🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Child Fund – Child Protection and Advocacy Manager

CHILDFUND

ACCOUNTABILITY AND PURPOSE:

The Child Protection and Advocacy Manager provide technical support to ChildFund´s child protection and Advocacy portfolio in the country, in development and emergency contexts. The Manager works collaboratively with, national and international colleagues and partners in support of strong core program design, implementation, evaluation and learning in line with ChildFund’s theory of change, program strategies and standards for child protection and advocacy in all three Life Stages for children.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY:

Child protection expertise

• Positions ChildFund as a significant lead organization on child protection issues. Child rights and protection situation analysis, portfolio review on aspects of child protection and leads the development of CO program approaches within the theory of change and program models related to child protection. Facilitates/promotes child protection networks in alliance with local governments, institutions and organizations. Engages with partners to ensure that community-based child protection mechanisms, are in place and linked to formal child protection system in line with national policies and standards, in communities where ChildFund supports core outcomes for children.

• As needed, deploys to emergency responses and work closely with response teams in country office to establish child protection responses through coordination, assessment, proposal development, program startup and evaluation.

Advocacy

Develop and execute country office advocacy strategy
Conduct a contextual analysis to identify the advocacy issue/focus area for the CO’s advocacy plan and develop an advocacy strategy aligned to ChildFund International’s advocacy guidance, operational advocacy guidance, program strategy of the Country office, and local country context.  The strategy should be evident through a plan that can bring the expected policy creation, policy change, and policy implementation. It is framed within the life stage program strategies of the Country with a focus on child protection and would require the development, design and tools for external engagement. The Child Protection and Advocacy Manager will oversee the implementation of the activities outlined in the advocacy plan.

Visibility

External representation and communications/Visibility strategy – 
Responsible for Country representation and influence at strategic networks and coalitions, making visible CO programmatic interventions and policy advocacy issues. Networking and coalition building would be a required precondition for policy reform.

Policy communications –
The staff is responsible along with communication specialist to develop and reach target audiences with
local media position statements on issues as well as for the production of collateral material
for advocacy purposes. Synthesize programmatic and academic research to develop policy
recommendations and the documents (policy briefs, infographics, etc.) to communicate them to
decision-makers.

Grant Acquisition and Management

• Identification, development and maintenance of relationships with current and prospective donor especially as it relates to Child Protection. As needed, participates on proposal development teams, including preparation of technical proposals, capacity statements, and concept notes as they pertain to child protection

.

Child Safeguarding

• Child Protection focal point and follows-up on all complaints received, to ensure appropriate measures are taken per ChildFund’s policies and country’s legal framework. Investigation, supports decision-making and implementation of appropriate actions in case, on violations in child safeguarding standards by staff or partner organizations.
• Development of staff skills on child protection in general and child safeguarding standards, in line with ChildFund’s safeguarding policy and procedures. Engagement with partners to ensure their understanding of ChildFund’s child safeguarding policy and standards.
• Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy

Knowledge management and learning
Develop learning and knowledge products in the area of child protection and advocacy that meet standards and enable organization-wide learning and sharing by documenting approaches, project and program designs and lessons, case studies and other knowledge products. Seek and leverage existing knowledge products in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

Required

• At least 5 years of experience results-based child protection, Advocacy, program design, implementation and/or evaluation in relation to community-based and/or national child protection systems and stakeholders
• In-depth understanding of in country child protection legal frameworks, situation, mechanism, issues and services.
• Versatile in networking, advocacy and building relationships with donors, partners and line ministries
• Proven ability to provide high quality child protection technical assistance, guidance, and coaching to field-based implementing staff and partners.
• At least 3 years’ experience in working on advocacy in development and/or emergency contexts preferably with an international development organization.
• Proven excellent communication, networking, presentation, public-speaking and interpersonal skills.

Preferred

• Demonstrated success in proposal development and writing including technical design, strategies, and narratives.
• English proficiency

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant area required. Equivalent relevant work experience may be acceptable in lieu of degree

Support
The Sponsorship and Program irector  can draw on the support of global team members in the development of his/her responsibilities. Preferably these global team members provide input into recruitment, performance planning and evaluation. The primary global team members for this position will be:

• Program and Partnership: Senior Advisor Child Protection, Country Advocacy Advisor
• Global Operations: Senior Advisor Child Protection in Emergency

