Job Opening: Child Protection Officer – Benue at Save The Children

Save the Children is dedicated to investing in the well-being of children every single day, whether it be during times of crisis or for the betterment of our future. Our organization is committed to providing children in the United States and across the globe with a healthy start, access to quality education, and protection from any harm they may face.

By making a difference in the lives of children today, we are able to shape a brighter future for both them and ourselves. We kindly urge you to consider supporting our mission by making a monthly donation. Save the Children is actively working to strengthen healthcare systems and provide support for maternal and child health in four northern states of Nigeria.

There is still much work to be done in order for Nigeria to fulfill its promises regarding the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, which aim to reduce child mortality rates and improve maternal health, before the year 2015. Here are some important facts about Nigeria: it is home to over 173 million people, the average girl’s education typically ends at the age of 9, 123 out of every 1000 children do not live to see their 5th birthday, and the average daily income for a parent is just $4.

Save the Children has been actively involved in Nigeria since 2001, working tirelessly to enhance healthcare systems in the northern region. Our efforts include providing essential maternal, newborn, and child health services, as well as revitalizing routine immunization programs.

Job Type: Full Time
Qualification: BA/BSc/HND
Experience: 3 years
Location: Benue
Job Field: NGO/Non-Profit

Roles of the Child Protection Officer

The selected candidate will assist the education team in enhancing the safety of children, ensuring secure learning environments, and eliminating violence, abuse, and exploitation in schools and learning spaces.

The chosen candidate will empower adolescent refugee girls and boys in the specified states with essential skills and experiences to make informed life decisions, while also advocating for the safety and prevention of violence against children in schools and communities.
The individual will be accountable for delivering high-quality child protection services to the project’s target population (primarily vulnerable children and their families).

Moreover, they will receive training to provide similar protection services to children in various emergency responses by Save the Children globally, and will be involved in sectoral assessments, project planning, and coordination.

Typically, the Child Protection Officer will be tasked with mentoring and building the capacity of youth mentors, community volunteers, and animators in the field.

The role involves collaborating and engaging with relevant Protection stakeholders such as the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ministry of Humanity and Social Welfare, and other pertinent State Ministries.

Additionally, the job holder will work closely with community leaders, religious figures, and community members.

In the event of a major humanitarian crisis, the role holder will be expected to deviate from their normal responsibilities and adjust their working hours accordingly.

Key Areas of Accountability: Child Protection Officer

1. Collaborate with social workers to provide case management services for adolescent boys and girls.

2. Contribute to assessments and provide input for the overall intervention strategy based on feedback received from adolescent boys and girls throughout the program.

3. Adhere strictly to the guiding principles of gender-based violence (GBV) when engaging with adolescent boys and girls and their parents/caregivers.

4. Supervise and empower the community-based child protection system and formally train youth mentors to deliver high-quality life skills sessions through training, daily mentoring, weekly meetings, and regular knowledge and skills assessments.

5. With support from the Child Protection Specialist, develop monthly and quarterly plans, including costed plans, to contribute to an overall thematic program plan. Initiate programming in the following areas as appropriate:

– Support the psychosocial (physical, social, emotional) well-being of children and their families.
– Prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and gender-based violence (GBV) in project communities.
– Prevent and respond to the main risks of children’s exposure to physical harm.
– Prevent and respond to all forms of exploitation, including harmful child labor and child trafficking.
– Support the integration of cases into Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) and psychosocial support (PSS) in schools.

6. Coordinate with Youth Mentors and other relevant technical sectors to ensure a prompt, proportionate, and effective response.

• Collaborate with the Child Protection Specialist to establish selection criteria for adolescent boys and girls to participate in life skills sessions, in partnership with implementing partners and community leaders.
• Engage directly with adolescent boys and girls, as well as parents when necessary, and collaborate with mentors to uphold the quality of the program.
• Integrate Healing and Learning through ART into schools with the assistance of the CP Specialist.
• Oversee project implementation to guarantee the timely execution of project activities, such as monitoring individual performance management work plans.
• Review and prepare monthly reports submitted by Volunteers with the guidance of the Child Protection Specialist.
• Identify project supplies specific to program needs and work with the logistics team to develop a phased procurement plan under the supervision of the CP Specialist.
• Contribute to the development of IEC materials related to the response, coordinate with the GBV team, ensure messages are suitable for the community, and conduct pre-testing before dissemination.
• Collaborate with the M & E plan to establish connections to reporting requirements, utilize the M&E framework to establish an evidence base for child protection programming interventions.
• Establish accountability activities for the project with the support of the MEAL Officer, ensuring that feedback from children and families is taken into account in project design.
• Maintain minimum standards of humanitarian relief in line with the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Settings and the Sphere standard.
• Tailor child-friendly space schedules to meet the physical and mental needs of children based on age group and gender within the school.
• Coordinate monthly meetings with the child protection committee and SBMC.
• Offer necessary psychosocial first aid support to children and adults whenever necessary.
• Regularly supervise volunteers to ensure that activities are conducted in accordance with minimum standard guidelines.
• Consistently maintain a referral pathway for project locations.
  Provide technical support to youth mentors on ASRHR and safe families.
• Maintain a database for all child protection activities and update it on a weekly basis.

Capacity Building:

• Provide capacity building to implementing partners with limited CPiE experience.
• Offer technical support and capacity building to other child protection staff in the absence of a CP Specialist.
• Representation & Advocacy & Organizational Learning:
• Ensure coordination of Save the Children’s work with the efforts of other agencies and the government, and support interagency coordination forums, including the State Child Protection Sub Working Group, advocating for the specific needs of children. This may involve supporting the coordination of working groups and sub-working groups.
• Assist in advocacy activities targeting decision-makers in the country, with support from the CP Specialist and/or other senior program staff.
• Collaborate with the Child Protection team to contribute learning, experiences, and evidence to relevant global advocacy objectives.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required.

Safeguarding:

• Ensure that all child protection activities comply with Save the Children’s safeguarding policies.
• Collaborate with the project safeguarding officer to ensure that all protection activities have a safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation measures in place.

General:

• Adhere to Save the Children’s policies and practices regarding child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities, and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Carry out any other assigned tasks as requested by the Line Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS: Child Protection Officer

1. University Degree or equivalent in Social Work, Social Science, Development Studies or a similar combination of relevant training and experience.
2. At least three years of experience in Protection work and a solid understanding of refugee and/or humanitarian response.
3. Demonstrated ability to supervise a CP project with a comprehensive approach and integrated child protection rights.
4. Fluency in English, Pidgin English, and the local language of the location is advantageous.
5. Proficient in computer skills.

Desirable Criteria: Child Protection Officer

1. High level of personal integrity, commitment, and professional responsibility.
2. Excellent communication skills.
3. Strong leadership skills and ability to work well in a team.
4. Mature personality with life experience, which is an advantage.
5. Capable of being a self-starter and working in challenging contexts and fragile environments.

Method of Application for the role of Child Protection Officer

To apply, please click on the following link: