Protection Officer (roster-based vacancy)

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.

Why we need you?

We’re building a pool of great candidates for upcoming roles- come join the roster!

What we provide? 

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

Position Summary 

The Protection Officer would be responsible for implementing community-based protection activities in the project. He/she will be responsible for prevention and response activities of the project  that include working with the community and community based protection structures and system, psychosocial support activities, case management and promote children, young and adult people wellbeing and protect them from harm or abuse.

Co-Operation and Reporting Relationships:

• Report directly to project coordinator
• Work in close cooperation with other project staffs
• Keep all personal information regarding program participants, caregivers and families confidential
• Represent the organisation at relevant community gatherings and forums.

Priority tasks and responsibilities:

Main Duty and Responsibility of Child Protection Officer

• Prepare protection component of project annual plan, implement and monitor protection activities and ensure that the protection activities align with the local context, project objectives and SOS CV Safeguarding policy, values and principles.
• Encourage good practice by promoting and championing protection policy and support procedures to protect children, young and adult people.
• Ensure all incidents are appropriately documented, correctly reported and considered in accordance with the state protection policy and procedures. Analyze trends from reporting mechanisms and provide management with recommendations for improvements;
• Builds links between community-based initiatives and referral pathways to allow a more efficient access to services, and constitutes an interface between local communities and the project, maintaining and managing relations with community leaders and members, local authorities, community-based organizations, CSOs, protection Networks and NGOs;
• Ensure that children, young and adult people abused or at risk of being abuse are identified and receive individual case management support by direct counselling to the families or by providing the community based protection network with guidance on conducting case management, in accordance with the state protection laws, standard tools and procedures;
• Organize capacity building training for child led clubs, community case workers; youth centres facilitators, Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) facilitators, protection committees and other community structures, community members/representatives, foster parents, and vulnerable children to build their resilience.
• Maintain confidential records of reported cases, action taken and ensure information is only held on an individual whilst the person continues to carry out their regulated work role within the community;
• Raise awareness on the Code of Conduct for working with children, young people to community protection network members, parents/caregivers, teaching and non-teaching school staff, and adults in the community. Raise concern on behaviour that breaches the Code of Conduct;
• Support community based child protection Network to undertake risk assessments of all spaces accessed by children to implement mitigating and corrective measures;
• Maintain a system to document risks and concerns raised, ensuring that appropriate follow-up is conducted and that learning from implementing these processes is fed back into the organization’s practice, policies and risk management;
• Work with state CPN to strengthen the implementation of the protection activities and Procedures and to build the skills of CCPC members and key implementing partners in managing concerns;
• Promoting Participation and Empowerment of Children so that they become more involved in addressing their own rights situation and become agents for positive change, such as through life skills education, research and discussion to help promote the involvement of children.
• Identifying children’s rights issues that are hampering the development of children or leading to negative consequences in their lives; for example, highlighting the abuse and exploitation of children who are working, breaking the silence surrounding child sexual abuse and exploitation, including trafficking, addressing the situation of children in conflict with the law;
• Addressing gender discrimination, oppression and inequalities that affect the life opportunities and day-to-day experiences of children;
• Responding to situations of abuse when they occur – both to reduce the impact of the abuse and to prevent situations occurring in the future. In the event of a complaint being made; ensure that the complaints procedures are met and see the procedures through to the final decision;
• Risk Registers and other procedures in relation to spaces which children access and are managed by projects teams and partners;
• Ensure necessary attention is given to children of concern through the provision of case management, referral services, material and other psychosocial supports;

