Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, February 04 2025, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is a child-focused organization and an affiliate of SOS Children Villages International. It is non-governmental, non-political, non-denominational, and non-racial. Its overall mission is to build families for children in need, help them shape their own futures, and share in the development of their communities. To realize the mission of the organization, SOS Children’s Villages is recruiting for the underlisted position.
SOS Children’s Villages holds strict child and youth safeguarding principles and has a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Recruitment decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates’ value congruence and thorough background checks and police clearance reference check processes.

Role Objective
This position reports to the Family Strengthening (FS) Coordinator and works closely with the Location Program team. The Project Officer – Child Protection and Gender is responsible for the timely and quality implementation of the Child protection interventions within the Family Strengthening programme. He/she works closely with Government structures at different levels and community-based organisations to improve the wellbeing of children and youth so as to eliminate their vulnerability to violence and rights abuses. This role requires the staff to have good communication abilities, networking and collaboration abilities, training abilities for communities, especially children. Core to the role are skills to raise awareness for prevention and response to child rights violations and the ability to link affected children to services in time and documentation of emerging issues in child protection. He/she is mandated to facilitate capacity development of community structures and child protection committees.

Key Competencies
Planning and Coordination
• Ability to coordinate activities and required resources to support the successful execution of programme activities, working well with technical and operational staff.
• Ability to scan local environment, determine key success factors, and bring relevant players on board.
• Ability to coordinate with other industry players and initiate dialogue for collaboration where deemed feasible.
• Ability to work with Program Coordinators/Project Manager to define and implement programme activities.
Compliance and Audit
• Adhere to all internal procurement processes and procedures.
• Develop and maintain budgets, provide monthly forecasts on spending and projected budget needs.
• Ensure relevant programme documentation is in place to support activities as per internal audit procedures.
• Ensure follow-up with partners and other stakeholders to agreed deliverables and program parameters.
Writing and Editing
• Ability to communicate ideas well and secure approvals through project concepts.
• Ability to capture succinctly the relevance of selected programme activities to strategic objectives through project plans and other internal approval documents.
• Periodically support reporting to donors’ progress on activities pursued as indicated in the approved annual work plans.
• Documentation of activities leading to success for purposes of organisational learning.
• Excellent English writer with attention to detail.
Compliance
• Ability to follow SOS Children’s Villages implementing procedures and overall compliance.
• Understands and applies the principles of safeguarding, evaluation and selection, legal frameworks, deliverables, timeframes, payment and closing out.
Contract Management
• Initiation of processes and collating of relevant information for contracting of external consultants, companies, partnership agreements as required.
• Ability to coordinate with and provide timely information to staff members involved in contract drafting, preparations, and contract signing, follow-up, and closure.
• Ensure that partners follow contract stipulations, deliverables, and timely reporting.
Administration
• Thoroughness in implementing procedures and documentation processes as per SOS Children policy.

Qualifications and Personal Attributes
• Degree in Gender Studies, Law, Developmental Studies, Community Development, or any related Social Science.
• At least 2-5 years of relevant technical experience in implementing Community development and OVC support programmes.
• Sound understanding of child rights, child development, family and community development, rights-based programming, and management of Community-Based Orphans.
• Understanding and ability to apply community development participatory methodologies.
• Possession of a driving license will be an added advantage.
• Ability to work in a team.
• Respect for different cultures and religions.
• Knowledge and experience of donor funding guidelines.
• Demonstrated Project Management experience and successful implementation achievements.
• Excellent knowledge of relevant MS Office packages necessary for day-to-day works.
• Good numeracy and attention to detail with an ability to work within tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work effectively with dynamic and diverse staff and management across all levels, both internally and externally.
• Ability to think creatively and independently.

