education, Early childhood development, protection and women’s protection and empowerment, MHPSS, Protection) to ensure smooth mainstreaming and integration of Child protection across sectors.
• Ensure that all cases of children at risk of or affected by exploitation, abuse, neglect, and violence are immediately supported by the case management team and partners in the Bekaa area.
• Support in the planning, organization, and implementation of targeted awareness-raising and advocacy events on the protection of street and working children in close coordination with the CP senior technical manager and CP Project Manager in Bekaa.
• Monitor the implementation of IRC’s local partner in Arsal and Central Bekaa through weekly follow-up and monitoring visits.
• Ensure referring CP team receives the needed services from local partners in Arsal and central Bekaa, and by other CP agencies and non-CP agencies.
• Write and send out weekly and monthly reports to the CP Senior Technical manager and the child protection manager in Bekaa, in a  timely manner.
• Actively participate in all relevant working group meetings as well as bilateral meetings with other agencies on behalf of IRC’s Street and Working Children program, in close consultation with the Senior CP Technical manager and project manager.
• Deliver, based on the needs, a set of Training of Trainers (ToT) with the support of the Senior CP manager, to the child protection actors on IRC curriculums.
• Design and Co-design training packages for community stakeholders from different backgrounds (non-CP aid workers, community volunteers, networks, municipal police, camp representatives, etc.…) on different CP topics (child safeguarding, safe identification and referrals, communication with the children, etc.….).
• Mainstream child protection concepts in other humanitarian sectors via training the non-CP actors on the relevant topics.

Monitoring & Reporting

• Develop a weekly and monthly plan for the Child protection Caseworkers, for center-based activities and  field activities.
• Fill out observation checklists whenever conducting field visits.
• Compile weekly and monthly reports of activities.
• Hold case audit and case closure interviews for CP cases under case management.
• Attend case reviews, case meetings internally, and case conferences with external agencies.
• Ensure having all M&E tools for PSS activities are in place.
• Follow up and report on internal and external referrals.
• Follow up on the case management database.

Staff Management and Development

• Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including recruiting, communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.

Other

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Other duties as assigned by the  CP Senior Technical manager to enable and develop the program.
• Comply with IRC policies and practices with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities, and other relevant policies and procedures.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to CP Senior Manager and CP Field Manager
• Indirect Reporting: N/A
• Other Internal and/or external contacts: CP Coordinator, CP Senior program officer, M&E   team.
• The position directly supervises: N/A
• Internal: Other IRC programs in the field
• External: other NGOs

Job Requirements:

Education: University degree in social science, social work pedagogy, or relevant field

Work Experience:

• BA in Psychology, social work, human rights, or related degree preferred.
• Minimum of two to three years experience in implementing child protection programs preferably psychosocial activities, social work, or case management, in humanitarian or development settings.
• Experience in capacity building, conducting training, on-the-job coaching, and technical supervision.
• Demonstrated experience in delivering Training of Trainers (ToTs).
• Demonstrated experience in planning and conducting children’s psychosocial support activities.
• Knowledgeable or/and experience in Child Protection Case Management and its National SOPs
• Ability to work on the street supporting psychosocial activities for street and working children.
• Demonstrated understanding of working with children and particularly vulnerable children.
• Good communication skills with children and particularly vulnerable children.
• Strong drafting and reporting skills.
• Knowledge and experience in using and updating Excel databases.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English.
• Personal qualities: Team player, flexible, able to handle pressure well, and work in cross-cultural settings.
• Staunch advocate of child protection and child rights.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Team player, flexible, network-builder, able to handle pressure, enjoying working in the field.
• .Ability to develop partnerships, network, and attend coordination meetings.
• Good communication skills.

Language Skills:

Fluency in writing and typing in Arabic and English is mandatory.

Certificates or Licenses:

Proficient in Word and Excel

Working Environment: Office work and field trips and visits to partners.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.