World Vision: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Child Protection and Safeguarding Specialist
Purpose of the Position:
The purpose of the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, (GESI), Child Protection and Safeguarding/PSEA Specialist position is to provide leadership and guidance to World Vision West Africa region sectoral programming in GESI and especially to mainstream GESI across the different sectorial outputs and activities to improve the impact of World Vision programming on girls and boys around the region. The position will also provide expertise and operational guidance to ensure that child protection is in alignment with WV and relevant international policies and frameworks. The position is expected to provide technical advisory support and guidance to the Regional Office (RO) and Field Offices (FO) on the direction for the CP programmes, partnerships, key performance indicators, current & emerging child protection trends, and issues. On the Safeguarding/PSEA front, the Specialist is expected to provide strong support to Field Office Safeguarding/PSEA Focal Points, as well as FO and RO leaders, to build a culture of Safeguarding/PSEA within the region, and empower staff and leaders to become Safeguarding/PSEA champions within their teams. The specialist will maintain strong external Engagement with PSEA working groups and play leading roles in GESI, Child Protection and Safeguarding/PSEA networks, coalitions and working groups. The Specialist will provide technical guidance to FOs on all aspects relevant to WV’s Child and Adult Safeguarding/PSEA policy implementation, and ensure compliance and capacity building. The post will also ensure timely Safeguarding/PSEA incident management in alignment with policies and guidelines
Major Responsibilities:
1. Set Strategic Priorities:
- Define WV West Africa Region Gender Equality and Social Inclusion program vision, regional approach, and targets in alignment with the Partnership strategy.
- Prepare a GESI Analysis of the region identifying the specific needs, issues and concerns of women, persons with disability and other marginalized groups in the regional programming context.
- Based on the GESI Analysis, prepare a GESI Action Plan presenting specific options and recommendations on how to mainstream GESI into the regional outputs of the WARO annual workplan, and identifying specific GESI initiatives/measures that may be implemented under the regional workplan and National Offices/Response Offices specific plans
- Provides thought leadership in their respective area of expertise both within and outside World Vision
- Develops WV brand and reputation through quality programming, evidence of impact, policy and advocacy-related work
- Contribute in the development of sectoral policy and guidance in alignment with Partnership strategy.
- Ensures alignment of sector approaches and core project models to Partnership strategy.
- Ensures integration of WV’s distinctive, biases and ethos in all sector guidance and practice
- Ensure the regional sectoral approach is aligned at all levels; from supporting sector fundraising & marketing through sector programming and integrated with other sectors and lines of ministry.
- Provide technical support and guidance in the design, monitoring, and implementation of child protection technical programming in alignment with WV’s global strategy, considering the contexts of our field offices.
- Provide technical support and guidance to RO and FOs on current and emerging child protection issues (e.g., CP programming integration, Child Protection Humanitarian Action, contextualisation/ adaptation, rolling out best practices).
- Support deepening and scaling up quality child protection programming and advocacy efforts in WV operation areas.
- Identify, monitor, and assess trends and emerging issues affecting child protection and Safeguarding/PSEA globally and within the region, and ensure the organisation is prepared to respond accordingly.
- Champion innovative and effective responses to the growing needs of the most vulnerable children and adolescents in the region.
- Improve the Child Well-Being impact for the most vulnerable children in the Region through research, data utilisation, and thought leadership.
- Lead and initiate child protection-related initiatives to build regional collaboration and support positioning, including identifying promising practices, gathering evidence and lessons learned, establishing systems and processes, and setting up an effective knowledge management system across the region.
- Provide technical leadership and support for external engagement and strategic positioning concerning child protection issues, including engagement in technical working groups and networks, in close collaboration with the Advocacy team.
- Provide proactive technical leadership for the development of Child Protection concept notes, proposals, and donor engagement products, in close collaboration with RO, Global CPP External Engagement and Field Office GAM teams.
- Identify, help to develop, and nurture strategic partnerships with regional Child Protection coalitions, networks, donors, and other Civil Society Organisations to raise the voice of the most vulnerable children.
- Support the development of key messaging and collateral for external audiences.
- Provide technical input into policy analysis, position papers, and campaign development, in collaboration with RO advocacy lead.
- Ensure external engagement activities meet Safeguarding/PSEA requirements.
2. Safeguarding/PSEA Incident and Risk Management:
Support FOs to understand and properly complete their annual Safeguarding/PSEA self-assessment (ie. Safeguarding/PSEA Update Report) including orientation to the questionnaire, one-on-one support as needed, reviewing every FO update report for inaccuracies before GC submission, and following up on scores with the FO.
- Lead a working group to complete the annual Safeguarding/PSEA self-assessment for the Regional Office and collect associated documents, which will form part of the RO’s Safeguarding/PSEA Action Plan
- Actively support building a culture of Safeguarding/PSEA, where staff is informed and empowered on key issues, reporting processes, and taking action on Safeguarding/PSEA issues.
