Colombia: Child Protection and Safeguarding Officer

• Department: Programs
• Area: child safeguarding & protection
• Location: Bogotá, Colombia. Lucero Bajo, Ciudad Bolivar. ON-SITE
• Supervisor: Program Manager
• Contract: Fixed term (with possibility of extension) Initially service provision, later transitioning to a fixed-term employment contract
• Employment Type: Status: Full-Time with all legal benefits
• Compensation: 600-900 USD monthly net based on experience

Contract Terms & Salary compensations will vary and be defined on the basis of local employment rates in accordance with the position grade and experience.

Job Description: 

Still I Rise is an international NGO which provides education and support to refugee children and youth. The position of CHILD PROTECTION & SAFEGUARDING OFFICER is now open. This is an opportunity to lead the roll-out of an innovative, childhood educational program in Bogotà, Colombia, the first Still I Rise international School in Latin America. The selected profile will be responsible for managing and overseeing the implementation of Child safeguarding systems, protection policies and PSS strategies in Still I Rise International School in Bogotà, Colombia. The selected person will also be responsible for the development and adaptation of individual behavioral and learning plans for different children.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Train and supervise all staff on Still I Rise’s International School on Child Protection and Safeguarding policies
• In charge of child protection and safeguarding monitoring and reporting
• Report child concerns to the Program Manager and CSP Manage where appropriate
• Manage student cases and concerns whilst making appropriate referrals with the support of the school management team.
• Follow up, together with CSP Manager and School Leader, any referral of child protection concerns as well as child safeguarding issues.
• Develop individualized behavioral and learning support strategies for students with additional needs in collaboration with the School Leader
• Plan and run 1:1 counseling sessions with students requiring additional support and work closely with teachers to assess and refer children in need of additional support.
• Implement strategies (with the support of the CSP manager) on supporting children who have experienced and continue to experience trauma
• Support the School Leader in networking and liaising with Child Protection external actors (i.e. organizations, groups, individuals, Child protection county office.)
• Support the School Leader in the creation of referral pathways for students and families in cooperation with the Community liaison Officer
• Outreach work with the families of enrolled students, providing detailed records.
• Promote the engagement of parents/carers in the School and contribute to the effective and efficient delivery of information, advice and support to parents/carers of students
• Lead community-based activities such as structured life skills sessions, workshops and community-led events, .in cooperation with the Community liaison officer
• Chair Child Protection team weekly meetings and provide detailed reports.
• Prepare comprehensive training materials on various topics for students, teachers and caregivers session in line with the Psychosocial training topics of the month.
• Contribute to Psychosocial policy updates.
• Keep digital recordings of significant interactions and case files for children e.g. Child protection case files and wellbeing logs for each student.
• Meet with the Child Protection and Safeguarding Manager weekly and submit weekly narrative and qualitative reports.

KEY KPIs for Bogota’s Program and Operations:

• Number of staff trained on Still I Rise's Child Protection and Safeguarding policies.
• Number of accurate and timely child protection and safeguarding incidents reported and documented.
• Number of student cases managed and resolved.
• Progress and improvements observed in students' behavior and learning outcomes.
• Feedback from teachers, students and caregivers on the effectiveness of support provided to referred children.
• Timeliness and quality of weekly reports submitted to the Child Protection team.
• Effectiveness of teacher trainings prepared and delivered
• Maintenance of digital records and case files for children, including protection case files and wellbeing logs.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS: 

• Degree in a specialist technical or professional field relevant to the role (e.g. Child Protection, Child Rights, Psychology, Occupational Therapy). Prior experience in the area will be an added advantage.
• Strong ties to the local community and prior experience collaborating with both governmental and nongovernmental institutions within the area, fostering effective partnerships and a deep understanding of the local context.
• Experience with case management and referrals
• Experience working with vulnerable and traumatized children and teenagers
• Experience working with displaced / asylum seeking children
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment and handle multiple priorities
• Commitment and willingness to work in a challenging environment
• High level of accountability over work
• Provision of creative solutions and ways of seeing situations.
• Excellent communication skills, both writing and speaking.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Good IT skills including use of MS Office, Google Drive and Slack.
• Full working fluency in both Spanish and English (at least B2)
• Completion of CRB/Background check

DESIRED SKILLS:

• Experience in the education sector or working within a school setting
• Knowledge of the relevant protection actors in the region
• Experience working in a non-profit environment
• Knowledge and familiarity with the International Baccalaureate system is an advantage
• Facilitative leader
• Believes in commitment, integrity, and accountability
• Versatility and adaptability to a changing environment and be able to handle multiple priorities
• Self-starter with ability to provide creative solutions
• Certification of SPHERE humanitarian standards will be an additional asset
• Competency in negotiation

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications, including a copy of their CV, Cover Letter, and a written authorization to personal data processing, by sending an email, indicating in the subject “***CSPO Bogotá**”, to the address: hrcolombia@stillirisengo.org.

At Still I Rise, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We thrive on it for the benefit of our programs, our mission, and our community.

Please kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. Thank you for your interest in Still I Rise.