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.
What we provide?
An amazing work environment that promotes personal growth through providing professional space to grow and advance your career!
Your role?
Under the supervision of the Zonal Project Coordinator, the Project MHPSS and CP officer is responsible to plan and provide comprehensive and integrated psychological, emotional, and protection social services for the most needy and affected population in Sekota.
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, the position holder 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.
The incumbent is also responsible for ensuring the implementation of SOS Children’s Villages Safeguarding policies and regulations, the Code of Conduct, the values-based competency frame “Living our Values” and any further international and local regulation influencing safeguarding at SOS Children’s Villages.
PRIORITY TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
- Assess MHPSS and protection needs and identify vulnerabilities and risks in the project implementation areas at both the health facility and community levels.
- Implement MHPSS & protection activities and provide psychological consultation on regular bases at Sekota
- 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 Sekota
- 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 and child abuse 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, pregnancy-related complications, people with chronic illnesses and people with disabilities
- 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 in the National and SOS Lu office), ensure that the integrated MHPSS and protection activities are implemented according to SOS CV 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 of SOS Children’s Village 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.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
- Ensure regular and ethical data collection on protection concerns and MHPSS needs, using age-, gender-, and disability-sensitive methodologies that uphold confidentiality and do no harm principles.
- Monitor the quality, coverage, and effectiveness of child protection case management, psychosocial support services, safe spaces, and community-based protection mechanisms.
- Contribute to baseline, midline, and endline assessments, as well as post-intervention evaluations, ensuring child and survivor participation where safe and appropriate.
- Support the design and use of feedback and complaint mechanisms accessible to children, caregivers, and communities, and ensure timely response and integration of feedback into program improvement.
- Document and share lessons learned, promising practices, and case studies to inform evidence-based programming and advocacy.
REPORTING AND DOCUMENTAITON
- Ensure that reports reflect disaggregated data (e.g., by age, gender, disability) and highlight trends in protection risks and MHPSS needs.
- Document and share case studies, success stories, and lessons learned to inform program adaptation, learning, and advocacy efforts.
- Support the development of donor reports by contributing technical and contextual content specific to child protection and MHPSS components.
- Maintain organized and secure documentation of case management files, incident reports, session logs, and referral records in accordance with data protection and confidentiality protocols.
- Ensure documentation of psychosocial activities, outreach sessions, trainings, and awareness-raising events, including participant feedback and outcomes.
- Contribute to the preparation of inputs for internal learning reviews, evaluations, and knowledge-sharing materials.
CHILD PROTECTION
- Lead child protection and safety programming in emergencies including assessment, program development, training for and management of Child-Friendly Spaces.
- 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.
SAFEGUARDING
- Ensure adherence to SOS CV policies such as the Code of Conduct, 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 for taking part in awareness-raising sessions and capacity building training in relation to Safeguarding and Code of Conduct and to protect children and young people from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination
- Support children, young people and program participants to make them understand the Safeguarding risks and protection mechanisms
- Ensure proper safeguarding procedures and policies are in place to protect programme participant children, young persons, adults and other stakeholders.
- Responsible for reporting any safeguarding suspicion, concern, allegation, or incident immediately, following the safeguarding reporting procedures.
- Responsible for ensuring behaviours and all relationships are based on safeguarding and in line with the Code of Conduct and adhering to it in every situation
- Be vigilant about any possible form of abuse/harm, neglect, harassment, or exploitation against, children, youth and adults in personal and professional lives;
- Report any Incident Management Team or concern within 24 hours to the Incident Management Team, focal person or concerned party through the defined channels for reporting the allegation
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 counselling 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 .
- Strong experience knowledge and experience in case management, trauma care and GBV response.
- Experience in community-based child protection approaches
- Strong understanding of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) principles and practices.
- Experience and ability to work in humanitarian or emergency context
DESIRED CRITERIA
- Education: MA degree in Psychology, Social work or related field.
- Experience: At least 5 years of experience working in similar projects in NGO.
- Strong understanding and familiarity with the local context and surrounding areas.
- Has experience and exposure working with the community and stakeholder.
- Experience in creating a child friendly environment in humanitarian context
COMPETENCIES – KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES
- Understanding the organization and commitment to its vision and mission: able to clearly communicate SOS Children’s Villages Who We Are (Vision, Mission & Values), “Living our Values” policies and strategies in all areas.
- Child rights & child development: Working knowledge in all areas of child rights, child protection, child development, family & community development, and rights-based programming in a developing country.
- Knowledge of MHPSS: Knowledge of psychological first aid, trauma response and psychosocial care approaches.
- Child Protection: experience on child protection initiatives, awareness raising and risk assessment.
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting: experience in preparing structured report and using evidence to support on the program.
- Community Engagement and Capacity Building: ability to build and maintain partnership with stakeholders such as schools, community and government stakeholders.
- Networking and Relationships Building: ability to build, maintain and leverage networks with local government, NGO communities leaders and other relevant stakeholders.
- Accountability and Result Orientation: ensure the ownership of task and meets deadlines effectively and monitor progress and communicate concerns proactively.
- Collaboration: driven to work with others, able to build partnerships and teamwork internally and externally.
- Integrity: able to state views openly and act in line with beliefs, maintain the organization’s values, maintain deadlines and commitments; have ethical standards, ability to gain the trust of co-workers, and desire to be of service.
- Communication: high-level written and verbal communication/presentation skills; ability to interact effectively with partners and staff at all levels; ability to represent the organization externally; exceptional ability to communicate consistently, clearly, and effectively with a range of stakeholders;
- Software: - Computer literacy (MS Office and MS Project, and other statistical softer wares such as STATA, and SPSS)
COMPETENCIES
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
Excited to take on a new Challenge...
Then send us your application (application letter, detailed CV containing contact details of their references) 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.
