USAID OVC Project Jobs – Child Protection Systems Specialist at ACODEV

Organization: Action for
Community Development (ACODEV)
Funding Source: U.S. Agency
for International Development (USAID)
Project Name: Sustainable
Outcomes for Children and Youth in Central and Western Uganda
Duty Station: Uganda
Reports to: Regional
Coordinator
About US:
Action for Community Development (ACODEV) is a Non-Governmental
Organization that serves and empowers individuals, families and communities in
East and Southern African region through promotion of innovative solutions in
the areas of Human Rights, Health Promotions and Institutional Capacity Strengthening.
About Project:
ACODEV will be implementing Sustainable Outcomes for Children and Youth
in Central and Western Uganda over the next five years. The Project will
improve the health, nutrition, education and psychosocial wellbeing of
vulnerable populations, as well as reduce abuse, exploitation and neglect to a
minimum of 625,000 children and 101,500 households in 17 districts in central
and western Uganda.  The Project is being
implemented by a consortium of partner consisting of CRS being the lead, Futures
Group, ANPPCAN and TPO.
Job Summary:  The Child Protection Systems Specialist will
technically support efforts to increase the quality of the comprehensive
protection Systems for OVC, youth and caregivers in four districts of Western
Uganda. Such efforts include capacity strengthening for government and CSOs,
ensuring adherence to Uganda’s OVC standards, and improving child protection
case management, including response and referrals. S/he will work closely with
the Project District Coordinators, Child Protection Committees, and District
Probation Officers.
Key Duties and
Responsibilities: 
1. Capacity Development in Child Protection and Legal Support:
  • Develop quality program standards that
    will guide the OVC project implementing partners and sub grantees to
    mainstream and deliver quality child protection and legal support
    services.
  • Carry out a child protection capacity and
    skills gap assessment across all implementing partners to ascertain
    capacity needs, prepare and implement a Systematic capacity development
    plan.
  • In each district, directly manage the
    development of a functional community based child protection Systems that
    brings together the probation office, community based organizations and
    other informal structures in a coordinated manner.
  • Carry out capacity building for staff and
    community based structures through comprehensive trainings, lesson learned
    and knowledge dissemination
  • Collect and put together a package of
    training manuals, relevant child protection literature and reference materials
    and establish a child protection reference point at the OVC department
  • Interpret Ugandan government national
    policies and strategies on children such as the NOP, NSPPI 2, guiding the
    OVC team on how it can promote and contribute to the realization of the
    project.
  • Play a role in identifying ongoing
    capacity development initiatives by other USG supported projects targeting
    vulnerable children and forge linkages and synergies that strengthen
    collaboration whilst minimizing duplication.
2. Increasing Access to Child Protection Services:
  • Ensure that service delivery procedures
    for all implementation level staff and district duty bearers in the
    identification and management of child protection cases in each target
    district.
  • Manage all district level duty bearers and
    backstop the functionality of the community based child protection Systems
    in the district.
  • Carry out regular support supervision,
    monitoring and support to all staff and district duty bearers to ensure
    that policies and procedures in relation to child protection are well
    understood.
  • Work closely with the Program Manager
    ensure that child protection data is, regularly updated and disaggregated
    in a meaningful manner that can improve the quality of child protection
    services delivered.
  • Work in consultation with the OVC team,
    map and identify other related child protection and legal support service
    providers, establishing referral pathway.
  • Together with the OVC team design and
    supervise the roll out of a community based advocacy and child protection awareness
    raising strategy that increases community responsiveness and support to
    vulnerable children.
  • Offer technical support for the
    implementation of activities targeting both out of school and school based
    child friendly activities that increase participation, self-esteem and
    relational abilities of children.
  • In the district together with the
    probation office, identify and agree procedures of supporting children in
    conflict with the law as well as children in need of legal support for
    reintegration.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
  • The applicant should possess a good
    Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies or Community
    Psychology.
  • Attended Professional training in child
    protection, juvenile justice, human rights and other essential skills will
    give you a competitive edge.
  • A minimum of four years’ progressively
    responsible experience in a child protection technical advisory/ support
    role with a large scale NGO.
  • Comprehensive knowledge and understanding
    of national level response initiatives targeting vulnerable children.
  • Awareness and familiarity with government
    policies and strategies on children.
  • Demonstrable training skills, development
    of training materials and capacity building of community based
    organizations.
  • Excellent interpersonal, oral and written
    communication and negotiation skills. Fluent written and spoken English.
  • Extremely flexible, and have the ability
    to cope with stressful situations.
  • Ability to maintain performance
    expectations and strong working relationships in diverse cultural
    contexts, psychologically & physically stressful environments
  • Past experience with and enthusiasm for on
    the job training.
  • Computer proficiency i.e. Knowledge of
    Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Internet) required.
  • Supportive attitude towards processes of
    strengthening staff capacity; 
  • Possess good leadership qualities,
    personnel and team management including mediation and conflict resolution;
  • Proven skills in critical thinking,
    assessment and analysis; strong competency in conceptualizing and
    designing strategic frameworks;
  • Excellent communication, team building and
    training skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective
    working relations in and outside the organization;
  • Proven ability in report writing and presentation to ACODEV Management and
    other stakeholders.
  • Desire to work effectively in a team
    oriented environment.
  • Ability to travel within rural Uganda.
ACODEV’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to
protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. It is
ACODEV’s policy not to solicit money for the entire recruitment process.
How to Apply: 
All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send a cover
letter, updated CV and three work references (names and contact information
only) to: Plot 98/99 Masoli Road 600M off Gayaza Road. Kampala. Uganda.
Deadline: Wednesday, 6th
May 2015

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