MHPSS and CP Officer ( Gofa Geze)

Who we are

 SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people.

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community-based organizations across seven program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

As part of SOS CVE's effort to respond to different emergencies such as landslide, drought, flood, conflict etc, which arise from time to time in different parts of the country, the organization has secured funding from Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to implement 12-months emergency project tilted as “Saving Lives and Livelihoods by Restoring Agricultural Productivity and Mental Health of landslide Survivors of Gezei Gofa Communities living in Kencho Shacha Gozdi, Kencho Gozdi Woyiza and Burda Kebeles.

Why we need you?

We are looking for a MHPSS and CP Officer who will be based in our Field office (Bulki town) and is responsible for the technical implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the overall Protection components of the project aimed at improving mental health and psychosocial well-being of Children and their caregivers as well as the prvion of timely, safe, appropriate and accessible service for unaccompanied and separated children.

What we provide?

 An amazing work environment that promotes personal growth through providing professional space to grow and advance your career!

Your role?

While working with us as MHPSS and CP Officer you will be in charge of the following,

Technical Reporting to: PSHEA & CP Coordinator/Protection Coordinator at the National office

Administrative Reporting to: HR Coordinator based at SOS CVE Hawassa Location office & the FSL Coordinator based in Bulki Project office

Duties and Responsibilities

The MHPSS and CP Officer technically reports to the National PSHEA & CS Coordinator/ Protection Coordinator but administratively report to the Livelihood and Food Security Coordinator. Under the Management of the two, the MHPSS and CP officer is responsible to plan and provide comprehensive and integrated psychological, psychosocial, emotional, and protection social services for the most needy and affected population living in Kencho Shacha Gozdi, Kencho Gozdi Woyiza and Burda Kebeles and at Sawla One- stop center/Hospital. Moreover, the holder is responsible for mapping available services for children at risk and working closely with other SOS Children’s Village staff and other relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations at the Woreda level.

In general, he/she should contribute to the overall result of the improvement of affected people’s mental, psychological, and emotional and protection needs of minors and other people at risk of abuse.

Key Responsibilities:

Identify and Assess beneficiary

• Assess MHPSS, unaccompanied and separated children, protection needs and identify vulnerabilities and risks in the project implementation areas at both community level and at health facility level(One-Stop center)
• Implement MHPSS & protection activities and provide psychological consultation on regular bases at Women, Children and Youth friendly spaces, schools and when the need arise at the One Stop Center in Sawla town.
• Conduct regular awareness-raising sessions with target communities
• Assist in building and maintaining relationships with schools, communities, partners and state contacts.
• Responsible for the day-to-day implementation of MHPSS activities in the project implementation areas at both community level and at Sawla One Stop Center
• Identify elements and changes in Child Psychology as the result of conflict such as playstyle changes and unhealthy emotion, grief, trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• Provide appropriate information and level of vulnerability such as cases of Gender-Based Violence, child abuse and orphanage children who are in kinship for sectoral, holistic and need-based support

Provide psychosocial support to the community

• Organize data and document the number of reported Gender-Based Violence, psychological and physical abuses,
• Develop methodologies and data collection techniques for assessments, indicators, programme management, evaluations, and research related to MHPSS and Protection
• Support regular participatory activities with different groups of children, adolescents and youths to identify issues affecting children in their communities, and assist the teams to develop appropriate responses;
• Coordinate the designing of children, adolescents and youth and family assessments and psychometrics tools and supervise their administration.
• In cooperation with other Technical Advisors (based at the National and Location offices), ensure that the integrated MHPSS and protection activities are implemented according to SOS CVE and international standards.
• Responsible for the planning and implementation of MHPSS activities, closely monitoring, evaluating, reporting their development and flag potential issues on time.
• Supervise with humanitarian response co-workers (Community volunteers and Child Rights Committee) and implement jointly planned activities to improve the mental health and welfare of target groups.
• Strengthen the community-facility referral system for care for survivors of Gender-Based Violence with psychosocial problems.

Reporting

• Capture evidence and learn from MHPSS interventions to advocate and inform future programming.
• Provide monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual reports based on the plan to the supervisor.

Child protection and Safeguarding

• Lead child protection and safety programming in emergencies including assessment, program development, training for and management of Women/Youth/Child-Friendly Spaces.
• Ensure unaccompanied and separated children receive care and protection in timely, safe, appropriate and accessible ways
• Support humanitarian colleagues in the implementation of emergency programs and establishment of recovery programming
• Organize discussions on child protection risks, concerns with stakeholders, children and young persons on community members
• Strengthen the Child Safeguarding through creating awareness with the woreda and community leaders.
• Ensure adherence to SOS CV policies such as the Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding Standards and others as well as the minimum standards of humanitarian relief
• Ensure that all support is provided in the best interest of the child.
• Responsible to take part in awareness-raising sessions and capacity building training in relation to CS and Code of Conduct and to protect children and young people from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination
• Support children and young people to make them understand the CS risks and protection mechanisms
• Responsible to report any Child Safeguarding suspicion, concern, allegation or incident immediately, following Child Safeguarding reporting procedures. Child Safeguarding reports should be made to the CS team at programme level and/or to National Child Safeguarding Advisor

Job Requirements

 Up for the challenge...

 Then check out our criteria’s:

 Must Criteria

• Education: BSc degree in Psychology, Social work, Nursing and Sociology or related field with at least 4 years of counseling and social work experience
• Experiences: At least 3 years of experience in child protection or working with highly vulnerable children who lost their parents or are unaccompanied
• Knowledge of the targeted areas (Gezei Gofa Woreda) and local communities is required
• Experience in community-based child protection approaches
• Experience and ability to work in humanitarian or emergency context

Competencies – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

 Core COMPETENCY (these competencies are relevant for every co-worker):

• Kindness: Act with empathy towards everyone he/she works with.
• Continuous Learning: Make an effort to learn, understand and grow as a person, admitting your own mistakes.
• Inclusiveness: In any actions show respect and care for others.
• Initiative: speak up when things are not right, do not hesitate to act, and adapt to change when necessary.
• Results Orientation: look for solutions and focus on desired results.

How to Apply

If you believe you are the right candidate for the above position, please send your application letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV) with the names and contact details of three referees.

Please be informed that applications that are late, or do not have CV, will be disqualified and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Applications should be sent electronically through SOS Children Villages Application portal (ICIMS)

Click to view our EVP Brochure

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conduct of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered.  Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection, and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, and police clearance reference check processes.

SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia provides equal employment opportunities to all co-workers & qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or class.