Thailand: Head of Child Participation

The ECPAT International Secretariat coordinates the global work of the organisation and is based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Secretariat designs and implements global and regional level programmes, and undertakes programming, advocacy, communication and campaigning and research and facilitates a range of network initiatives.

Job Purpose: 

The overall objective of the Head of Child Participation position is to ensure children are empowered and meaningfully engaged as partners within the ECPAT movement to prevent and address sexual exploitation of children globally.

This position combines and articulates strategy, practices, processes, implementation and advocacy for an active, rights-based and meaningful engagement with children throughout the work of the ECPAT Secretariat and the ECPAT network across the world, including the engagement of children with lived experiences of sexual exploitation and abuse. The position also entails leading safeguarding and ethical policies, processes and practices within the ECPAT Secretariat.

This position will also act as the Child Safeguarding Focal point for the organisation

Main Responsibilities: 

Strategic Leadership and Development: 

• To lead the development and implementation of a child participation strategy for the ECPAT International Secretariat, and the ECPAT network in collaboration with ECPAT members, children and youth, including those with lived experiences of sexual exploitation and with partners
• To develop the pathways and approaches for ensuring children are meaningfully engaged as rights-holders and agents of change in addressing sexual exploitation, throughout the core work of ECPAT - influencing strategies and policies, programming and research, advocacy and communications, governance, accountability and learning
• To ensure the implementation of processes for channelling and integrating children’s views in all aspects of ECPAT’s work and processes, upholding the indivisible rights to protection and participation
• To contribute to or lead fundraising efforts to secure resources to ensure and promote the participation and empowerment of children in addressing child sexual exploitation and related safeguarding approaches and practices

Operational Engagement: 

• To initiate, promote and technically support the development and strengthening of innovative child-led and child-participatory initiatives and peer to peer approaches to prevention, response and advocacy to address the sexual exploitation of children
• To develop the tools and resources necessary to ensure the ethical and meaningful participation of children, including children with lived experiences of sexual exploitation
• To develop capacities in the ECPAT Secretariat, ECPAT members and partners, and in collaboration with children, for promoting and ensuring child participation and meaningful engagement of children in programming and advocacy
• To promote and support technically the integration of child participation approaches within programming and network development
• To lead and/or manage projects engaging children on addressing child sexual exploitation

Safeguarding: 

• To lead and oversee ethical and safeguarding approaches and processes to safeguard children and adults within our organization and with our partners
• To ensure ECPAT leads a culture of accountability through implementing strong safeguards and ethical approaches within the Secretariat and with the ECPAT members and partners. This includes acting as the Safeguarding Focal Point for the organization and overseeing and accompanying all safeguarding processes within ECPAT International Secretariat and its members and partners
• To develop and lead capacity building processes on safeguarding for ECPAT International staff and partners
• To manage safeguarding concerns and support investigation as necessary
• To review, report and adapt ECPAT International’s safeguarding approach, policies and practices

Advocacy, Communications and Representation: 

• To promote and ensure the integration of children’s views in communications and advocacy strategies related to sexual exploitation of children
• To develop and implement strategies to advocate for sustainable rights-based approaches to involve children in prevention and responses to the sexual exploitation of children
• To develop strategic partnerships with organizations to foster and promote meaningful participation and engagement with children and ethical approaches and safeguards
• To represent ECPAT International with partners on issues related to the engagement and participation of children, including children with lived experiences of sexual exploitation

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning: 

• To contribute to the development and implementation of a monitoring, evaluation and learning system accountable to children
• To document learning and capture approaches or practices (promising and not successful) on child participation and safeguarding and disseminate them across the child protection and child rights communities

Core Competencies, Skills and Knowledge: 

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Psychology or relevant area
• Minimum of eight years of relevant working experience on child participation and protection within civil society sector
• Demonstrated experiences of leading and facilitating participatory processes with children
• Knowledge and experiences in ensuring safeguarding processes and practices
• Demonstrated knowledge and experiences of working on child sexual exploitation and with children with lived experiences of sexual violence is highly desirable
• Experience in developing and delivering training and capacity development activities, including with children as co-facilitators
• Skills in participatory methodologies and approaches
• Good analytical and writing skills
• English language proficiency is a must, French, Spanish or other languages is an added advantage
• Strong communication (verbal and writing skills), interpersonal and representational skills
• Ability to work autonomously with minimum supervision
• Safeguarding – knowledge and experience of implementing and managing safeguarding responsibilities

Commitment to Safeguarding: 

ECPAT is committed to ensuring children and adults engaged with our organizations are safeguarded from any form of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. The candidate is required to act at all times according to ECPAT’s values and principles and in compliance with our policies and procedures, including Child Safeguarding and our Code of Conduct.

How to Apply: 

As a child-focused organisation, ECPAT has a strong commitment to child safeguarding and rigorous procedures. The successful candidate will be required to provide three referees and a criminal record from country of residence and country of origin (as applicable).

How to apply: Please find information on our website: https://ecpat.org/careers/

Applications can be submitted to: vacancy@ecpat.org

Please mention in the subject header your name and “Head of Child Participation”

Deadline: 21 May 2023