Child Protection Officer (Katsina) 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 Officer

Requisition ID: req41292
Location: Katsina
Employment Type: Full-Time
Employment Category: Regular
Sector: Child Protection
Open to Expatriates: No

Project Overview

• The BHA (Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance) project, “Integrated Emergency Response to the Displaced Population in Zamfara, Sokoto, And Katsina States, Northwest Nigeria’ depending on fund availability will be carried out by a consortium led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with the Alliance for International Medical Action (Alima), Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), and Life Helpers Initiative (LHI), aims to leverage each partner's expertise to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people populations through area-based approach.
• The Consortium partners will provide an integrated multisectoral intervention in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, and Multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) activities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states in collaboration with state governments, UN organizations and other key actors in Northwest Nigeria.
• The project will be implemented by a dedicated support, quality assurance, and coordination team, who will work closely with all partners through a management unit of well-structured consortium governance for the activity.
• This Job Description is reviewed to capture the current expectation of the CP staff so at to provide him/her with guidance of what is expected of him/her based on the current context and programming.
• This will enable his/her supervisor to hold him/her accountable to his/her responsibility and ensure accountability to our targeted clients, donors, and IRC Nigeria Country Program

Job Overview / Summary

• This position is responsible for coordinating and supervising activities at the sites, training community structures, supporting case workers and CP assistants and monitoring program implementation.
• They will also work closely with the child Protection Information Management System focal point /MEAL Officer (CPIMS) and line manager to ensure quality data collection and management, report writing and budget implementation.

Major Responsibilities

• Provide individual/technical support and supervision to case workers and CP assistants.
• Monitor all CP program implementation at the field level.
• Ensure close coordination with implementing partners and relevant government agencies.
• Ensure regular communication with the line manager for updates on achievements and challenges.
• Coordinate with other IRC sectors staff (e.g. WPE, Protection, Health and Livelihoods) at field level to ensure an integrated approach to service delivery
• Work closely with the Community Based Protection Committees (CBPCs) and supervise their weekly/monthly meetings and activities.
• Lead all quarterly safety audits/mappings and child protection monitoring.
• Provide input for weekly and staff activity reports.
• Work with the CPIMS team to produce verified data for reporting.
• Effectively communicate with other Consortium CP team members, government social workers and service
• providers to ensure beneficiaries are linked to required services.
• Regularly organize internal team meetings.
• Regularly organize and attend case management meetings at field level.
• Work closely with the line manager to develop monthly, and program technical working group quarterly reports and midterm/end of project narrative report.

Other Duties:

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to the line manager, and when liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Logistics, Finance, and Reporting:

• Ensure activities are facilitated in accordance with IRC logistics policy and in a timely manner to ensure the successful implementation of programs.
• Ensure all relevant financial documentation is completed accurately as required by IRC finance policy.
• Prepare and submit required reports in a timely manner and incorporate manager feedback.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Manager
• Position directly supervises: Child protection assistants.
• Indirect Reporting: Consortium Management Team, Child protection Coordinator, Child Protection sub sector lead (program technical working Group)
• Other Internal and/or external contacts:
• Internal: BHA Consortium sectors External: Child Protection sub sector (CPSS), Protection sector working group (PSWG) 

Qualifications

• A minimum qualification of a Degree or HND in Social Works, Psychology, Education, and any of the other Social Sciences.
• At least four (4) years experience in implementing child protection programs in humanitarian or development settings.
• Demonstrated understanding of working with children and particularly vulnerable children.
• Experience in supporting the delivery of psychosocial activities, emergency response, child protection case management including family tracing and reunification, and setting up child safeguarding mechanisms.
• Demonstrated understanding of coaching and supervision/team management.
• Personal qualities: Team player, flexible, network-builder, time management and ability to handle pressure well.
• Fluency in English required and in Hausa preferred.

Standards for Professional Conduct:

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.
• These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Working Environment: 

• Security level orange. The situation in Katsina is calm now but remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include criminality.
• There is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.