Child Rights and Safeguarding Advisor (Re-Advertisement) at Plan International

Plan International was founded over 75 years ago with a mission to promote and protect the rights of children. The organisation was set up by British journalist John Langdon-Davies and refugee worker Eric Muggeridge in 1937, with the original aim to provide food, accommodation and education to children whose lives had been disrupted by the Spanish Civil War.

Internal

• Country Management Team members as required


• Director of Program Implementation and quality


• Technical Advisors


• Business Development Unit


• Global and Regional functional and thematic leads


• Functional departments Heads at KCO


• Program Unit Managers and PU staff

External

• National and Local authorities especially relevant ministries in the country e.g.  Gender, Health, Youth, Planning, etc.


• Partner organizations


• Other Technical Leads of likeminded INGOs and forums in the country


• Civil society organizations


• Youth and youth organizations


• Donors and foreign missions

Level of contact with children

Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children

Physical Environment

• Based in a typical office environment whilst in the Country Office.


• Where required, periodic travel to program units and on occasion international travel may be needed.

Accountabilities and MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Strategy design, planning, and implementation – 35%

• Take leadership in defining the Child Rights and Safeguarding strategy for PIK and provide guidance in the development of an implementation strategy.


• Deliver a policy and advocacy strategy that increases Plan Kenya’s advocacy impact on protection and ending all forms of violence against children with the Kenya government and other external stakeholders where necessary;


• Advocate and negotiate with high-level technical experts and government officials, parliamentarians, and CSOs;


• Conduct policy analysis to inform advocacy issues and establish and maintenance of dialogue with key decision-makers within government.


• Provide technical expertise in key thematic areas, including but not limited to the VAC Plan of Action for Kenya and other pertinent issues in the child protection sector


• In close collaboration with our influencing advisor and communications team, create communications to influence in the realization of children and girls’ rights, engagement of girls in policy engagement, and increase in civil society support influencing child rights.


• Lead development of a CO programme on ending violence against children and young people that is aligned to Plan Kenya’s Country Strategy and Plan International’s Global purpose


• Ensure participation of children and young people in all PIK programmes is meaningful and safe


• Oversee the implementation of the right based approach in all PIK projects


• Through a monitoring framework, advise on safeguarding milestone achievements on aligning Country Strategy goals to the Global ambition of reaching 100 million girls by 2020


• Technically contribute to the designing of a child participation strategy for Plan Kenya, build the capacity of the PUs in Child and Youth participation, and roll out the strategy


• Provide advice on strategies and approaches in the Country Programme to help contribute to the realization of both the Country and Global ambition.

• Continually provide technical guidance on the implementation of the policy on Safeguarding Children and Young People by ensuring staff are given orientation on the strategy on recruitment and are taken through in-depth training as per the laid down policies in the organization.


• Advise and monitor Plan Kenya’s partners and associates to understand and adhere to the policy.

    Programme Quality 30%

• Drive technical excellence and support project and country teams to develop, monitor, and implement girl and client-centered rights programs that are grounded in global evidence, appropriate and meaningful youth engagement;


• Provide oversight and technical guidance in monitoring and harnessing learning from implementing rights projects across the programme areas.


• Drive country office staff capacity in child and girls’ rights programming by providing in-country assistance to build the capacity of teams as well as program and government partners, while keeping abreast of global and emerging evidence and with a view to disseminating both internally and externally;


• Ensure PIK rights programme is aligned to both Global and Regional priorities and the national government policies and sector plans


• Provide technical assistance to support quality design, implementation, monitoring, learning, and evaluation of ASRH programs, including efforts on very young adolescents, strengthening demand and supply of SRHR and age-appropriate services.


• In close collaboration with the M&E team keep track of the achievement of the intended outcomes.


• Strengthen the capacity of program implementation teams to develop and implement innovative rights programme;


• In close consultation with Program Unit managers, provides timely reports, as may be required on the Plan Kenya’s girls and child rights program portfolio, including updates on program/project challenges and successes.


• Provide technical support and guidance to program teams in all related assessments, surveys and studies on safeguarding.


• Review and provide technical input on internal and external reports on safeguarding children and young persons.