Main Duty and Responsibility of Child Protection Officer

• Prepare protection component of project annual plan, implement and monitor protection activities and ensure that the protection activities align with the local context, project objectives and SOS CV Safeguarding policy, values and principles.
• Encourage good practice by promoting and championing protection policy and support procedures to protect children, young and adult people.
• Ensure all incidents are appropriately documented, correctly reported and considered in accordance with the state protection policy and procedures. Analyze trends from reporting mechanisms and provide management with recommendations for improvements;
• Builds links between community-based initiatives and referral pathways to allow a more efficient access to services, and constitutes an interface between local communities and the project, maintaining and managing relations with community leaders and members, local authorities, community-based organizations, CSOs, protection Networks and NGOs;
• Ensure that children, young and adult people abused or at risk of being abuse are identified and receive individual case management support by direct counseling to the families or by providing the community based protection network with guidance on conducting case management, in accordance with the state protection laws, standard tools and procedures;
• Organize capacity building training for child led clubs, community case workers; youth centres facilitators, Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) facilitators, protection committees and other community structures, community members/representatives, foster parents, and vulnerable children to build their resilience.
• Maintain confidential records of reported cases, action taken and ensure information is only held on an individual whilst the person continues to carry out their regulated work role within the community;
• Raise awareness on the Code of Conduct for working with children, young people to community protection network members, parents/caregivers, teaching and non-teaching school staff, and adults in the community. Raise concern on behaviour that breaches the Code of Conduct;
• Support community based child protection Network to undertake risk assessments of all spaces accessed by children to implement mitigating and corrective measures;
• Maintain a system to document risks and concerns raised, ensuring that appropriate follow-up is conducted and that learning from implementing these processes is fed back into the organization’s practice, policies and risk management;
• Work with state CPN to strengthen the implementation of the protection activities and Procedures and to build the skills of CCPC members and key implementing partners in managing concerns;
• Promoting Participation and Empowerment of Children so that they become more involved in addressing their own rights situation and become agents for positive change, such as through life skills education, research and discussion to help promote the involvement of children.
• Identifying children’s rights issues that are hampering the development of children or leading to negative consequences in their lives; for example, highlighting the abuse and exploitation of children who are working, breaking the silence surrounding child sexual abuse and exploitation, including trafficking, addressing the situation of children in conflict with the law;
• Addressing gender discrimination, oppression and inequalities that affect the life opportunities and day-to-day experiences of children;
• Responding to situations of abuse when they occur – both to reduce the impact of the abuse and to prevent situations occurring in the future. In the event of a complaint being made; ensure that the complaints procedures are met and see the procedures through to the final decision;
• Risk Registers and other procedures in relation to spaces which children access and are managed by projects teams and partners;
• Ensure necessary attention is given to children of concern through the provision of case management, referral services, material and other psychosocial supports;
• Initiate community dialogues to explore community awareness/ initiative and other child rights violation issues going on in the community;
• Be familiar with current child protection legislation; Monitor and review the child protection policy and procedures to ensure they remain current and fit for purpose;
• Respond appropriately to disclosures or concerns which relate to the well-being of a child;
• Conduct trainings for community stakeholders such as CBCPN and key implementing partners and build their capacities according to the capacity gaps assessment key findings
• Support the development of child-friendly tools to highlight and respond to risks;
• Conduct induction meetings with families, teachers, community, and other stakeholders to establish children council or parliaments;
• Carry out monthly protection meeting at the community level and ensure stakeholders participate actively;
• Become fully aware of the services available for survivors and how to deliver them;
• Works to build trust with vulnerable families, ensures safety, and offers protection;
• Stimulate CCPN members and other community actors to act as a surveillance mechanism to prevention of child abuse and rehabilitation of children, victims of abuse and neglect;
• Promotes creating protective school environment for children because schools are an important part of the wider safeguarding system for children;
• Ensure school communities possess knowledge and a shared understanding of the signs and risks of child, young and adult abuse;
• Providing mentoring support to the CBCPN and key implementing partner staff and make a plan for their improvement according to the findings of monitoring;
• Support key implementing partner to establishment community Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) or safe space centre in coordination with CCPN;
• Monitor the community Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) or safe space centres’ activities and efforts, and ensure CBCPNs are supporting the efforts;
• Strengthen CP coordination, referrals and capacity to respond to individual child protection cases;
• Map and establish emergency CP referral pathways when required, with child protection, GBV, protection, health and other service providers and community structures;
• Setting up systems to monitor services for children and to report on the situation of how well children's rights are realized;
• Assessing the Situation and Protection Needs of Children.

Support the effective delivery of support services by the project

• Support the delivery of any material support to families by the community-based partners, ensuring that appropriate accountability systems are in place and functioning properly;
• Where the community-based partners lack the capacity to effectively manage child protection issues with efficiency and accountability, then support them in developing these skills and systems; as guided by the project coordinator ;
• Support the organisation and facilitation of capacity-building support and group activities, such as support groups, self-help groups, childcare capacity building and children’s recreational activities; as guided by the project Coordinator.