Key Responsibilities
Programme Planning and Implementation
• Actively participate in planning and budgeting processes for Child Protection (CP) interventions in the Family Strengthening Program.
• Gather, analyse and document community perspectives and needs on different Child Protection issues to inform Child Protection programming.
• Guide and support the identification and assessment of programme participants.
• Participate in the process of reviewing and recommending program participants onto the Family Strengthening Program.
• Facilitate the community child protection situational analysis.
• Support the community in development of child protection empowerment plan.
• Facilitate the identification of opportunities and mobilization of local resources for the action plan to meet the child protection needs of each household and community.
• Support the preparation of the Family Development Plans.
• Facilitate the strengthening and development of Community Child Protection Committees (CCPC) to spearhead the implementation of the child protection action.
• Identify local CP partners (formal and informal), support and facilitate them in the implementation of planned activities.
• Build capacity of the Community Child Protection Committees.
• Facilitate the formation of family support groups and ensure they function effectively.
• Build capacity in Child Protection of various internal and external stakeholders i.e. Staff, community volunteers and members.
• Facilitate active participation of children in Family Strengthening activities and processes.
• Facilitate and support the timely implementation of approved annual plans and budgets.
• Mobilize and facilitate the engagement of stakeholders during planning and development meetings, workshops, and other forums.
• Facilitate timely and quality implementation of Child Protection interventions in accordance with the Child Protection guidance, approved models, and approaches.
• Facilitate the development of plans for emergency preparedness against potential disasters.
• Promote gender mainstreaming in all programme processes.
Facilitates Children’s Access to Essential Services The Child Protection Officer shall ensure families access essential services required to fulfil their children’s rights and development needs. The Child Protection Officer shall therefore:
• Organise and facilitate the training of children in child rights.
• Facilitate and monitor children’s access to education, health care, and nutrition.
• Facilitate and monitor children’s access to vital registration, including birth certificates, and national identification.
• Ensure necessary attention is given to children of concern through the provision of case management, referral services, material, and other psychosocial supports.
Capacity Building The Child Protection Officer shall ensure that children, caregivers, and members of community Child Protection structures and community-based partners are aware and have the capacity to engage on Child Protection matters with the aim of preventing and responding effectively to all forms of child abuse. The Protection Officer will therefore:
• Build the capacity of children, families, and community structures and partners to collectively engage local leaders on identified Child Protection issues.
• Routinely coach and mentor the community Child Protection structures, community-based partners, and other actors including but not limited to faith and cultural institutions, teachers, etc., on Child Protection matters.
• Liaise with community-based and other Child Protection actors and provide the relevant materials for the betterment of their work.
• Together with community-based partners staff, train the children’s committees and groups in advocating for their wellbeing.
• Build the capacity of children, families, and community to collectively engage local leaders on identified issues.
• Facilitate growth of strong grassroots movements on specific advocacy issues to end violence against children including child sacrifice, early child marriages, and other vices that are harmful to children.
• Facilitate and train Fund Development Programme Coordinator to effectively lead on the Family Development Planning Process.
• Organise families/caregivers to access training on child rights and other paralegal services.
• Organise and facilitate the training of Community-Based Partners in child rights planning.
• Build capacity of stakeholders in prevention, awareness raising, reporting, and responding to child abuse incidents.
Community Engagement In liaison with the community-based partner (CBP), the Child Protection Officer shall engage communities including children, caregivers, political, cultural, and religious leaders, among others. Specifically, he/she will:
• Mobilize communities to participate in project planning, development, implementation, and monitoring.
• Mobilize government institutions and technical staff in the planning and implementation of Child Protection interventions and plans.
• Innovatively support communities and families to participate and benefit from the Child Protection interventions.
• Mobilize grassroots organizations, community structures, and other civil society organizations to end violence against children.
• Mobilize and sensitize families, community leaders, and other community members on Child Protection program issues and facilitate participation in the management of various community Child Protection initiatives.
• Follow up on commitments by duty bearers and other Child Protection actors on the promotion of protection of all children as well as their general wellbeing.
• Mobilize communities to participate in the relevant child days and celebrations such as the Day of the African Child, Day of the Girl Child, and 16 days of activism against Gender-based violence, among others.
• Participate and represent SOS Children villages in the Child Protection sector review meetings and other forums relevant to Child protection.

Networking and Partnerships In networking and collaborating with different actors, the Child Protection Officer will:
• Facilitate stakeholder analysis within the programme, maintaining and updating stakeholders’ profiles.
• Facilitate networking with local government institutions and other partners within the programme area in planning and implementation of Child Protection interventions.
• Identify and nurture local partnerships with grassroots civil society organizations, faith institutions, and local government in a bid to address Child Protection matters.
• Coordinate with local government and other partners and engage with relevant stakeholders and local authorities in building relationships and consensus on Child Protection interventions.
• Support functional sustainability of community-based networks on Orphans and Vulnerable Children support and other relevant development initiatives to protect children from child violations and abuses.
• Identify opportunities for Orphans and Vulnerable Children supportive partnerships within the programme area.
• Support local government in the formulation and implementation of ordinances and bye-laws on Child Protection issues.
• Organize dialogue engagements between partners, local government, and children.
• Organize learning forums involving local government, CSOs, FBOs, NGOs, and other relevant technical personnel.
• Represent SOS Children Villages at stakeholder engagements in the district and be a regular advocate on issues of Child Protection.
• Support multi-sectoral, inter-agency networking and coordination in establishing Child protection prevention, response, and service provision mechanisms/referral pathways.

Child Protection, Wellbeing, Advocacy, and Safeguarding Responsibility The Child Protection Officer is responsible for ensuring children are protected from all forms of abuse. The Protection Officer shall therefore:
• Raise awareness of the principles of the SOS Child Protection Policy to all coworkers, stakeholders, and SOS CV programme participants.
• Monitor the wellbeing and child abuse cases and report any incidents in line with child protection policy and guidelines.
• Work with local leaders and Child Protection structures to protect children from child violations and abuses.
• Prevent and mitigate all possible risks in the area of Child protection.
• Report immediately on any issue related to child abuse/violence/neglect/mistreatment involving SOS personnel.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality while handling Child protection concerns.

Monitoring and Evaluation In liaison with the monitoring and evaluation team, the Child Protection Officer shall:
• Facilitate participatory monitoring and evaluation of the programme interventions.
• Facilitate regular data collection through appropriate monitoring tools on programme interventions.
• Organize and facilitate regular project reviews and case conferencing with child protection committees and other service providers on Family Strengthening Programme.
• In liaison with the community-based partner, carry out regular home visits to families on the programme and write home visit reports.
• Carry out regular visits to Community-Based Partners, family support groups, and other partners in the respective community for timely and relevant programme support.
• Facilitate sharing of best practices amongst family groups, Community Based Partners, and other partners.
Reporting, Resource Management, and Documentation The Child Protection Officer shall prepare and submit timely progress reports to the Family Strengthening Manager/ Coordinator on Child Protection interventions. He/she shall therefore:
• Document family and child success stories on Child Protection programme interventions.
• Support community development structures to document programme Child Protection processes.
• Keep, maintain, and update the database and files of families on the programme in a timely manner.
• Support the collection and documentation of impact and success Child Protection stories.
• Comply and adhere to SOS policies and guidelines.


Education Requirement: No Requirements

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months:

Level of Education:

Job application procedure
Interested in applying for this job? Click here to submit your application now.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 7 February 2025.
You can email your application letter and CV only to jobs@sos-zambia.org.
Please DO NOT email academic and professional certificates as they will only be required during the interviews for applicants who are responded to.
SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is an equal opportunity employer.

All Jobs

QUICK ALERT SUBSCRIPTION