JOB ADVERT: Child Protection in Emergency Specialist

Location: Maroua, EN, CM

Company: Plan International

Plan International is an independent non-profit development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Plan International Cameroon is currently advertising for the position of 01 Child Protection in Emergency Specialist – Maroua.

Please note that this is an international position.

Dimensions of Role:

This position is responsible for assessment, response analysis, design/revision and implementation of the child protection components of Plan’s emergency response in the Far North of Cameroon. S/he will be particularly responsible for the overall management of the Child protection interventions. S/he will need to co-ordinate with humanitarian coordination mechanism established in the Far-North, other Emergency Response team members and Plan staff and other relevant technical sectors, to ensure the continued implementation of a rapid, inclusive, proportionate and effective response. In general, S/he will need to ensure the strategic leading of the Child protection interventions and the technical support to the response to immediate child protection issues with simultaneous consideration of longer term needs and possible scenarios. Particularly, S/he will need to ensure the technical support to all the Child protection projects implementation in an integrated manner with other program components and other on-going interventions in the response. The specialist will be expected to take a very active role in technical co-ordination, support and advocacy with the country specific protection sectors and working groups: child protection and gender based violence and other stakeholders and technical agencies relevant to the sector, to ensure effective and quality response.

Key End Results and Typical Responsibilities:

Assessment

• Provide sectoral leadership and expertise in the assessment on the context of the projects implementation.
• In collaboration with local specialists and affected population, conduct assessment of current situation; Review, assess and update the child protection situation in affected areas  (including, but not limited to the Mayo-Tsanaga, Mayo Sava, Logone & Chari, Diamaré, Mayo Kani, Mayo Danay Divisions)
• Highlight child protection issues requiring a response – both immediate (less than 2 months) and medium term and make recommendations on specific actions required for Plan International and other agencies. Ensure core commitments to children are taken into consideration.
• Represent Plan International to child protection, Gender based violence and protection sector groups, stakeholders and Governmental and non-Governmental agencies (and military where present) for the purposes of the protection aspects of the assessment.
• Assess in-country resources, human, material and financial for response with relevant staff and agencies and assist in capacity building of national staff.
• Identify potential partnerships to implement Child Protection projects recommendations, assess potential partners where available or make recommendations on how to fill gaps.

Program Design

• Revise aims, objectives et strategies of the overall emergency child protection program in taking into account the context of the IDPs
• In collaboration with child protection actors, develop/review a realistic evidence‐based, child protection program plan for the Far-North including both programmatic and advocacy activities (results oriented)
• In collaboration with national and international Education and Child Protection Actors, map current institutional response capacities in the area – including conducting an child protection specific 4Ws (What, When, Where and Who).
• Design most appropriate child protection interventions based on the outcomes of assessments and the context.
• Ensure that issues of gender, protection, DRR, and conflict sensitivity are factored into the program design.
• Ensure Plan’s guidelines and child protection in emergency minimum standards are considered and any departures documented.
• Work in close collaboration with other program specialists to ensure that emergency interventions build upon each other and link in to longer term programming.
• Ensure the development of concept papers, and proposals in respect of the above.

Response Management and Implementation

• Oversee all the Child protection projects implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Ensure technical support in all Child protection projects implementation in an integrated manner and in terms of child protection as a matter of emergency.
• Support to the Child protection projects Coordinators in the of management of the compliance with donor requirements (rules, procedures) :
• Support to the Child protection project Coordinators in the projects budget monitoring and management, including for procurement and distribution of resources, time management, work-plans and records
• Support the Timely and accurate monitoring of financial and narrative reporting from the Child protection project Coordinators.
• Ensure Plan’s guidelines and child protection in emergency minimum standards are adhered to in the child protection projects implementation
• Work closely with the relevant implementation manager to ensure that the implementation of relevant Child protection activities are planned and implemented in a phased and prioritized manner in full consultation and co-ordination with all relevant agencies both governmental and non-governmental.
• Provide technical guidance and direction to Plan for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of agreed child protection in emergency plans with special emphasis on the most vulnerable children and their families.
• Make frequent field visits to all affected areas to monitor implementation of Child protection activities, identify opportunities and constraints and any adjustments needed including additional staffing or staff training or other.
• In coordination with Child Protection staff, support the Monitoring and reporting of child protection concerns and violations of child rights commitments embodied in the UNCRC, resolution 1612 and other legal instruments.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Lead the design and the development of appropriate surveillance, monitoring, evaluation and learning systems for Child projects implementation.
• Evaluate the implementation of Plan child protection activities and draft recommendations for improved program design
• Prepare Child protection interventions reports to serve as standalone deliverables or to be included in larger emergency response reports for both donor and internal purposes.
• Ensure early and rigorous implementation of quality assurance and accountability mechanisms in Child protection Projects implementation.

