Safeguarding Officer at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Safeguarding Officer

Ref No: 210003W3
Location: Ogoja, Cross River
Team: Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning
Reports to: Field Operations Manager – Ogoja
Grade: 4
Employee Status: Fixed Term

Child Saveguarding

• Level 3. The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people.
• As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis.  The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Introduction:

• Save the Children is committed to ensuring that all children, who have contact with the organisation, are safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from child abuse and sexual exploitation. This commitment is implemented through the organisation’s Child Safeguarding Policy. It applies equally to all children irrespective of their gender, disability, ethnicity, sexuality, marital status or religion; and is achieved through ensuring that all staff, partners and other representatives are aware of the problem of child abuse and sexual exploitation, the risks to children and their responsibility to ensure children are not harmed or put at risk during programme implementation activities.

Role

• The overall aim of the role is to support the Ogoja Humanitarian operations in promoting and building a ‘Child Safe Organisation’, and zero tolerance to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) of adult beneficiaries through awareness raising and beneficiary sensitisation focusing on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) by staff and representatives as well as facilitating confidential reporting of child safeguarding and PSEA concerns/incidents through appropriate channels.
• The role will include close collaborative working with other technical areas (especially HR, Gender, SGBV, Child Protection and MEAL) to help ensure our child safeguarding practice in emergencies is robust, and will involve supporting a child safeguarding ‘lessons learnt’ process. They will design and deliver culturally appropriate, impactful information, communication and training products, provide administrative and research support, and assist in the implementation and tracking of the child safeguarding aspects of our humanitarian strategy.
• In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal job description and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

Main Responsibilities

• Identify and address training needs of staff and stakeholders in humanitarian response in relation to keeping children safe and protecting adults at risk.
• Coordinate child safeguarding capacity building and mobilise project staff, partners, volunteers and other stakeholders to undergo annual training in Child Safeguarding and PSEA through formal and informal refresher sessions, discussion of case studies, quizzes etc.
• Train and support the CS focal points, thematic leads and supporting functions in the fulfilment of their respective child safeguarding responsibilities.
• Develop and prepare materials for all Child Safeguarding related trainings.
• Assist in organising and facilitation of child safeguarding induction for newly recruited project staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, stakeholders and partners.
• Facilitate translation of child safeguarding IEC materials to local dialects and lead in the procurement and dissemination of all CS IEC materials produced.
• Develop child safe guarding messages for various groups of stakeholders and facilitate publication.
• Conduct child safeguarding risk assessment of all sectors, projects and partners in collaboration with respective leads and CS focal points in the humanitarian response.
• Compile partners’ activity documents, analyse partners risk assessment result and support on identified gap.
• Conduct child safeguarding proposal risk assessment, design mitigation plan and develop financial activity plan.
• Compile and develop monthly child safeguarding training data/activity report with coordination of focal points and forward to the Country Office.
• Reviewing of proposals with a child safeguarding view to ensure safe program is implemented.
• Coordinate with the MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) unit and ensure the the compliance of indicators of safe programming.
• Lead in all aspects of CS investigations of reported child safeguarding and PSEA incidents/concerns and manage the online reporting system by ensuring that all updates on investigations are up-to-date.
• Organize learning forum on child safeguarding practices at different level – schools and CFS, TLS etc.
• Provide technical guidance on child safeguarding to partners, volunteers, SCI representatives and other key stakeholders including consultants.
• Conduct supervision and monitoring visits to project and construction sites as required.
• Maintain clear records of number of staff, partners, volunteers, contractors, vendors, consultants and other parties trained in child safeguarding

Core Behaviour (Our Values in Practice)
Competencies and Values:

• Respect, integrity, diversity, commitment to excellence, adaptability, able to perform under stress, innovation, building relationships, communicating effectively, coaching and mentoring, facilitating change, developing teams, initiating action, strategic decision making, planning and organizing, leading through vision and mission and a personal commitment to children’s development and protection.

Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Qualification and Experience
Essential:

• At least a Bachelor degree in Social Work, Communications, Law, Education or relevant professional qualification.
• Minimum of 4 years post NYSC relevant work experience.
• Direct or indirect experience of child protection practice and the Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Knowledge of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Nigeria Child Rights Acts, child protection policies and practice as well as current issues in relation to safeguarding children in the Nigeria context.
• Good data management, data analysis, computer literacy and excellent documentation and report writing skills in English are necessary.
• Knowledge and/or experience of child safeguarding, child protection, gender, PSEA or SGBV
• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information as well as facilitate training to a wide and diverse audience
• Commitment to and understanding of child rights, as well as of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.
• Ability to take a proactive approach to problem solving, to recommend and implement continuous improvement initiatives..
• Ability to synthesise and analyse information, and make clear, informed decisions.
• Strong planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities
• Excellent communication skills and experience of internal communications and/or behaviour change campaigns.
• Proven attention for detail and ability to effectively manage a high volume of data and information.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills in order to deal tactfully and sensitively with a wide range of people in a large organisation, very often at a distance.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours in the event of major emergencies including travelling at short notice and for extended periods of time

Desirable:

• Experience of working in remote field bases with limited infrastructure
• Ability to foster and maintain strategic alliances across multiple stakeholders;
• Willingness to travel to and work in hard-to-reach areas; highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Experience of assisting in the development of local procedures, SOPs, manuals and guidance on child safeguarding.
• Experience on facilitation and coordination of training and workshop.
• Experience in conducting assessment, monitoring and report writing.
• Practical experience in the participation of children on the intervention of program activities.

The Organisation:

• We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
• We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
  • No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
  • All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
  • Violence against children is no longer tolerated
• We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Additional Job Responsibilities:

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Application Closing Date
18th June, 2021.