Save the Children Child Protection in Emergencies Sub Cluster Coordinator 206 views

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Child Protection sub-cluster coordinator (CPiE SC) is responsible for providing leadership and guidance to the Child Protection Sub Cluster (CPSC) in order to enable child protection (hereafter CP) partners to respond more effectively to the CP needs in Afghanistan.

UNICEF is the agency globally and at country accountable to serve as the lead for the coordination of Child Protection  (as an Area of Responsibility – AoR – within the Protection Cluster) and also serve as the “provider of last Resort”. The role of the coordinator in country under the leadership of UNICEF is to ensure a coherent and effective response to CP needs being addressed by agencies engaging in CP interventions, as required by the Inter-agency  cluster system. The CPiE SC coordinator will work impartially, serving the needs of all members of the CP SC in close collaboration with the UNICEF coordinator, UN OCHA and other country cluster coordinators.  The CP SC is accountable to the Humanitarian Country Team and Humanitarian Coordinators through the lead agency (UNICEF).

The coordinator will lead this initiative by working closely with the CP stakeholders (children, families, communities, authorities, institutions, INGOs and UN agencies) to provide an effective, timely and strategic collective response to the current situation. In Afghanistan, this role will work closely with the regional coordination teams at sub-national level and to work with/supervise dedicated information management and/or response monitoring staff. As UNICEF is the lead for other Clusters (WASH, Nutrition, education) within the country, the postholder will work  closely with other Cluster Coordinators for cluster UNICEF is the lead to ensure synergy and coherent across UNICEF led clusters.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITIES:

•  Provide strategic direction and guidance to the coordination group ensuring all relevant child protection needs are addressed;
•  Establish and maintain an appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanism for the CPIE response, building on and strengthening pre-existing sectoral coordination where possible;
•  Facilitate regular child protection meetings, including drafting agendas and ensuring action items are documented and addressed, encouraging the participation of local organisations
•  Lead Child Protection assessments using the Inter-agency Child Protection Rapid Assessment Toolkit, or guide child protection components of the MIRA. Coordinate and collaborate with other sectors, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a specific analysis of children’s needs.
•  Work with the Protection Cluster/GBV/Gender Cluster/Working Group leads to ensure key child protection concerns are reflected in UN led multi-sectoral assessments, as well as other non-child protection specific sectoral assessments;
•  In collaboration with child protection actors and the Protection Cluster support the development of realistic, evidence based child protection strategies, including those related to the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) through conducting secondary data reviews and, where necessary, assessments identifying the priority child protection needs and capacities;
•  Work closely with the Child Protection Information Management Officer to ensure information systems and products effectively support coordination and to ensure partner engagement.
•  Together with CP partners identify gaps in child protection capacities, ensure no duplication and, based on findings, develop and roll out inter-agency CPiE capacity building activities to address them according to the needs and priorities;
•  With Child Protection actors, develop a response based on needs and gaps and identify benchmarks for the inter-agency child protection response plans, including those related to the HRP and facilitate the development of a monitoring system for the child protection;
•  Represent the Child Protection Sub-Cluster and the Child Protection Working Group within the Protection Cluster, the Protection Working group, the OCHA led inter-cluster coordination mechanisms, the ICCT, and, when possible, within the IASC/UN Country team. 
•  Support the establishment and roll-out of the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and other issue specific child protection standards (i.e. case management, referrals, SOPs, etc.) and work with the Protection Cluster and other sectors to integrate the child protection;
•  Develop advocacy objectives in collaboration with the Protection Cluster to reinforce the CP concerns/gaps in country
•  Advocate with donors and other key stakeholders for the child protection and support resource mobilisation and ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocated for the effective functioning of the cluster and its response including utilising CPiE SC budget in an accountable and transparent manner for which outcomes will align to the work plan on the CPiE SC.

COMPETENCIES FOR THIS ROLE:

1. Competency Title: Delivering results
Competency Summary: Takes personal responsibility and holds others accountable for delivering our ambitious goals for children, continually improving their own performance or that of the team / organisation.
Level required: High

2. Competency Title: Problem solving and decision-making
Competency Summary: Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organisation
Level required: Medium

3. Competency Title: Working effectively with others
Competency Summary: Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working
Level required: High

4. Competency Title: Communicating with impact
Competency Summary: Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust
Level required: High

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
•  Prior experience of working within as an inter-agency coordinator in an emergency response or fragile state.
•  Previous experience of working in large-scale first phase emergency response would be an asset;
•  Education to Masters level in Social Work, Human Rights Law, International Relations, Development Studies or similar, or equivalent field experience.
•  Thorough knowledge of and experience in using the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action together with other established inter-agency standards and guidelines in child protection;
•  Good knowledge of international human rights and humanitarian law, particularly concerning protection of IDPs and refugees and the CRC;
•  Extensive experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to child protection;
•  Demonstrated ability to set up monitoring & evaluation systems in large complex programmes;
•  Experience of senior level representation;
•  Experience of negotiating successful partnerships with institutional donors;
•  Experience of working with and supporting government authorities and national NGOs;
•  Excellent communication skills;
•  Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic level;
•  Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy;
•  A high level of written and spoken English;
•  The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances;
•  Commitment to and understanding of child rights and humanitarian standards such as the Sphere Charter and the Code of Conduct.

Desirable
•  Good working knowledge of the Inter-Agency Child Protection Information Management System
•  Previous experience in conducting inter-agency assessments and situation analyses;
•  Previous experience in Advocacy and in working with the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM)
•  Experience or knowledge of working and living in insecure regions/contexts, particularly conflict context

Application Information
 
Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.

Closing Date for Application: 13 June 2020

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
 
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