• Continually advise the program teams to ensure Child Protection programming is in line with Plan, government, and other relevant recognized safeguarding standards, guidelines, and quality procedures.


• Work with program teams to provide evidence of safeguarding interventions and best practices through documentation and dissemination of lessons learned.

Partnerships, networking, and influencing 10%

• Actively participates in safeguarding eco-systems with the global hub and regional teams as well as within Kenya’s community of practice;


• Collaborate with Business development Unit in developing projects that address the safeguarding of children and young person’s concerns in society.


• Ensure adequate budgeting and resourcing for capacity development and monitoring of the implementation of the policy among staff, partners, and associates through grants and sponsorship funding.


• Participate actively in programme meetings, planning, and review activities, providing enhanced insight into child rights programming.


• Actively participate in key relevant internal meetings such as Programme Review Meetings, Advocacy, and Communications, or area-based meetings as required.


• Participate in any donor visit to project(s) within the country office portfolio, as required.


• Represent Plan Kenya in relevant national Safeguarding technical working groups and networks.

  Resource mobilization and programme development (10%)

• Contribute to the growth of Plan Kenya’s child rights portfolio by directly contributing to Plan Kenya’s identification of opportunities, proposal development, including the writing, reviewing, and/or editing of technical proposals.


•  Continuously monitor and analyze the emerging SRHR situation in Kenya, donor trends and advise management on potential areas for fundraising.


• Provide technical input to inform concepts and proposal development on Child Rights programming.


• Advice on the partnership networks for overall enhancement of the SRHR programmes and impact at the different levels of engagement (County, National, and Global).

   Financial Responsibility (5%)

• Monitor programme performance and budget utilization and apply corrective measures where needed.


• Support the annual planning process to ensure budgets are well structured and effectively managed and utilized

Risk Management (5%)

• Coordinate and support programme quality and delivery on Child Rights projects audits and adequate application of management response across all impact areas.

Capacity building 5%

• Periodically assess capacity gaps amongst staff and partners and advise/organize for capacity building.


• Strengthen the capacity of health program staff and partners on current and effective Health interventions, methodologies, policies, and guidelines.


• Identify and advise on learning opportunities for staff development.

Other duties (5%)

• Any other assignment within the scope of work.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (COC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.


• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that they are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;


• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in project design, during implementation, and as principles applied in day-to-day work of Programme team;


• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

REQUIREMENTS

Leadership COMPETENCIES

• Courageous, taking a lead, challenging myself and others to achieve the purpose, safeguard others, and role model values, inside and outside work. Responsible for my work and learning, striving to improve. Self-aware, resilient, and constructive in embracing change. Striving to achieve a significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. Challenging myself to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused, and innovative.


• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices, and standards relevant to their own work and keep their knowledge and skills up to date.


• Collaborating with team members, colleagues, and partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience, and ideas and actively seeking their input.

• Respecting all people, appreciating differences, and challenging inequality in programmes and the workplace. Supporting children, girls, and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. Empowering other staff to give their best and develop their potential.


• Achieves desired outcomes and finds innovative solutions by using the expertise and creativity of others and adopting a coaching approach with the people they manage or advise.


• Creates space for reflection and uses external evidence and internal evaluation to identify what and how we need to improve and then to support others through change.


• Understanding Plan International’s purpose, priorities, values, and approaches in our work context. Adhering to relevant policies, processes, practices, and standards, and being pro-active in continuing technical and professional development

Business Management competencies

• Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection: Communicates Plan’s commitment to safeguarding through all recruitment and engagement activities.


• Educates internal and external stakeholders in their safeguarding responsibilities. Articulates the purpose, values, and global strategy to a range of audiences. Can explain how Plan International will deliver on its objectives through the theory of change and communicate the implications for their team.


• Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection: Understands their safeguarding responsibilities in accordance with the global policy. Work actively to safeguard the rights of children and young people


• Understand the purpose, lines of accountability, and decision-making capacity for each structural element of the organization. Helps their team to understand where they sit within the organizational structure.


• Considerate of the political, economic, social, and cultural climate of the local operating environment and the implications for our work and are aware of the local business environment, including financial, employment, and business laws.


