Child Safeguarding Officer

SOS Children’s Villages invites applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates who fulfill the eligibility criterion for the below position.

Job Title:  Child Safeguarding Officer (1 Position)

Location: Banadir & Hirshabelle

Job Summary:

The mission of the Location Child safeguarding Officer is to promote, coordinate and support the implementation of the Child Protection Policy and related child safeguarding policy support documents in the member association and all its programmes in order to mitigate existing child safeguarding risks for children and young people who are directly and indirectly cared for and supported through SOS Children’s Villages Programmes. She/he will be functionally be supported by the Location Area Managers and National Child Safeguarding Adviser. She/he is responsible for facilitating training, conducting project risk assessment, facilitate development of child friendly materials. She/he is also responsible for monitoring of standard practices of sectors across all location, reporting, maintaining data, share learning.

Direct Supervisor: Area Manager  

Report To:

Functional Supervisor: National Child Safeguarding Adviser.

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Key Areas of Responsibilities

§  Coordinate the implementation of the Child Protection Policy and related child safeguarding policy support documents in the member association

§  Ensure that the minimum requirements of the policy support document on child safeguarding reporting and responding procedures in member associations and the policy support document on child safeguarding investigations are met by the member association and all its programmes, provide support to programme child safeguarding teams

§  Coordinate the development and prioritization of location Child safeguarding actions during the annual planning process.

§  Facilitate Child safeguarding and child protection related trainings for Children and Youth at programme level.

§  Facilitate children’s participation in the development of risk assessment, risk mitigation plan and child safeguarding code of conduct and input for the review of policy.

§  Assist in organizing, facilitation of child safeguarding training for project volunteers, incentive workers, beneficiaries and partners.

§  Facilitate translation of Child safeguarding information, material, editing and follow up of publication products.

§  Conduct Child safeguarding risk assessment of sectors and partners in collaboration with sector heads and focal points of the location programme.

§  Compile partners’ activity documents, analyze partners risk assessment result and support on identified gap.

§  Conduct annual child safeguarding audit in all programmes at location level.

§  Identify and promote collected lessons learnt as well as identified challenges with a strong focus on prevention and capacity building.

§  Prepare monthly and annual child safeguarding report and submit it to the National Child Safeguarding Adviser.

§  Ensure that Child safeguarding tools and knowledge is made available to managers and that they know how to access support and guidance.

§  Ensure that the Child safeguarding mechanisms, are in place at programme location and are subject to continuous monitoring/review.

§  Follow up on reported Child safeguarding concerns and incidents together with the programme Child safeguarding team.

§  Facilitate and compile mapping of service providers at all location/districts and villages of location office to ensure reported cases are referred to relevant stakeholders.  

§  Identify capacity building needs on child safeguarding and facilitate induction/training for programme team and volunteers.

§  Participate proactively as a team member and form culturally appropriate, professional working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, including children, young people and families.

§  Develop strategies which increase child and youth participation opportunities, volunteering and leadership.

§  Build and maintain relationships with partners and other organisations, including national statutory agencies, to promote the continuous development and monitoring of inter-agency child safeguarding practices.

§  Liaise with external statutory agencies and their equivalents in non-statutory organisations regarding child safeguarding matters and child abuse cases.

§  Support or lead the inter-agency collection and management of information around the reported occurrence of child abuse and exploitation.

§  Undertake clear, strong advocacy in line with the Child Safeguarding Policy at area office level

§  Act as an ambassador for Child Safeguarding at all times

Qualifications and Experience

• Master or Bachelor degree in Social Work, Human Rights or relevant field.
• At least 3 Years relevant working experience.
• Extensive experience, progressively responsible, working in child protection programming.
• Extensive experience in building strong child protection systems and in delivering services to children, including in emergencies.
• Proven representation and advocacy skills.
• Extensive experience in child and youth participation and training.
• Familiarity with key international standards for humanitarian work (e.g. Child Protection Minimum Standards, SPHERE, HAP Principles, etc.) and international documents related to children rights (e.g. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children).
• Ability to assess and analyse risks, children’s emotional, psychological and developmental need and family functioning.
• Competencies on monitoring and evaluation of Child safeguarding mechanisms implemented.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.
• Ability to work under pressure and willingness to work flexible hours in the event of major emergencies.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Commitment to SOS Children’s Villages values, including willingness to abide by and enforce the Child Protection policy.
• Ability to provide technical guidance, support and monitoring to programme teams in the area of child safeguarding.

Safeguarding:

SOS Children’s Villages organization is committed to safeguarding the rights of the children and therefore, it is expected that every individual who joins or working with SOS Children’s Villages Somalia understands his/her responsibility in protecting and keeping children safe always. SOS Children’s villages Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to and the consultant is bound to sign and abide by the SOS Children’s villages Code of Conduct.

Interested applicants should send their application letter with a CV and scanned copies of your academic and professional certificates indicating telephone numbers and three referees to: this email [email protected]

Closing date is 26th August, 2023.  

Competent Female candidates are encourage to apply.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.