Regional Child Safeguarding Coordinator (f/m)

SOS Children’s Villages International is the umbrella organisation for the global federation of SOS Children’s Villages. As a non-governmental social development organisation we support children without parental care and families in difficult living conditions through services in care, education, health and emergency relief, and we advocate for the rights of children and young people, in alliance with a great diversity of partners. We work in 135 countries and territories, reaching over one million children, young people, families and caregivers each year. To support us with this important responsibility we are now looking for a committed:

Regional Child Safeguarding Coordinator

(f/m)

Location: Dakar

Mission of the Position

With the supervision of the Child Protection Advisor, the Child Safeguarding Coordinator supports the National Child Safeguarding Focal Persons in their efforts to ensure that children who are directly and indirectly cared for and supported through SOS Children’s Villages Programmes are safe and protected.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Support Member Associations (MAs) on the implementation of the Child Protection Policy and related Child Safeguarding Policy support documents.
• Monitor the implementation process and the organisation’s compliance to International Child Safeguarding Standards, in co-operation with national child safeguarding focal persons.
• Provide technical guidance and support to MAs’ and monitor their work in the area of child safeguarding based on the minimum requirements of the policy support documents.
• Conduct child-safeguarding audits in all MAs in the West and Central Africa (WCAF) Region.
• Ensure implementation of the policy support document “Working together to protect children. Roles and responsibilities of the General Secretariat (GSC) in the reporting and responding process”, support and monitors the International Office Region’s work in the area of child safeguarding based on the minimum requirements of the policy support document.
• Maintain the regional child safeguarding incident register.
• Identify promising practise as well as key challenges in relation to child safeguarding in the region.
• Facilitate MA-to-MA and external knowledge sharing on child safeguarding with a strong focus on prevention and capacity building.
• Ensure coordination of all child safeguarding activities through active participation in coordination meetings and working groups.
• Prepare the annual child safeguarding report.
• Develop global policy support documents on child safeguarding (including review of already existing documents).

Requirements:

• Master or Bachelor degree in Social Work, Human Rights, Child Protection or relevant field.
• Extensive experience (at least 5 years), progressively responsible, working in child protection programming, preferably in the Central and West Africa Region.
• 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 French and 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 national teams in the area of child safeguarding.

We offer:

• Diverse, creative and challenging opportunities in an international working environment.
• Possibility to make significant contribution towards the development of MAs in the Region.
• Competitive compensation package and excellent development opportunities.

If you are interested in this position, please send your detailed e-mail application: CV including 3 references, cover letter and two examples of grants which you have successfully secured (donor, amount, countries, and application type); please submit your application by 28 February 2018 at the latest.  

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

The position title must be mentioned in the subject line. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

In accordance with the organisation’s child protection policy, all employment is subject to applicable background checks, including criminal record checks.