- Facilitate regular interface with Regional Risk Primes, in order to build a common understanding of Safeguarding/PSEA risks, and support the region in pursuing holistic risk management.
- Build collaborative working relationships with FO Safeguarding/PSEA Focal Points and other relevant staff in Field Offices.
- Support the WVI Safeguarding/PSEA Unit to clarify and manage new incidents reported in Ethics Point and help set up the global incident management call; Participate in the global incident management calls of the FOs in their region and provide practical support and guidance including follow-up on the next steps agreed during the meeting.
- Conduct regular follow up with FOs on open Safeguarding/PSEA cases to ensure agreed actions are completed expeditiously, including but not limited to review of investigation plans, referrals of survivor support, completion of investigation reports, and disciplinary action.
- Support preparation of the FO Safeguarding/PSEA Action Plan after the Safeguarding/PSEA Update Report process, addressing key areas of weakness and prominent Safeguarding/PSEA risk and submit FO/RO Safeguarding/PSEA Action Plans to WVI Safeguarding/PSEA Unit when prepared (Responsible for the preparation of the RO Safeguarding/PSEA Action Plan).
- Support Audit processes by providing reports, action plans, and input
- Present to Regional and FO Senior Leaders on Safeguarding/PSEA risk, compliance gaps, incident trends, impacts, and learning.
3. Capacity Building:
- Contributes to building the capability of WV’s sector professionals in the region and global community of practice.
- Promotes a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the region and beyond
- Internally benchmark capabilities, processes, and systems in GESI programming against market leaders and build toward best in class.
- Determines the technical capacity needs for the region and support the partnership as necessary.
- Lead and initiate child protection-related initiatives to build regional collaboration and support positioning, including identifying promising practices, gathering evidence and lessons learned, establishing systems and processes, and setting up an effective knowledge management system across the region.
- Provide technical guidance and referrals on all aspects of the Child and Adult Safeguarding/PSEA Policy Implementation Guidelines (i.e. policy contextualisation, development of Safeguarding/PSEA Incident Preparedness Plans, exemptions to background checks, etc.).
- Train and mentor new FO Safeguarding/PSEA Focal Points on Safeguarding/PSEA policies, protocols, and practices, including incident management process.
- Ensure Safeguarding/PSEA training has been coordinated for RO staff and affiliates (eCampus basic Safeguarding/PSEA course – can be delivered online or face-to-face)
- Support FOs and RO to develop and regularly update their Safeguarding/PSEA risk register in alignment with existing risk management practices.
- Orient new FO Safeguarding/PSEA Focal Points on Safeguarding/PSEA policies and protocols, including incident management process, and provide ongoing coaching, as needed; Orient new regional staff through face-to-face or virtual meetings
4. Ensure Program Quality and Impact:
- Maintains a regional and global view of the sector across the region in collaboration with the partnership global sector lead.
- Determines the technical capacity needs for the region.
- Ensures accountability in the provision of technical services and programme implementation for regional and globally agreed standards, sector approaches and core project models
- Build an understanding of the current sectoral footprint and identify opportunities for further impact.
- Maintain a view of revenue streams to support programme opportunities.
- Measure the extent to which resourcing opportunities in GESI meet ministry needs and impact CWB.
- Ensure accountability by using Evidence and Learning, analysis, and interpretation of data to provide regional evidence of impact for the sector.
- Coordinates with other regional Sector leads in ensuring regional and global approaches (including core project models) are integrated and have a ministry focus that is Christian, community-based and child-focused.
- Coordinates closely with Support Offices (and GC where appropriate) sector team engagement and partners.
- Provide technical support and guidance in the design, monitoring, and implementation of child protection technical programming in alignment with WV’s global strategy, considering the contexts of our field offices.
- Provide technical support and guidance to RO and FOs on current and emerging child protection issues (e.g., CP programming integration, contextualisation/adaptation, rolling out best practices).
- Support deepening and scaling up quality child protection programming and advocacy efforts in WV operation areas.
- Identify, monitor, and assess trends and emerging issues affecting child protection and Safeguarding/PSEA globally and within the region, and ensure the organisation is prepared to respond accordingly.
- Champion innovative and effective responses to the growing needs of the most vulnerable children and adolescents in the region.
- Improve the Child Well-Being impact for the most vulnerable children in the Region through research, data utilisation, and thought leadership.
5. External Engagement:
- Represents and builds World Vision’s influence, advocacy, partnerships and reputation externally in GESI
- Collaborates with Faith and Development actors externally as we seek to integrate faith into all our programming to address spiritual of causes of child well-being
- Participates in high-level regional and international meetings, forums, and conferences as required.
- Actively positions WV as an NGO of choice with global 2030 Agenda platforms, and with potential and key partners, donors and stakeholders, businesses and donors
- Provides technical support to regional and Global Campaigns
- Provide technical leadership and support for external engagement and strategic positioning concerning child protection issues, including engagement in technical working groups and networks, in close collaboration with the Advocacy team
- Provide proactive technical leadership for the development of Child Protection concept notes, proposals, and donor engagement products, in close collaboration with RO, Global CPP EE and FO GAM teams.
