Case Management Officer (Child Protection) at Search for Common Ground (SFCG)

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from destructive approaches towards cooperative solutions. With more than 600 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 countries across the globe.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Case Management Officer (Child Protection)

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full Time
Reports To: Case Management Coordinator
Direct Reports: Child Protection Community Case Workers

Position Summary

• The Case Management Officer supports the direct implementation of the “Supporting the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Groups, and other vulnerable children, in North East Nigeria” project through ensuring the provision of case management services for children in need of protection, in addition to supervising, mentoring and technical support to Case Management Assistants and Community Case Workers. This will ensure a quality case management response to select beneficiaries to support their well-being and protection.
• The Case Management Officer will work closely with all team members including Case Management Assistants, Community Case Workers, Community Mobilisers, Education Officers, Enterprise Officers, in addition to the Deputy Project Manager and Child Protection Manager.  

About the Project

• In the past decade, states in the North East region of Nigeria have faced frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants leading to widespread displacement, violations of national laws, international humanitarian and human rights laws, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, have suffered the worst impacts as pre-existing problems of access to social protection, education and healthcare increase, new threats emerge, and the systems to protect children fails.
• This project aims to ensure that children verified and separated from CJTF receive a comprehensive child protection package including counselling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration and that their communities understand the importance of their separation and reintegration.
• Search will work closely with the children, their families and communities, and CJTF to address the psychosocial and economic needs of the children and to influence the attitudes of communities and CJTF so they understand the negative impact of associating with armed groups on children and prevent the CJTF from using children. By increasing the resilience of children associated with CJTF and increasing their employability, this project will facilitate lasting reintegration of these children and amplify positive narratives around their role in communities as productive civilian actors and agents for peace.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide on-the-job mentoring and technical assistance to Child protection Community Case Workers. 
• Ensure alignment with Inter-Agency Case Management Guidelines, standardized operating procedures and tools.
• Adherence to key child protection principles including best interests of the child and do no harm. 
• Ensure adherence to child safeguarding and Code of Conduct. Ensure any violations are escalated to the Child Protection Manager in a timely manner.  
• Together with the Child Protection Manager, ensure the establishment and implementation of work plans, setting clear targets and activity plans.
• Ensure suitable allocation of Case Management Assistants and Community Case Workers across the range of target communities to ensure adequate coverage for beneficiary children. 
• Ensure that Case Management Assistants and Community Case Workers follow case management steps ensuring that each step is properly implemented and documented in the individual’s file.
• Undertake periodic case audits to ensure quality interventions and relevant principles applied. 
• Ensure Case Management Assistants and CPIMS Assistant register and regularly update cases in the Case Management Information Management System as well as hard copy files. 
• Support individual cases, when necessary, and provide regular monitoring of all aspects of case management services.
• Support development of Service Mapping and Referral Pathways, instructing Community Case Workers to feed in to it as necessary, to support beneficiaries’ access to services. Share updates with Child Protection Sub-Sector Working Group.
• Represent Search at relevant case management as required. Take adequate minutes and share updates with Child Protection Coordinator/Manager. 
• Conduct weekly supervision meetings with all Community Case Workers, providing technical advice on cases and psychosocial support. Facilitate peer-to-peer support groups where appropriate.
• Monitor timescales for response, decision-making, follow-up and review.
• Review staff caseloads to ensure that they are manageable and share challenges with Child Protection Coordinator/Manager.
• Ensure case information and data is collected systematically and accurately. Maintain accurate records and information management.  
• Ensure implementation of information management protocols, particularly in terms of confidentiality of data (including database). 
• Ensure regular communication with Child Protection Manager on activities’ updates, achievements and challenges via meetings, reports and ad hoc communication upon request and needs. Flag urgent issues when they arise. 
• Manage Case Management Assistants to follow up on administrative and logistical procedures connected with the accomplishment of the planned activities. 
• Ensure proper use of equipment and other material resources available to the project.
• Deliver monthly technical capacity building sessions on all aspects of child protection and case management for Community Case Workers. Provide ongoing mentoring to elevate quality. 
• Perform any other duties as required by the supervisor or Line Managers as may be reasonably requested.
• Share necessary security updates with Security unit in areas of intervention to ensure safety of beneficiaries and team members in ongoing risk assessments.  
• Prepare accurate monthly and make inputs to quarterly and final narrative reports.
• Ensure all cases are entered in the CPIMS+ and are managed appropriately.

Requirements
Education

• University Degree or equivalent in Social Work, Psychology, Law or Sociology

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years case management experience in Child Protection
• Minimum of 3 years in an advisory/ technical role 
• Minimum of 3 years management/ supervisory experience
• Good understanding of Child Protection Minimum Standards and the Inter-Agency Guidelines for Case Management and Child Protection.  
• Experience working with Children Associated with Armed Groups
• Knowledge of types of child abuse and their impact (violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation)
• Familiarity with referral pathways in and around Maiduguri
• Understanding of psycho-social support 
• Experience working in emergency settings
• Experience working in different communities in Borno State
• Experience working with refugees, IDPs, host communities, and other vulnerable populations 
• Experience in Community Based Protection programming 
• Experience using CPIMS (Child Protection Information Management System)
• Excellent analytical and writing skills
• Excellent ability to develop positive helping relationships with children and caregivers. 
• Strong reporting skills capturing case management information.

Other Relevant Requirements:

• Knowledge of risk assessment to ensure changing protection concerns captured.
• Good analytical, problem solving and project planning skills. 
• Community oriented and respect for local culture.
• Good IT skills, particularly with MS Office - Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
• Strong command of both written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of a local language (Hausa, Kanuri) a must.
• Holds self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and standards of behavior.
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism/integrity.
• Provides good administrative and logistical support to team.
• Actively seeks support in addressing difficulties in execution of duties.
• Strategic thinking and effective contribution to own work and organizational development.
• Sound judgments and decision-making in complex situations.
• Strong emotional intelligence including self-awareness.
• Leads by example to motivate high performance of others.
• Strong commitment to continuous learning.

Application Closing Date
7th October, 2021.