Program Officer - Safeguarding Children and Youths

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation 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’s 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 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

role PURPOSE

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.

We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind.

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

This role will be acting as an ambassador and role model for implementation of Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy (SCYPP); ensuring the integration of safeguarding measures and standards in all core organisational systems, processes and practices, especially in each project activity across the thematic areas;

Dimensions of the Role

The Safeguarding and child Protection Program Officer –  is a key person among the team and  his/her role is mainly focus on the following 04 dimensions:

1. Ensuring that Plan International Offices and areas of operation are safe place for children and youth, due implementing of Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy (SCYPP) activities and CPP standards.
2. Ensuring the integration of child protection and safeguarding measures in each project activity from design to implementation, and monitoring that program areas comply with minimum requirements.
3. Ensuring that Community Based Child Protection and Mechanisms (CBCPM) are functional, through identification of the main gaps, challenges, needs and support required for making them active and responsive to child protection concerns  
4. Implementing feedback mechanisms to promote sustainability and community participation.

Accountabilities

1. Ensuring that Plan International is a child and youth safe organization
   1. Undertake clear and strong advocacy on the SCYPP at the field office acting as an ambassador and role model for SCYPP implementation at all times benefiting from internal platforms and events such as staff meetings, inductions etc…
   2. Provide high quality and accessible advice, support and guidance to PIIA and staff ensuring that adequate SCYPP measures are integrated into office operations, processes and programmes as outlined in the 11 Safeguarding implementation standards and other core SCYPP documents. 
   3. Collaborate with and provide advice to key teams and/or departments within the offices to ensure that risk identification/assessment and management strategies of all processes, procedures and activities includes assessment of CP risks and appropriate mitigating actions are developed. 
   4. Deliver mandatory SCYPP briefings, refresher training (each 6 month), inductions and/or workshops to staff, associates, children and communities ensuring all are aware of what the SCYPP means for them where possible.
   5. Share the annual safeguarding implementation standards self-assessment and incident reporting with the Child protection program lead as per agreed timelines.
   6. Follow up with Safeguarding Focal Points, the Implementation of the SCYPP action plan and clearly outline gaps in implementation and how these can be addressed.
   7. Ensure newly recruited staff completed the Plan Academy safeguarding introductory online course based on staff categories and number (staff, interns, partners, associates, or volunteers)
   8. Support the development of SCYPP communication materials and disseminated among Plan office, partners, associates and communities.

2. Ensuring integration of safeguarding and CP measures in each project activity:
   1. Support the thematic leaders for designing and gender sensitive concept notes across the project proposal and activities according to Plan’s Gender Transformative Programming and Influencing guidelines.
   2. Conduct regular field visits with different project managers to ensure integration of child protection in each project activity
   3. monitoring that program areas comply with minimum requirements.
   4. Work with M&E for monitoring the child protection projects to ensure implementations comply with minimum requirements.

3. Ensuring that CBCPM are functional;
   1. Support the PIIA on establishment and strengthening CBCPMs according to the guidelines
   2. Identify the main gaps, challenges, needs and support required for make CBCPMs active and responsive to child protection concerns.

4. Implementing feedback mechanisms.
   1. Make sure that a feedback system is integrated into all implementation stage of project cycle and reinforces Plan accountability and strengthening the quality of its processes.
   2. Identify appropriate feedback mechanisms through consultation with girls, boys, their families, and implementing partners to identify existing mechanisms and to ensure that they are culturally acceptable and gender sensitive.
   3. Ensure staff, partners and community’s awareness of the mechanisms and methods to access it (during distributions, orientations about helpdesks or suggestion boxes, issues to complain about, ways of response, behavioural issues of staff
   4. Find ways to acknowledge the complains and addressing the concerns by keeping the complainants informed formally or informally, depending on the gravity of the concern and whether or not it breaches internal policies or existing laws.
   5. Receive, record, and consolidate the feedbacks immediately as information/data come in with confidentiality, and categorize them for easier consolidation.
   6. Categories reports to help understand the one require more clarification/information, assistance, discontent, staff behaviour, and report of abuse by a non-Plan staff.
   7. Share the information gathered with (Program Quality) as consolidated reported on a weekly basis or during any other agreed regularities with line manager.

5. Other support

1. Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Key relationships

Internal Communication

• Head of Programme – High level of communication to report, seek approvals, sharing reports and views to strengthen the program areas and to ensure continues support for the program quality and compliance with Plan policies. Get support and provide hand holding support to understand the policy and to respond to queries as well as implementation of feedback mechanisms at the community level.
• Child Protection Program Lead – Regular communication on issues related to implementation of SCYPP to share work progress updates on implementation of agreed actions and standards, sharing reports, and seeking supports
• Other departmental heads and M&E – Daily communication for better integration of safeguarding  and child protection into programming and measuring it reflection into activities across all areas of distinctiveness.

External Communication

• Implementing Partners – high level of communication with implementing partners to understand their process and progress on implementation of the SCYPP and provide the required support.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Skills

• Presentation skills
  1. Negotiation skills
  2. Analytical and logical skills
• Communication skills
  1. Good command of written and spoken English and Arabic languages.
  2. Good skills in spread sheet and word processing computer application
  3. Good skills in computer information and communication.
  4. Excellent skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
  5. Ability to document progress and trend reports.
  6. Ability to think creatively to understand including risks associated to internet and social media and present appropriately.
  7. Strong interpersonal skills to cope up with stress and managing work effectively.
  8. Demonstrated Leadership skills to maintain team work and to build capacity of team members.

Knowledge and expertise

• The post holder is expected to have considerable knowledge of the national and international instruments related to the child rights, child protection quality practices, and meaning of safeguarding concepts.
• Substantial experience of working in Child Protection program in a humanitarian and development context at least 4-6 years
• Considerable experience in conducting assessment, program evaluation, and researches
• Demonstrated ability to set up learning and development processes for staff and teams

Essential

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Social Sciences or other related fields.
• A high level of written and spoken English
• Excellent communication skills
• Proven ability of mentoring, coaching and training on Child Protection related topics.
• Ability to conduct Child Protection risks assessment
• Past experience working on safeguarding and/or child protection standards

Desirable

• Understanding and commitment to Plan International values, mission and mandate.
• Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic level based on Plan International’s Country Strategy both among staff and implementing partners.

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

1. Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
2. Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
3. Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
4. Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
5. Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

1. Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
2. Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
3. Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
4. Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

1. Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
2. Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
3. Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
4. Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

5. Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
6. Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
7. Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
8. Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

Physical Environment

[In this section, state “typical office environment”, or conditions such as “must work outside in an extremely hot and humid climate”. Also note if any protective equipment is required.]

• Must work in busiest environment outside the office with multi stakeholders.
• Must work outside in an extremely hot and humid climate to perform her/is tasks.
• Must work under high stresses.
• Must work off hours after daily working hours when ever requirement arises.

Level of contact with children

High level: Frequent interaction with children as key person to deal with violence and concerns facing children and investigate the feedback information in Plan International Sudan operations.

Location: Garoua/Maroua/Bertoua

Reports to: Safeguarding and Child Protection Lead

Closing Date: 12/08/2020

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. 

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for. Our organisation is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on any grounds. We foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion while supporting staff to adopt good practice, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion.