Summary
The Child Protection Team leads Save the Children’s efforts across a range of child protection issues. Our programs address the issues of children without appropriate care (CWAC), preventing violence against children, and providing critical protective services for children impacted by emergencies. We support work across the continuum of development and humanitarian contexts. One core element of this work is psychosocial support, delivered through the support of case management, counseling referral systems, and our signature psychosocial support program HEART (Healing and Education through the Arts).
The Senior Specialist Child Protection and Psychosocial Support (PSS) in Emergencies provides technical support for Save the Children’s child protection programs in emergency contexts with special focus on the HEART program. This will include contributing to strategic directions and plans, develop and maintain key external partnerships, maintain links with other departments to strengthen and expand the protection of children and respond to emergencies. The Senior Specialist Child Protection and PSS in Emergencies provides technical assistance to country offices to develop, implement, improve, and evaluate child protection programs, including HEART.
The Senior Specialist will need to demonstrate a strong technical expertise in child protection in emergencies and psychosocial support to provide the highest possible program quality outcomes.
What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)
Technical Assistance (50%)
In collaboration with the Child Protection in Emergencies Team, HEART team, Department of Humanitarian Response (DHR) and Regional and Country Offices:
- Provide technical assistance to regional and country offices in formulation of program and country child protection strategies with special focus on PSS and HEART
- Provide assessment, design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation support to regional, and country offices.
- Build capacity of country offices and other sector staff to design and implement quality programs
- Support quality program design and implementation for child protection programming from public and private funding streams, including foundations, private donors and key bilateral donors, such as USAID OFDA, DOS BPRM and UNHCR
Program learning and internal/external representation (10%)
- Monitor new developments in child protection and PSS programming and support SC to apply best practices in child protection in emergencies
- Represent Child Protection and PSS in Emergencies on external and internal bodies of key importance to Save the Children.
- Liaise with key partner agencies and donors
- Promote the application of best practice in child protection and psychosocial support as a key program area and work to keep it visible as an important thematic area globally
Public and Private Resource Mobilization (30%)
- Support child protection emergency response teams to build a diversified portfolio of funding for child protection with special focus on PSS and HEART
- Establish/maintain new/existing relationships with key donors (headquarters and regional/country level) and relevant SC colleagues.
- Contribute to agency knowledge and decision-making concerning pursuit of funding opportunities.
- Support development and submission of quality proposals in response to identified opportunities.
Knowledge Management (10%)
- Support regional and country offices to develop case studies, reports, and other multi-media documentation of program innovation and successes
- Support online communication tools to share Child Protection and PSS in emergencies activities, special events, and successes
- Liaise with communications teams within Save the Children and our partners to share multi-media assets and support local, regional, and global advocacy
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, child protection, or related field or equivalent experience;
- 5-7 years child protection in emergencies or relevant experience;
- Knowledge and understanding of key child protection in emergency issues including psychosocial support, family separation, sexual and gender based violence, and CAFAAG;
- Experience providing technical support and oversight to child protection programs;
- Ability to secure funding from public and private funding streams, including key donors such as USAID OFDA, DOS BPRM and UNHCR;
- Proven written communication skills;
- Strong interpersonal skills – ability to work across boundaries;
- Experience in program design and proposal development for private foundations, bi- and/or multilaterals, and/or USAID and Department of State-particularly BPRM and OFDA;
- Proven ability lead strategically and collaboratively;
- Demonstrated knowledge of development and emergency effects on children’s protection;
- Ability to work and think globally and develop diverse relationships with colleagues and counterparts;
- Commitment to Save the Children Core Values of Accountability, Commitment, Excellence, Innovation and Teamwork.
- Willingness and ability to travel approximately 40-50% of the time, often to complex and difficult environments
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous onset emergency response experience is preferred
- Second language proficiency - Spanish, Arabic or other relevant language desirable
- Previous work with INGOs, CSOs, or UN desirable
What’s In It for You
- Meaningful work, with a knowledge that you are changing the lives of children all around the world
- A family friendly work environment
- Highly collaborative and innovative teams
- Generous paid vacation days, holidays, family leave days, and sick time
- Healthcare plans including medical, dental, and life insurance
- Retirement savings account with matching company contributions
- Structured and formalized management development and coaching programs for mid and senior level managers
- Extensive e-learning opportunities on a variety of topics offered through our affiliation with several prestigious universities and with the American Management Association, as well as language learning opportunities
Save the Children invests in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. In the United States and around the world, we are dedicated to ensuring every child has the best chance for success. Our pioneering programs give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Our advocacy efforts provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. As the leading expert on children, we inspire and achieve lasting impact for millions of the world's most vulnerable girls and boys. By transforming children's lives now, we change the course of their future and ours.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.
We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.