Ethiopia: Specialist Sr., Child Protection and Advocacy

JOB DESCRIPTION: 

Position title: Senior Specialist, Child Protection and Advocacy
Location: Addis Ababa
ChildFund Office: Ethiopia
Manager/ Supervisor title: Program & Sponsorship Director
Position type: Full-time fixed term
Work environment: On-site

About ChildFund: 

ChildFund is a child-focused international development organization that works in 23 countries to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe, no matter where they are.

ChildFund’s Values: 

ChildFund values a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible environment where everyone is welcomed and celebrated equally. In our culture of connection, you will have ample opportunity to grow, learn, and lead while contributing your talents and innovations to our inspiring mission.

ChildFund’s Commitment: 

ChildFund International has a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and all other forms of harm by its staff, partners, and other representatives in the delivery of its mission and services for children. ChildFund is committed to creating a safe environment in the workplace as well as in the communities where it delivers programs and services. ChildFund expects every staff member, partner, and representative to adhere to this commitment and to ensure all organizational policies and standards are followed. This position is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal records check and/or disclosure to ensure program participants are safeguarded.

About This Role: 

The Senior Child Protection and Advocacy Specialist provides technical support to ChildFund´s child protection portfolio in the country, in development and emergency contexts. The Senior Specialist works collaboratively with, national and international colleagues and partners in support of strong core program design, implementation, evaluation and learning in line with ChildFund’s theory of change, program strategies and standards for child protection in all three Life Stages for children. The Senior Specialist also develop and implement an advocacy plan for the effective creation, implementation and/or amendment of policies. The position develop, implement and monitor programs that enhance the participation of child, women and youth development.

Primary Responsibilities: 

Child Protection Expertise: 

• Positions ChildFund as a significant lead organization on child protection issues. Child rights and protection situation analysis, portfolio review on aspects of child protection and leads the development of CO program approaches within the theory of change and program models related to child protection. Facilitates/promotes child protection networks in alliance with local governments, institutions and organizations. Engages with partners to ensure that community-based child protection mechanisms, are in place and linked to formal child protection system in line with national policies and standards, in communities where ChildFund supports core outcomes for children.
• As needed, deploys to emergency responses and work closely with response teams in country office to establish child protection responses through coordination, assessment, proposal development, program startup and evaluation.

Country Office Advocacy Strategy: 

• Conduct a contextual analysis to identify the advocacy issue/focus area for the CO’s advocacy plan and develop an advocacy strategy aligned to ChildFund International’s advocacy guidance, operational advocacy guidance, program strategy of the Country office, and local country context.

Gender: 

• Ensures the implementation of ChildFund's child and women development focused interventions as per-standard practices.

Grant Acquisition and Management: 

• Identification, development and maintenance of relationships with current and prospective donors, especially as it relates to Child Protection. As needed, participates in proposal development teams, including preparation of technical proposals, capacity statements, and concept notes as they pertain to child protection.

Child Safeguarding: 

• Child Protection focal point and follows-up on all complaints received, to ensure appropriate measures are taken per ChildFund’s policies and country’s legal framework. Investigation supports decision-making and implementation of appropriate actions in case, on violations in child safeguarding standards by staff or partner organizations.
• Development of staff skills on child protection in general and child safeguarding standards, in line with ChildFund’s safeguarding policy and procedures. Engagement with partners to ensure their understanding of ChildFund’s child safeguarding policy and standards.
• Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy

Knowledge Management and Learning: 

• Develop learning and knowledge products in the area of child protection and advocacy that meet standards and enable organization-wide learning and sharing by documenting approaches, project and program designs and lessons, case studies and other knowledge products. Seek and leverage existing knowledge products in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Required Experience and Education: 

• At least six years of experience results-based child protection program design, implementation and/or evaluation in relation to community-based and/or national child protection systems and stakeholders
• In-depth understanding of in country child protection legal frameworks, situation, mechanism, issues and services.
• Proven ability to provide high quality child protection technical assistance, guidance, and coaching to field-based implementing staff and partners.
• At least 3 years’ experience in working on advocacy in development and/or emergency contexts preferably with an international development organization.
• Proven excellent communication, networking, presentation, public-speaking and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated success in proposal development and writing including technical design, strategies, and narratives.
• English proficiency

Education/Certifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant area required. Equivalent relevant work experience may be acceptable in lieu of degree

Required Competencies: 

ChildFund’s Core Competencies: 

• Teamwork: the ability to work effectively and collaborate with others; values and respects individual differences.
• Communication: demonstrates empathy and tact when communicating with others and uses a storytelling approach when appropriate.
• Results orientation gets things done; takes proactive steps to achieve organizational goals and quality standards.
• Decision making: uses good judgement, critical thinking, and non-traditional ways to evaluate problems and opportunities; reflects and innovates to improve decisions and outcomes.
• Resilience: thrives and grows in rapidly changing, demanding, and complex environments.

Other Required Competencies: 

• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English

Support: 

The Program and Sponsorship Manager can draw on the support of global team members in the development of his/her responsibilities. Preferably these global team members provide input into recruitment, performance planning and evaluation. The primary global team members for this position will be:

• Program and Partnership: Senior Advisor Child Protection, Country Advocacy Advisor
• Global Operations: Senior Advisor Child Protection in Emergency

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

How to Apply: 

Click this link: https://childfundinternational.secure.force.com/careers/fRecruit__ApplyJob?vacancyNo=VN2605&