Ethiopia: Protection Specialist

Background: 

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) is an international non-governmental organization committed to stopping child exploitation. Our mission is to protect children by preventing and stopping child exploitation, and by empowering children to make their voices count. Our vision is that children can flourish in a world free of all forms of exploitation.

Our vision and mission are inspired and guided by international human rights instruments and standards, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Council of Europe's Lanzarote Convention, the International Labour Organisation Conventions and aligned with achievement of the SDGs, in particular Goals 5, 8 and 16.

In 2022, Terre des Hommes Netherlands launched its 2023-2030 Listen up! Strategy with the aim of creating systemic change that addresses the root causes of child exploitation. We will achieve this by empowering children and their communities, connecting them with those who have power to enact change, engaging in lobby & advocacy campaigns, working with partners to build resilience of children, families and communities and utilizing our knowledge and expertise to co-create sustainable, evidence-based solutions.

On the African continent, TdH NL works in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Madagascar. In these countries, TdH NL develops and implements programs in close collaboration with local partner organisations.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) has been operational in Ethiopia since 2012 and registered in Ethiopia in 2017, carrying out humanitarian and development work. The focus of TdH NL regarding humanitarian action is on child protection in emergencies (CPiE), with a particular focus on the protection of children from exploitation.

Position within the Organization: 

The Protection Specialist will work within the Ethiopia Country Team under the guidance of the Humanitarian Program Manager in Ethiopia. He/ She will support and work closely with the programme staff and implementing partners.

Objective of the Position: 

The Protection Specialist has the overall responsibility for implementation, coordination and further development of TdH-NL’s child protection program in Ethiopia. This includes ongoing analysis of the child protection risks, conducting assessment to support ongoing and new responses, representing TdH-NL in relevant emergency coordination, provision of technical guidelines to TdH-NL field and partner staff members.

Responsibilities and Tasks: 

Technical Oversight of TdH-NL Protection Programs in Ethiopia:

• Mapping of child protection systems and development of a child protection strategy.
• Ensure child protection risks and strategies are assessed on a regular basis.
• Strengthening of child protection coordination mechanisms.
• Identify protection issues and services that affect children at risk.
• Participation in the program/project design of TdH Ethiopia

Program Management:

• Regular field visits to monitor implementation of programmes and to provide technical guidance.
• Implement and monitor programmes on child friendly spaces.
• Establishment and support of monitoring and evaluating the child protection system.
• Support of capacity building and training for Child Protection staff and partners.
• Design contextually appropriate modalities for each new intervention and advise implementing staff on a range of issues including context and need analysis, response modality and scale, targeting, etc.
• Ensure child protection programs are in compliance to TdH-NL´s, country and international standards.
• Supervise monitoring and evaluation of the emergency projects to ensure the overall implementation is in accordance with agreed work plans, donor agreements and humanitarian accountability framework.
• Ensure the timely and quality review of all program reports to line ministries and donors.

Coordination and Representation:

• Strengthening of child protection coordination mechanisms
• Coordinate with other agencies, governments and NGOs to implement and coordinate common standards.
• Cooperate with Protection cluster to ensure that child protection issues are part of all initiatives and documents,
• Actively represent and promote TdH NL in Protection cluster coordination and working groups, share relevant update information with the line manager.
• The responsibilities listed in the job description are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Qualifications: 

• Advanced university degree, preferably in an appropriate field such as law, sociology, social work, humanitarian aid, international relations, project management or equivalent.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum of 6 years’ experience in the field, preferably in child protection and managing protection programs
• Experience in managing protection programs in complex emergencies such as refugee settings, internally displaced contexts etc.
• Knowledge of the country's context
• Proven experience in needs assessment and report writing
• Proven experience in management of multisector program
• Proven experience in management of multisector programs.
• Capacity building skills.
• Knowledge of Project management, including project design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills- written and orally.
• Planning, organizing, cooperation, performance oriented.
• High degree of taking initiative and working independently
• Verbal and written fluency in English and Amharic

Skills: 

• Excellent communication skills, i.e. structured thinking and presentation.
• Team-building, networking and alliance building skills.
• Good written and verbal command of the English language.

Competencies: 

• Analytical capacity: understand complex issues by logical reasoning, investigation of potential causes.
• Networking: Builds relationships and networks that are helpful when realizing objectives and utilizes informal networks to get things done.
• Striving for excellence: focus on results while ensuring efficiency.
• Integrity: act based on TdH´s mission and values.

Child Safeguarding Measures: 

In line with the UNCRC, Terre des Hommes Netherlands strives to keep children safe in all its undertakings. A screening and reference check of the successful candidate will be conducted during the selection process to confirm the suitability of working with children. The successful applicant will be required to read, understand, and commit to abide by TdH NL’s Child Safeguarding Policies and Guidelines.

How to Apply: 

Please send your motivation letter and curriculum vitae by email to ethiopia@tdh.nl clearly demonstrating how you meet the qualifications for this position and your expected remuneration, no later than 31st of January 2024 by 5pm (EAT). The email subject should be marked: Application for Protection Specialist.

For more information about this position, you can contact us through the same email address.

Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.