Information and Co-ordination

• Provide regular updates to Emergency Response Manager (Team Leader) and emergency team on progress, priorities and constraints in Child protection projects implementation.  – verbally and in writing on an agreed frequency.
• Engage and follow up with relevant Implementation Coordinators.
• Represent Plan in governmental and non-governmental groups as needed and agreed with the Team Leader.
• Support the implementation of, and represent Plan in, emergency child protection coordination mechanisms including any relevant cluster/sector.
• Brief updates and reports on sectoral activities/strategies to donors and other stakeholders.

Human Resources and Administration

• Coordinate and/or implement training and briefing of Plan staff, partners, and other key stakeholders on child protection in emergency and/or related issues.
• Support to the management of Child protection projects staffs in compliance with Plan procedures.

Dealing with Problems:
The post-holder will make rapid assessments of situations and then make judgements for the organisation on strategic choices and action often with incomplete information.
The job requires decisions to be made on the basis of assumption and experience, as little hard information will be available.  Decisions need to be context specific and there will often be no precedents to draw upon.
Management judgement will be required to negotiate and influence local Plan teams to take steps to respond in ways that may be new or worrisome in contexts that are stressful to all involved
Decisions may affect the lives of thousands of disaster affected children, millions of dollars, security of staff, and the profile of Plan across the humanitarian sector and across media.
Excellent risk-assessment and management is required to support decisions that may require overcoming attitudinal, systemic and physical barriers

Communications and Working Relationships:

Key Internal Contacts

Emergency Response Manager, other members of the Emergency Response team like Gender Base Violence Specialist, Education in Emergency Specialist (EiE) , Child protection in emergency specialist at WARO, EIE Specialist at WARO and the Country Child protection team as appropriate

Key External Contacts

Other agencies and groups responding to the emergency, in particular those working in the emergency child protection sector.

Reporting lines

Reports to Emergency Response Manager.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:

People Skills: Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.

Communication Skills: Well developed written and oral communication skills. Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of Plan. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan's core values and humanitarian principles.
Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner.
Awareness and sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity. Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. Has a capacity to make accurate self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts.
Work style: Is well planned and organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem solving skills.

Knowledge and skills: Knowledge of CPIE, Sphere and the Red Cross/ NGO Code of Conduct. Requires general finance, administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in information technology/ computer skills. Knowledge of Plan policies and procedures a plus.

Humanitarian aid experience.

Fluency in English. French is an asset.
Multiple language skills desirable.

Knowledge

Minimum of 3 years (of which at least 2 in the field) of progressively responsible professional experience in child protection in emergencies (including psychosocial support, case management,…) work, humanitarian affairs, human rights, and related fields..
Demonstrable technical expertise in implementing community-based child protection responses.
Experience with participatory approaches to child protection in emergency, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, or other related area.
Experience of conducting child protection assessments in emergency contexts.
Experience of training on child protection technical areas with a variety of audiences.
Minimum of one successful assignment in an emergency situation/context;
Have a good knowledge and understanding of DO NO HARM principles and established international child protection standards (especially UNCRC)
University degree in social work, a social science or another related field with good knowledge of Protection Principles and Emergency Response

Skills

Excellent written and spoken English with French an advantage
Demonstrated ability to network and liaise with major Child protection donors including SIDA, Irish Aid, UNICEF.
Excellent project design, participatory monitoring and evaluation skills
Excellent communication skills: well argued plans for response that can be justified and delivered, persuasive of others.
Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
Excellent negotiation, representation, skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
Ability to operate at advanced levels of authority and manage significant activities, budgets, and resources to produce and take responsibility for results
Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work cooperatively.
Proven ability to solve problems independently without direct supervision.
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Strong organizational and work prioritization skills and attention to detail
Good facilitation skills and ability to deliver induction briefing/training.
Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate clearly and effectively at all levels, and to maintain this under pressure.
Ability to work with limited supervision from line manager.

Behaviours:

Commitment and adherence to humanitarian values and standards,
Willing to make rapid decisions even with inadequate information but ready to reflect and adjust course of action if necessary;
Focussed  and striving for the delivery of programme;
Cross-culturally agile
Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self-development
Aware of impact on others and uses impact to create positive climate at work
Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to PLAN's core values and humanitarian principles
Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner.
Awareness and sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity. Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. Has a capacity to make accurate self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts.
Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.
Preparedness to live and work in uncertain security environments.
Experience working in conflict or emergency-affected areas (or other situations where insecurity and corruption can be big issues)
Commitment to and skills in capacity building – together with the ability to assess and coach others.

Physical Environment and Demands:

Frequent field visits, sometimes to hazardous environments and at short notice.
Periods of intense work at all times of day and night.
Working in multiple locations and on the move.

Next step

To apply for this job, kindly click on “Apply “. Your application should include:

• A Covering letter
• A Comprehensive CV including details of three referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent supervisor

Location: Maroua

Closing date: 02/10/2018

NB: The shortlisting and the interview will be done progressively as the applications are received.

Plan International Cameroon operates in an equal opportunity environment and actively encourages diversity. Only applications received in French or English will be treated and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Plan international has a safeguarding children and young Policies and gender equality policies that are integral part of the recruitment process.