Child Protection Officer

Position Description:

Heshima Kenya is an international nongovernmental organization based in Nairobi, Kenya dedicated to identifying, protecting refugee children and empowering unaccompanied and separated refugee children and youth, especially adolescent girls, through our specialized shelter, education and advocacy programs. We are seeking qualified candidates for the position of Child Protection Officer to serve as project manager for Heshima Kenya’s implementing partnership with UNHCR. The Child Protection Officer will be able to begin immediately and is responsible for supervision of eight staff, as well as the overall coordination, planning, and monitoring and evaluation of the project partnership. The position reports directly to the Senior Program Manager and is based full-time in Nairobi.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management & Reporting

1. Responsible for the overall coordination, supervision, implementation, and monitoring of the agency’s UNHCR funded project for child protection in the urban areas. Responsible for ensuring compliance of the grant agreement and budget.
2. Strong familiarization of the UNHCR project description and grant agreement documents to ensure conformity and successful implementation of all project activities.
3. Ensure that project staff follows all confidential, ethical and professional standards.
4. Manage all project management tracking tools and work plans in coordination with project staff; ensure accuracy of all beneficiaries served and targets met.
5. Conduct comprehensive reviews of all reports and submit to proper channels for ongoing review and approval before submission to UNHCR.
6. Coordinate and support the protection project team to prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly work plans and ensure strict and timely adherence to the same
7. Coordinate with the BID Coordinator and Senior Program Manager to generate an efficient best interest assessment process.
8. Responsible for ensuring the integrity of the procurement process for services and goods, as well as the distribution of the services and goods for project beneficiaries per the grant agreement guidelines. Provide ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the process.
9. Responsible for the submission of accurate and timely financial reports of goods and services to the accounting and administrative departments. Review and approve individual purchase requisitions before final submission to the finance department.
10. Ensure project activities are implemented within the approved budget outputs and account lines; consult with the Senior Program Manager, Finance Director and/or Country Director in cases that require budget adjustments, including review and approval of all the purchase requisitions and other investments related to the project.
11. Conduct bi-annual performance reviews for all project staff and provide appropriate support and monitoring to ensure objectives are met. Set individual performance targets and accountability plans including probationary deliverables/objectives.

Oversight of Child Protection Programming

1. Provide technical support, guidance and support to the child protection project team for effective planning and implementation of interventions, including food and non food support, civil registration, family tracing and reunification, financial assistance, advocacy, psychosocial and legal support to vulnerable urban refugee children and their families.
2. Develop effective data collection, analysis and reporting tools/templates in consultation with the Senior Program Manager; orientate the entire team to the tools for use during the project implementation.
3. Develop training tools and materials for child protection interventions and assist in capacity building of the project staff and partners in priority areas such as child rights, prevention of violence against children, sexual and gender based violence prevention and response, psychosocial support, family tracing and family re-unification and care for unaccompanied and separated children.
4. Ensure child-friendly procedures are mainstreamed in all programmatic interventions related to SGBV and other protection programs.
5. Oversee formation and operationalization of child protection community structures as stipulated in the UNHCR project description. Plan and oversee trainings of target community members and structures.
6. Liaise with Heshima Kenya’s legal and shelter teams for referrals and other technical support.
7. Accurately track all children in need of immediate/emergency support as identified by counselors, social workers, and/or UNHCR /other partners and ensure appropriate support is accorded at the same time. Ensure that all referral mechanisms are followed.
8. Track and document best practices on quarterly basis using case studies and success stories.
9. Follow-up with the Senior Program Manager, Country Director, and Director of Financial Operations with any issues or concerns requiring counsel and follow-up.
10. Diligently undertake any other work related task/duty as may be assigned by your supervisor.

Core Qualifications

1. Undergraduate Degree in Social Sciences/ Development Studies or Counseling; Graduate Degree preferred
2. At least four (4) years professional experience working with refugees and vulnerable children with thorough understanding of the best interest process for refugee children, preferably in Kenya
3. Expertise in issues affecting children (preferably refugee children), and gender issues
4. Past experience in implementation and management of humanitarian projects; experience in managing child protection projects a plus
5. Experience with monitoring and evaluation; excellent report writing skills required
6. Thorough understanding of project budget management and financial accountability standards
7. Exceptional supervisory, conflict management, and organizational skills, especially with supporting large teams. Must be able to coordinate teams who are geographically based throughout the city
8. Strong flexibility and can work after formal work hours to meet project deadlines
9. Strong cross-cultural communication skills with the ability to lead and motivate teams under pressure
10. Must be highly organized, creative, and detail oriented
11. Comfortable working in a high-pressure environment and ability to prioritize competing priorities
12. Proven track record of meeting deadlines
13. Proficiency in MS Office, Excel, Power Point
14. Must be a Kenyan citizen and have a Certificate of Good Conduct

HOW TO APPLY:

Qualified candidates can send their application letter, an updated CV, and names of three (3) references with updated contacts (including their email address and phone numbers) to:

The Country Director, Heshima Kenya. P.O Box 63192-00619. Nairobi
Email: hr2015@heshimakenya.org and cc to info@heshimakenya.org

Indicate “Country Director” in the subject line of your email.

Deadline for applications is 7th August 2015. No calls please.

NB.*All the applications should be channeled through the given emails addresses. Hard copy application will not be considered and any form of canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.*