ROLE PURPOSE:

The Child Protection Advisor is responsible for leading Save the Children (SC) Ethiopia’s child protection (CP) Programs, both in humanitarian and development contexts, working closely with other thematic advisors and relevant units. That include designing multi-year CP strategies; designing and building CP programs and securing the grants; and producing and utilizing high quality and well-articulated project evidence and research work for learning, for advocacy and for the continued development of the CP program portfolio.  The Advisor is also responsible for developing strong external relations with donors, government and strategic partners; and represent Save the Children Ethiopia Country office by taking active part in relevant global and national CP networks, and relevant meetings and forums in Ethiopia.  This will include building a strong professional network on behalf of the organization at national and regional/local level. The Specialist is also responsible to ensuring quality implementation of CP programs working closely with program Implementation teams; and ensure the mainstreaming of CP into other thematic sector programs, both in humanitarian and development contexts.

SCOPE OF ROLE

Reports to: Thematic Director of Child Protection and Migration

Staff directly reporting to this post: no direct reports but expected to provide coaching and mentoring support to program implementation team and local partners

Budget Responsibilities: None

Dimensions:  The role is expected to foster relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including Save the Children members, the Country Office Programme Development, Quality and Impact, and programme implementation team, advocacy colleagues, Regional Advisors, technical counterparts in other organisation, donors, academia etc. The role is also expected to engage with internal technical working groups and communities of practice.

Context: Humanitarian and development

Scope: The role be based at the country office and will demand frequent travels to the field.  Save the Children works in all 8 regions in Ethiopia, and Addis Ababa and Diredawa City Administrations.  We work in humanitarian and development contexts to meet needs of children, and in the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to travel to the field and vary working hours accordingly.

Primary Technical area: Child Protection

Primary Sub technical area: Child Protection Systems (including for protection of children in migration and displacement)

Secondary Sub technical areas:  Prevention and Response to Violence against children

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

The key areas of accountability apply to the Save the Children’s work in emergencies and in development settings.

Strategic Programme Development

• Provide overall technical leadership for the Child Protection (CP) strategy development and quality implementation of the CP programme and its individual projects; and jointly plan and implement advocacy/policy engagement activities. This includes leading the development of strategic plans and the portfolio of projects, research and initiatives required for achievement of strategic objectives and outcomes.
• Lead the annual operational planning, and regular internal programme planning and review meetings for the CP, as well as related inputs to quarterly and annual reports.
• Document and communicate programme achievements against agreed strategic objectives and milestones for a wide range of internal and external audiences. Ensure the key strategic documents related to CP are understood and internalised by those who are either contributing to the evidence base or responsible for representation of organisational objectives at district, regional or national level.
• Identify technical support requirements, inclusive of field visits, as and when necessary, and ensure adequate support is provided and recommendations are followed up.
• Serve as focal point for CP program of the country office, for coordination with relevant stakeholders including clusters and national taskforces; regular liaison and communication with relevant staff at the Regional Office, Save the Children members; and the Child Protection Global Initiative.

Strategic Fundraising

• Technically lead strategic fundraising to support resourcing the CP Strategic Plan and related Advocacy Plan.  This includes funding for projects, research and advocacy to support policy change objectives.
•  Build on technical knowledge, research and current/previous programming to lead development of proposals for new programme initiatives and institutional learning in close coordination with the relevant staff.  This includes conducting/overseeing situational analyses, concept note development, and opportunity identification, and technically engage in proposal development for funding working closely with program development unit.
• Actively contributing to enlarge the existing network of partners/donors agencies and to gather relevant information about their ongoing initiatives and future programming.
• Through external contact with relevant counterparts in donor/research agencies, identify new potential funding sources and share with the program development unit.
• Contributing to the development of programs material, brief papers and info notes with a view to attract donor’s interest for Save the Children activities;
• Supporting the line manager and technical leaders to effectively liaise with Account focal points for the development of a joint programming and monitoring the process of engagement with Donors.
• Develop and maintain contacts with relevant staff of current and potential donors, partners and key technical agencies, in coordination with the line manager, other technical leaders, and the PDQ Director.
• Ensure that each proposal and annual implementation plan contains a (funded) research and policy dimension to it that directly feeds into the agreed Thematic Advocacy Plan and lead the implementation of research necessary for evidence based advocacy.
•  As necessary, accompany and facilitate donor visits and provide relevant background materials in collaboration with the program implementation team.

