Child Protection Assistant at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Child Protection Assistant

Requisition ID: req22477
Location: Bama, Adamawa 
Sector: Child Protection
Employment Category: Regular
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: No

Job Overview / Summary

• Adolescent girls and boys are gravely underserved in humanitarian emergencies, particularly during the acute phase of the response.
• They are often inserted into programming designed for younger children or into adult programming, where their age-specific needs are not understood or met. The Child Protection Assistants will act as focal points for adolescent girls (younger) and boys (younger and older), their caregivers and within Child Protection programming in all the field sites under the SAFE program.
• They will also be responsible for the supervision and close monitoring of Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Safe Healing and Learning Spaces (SHLS) activities.

Major Responsibilities

• Technical Quality
• Provide support for adolescents and their families and link them to specialized services where needed.
• Provide support for SEL and SHLS activities.
• Work with Child Protection Community Based Structures (CBCPCs), community leaders, caregivers/parents to promote child protection in homes and in the community.
• Ensure regular communication with the CP Officer and manager for updates on achievements and challenges

Program Development:

• Contribute to the development of proposal activities in relation to case management.
• Identify Child Protection trends that need to be addressed through child Protection programming.
• Coordinate with other IRC sectors staff (e.g. WPE, Protection, Health and Livelihoods) at field level and ensure child protection mainstreaming.

Other:

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Ensure all CP facilities and properties on the field are taken care of and report any damage or threat on the property.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs

Professional Standards:

• All IRC staff is required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.
• Uphold the IRC Child Safeguarding Policy and ensure the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the workplace and communities of intervention.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: CP Officer
• Position directly supervises:  SHLS Facilitators
• Indirect Reporting: Nil

Qualifications / Job Requirements

• The requirements should establish a baseline (minimum) for educational background, previous work experience, professional knowledge or certification, specific skills and strengths and any other skill necessary to perform the essential functions of the job. 

Education:

• Technical Diploma or Degree in Social Work, Human Rights or a related degree preferred.

Work Experience:

• At least two years experience working to support children, adolescent girls and boys, women or parents and caregivers

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Experience with facilitation of group work with relevant populations
• A high level of motivation to assist adolescent girls and boys affected by humanitarian crisis
• A learning attitude and willingness to increase skills and knowledge in the protection of adolescent girls and boys
• Experience as an active participant of social groups, with an understanding of group dynamics and processes.
• Capacity building, facilitation, or training experience.

Language Skills:  

• Fluency in English, Hausa and/or (other languages) preferred or required

Certificates or Licenses:

• Nil

Working Environment:

• Bama is relatively safe. Access to basic social amenities and infrastructures are available. Frequent travel and relocation can be a requirement for this position.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.