• Understands digital enablers to improve team performance and working practices. Encourages digital behaviors through role modeling, personal development processes, and capability building. Uses digital and technological tools to support the management of risk, activities, and resources, and people and information.

Technical expertise, skills, and knowledge

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• A Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related field.


• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in a child-focused organization


• A minimum of 7 years experience, five of which are in implementing Child Rights programming at a local or national level, preferably with an International Non-Governmental Organization is acceptable in lieu of a Master’s degree


• Strong and up-to-date knowledge of child protection/Safeguarding programmes, protection and safeguarding as well as meaningful youth engagement.


• A clear understanding of the strategies for engaging with children and young people in programme activities and advocacy


• Good understanding of child protection systems in the country


• Experience working with civil society and community-based organizations, particularly in Kenya.


• Result oriented, good interpersonal and communication skills including influencing and negotiation


• Commitment to Plan values and willingness to abide by Child and Young people Safeguarding Policy and hold others accountable.


• Good presentation and communication skills


• Proven experience in providing technical assistance to complex protection programs


• Commitment to Plan Kenya’s position on promoting girls’ rights and gender equality and integrating all these aspects in their day to day work

Qualifications/ experience desirable:

• Demonstrated experience in coaching and mentoring staff on safeguarding initiatives.


• Experience in designing and technical support/management of safeguarding of children and youth


• Good understanding of Safeguarding sector strategies.


• Demonstrable advocacy experience at the national and county level on safeguarding systems and structures.

Languages required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Knowledge:

• Building and creating common agendas with governments, the private sector, and civil society to integrate children, adolescents, and youth from diverse groups in society by informing gender-responsive and inclusive legal frameworks, public policy, budgets, and institutional services.


• In-depth knowledge on the root causes, impact, and approaches to addressing violence, sexual violence, neglect, and abuse


• Ability to understand gender inequalities and gender discriminatory practices that can cause protection issues and strategies to prevent and respond to these issues.


• Understanding Strategies to prevent all forms of violence and provide support to survivors of violence under 25 years of age i.e. children, adolescents, and young people. Strengthen protection systems, family relations, and the resilience of children, adolescents, and youth.


• Driving Quality by using strategies for: preventing violence based on an analysis of causal factors, including social norms.


• Working on protection mechanisms at a family level, community level, service level. Responding to incidences of violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect; and ensure access to support services.


• Adapting to Context: The effect of humanitarian events including disaster, food insecurity crisis, conflict, and displacement on the protection of children, adolescents, and youth. How violence and power are manifest in the particular culture and culturally specific features of family relations; the state services present e.g. legal, educational, and what response is likely to be socially and culturally accepted.

 Skills:

• Linking at-risk children, adolescent, and youth and their families with social protection mechanisms


• Application of strategies to strengthen family and community social supports and solidarity networks


• Gender-based violence: Violence (including sexual violence), neglect, abuse, and exploitation on grounds of gender identity and discrimination; strategies to prevent and respond to protection issues arising from gender inequalities and gender discriminatory practices.


• Integration of Family and Community based Psycho-Social Support: Coping mechanisms and self-reflection at family and community level; strengthening positive parenting skills; raising family & community comprehension of the impact of trauma on child well-being


• Guide on Child and Family Social Work: case management, counseling, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors of violence


• Advice on Child protection systems: what such systems include (including community-based child protection systems), how they can impact violence, and identifying the entry points for change through strengthening services, programming, and influencing policy


• Builds capability on safeguarding by coaching colleagues and partners, sharing knowledge in networks and communities of practice, leading technical learning and development activities, and embedding stakeholder capability building into programme and project design.

Behaviors:

• Engages sensitively with community members on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.


• Able to view even distressing situations objectively by leaving personal attitudes and judgmental responses to one side


• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion, and girls’ empowerment in Plan’s work and in its work with partners


• Apply participatory influencing methodologies both internally and externally


• The ability to build collaborative working relationships


• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization – linking partnership opportunities with the context of the wider organizational strategy


• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences


• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking, mentoring, coaching and advocates the importance of knowledge management

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