Policy Analysis, Policy Engagement and Advocacy for Policy Change

• Substantial knowledge of CP related national policies, strategies and other initiatives by government and other key stakeholders affecting children.
• Excellent working knowledge of government, public policy making and implementation to engage impactfully with policy makers, decision makers and opinion formers on CP related issues that can change the lives of children and young people affected by or at risk of protection concerns.
• Provide technical support to the development, implementation and evaluation of Save the Children’s evidence-based advocacy strategies related to CP to ensure that the voices of children guide advocacy and policy changes and related activities.
• Develop policy papers and advocacy asks (or related material) based on research evidence, technical learning from projects, policy gaps’ analysis, and the development of good practices.
• Develop and strengthen strategic relations, bilaterally and in network, with key influencing stakeholders in the sector, particularly government departments, UN agencies and private and institutional donors in country.
• Identify key influencing moments and Engage in CP related technical discussions and represent the Organization in technical meetings and roundtables to ensure that children’s specific needs and vulnerabilities are included.
• Planning for the development and/or roll out of the policy and related action plans.

CP Technical Advisory Support and Programme Quality

• Work closely with colleagues in Programme Operations and with MEAL, and identify and provide technical support to ensure quality implementation of CP projects.  This requires joint operational planning with the field team, regular periodic supportive field visits to project sites to monitor progress of project implementation and understand what works well and the gaps, monitor quality, provide support as needed, and also capture lessons for use in new project development.
• Working closely with MEAL unit, provide guidance, advice and support to program managers to actively engage them in conducting assessments (both quantitative and qualitative), reviews and evaluations; as well as while conducting workshops or trainings as necessary.
• Support the development and implementation of capacity building activities for staff involved in CP projects across the organization based on needs assessment.
• Coordinate and review quality periodic reports of CP projects, including reports to donors, working closely with the field team.
• Strengthen linkage and integration of CP programming with relevant thematic interventions, works of local partners and relevant government agencies
• In cooperation with PDQ Learning and Knowledge Management, ensure proper documentation of experiences and lessons learned in CP projects under supervision.  Work with MEAL unit to technically contribute to the development of an M&E framework for the overall CP programme that monitors the impact of projects and progress towards strategic operational and advocacy objectives
• Develop and lead a CP community of practice for the country office, engaging different thematic sector focal points and program implementation staff, and that will serve as a platform for learning and institutional capacity on CP programming.

External representation

• Participate in relevant Save the Children’s regional and global CP working groups and learning initiative
• Represent SC at all relevant technical external task forces, working groups, seminars or other meetings / forums which have been identified and approved by line manager and the PDQ Director, and use these meetings to negotiate strategic, and advocacy positions.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds him/herself accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

•  Honest, encourages openness and transparency

MINIMUM QUALFICATION, EXPEREINCE, COMPETENCIES

QUALIFICATION

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant Social Science field, Master’s degree preferred
• Technical expertise in CP programming in both in emergency and development contexts

EXPEREINCE

• 8 years of relevant progressive experience in an international NGO or similar environment.
• Experience in designing CP related strategies and proposals.
• Significant experience in providing expert advice for effective implementation of projects
• Experience in working with government counterparts and other partners at various levels – federal to district.  This includes technical support, capacity-building and coordination.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITY

• Excellent understanding of CP issues in Ethiopia at both field and policy levels.
• Practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities in realizing children’s rights in Ethiopia, in relation to thematic area.
• Strong data collection, analysis and communication material/proposal/report writing skills.
• Strong analysis of CP related data and ability to summarize and communicate this to a range of audiences.
• Proven advocacy and representation skills
• Ability to develop strong professional relationships and collaborations externally with stakeholders, and internally across functions, projects, and teams
• Understanding and experience in monitoring and evaluation
• Good presentation, training and facilitation skills
• Proven conceptual skills and an ability to think and plan strategically
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to train and mentor staff
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, fast-paced, matrixed, and multi-cultural environment
• Proven ability to manage a complex and demanding workload
• Strong organizational skills
• Experience with major donors such as USAID, the US Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration, UNHCR, SIDA, DFID, and the EU.
• Willingness to travel to remote field locations including refugee camps
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches
• Good spoken and written English, fluency in Amharic

Scope & complexity of decision making

Able to make decisions within a range of established alternatives

PERCENTAGE OF TRAVEL (Out of duty station if applicable).

• Estimated 50% travel to the field including some difficult locations such as refugee camps