Child Protection Case Management Officer (River Nile) – SAVE THE CHILDREN

Job Description

Job Identification	8698
Job Category	Protection
Posting Date	10/14/2024, 09:26 PM
Apply Before	10/19/2024, 02:00 PM
Locations	River Nile

Under the direct overall guidance and supervision of the Child Protection Coordinator (CPC), the Case Management Officer (CMO) will be responsible for the technical oversight of the implementation of SCI’s case management, FTR and alternative care services in the relevant location. The overall aim of the CM Officer is to guide design and development of case management, FTR and alternative care programs and support the implementation of activities to prevent and respond to children in need of protection. This includes unaccompanied and separated children and other children at risk of, or exposed to, violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The CM Coordinator will have a technical focus on case management procedures, interim care of unaccompanied children, family tracing and reunification, and referral services. The CM Officer will, in close collaboration with the CP Coordinator and the Head of CP, support needs assessments, reporting, and contextualization of technical tools for case management and alternative care.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Promote the use of the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) in all aspects of the work and lead on the contextualization and implementation of the CPMS in both CP programming and across other sectors.
• Provide technical input and deliver (or support the delivery of) activities in the area child and family-focused protection, case management psychosocial support, community child protection mechanisms, and child protection monitoring and ensure that CP programs are closely linked with other sectors, particularly education.
• Develop detailed workplans and conduct regular progress review with the CP team and partners to ensure project is implemented as per agreed work plans.
• Work closely with the Case Management assistants and information management to ensure that the two teams are complement each other, that the referrals mechanisms and data management work of at-risk children is managed in quality manner and the needs identified are responded to appropriately.
• Coordinate and contribute to community-based child protection system, make sure that a clear ToR is developed, updated, and followed, and the CBCPC groups are receiving appropriate capacity building, support, and coaching.
• Ensure that comprehensive service mapping and referral pathways are developed and up to date in each of the project locations and schools and is well coordinated with other actors and reviewed on regular basis; and its understood and followed by the wider CM team, including the Caseworkers.
• Control financial and administrative documentation related to project activities, such as purchase and procurement requests and ensure that reports, monitoring, evaluation and activity progress is collected accurately and on a regular basis.
• Collect and compile weekly, monthly, progress and other reports from the CP Supervisors/ Community Mobilizers, as required, and regularly report to the line manager.
• Ensure the case management, FTR and alternative care implemented by SCI is aligned with local systems where possible and adheres to the inter-agency and SCI specific standard operating procedures, minimum standards, and technical guidelines.
• Ensure staff gaps and training needs do not result in gaps in support to individuals in case management and address such issues with senior management. Provide training and on the job mentoring and technical guidance to the CM Supervisors and teams across the field locations.     
• In collaboration with the MEAL department and with support of the CP Coordinator, facilitate the participation and feedback of children and families assisted through case management, FTR and alternative care activities.
• Inform the CP Coordinator and the Manager about any challenges, difficulties and concerns in the implementation of activities or issues in the social context.
• Support individual cases where required (complex and high-risk cases) and provide regular monitoring of all aspects of case management services. 

Provide technical advice on cases and supervision to CM Assistants and Caseworkers. Ensure that complex cases are followed up in the agreed time frame and ensure that case conferences are called involving the appropriate actors when making long term solutions or decisions in complex cases that involves services from other actors.

• Schedule and supervise case management meetings at least every two weeks. Share minutes of case management meetings with team and senior CP management.
• Monitor the documentation of cases through review of files and databases.  Ensure confidentiality and that data protection and information-sharing protocols are respected. Review and analyse trends in the caseload to inform programming. 
• Provide briefings on child safeguarding and appropriate behavior with children to all case management staff.  Ensure any concerns are reported and addressed immediately.
• Monitor timescales for response, services follow-up and review of cases.  Ensure cases are receiving appropriate support.
• Hands-on support the CM Assistants and Caseworkers in all aspects of their work. The CM Officer is expected to spend at least 50% of her/his time in the field locations together with the CM team, including direct support to assessments and other steps in complex and high-risk cases.

Human resource management

• Responsible for mentoring, coaching and capacity building of the staff under her/his responsibility.
• Support the Field Managers with the recruitment and capacity building of CM team members as appropriate.
• In coordination with the CM Assistants, organize technical team meetings and cases conferences as needed.
• Follow up staff attendance, leaves, and coverage during leave for the staff under her/his supervision. 
• Ensure regular feedback to the staff under her/his responsibility and appraisal process when needed.
• Support disciplinary measures application if needed.

Coordination and representation

• Coordinate with other SCI sectors and departments, as necessary.
• Consult with humanitarian actors, authorities, and community to increase case-management service provision and disseminate information to ensure participation & access of children to CM services. 
• Represent SCI case management in internal or external visits and calls where needed. 
• Participate in fora and meetings held at field level in her/his field of expertise whenever pertinent and necessary.
• Represent Save the Children in relevant CM/FTR coordination meetings in the relevant field location.

Other

• Always ensure a strict adherence to the principles of CP and child safeguarding, including respect for confidentiality and always acting in the best interests of the child.

Comply with Save the Children policies and practices with respect to CP, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualification, Skills and Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, psychology or another relevant field, or equivalent experience from working directly with children. 
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for the positions. Female candidates who may not meet the formal education requirements, but showing a good understanding of gender dynamics, including gender-based violence may be considered for the role.
• Experience and/or excellent understanding of child rights, CP in emergencies, child and youth development, child and youth resilience and empowerment. 
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills and capacity to maintain relations with government officials, community leaders, children and youth.
• At least two years of experience in managing projects, including supervision of staff. 
• Proficiency in computer use including Microsoft Office and excel.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches and child safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Flexibility and willingness to change work practices and hours and spend time in the field, sometimes in difficult conditions and with limited resources, and with remote management.
• The successful candidates must know and understand the local context including child development in the context; relationship dynamics within the community; and cultural practices impacting on child welfare.
• The ability to manage complex and diverse workload and to work with tight deadlines
• Ability to contribute to a small, proactive team, motivating staff and working collaboratively with colleagues and providing support and advice as necessary.
• Good understanding of English and Arabic
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.

How to apply

Females are highly encouraged to apply.

Kindly apply through the below link. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for next steps. The closing date will be on 19/10/2024. Any application after this date will not be considered. All interviews will be done in the Save the Children office or remotely.

Disclaimer: Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process and does not act through recruitment agents. SCI will be undertaking child safeguarding checks for all candidates. The selected candidate will be asked to provide a police check before signing the contract.