- Proactively identify opportunities for WV to provide thought leadership on emerging issues, best practices, lessons learned, and research initiatives, building on Global CPP EE, RO (Advocacy), and FOs actions.
- Identify, help to develop, and nurture strategic partnerships with regional Child Protection coalitions, networks, donors, and other Civil Society Organisations to raise the voice of the most vulnerable children
- Support the development of key messaging and collateral for external audiences
- Provide technical input into policy analysis, position papers, and campaign development, in collaboration with RO advocacy lead.
- Ensure external engagement activities meet Safeguarding/PSEA requirements.
6. Resources Mobilization and Networking:
- Contribute high-quality inputs into national office grant proposals and concepts, support review of program design ensuring quality results frameworks and log-frames.
- For regional funding opportunities support project design and document review where possible.
- Support prepositioning and donor engagement as GESI, CP and Safeguarding/PSEA regional lead and where necessary participate in regional networks raising the profile of World Vision.
- Build knowledge of donor expectations and guidelines around GESI, Child protection and Safeguarding/PSEA/PSEA in collaboration with WARO RAM.
7. General Responsibilities:
- Perform any other tasks assigned by the Regional leadership.
Qualifications:
Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience:
The following may be acquired through a combination of formal or self-education, prior experience, or on-the-job training:
Essential:
- A Master’s degree in Gender, Women Studies, Development Studies or a related field or other related disciplines with over seven years of relevant experience in a developing country environment.
- A minimum of 10 years’ experience in gender and development and/or disability, preferably with specific experience in mainstreaming GESI into development/environment programs.
- Experience in GESI assessments, as well as integration of GESI across sectors in the international development context both in emergencies as well as development contexts is key to this position.
- Demonstrated experience in GESI program documentation, program monitoring, donor report writing, networking, and partner development for resource acquisition.
- Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes.
- Demonstrated experience working in cross-functional and remote teams for the purpose of program implementation, development of technical standards, and resource acquisition.
- Excellent training and facilitation skills, strong interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written, strong negotiation, diplomacy, strong leadership and team work skills.
- Strong written and oral communication skills in both English and French are highly desirable for this position.
- Technical skills: direct programming or management experience in child protection, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), gender-based violence (GBV), and/or Safeguarding/PSEA
- Experience: Five years of project management experience in an international NGO; 2 years plus experience in overseeing child protection, PSEA, GBV, and/or Safeguarding/PSEA work
- Other: strong relationship building/network capacity, excellent communication skills, spiritual maturity in Christian faith, ability to influence, innovative, and proactive personality.
- Experience in working with faith organizations, faith actors and faith-related issues in development
- Experience of HEA and fragile contexts.
- Recent and extensive experience living and working in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Effective in written and verbal communication in French and English. Additional languages representative of the countries WV serves in an advantage.
- Fluent in both French and English
Preferred:
- Master’s degree in Gender, Women Studies, and Development Studies, with a strong preference for relevant GESI experience.
- Proven experience developing GESI products and growing GESI programs in a variety of contexts.
- Experience working with and managing large grants in sector programming for major bilateral and multilateral donors.
- Highly developed external engagement and networking skills
- Strong project management skills, including experience with research and development of programming models
- Proficient English writing skills for technical documents and proposals
- Demonstrated willingness to be flexible and versatile in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency
- Ability to motivate and develop staff
- Experience leading a task force or community of practice
- Understanding of Safeguarding/PSEA risks and challenges (child protection, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse)
- Strong understanding of global strategies and frameworks to end violence against children.
- Knowledge of legal international conventions related to child protection.
- Strong negotiation, networking, liaison, and donor engagement skills.
- Demonstrated proficiency using Excel, Microsoft Suite of products, databases, and statistical packages.
- Consistently demonstrates high-level influence and strategic engagement skills and tactical savvy in the delivery of technical assistance.
- Ability to think broadly and look at the macro, strategic issues to inform strategy choices and management processes
- Critical thinking skills
- Experience growing a diverse global portfolio through new business development, strategic positioning, grants, contracts and partnerships.
- Previous experience working in a Country Office/National Office or Regional Office setting will be advantageous.
- Experience working in fragile, conflict, post-conflict, and/or difficult operating environments is preferred.
- West Africa experience preferred. Female applicants are encouraged to apply.
- Strong preference for multi-lingual candidates, language skills representative of the countries WV serves is an advantage. Strong preference for French-speaking candidates (bilingual and or multi-lingual candidates will be advantageous).
Working Environment / Conditions:
- The position requires the ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of the time.
- This role involves being part of a virtual, geographically dispersed team (Remote working is highly encouraged).
Applicant Types Accepted: Local and International Applicants (IA's) Accepted
How to Apply:
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