Support monitoring & evaluation within the project 

• Carry out regular home visits to families on the project and write home visit reports; 

• Carry out regular visits to CBOs, family support groups and other partners in the respective community for timely and relevant project support;
• Facilitate sharing of best practice amongst family groups;
• Facilitate participatory monitoring and evaluation of the project interventions;
• Organize and facilitate regular project reviews with Community Family Development Planning Facilitators and other service providers on FS;
• Facilitate the regular counting of key project participants;
• Carry out regular reviews of the situation of the families and the support provided to them by the project, at least once every six months, in order to change the situation of the children and their caregivers. Document these reviews and file them;
• Provide regular verbal feedback to the FS Coordinator on the situation of the families (supported by the above-mentioned review documentation), the quality of project services and progress towards the desired project outcomes;
• Actively participate in the annual project self-evaluation, contributing during the individual and FSP team processes, as well as supporting the organisation and facilitation of processes with other participant groups;
• Actively participate in any other monitoring and evaluation processes, as required.
• Collect and record data on routine activities and share it with the project coordinator
• Gather data during needs assessments, baseline survey and other assessments and share the findings with stakeholders. Reporting and documentation

Reporting and documentation

• Open a file for each family being supported in designated area/community, including the initial assessment and supporting documentation, the first FDP.
• Reviews the updated FDPs, any other relevant documentation, and ensure that this file is kept up-to-date;
• Ensure each family has family book and all services provided to each family is documented in the family book;
• Prepare and submit timely progress reports to the FS Coordinator on project interventions.
• Document family and child success stories on project interventions.
• Ensuring that relevant community development structures have documented project processes.
• Ensuring that the database and files of families on the project are maintained and updated timely.

Resource Management:

• Ensuring that every family group and other respective community development structures has and maintains stock books like goods receive note, goods distribution note etc.;
• Submission of signed distribution list to Finance on all project items received by participants in the community;
• Adherence to internal controls

Understanding the SOS organization.

• Ensure a clear understanding of the background, , vision, mission, values, principles, policies and organisation structure of SOS;
• Understand the different roles of Family Strengthening team members and other SOS other projects
• Ensure clear understanding of the Family Strengthening policy manual & Toolkits, and FS policy support document like FS building self-reliance family, sustainability policy, briefing papers, Standard operating procedures for Family Strengthening etc.
• Ensure clear understanding of the Family Strengthening internal document and tools- self-reliance checklist and assessment tool, change strategy document, theory of change, project monitoring checklist, Standard operating document.

General tasks

• Contribute to the realisation of children right to safe and protective, supportive environment in the community;
• Represent the organisation at relevant community gatherings and forums;
• Fulfil any other reasonable responsibilities, as assigned by the Line Coordinator.
• Conduct duties in accordance with SOS CVN Family Strengthening Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Conduct duties in accordance with SOS CVN Code of Conduct and Ethical standards
• Make sure to spread a positive image of SOS CVN and its activities by explaining what SOS CVN is doing and why SOS CVN operates in that way

Fulfil other specialist roles

• Child Protection Officer
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Line Coordinator;
• Carry out any other specialist roles, related to child protection component of the project, according to local project requirements. For example, this could relate to aspects such as support for toilet facility renovation, portable water constructions and rehabilitation or development of support initiatives at community level;
• Conduct duties in accordance with SOS CVN Family Strengthening Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
• Conduct duties in accordance with SOS CVN Code of Conduct and Ethical standards;
• Make sure to spread a positive image of SOS CVN and its activities by explaining what SOS CVN is doing and why SOS CVN operates in that way.

Job Requirements

Up for the challenge...

Then check out our criteria’s:

Must Criteria

• BA degree in gender, social work and development studies and related fields
• 2 years prior experience in gender and PSHEA roles
• Experience working with an International organization in Humanitarian or development programs
• Experience working on community mobilization and dialogue
• Experience in developing training manuals and working on capacity development of the community.

Competencies – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Technical Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles and approaches to Human rights and women’s rights, gender and humanitarianism and international development
• Knowledge of Gender Mainstreaming and experience in gender and PSHEA project.
• Has Experience working with M&E and providing reports.
• Experience in working with government stakeholders and the community regarding PSHEA
• Experience in creating awareness of Gender and PSHEA.
• Experience working with GBV survivors and has taken training on related topics

Core competency

• 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...

Please make sure you complete these MANDATORY SCREENING QUESTIONS

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.