Reporting to:

Program Development and Quality Director

Work location:

Port Moresby

Department:

Program Operations

Budget holder:

No

Grade

G5/6

Direct reports:

N/A

Child Protection and Safeguarding Advisor

The Child Protection and Safeguarding Advisor is responsible for the overall design and quality implementation of SCiPNG’s child protection development and humanitarian programming, and for ensuring children are safeguarded across SCiPNG’s programmes and operations.

The position is responsible for program design, program quality and evidence, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, and external coordination and representation related to SCiPNG’s child protection and child protection work. It is also responsible for child safeguarding compliance, risk monitoring and incident management.

The position reports directly to the Program Development and Quality (PDQ) Director with technical support from the Regional Child Protection Technical Advisor. She/he will also work closely with the Program Operations Director and Country Director to minimise child safeguarding risks and support a survivor-centred response to child safeguarding incidents as they arise.

Key Responsibilities

Program Development, Design, and Strategy

• With support and guidance of the PDQ Director, actively contribute to proposal writing and business development efforts in line with the PNG Country Strategic Plan.
• Working closely with the PDQ Director, the MEAL team, and the Regional Child Protection Technical Advisor, design assessments and data collection exercises to determine child protection needs and inform program development.
• Coordinate with the PDQ Director and Program Operations Director to strengthen the integration of child protection into other programs and to support the overall growth of the child protection development and humanitarian portfolio.
• Work with the PDQ Director and the Regional Child Protection Technical Advisor to align SCiPNG’s child protection programming to SCA’s Pacific Regional Child Protection Strategy.
• Work with the Advocacy and Partnership Manager to identify areas for advocacy, particularly related to child protection, child rights and child participation, and support the implementation of advocacy initiatives in these areas as required.

Program Quality and Evidence-Based Programming

• Provide technical supervision, support and guidance to SCiPNG’s child protection development and humanitarian programming in accordance with the Save the Children’s technical guidelines and global best practices and standards.
• Validate the key stages and the methodologies of child protection projects (detailed implementation plans, surveys and assessments, studies, technical approaches, internal and external evaluations).
• Ensure technical guiding documents or tools are in place to support high quality programming.
• Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions, and implement modifications as required.
• Support the MEAL team with the development of appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems for child protection programming, analysing results to enhance program effectiveness and quality.
• Ensure best practice case studies and lessons learned documents are produced working with the MEAL and project teams.
• Draft, contribute to, and review donor and internal reports for child protection programming, ensuring sufficient quality and feedback are provided.
• Actively contribute to the Regional Child Protection Community of Practice by sharing knowledge, learnings and thoughtful feedback on regional technical initiatives to advance quality and evidence-based programming and advocacy work across the Pacific region.

External Representation and Coordination

• Work closely with the PDQ Director and Advocacy and Partnerships Manager to develop, maintain, and/or initiate partnerships to support SCPNG’s child protection programming.
• Represent SCiPNG at child protection-related coordination meetings at the national level, including inter-agency groups and coalitions, ensuring proper dissemination of information to the PDQ Director and implementation teams. This includes the pro-active presentation of SCiPNG’s work and raising of key advocacy points and sector level needs and challenges
• Maintain and further advance SCiPNG’s position as a recognised and influential child protection actor in the country.
• Work with the Advocacy and Partnership Manager and Communications Coordinator to identify advocacy opportunities and develop advocacy and communication products related to child protection.
• Participate in donor meetings as requested, including donor field visits.

Staff Development and Capability Strengthening

• Assess and build the capabilities of the child protection project teams through mentoring, coaching and implementation of capability building plans as required to ensure effective and timely implementation of child protection-focused programming.
• Develop training programs/resources and conduct training to implementation teams and partners on key technical interventions and prevention curriculums including Save the Children common approaches such as Safe Families and child protection in Safe Schools.

Safeguarding

• Identify and act to mitigate key safeguarding risks in our programs, focusing on high-risk groups such as children with a disability or adolescent girls.
• Respond in real-time to safeguarding incidents in an effective, robust and survivor-centred way and in line with organisational standards and requirements.
• Coordinate with the Country Director and Program Operation Director to deliver Safeguarding training to all staff, facilitators, and partners; develop child safeguarding risks assessments and mitigation strategies.
• Build collaborative working relationships with the Save the Children Australia Safeguarding Team.
• Maintain and promote a child safe environment at the workplace and safeguard children’s rights, acting in the best interests of children at all times.
• Comply with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct and safeguarding and protection policies and standards.
• Demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour towards children in both your private and professional life.
• Avoid abusing the position of trust that comes with being a part of Save the Children.
• Maintain a safe and positive relationship at all times when working with children and young people.
• Respond to any concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child in a program in accordance with internal reporting processes

General

• Fulfill other management duties (e.g., Extended Senior Management Team member) as required.
• Be a role model for safety and security and comply with all workplace safety policies, procedures, work instructions and training, including all reporting requirements and processes.
• Participate in, and contribute to, health and safety awareness and improvements.
• Be aware of, document and manage the risks associated with the program activities, operations and workplaces, ensuring appropriate elimination or mitigation measures are applied.
• Any other relevant duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Health, Safety, Security and Risk Management

• Be a role model for safety and security and comply with all workplace safety policy, procedure, work instructions and training. Act safely at all times, including complying with all safety instructions and training given at the workplace.
• Report all incidents, injuries and potential hazards in a timely manner.
• Participate in, and contribute to, health and safety awareness and improvements.
• Lead and promote a culture of strong governance promoting employee health, safety and security and operational risk management.
• Ensure safety and security of staff and equipment during implementation of advocacy and communication activities.
• Be aware of, and consider, the risks associated with one’s daily work and apply appropriate mitigation measures in line with Save the Children’s policies and procedures.

Person Specifications

Mandatory Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in social work, psychology, law, international development, social sciences or related field. Post-graduate degree preferrable.
• Minimum five (5) years' experience in child protection programming within development and humanitarian sector – eight (8) years is an advantage. Experience in a similar role considered an added advantage.
• Good understanding of child protection and safeguarding international principles and standards and the application of these within child protection prevention and response programming.
• Demonstrated experience in program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience in program development and proposal writing with a good understanding of donor requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building, and planning and facilitating training associated with child protection standards, case management and other technical areas.
• Demonstrated experience working with children and implementing effective, child friendly, gender sensitive and inclusive protection programming.
• Experience in effectively dealing with international and national partner agencies, government officials, and other NGOs; ability to work with a broad spectrum of people.

Desirable Knowledge and Experience

• Proven experience with child protection systems, social work with children and families, case management, positive parenting, and/or community-based protection structures.
• Experience in strategy development and planning, including logframe and theory of change development.

Skills/Abilities

• Strong writing and analytical skills.
• Strong relationship building, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Attention to detail and quality.
• Ability to work on own initiative to build on and develop the job, combined with the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Willingness and ability to travel to regional areas of PNG.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Tok Pisin

Kindly note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.