ChildFund International is committed to safeguarding the interest, rights, and well-being of children with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position.
CHILDFUND
JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Child Protection and Advocacy  Manager
Division: Programs
Location: Country Office, Sierra Leone
Reporting Relationship: Sponsorship &Programs  Director or Country Director

ACCOUNTABILITY AND PURPOSE:

The Child Protection and Advocacy Manager provide technical support to ChildFund´s child protection and Advocacy portfolio in the country, in development and emergency contexts. The Manager works collaboratively with, national and international colleagues and partners in support of strong core program design, implementation, evaluation and learning in line with ChildFund’s theory of change, program strategies and standards for child protection and advocacy in all three Life Stages for children.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY:

Child protection expertise

• Positions ChildFund as a significant lead organization on child protection issues. Child rights and protection situation analysis, portfolio review on aspects of child protection and leads the development of CO program approaches within the theory of change and program models related to child protection. Facilitates/promotes child protection networks in alliance with local governments, institutions and organizations. Engages with partners to ensure that community-based child protection mechanisms, are in place and linked to formal child protection system in line with national policies and standards, in communities where ChildFund supports core outcomes for children.
• As needed, deploys to emergency responses and work closely with response teams in country office to establish child protection responses through coordination, assessment, proposal development, program startup and evaluation.

Advocacy

Develop and execute country office advocacy strategy
Conduct a contextual analysis to identify the advocacy issue/focus area for the CO’s advocacy plan and develop an advocacy strategy aligned to ChildFund International’s advocacy guidance, operational advocacy guidance, program strategy of the Country office, and local country context.  The strategy should be evident through a plan that can bring the expected policy creation, policy change, and policy implementation. It is framed within the life stage program strategies of the Country with a focus on child protection and would require the development, design and tools for external engagement. The Child Protection and Advocacy Manager will oversee the implementation of the activities outlined in the advocacy plan.

Visibility

External representation and communications/Visibility strategy – 
Responsible for Country representation and influence at strategic networks and coalitions, making visible CO programmatic interventions and policy advocacy issues. Networking and coalition building would be a required precondition for policy reform.

Policy communications –
The staff is responsible along with communication specialist to develop and reach target audiences with
local media position statements on issues as well as for the production of collateral material
for advocacy purposes. Synthesize programmatic and academic research to develop policy
recommendations and the documents (policy briefs, infographics, etc.) to communicate them to
decision-makers.

Grant Acquisition and Management

• Identification, development and maintenance of relationships with current and prospective donor especially as it relates to Child Protection. As needed, participates on proposal development teams, including preparation of technical proposals, capacity statements, and concept notes as they pertain to child protection

Child Safeguarding

• Child Protection focal point and follows-up on all complaints received, to ensure appropriate measures are taken per ChildFund’s policies and country’s legal framework. Investigation, supports decision-making and implementation of appropriate actions in case, on violations in child safeguarding standards by staff or partner organizations.
• Development of staff skills on child protection in general and child safeguarding standards, in line with ChildFund’s safeguarding policy and procedures. Engagement with partners to ensure their understanding of ChildFund’s child safeguarding policy and standards.
• Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy

Knowledge management and learning
Develop learning and knowledge products in the area of child protection and advocacy that meet standards and enable organization-wide learning and sharing by documenting approaches, project and program designs and lessons, case studies and other knowledge products. Seek and leverage existing knowledge products in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

Required

• At least 5 years of experience results-based child protection, Advocacy, program design, implementation and/or evaluation in relation to community-based and/or national child protection systems and stakeholders
• In-depth understanding of in country child protection legal frameworks, situation, mechanism, issues and services.
• Versatile in networking, advocacy and building relationships with donors, partners and line ministries
• Proven ability to provide high quality child protection technical assistance, guidance, and coaching to field-based implementing staff and partners.
• At least 3 years’ experience in working on advocacy in development and/or emergency contexts preferably with an international development organization.
• Proven excellent communication, networking, presentation, public-speaking and interpersonal skills.

Preferred

• Demonstrated success in proposal development and writing including technical design, strategies, and narratives.
• English proficiency

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant area required. Equivalent relevant work experience may be acceptable in lieu of degree

Support
The Sponsorship and Program irector  can draw on the support of global team members in the development of his/her responsibilities. Preferably these global team members provide input into recruitment, performance planning and evaluation. The primary global team members for this position will be:

• Program and Partnership: Senior Advisor Child Protection, Country Advocacy Advisor
• Global Operations: Senior Advisor Child Protection in Emergency

ChildFund International is committed to safeguarding the interest, rights, and well-being of children with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position.