Emergency Specialist job opportunity at Plan International

Job Title: Child Protection in Emergency Specialist

Founded 75 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest child centered development organizations in the world. We work in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty. Plan’s vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity. Plan is independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations.

Job Summary: The Child Protection in Emergency Specialist will be responsible for assessment, response analysis, design and implementation of the child protection components of Plan’s emergency response. S/he will co-ordinate with other Emergency Response team members and Plan staff to ensure a rapid, proportionate and effective response. The specialist is expected to play an active role in technical co-ordination, support and advocacy with the country specific child protection Clusters and other stakeholders and relevant technical agencies.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Assessment:
Program Design:
Response Management and Implementation:
Response Reporting & Evaluation:
Information and Co-ordination:
Human Resources and Administration: Coordinate and/or implement training and briefing of Plan staff, partners, and other key stakeholders on child protection and/or related issues.

Offer sectoral leadership and expertise in the assessment.
Carry out initial rapid assessment of current situation in collaboration with local specialists and affected population; determine priorities and immediate activities and resources
Intuitively review, assess and update the child protection situation in areas affected by emergency.
Highlight protection issues requiring a response both immediate (less than 2 months) and medium term and make recommendations on specific Plan actions required. Ensure core commitments to children are taken into consideration.
Represent Plan to child and other protection clusters, stakeholders and Governmental and non-Governmental agencies for the purposes of the protection aspects of the assessment.
Assess in-country resources, human, material and financial for response with relevant staff and agencies and assist in capacity building of national staff.
Identify potential partnerships to implement recommendations, assess potential partners where available or make recommendations on how to fill gaps.

Define aims and objectives of the overall child protection program.
Works in liaison with national and international Child Protection Actors, map current institutional response capacities including conducting a child protection specific 3Ws.
In collaboration with Child Protection Actors, develop a realistic evidence-based, Child
Protection program plan, including both programmatic and advocacy activities (results
oriented).
Design most appropriate child protection interventions based on the outcomes of assessments and the context.
Ensure that issues of gender, education, DRR, and conflict sensitivity are factored into the program design.
Ensure Plan’s guidelines and UN Child protection cluster standards are considered and any departures documented.
Work in close collaboration with other program specialists to ensure that emergency interventions build upon each other and link in to longer term programming.
Develop a child protection Program Plan, concept papers, and proposals in respect of the above.

Work in liaison with the relevant implementation manager(s) to ensure that the implementation of relevant activities are planned and implemented in a phased and prioritised manner in full consultation and co-ordination with all relevant agencies both governmental and non-governmental.
Offer technical guidance and direction to Plan for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of agreed child protection plans including the psychosocial recovery (care) and assistance (legal and social) to vulnerable children and their families.
Make frequent field visits to all affected response areas to monitor implementation of activities, identify opportunities and constraints and any adjustments needed including additional staffing or staff training or other.
Design and develop appropriate surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems for child protection interventions.
Support the Monitoring and reporting of child protection concerns and violations of child rights commitments embodied in the UNCRC, resolution 1612 and other legal instruments.
Ensure early and rigorous implementation of quality and accountability mechanisms.

Evaluate the implementation of Plan child protection activities and draft recommendations for improved program design
Draft child protection interventions reports to serve as standalone deliverables or to be included in larger emergency response reports for both donor and internal purposes.

Offer regular updates to Emergency Response Manager and emergency team on progress, priorities and constraints, verbally and in writing on an agreed frequency.
Engage and follow up with relevant implementation manager(s)
Represent Plan to governmental and non-governmental groups as needed and agreed with the Team Leader.
Support the implementation of, and represent Plan in, child protection coordination mechanisms including any relevant cluster.
Provide brief regular updates and reports on sectoral activities/strategies to donors and other stakeholders.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The candidate should preferably hold a University degree in Law, International Law, political Sciences or related field with good knowledge of International Refugee, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
The candidate should have a minimum of five years (of which at least 3 in the field) of progressively responsible professional experience in child protection, humanitarian affairs, human rights, and related fields
Good working knowledge and understanding of DO NO HARM principles and established international child protection standards (especially UNCRC)
Past exposure and experience with participatory approaches to protection, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, or other related area. Experience in the country of potential assignment is an asset.

How to Apply for the job:

All suitably qualified candidates should submit electronic copies (of not more than 2MB) of letters of application, together with a CV. Contact telephone numbers, copies of relevant certificates, names and contact details of three references plus salary history should be included and sent to:.

Country Human Resources Manager

Plan Uganda

Email to: uganda.recruitment@plan-international.org

Deadline: 21^st November, 2014

NB: Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only Short-listed candidates will be contacted. Please consider your application unsuccessful in case you do not hear from us by 30^th December, 2014. Only soft copies of application will be considered.