Somalia: CP/IDTR Officer Galkcaayo (1 position)

INTERSOS Somalia is recruiting for a national Child Protection Officer in Mudug region. This offers an opportunity for those wishing to work with a professional team providing high quality services for the most vulnerable, separated and unaccompanied and other vulnerable children.

INTERSOS is a non-profit humanitarian aid organization that works to bring assistance to people affected by natural disasters and conflicts. Established in 1992 with support from the Italian Federation of Trade Unions, its actions are based on the values of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equal rights and opportunities for all people and respect for diversity and coexistence, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable and the unprotected. In Somalia INTERSOS is active since 1992 responding to emergencies that involve IDPs and returnees populations as well as the host community. INTERSOS currently operates in Mudug, Bay, Middle Shabelle and Mudug regions of Somalia.

Position overview:
The Child Protection/IDTR Officer will be responsible for supervising and supporting direct service provision for identification, documentation, tracing and reunification of Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC), basic emotional support to UASC and their families and other vulnerable children, ensuring a functional referral system and community-based child protection mechanism and maintaining the CPIMS and coordinating tracing and reunification according to the IDTR SOPs.

Main responsibilities:

1. Field base child protection/IDTR case worker supervision, mentoring, IDTR coordination and follow-up of children in alternative care settings
   • Ensure daily supervision of CP/IDTR case workers in Galkcaayo, Mudug region and support outreach to other areas of Puntland, including weekly activities planning and review of progress against the CP/IDTR work plan and Protection department expected outputs;
   • Supervise case management and follow up of cases related to UASC after Identification and documentation, including continuous basic emotional support. Once the cases is identified the case workers is expected to to provide case management based on a child-centred approach:
   a. Create a climate of trust and care;
   b. Introduction, Consent procedure
   c. Rapid case assessment;
   d. Comprehensive best interest assessment, case action planning and implementation;
   e. Case follow up & Review;
   f. Preferred durable solution in discussion with the child and caregiver;
   g. Case closure;
   h. Final follow up (confirm the sustainability of preferred durable solution).
   • Ensure that case workers are providing comprehensive information on services available to the client, maintain coordination with service provider focal points, and ensure accompaniment and referral to service adhering to referral SOPs and “need to know” principle; in a child centred approach with elements of local community mechanism in response to child protection (including CBOs)
   • Ensure case workers are conducting regular follow-up visits to children in alternative care, and support informal foster families to support UASC children in their care. Provide support to deal with any emergency issues or child protection concerns for children living in alternative care. Immediately report any complex and emergency cases to the CP/IDTR field coordinator and CP PM;
   • Support case workers to provide direct service provision for case management, PSS and tailored material assistance, including leading weekly case management meetings and writing minutes;
   • Ensure that INTERSOS IDTR/CP approach is tailored to support minority clans, children with disabilities, the needs of girls and boys of different age groups and other vulnerable children;
   • Provide ongoing mentoring support and training, as requested, on Child Protection and IDTR to the case workers, as well as to other INTERSOS staff and local partners to ensure adherence to INTERSOS policies and protection principles.

2. Strengthen referral for clients and community engagement to support vulnerable children
   • Maintain the IDTR CPMIS for Mudug region, and submit weekly and monthly database updates to the Database Officer;
   • Utilise the CPIMS database to request tracing from other INTERSOS bases and local partners, according to the IDTR SOPs and follow-up on tracing requests from other bases and partners on a regular basis;
   • Ensure there is a functional and safe referral services mechanism for clients within Mudug region/Puntland;
   • Review service mapping and functionality of referral SOPs with protection actors and other service providers in all target areas and take measures with INTERSOS LNGO partners to address challenges;
   • Work with INTERSOS protection and Returns team, LNGO partner and to mobilise and train community members and outreach workers for prevention of family separation and awareness on GBV causes and consequences and safe and ethical referral for care;
   • Conduct training with the GBV and CP team for teachers, formal and informal authorities, informal foster families and community-based child protection committee members on basic emotional support, providing a supportive environment, safe and ethical referral of cases;
   • Work with different service providers and humanitarian actors to mainstream protection, gender, age Train and mentor referral service staff directly with children protection cases on guiding principles; ensure that those involved in the referral system are adhering to these principles;
   • Conduct regular meetings with INTERSOS protection team, local partner and other actors as required to ensure effectiveness of referral support for survivors and vulnerable children.

3. Project management support including reporting, M&E and coordination
   • Prepare weekly and monthly reports on child protection activities and challenges to progress to submit to the CP/IDTR field coordinator and CP PM including identification and justification of any challenges, progress and performance issues;
   • Manage Galkcaayo case worker staff appraisals, leave and HR processes with the Child Protection/IDTR Field Coordinator and CP Project Managers;
   • Prepare financial requests for field operations with the support of the CP/IDTR PM and CP/IDTR Field Coordinator and ensure accountability documentation is prepared according to procedures with the Base Administrator;
   • With INTERSOS Database and M&E staff, support project monitoring and evaluation including facilitating service user feedback, material and transportation assistance in Mudug region;
   • With the Child Protection/IDTR Field Coordinator, support the functioning of a community-based complaints mechanism and safe and confidential system on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse within the Mudug region;
   • With the Child Protection/IDTR Field Coordinator, conduct joint planning and reporting with INTERSOS GBV and child protection teams, including preparing weekly and monthly plans and report on INTERSOS child protection activities;
   • Support reporting and trend analysis of data gathered through CPIMS, including use of the data to advocate with authorities and humanitarian actors for response;
   • Conduct rapid assessments and data collection, according to WHO ethical and safety principles, as part of inter-agency/multi-sectoral teams and coordinate immediate protection (GBV and CP) response in areas of displacement, conflict or natural disasters;
   • Immediately update the CP/IDTR PM on any security or other issues and reports affecting project implementation, including population displacements, emerging child protection issues, SEA allegations, community complaints, misconceptions among the community, authorities or other agencies regarding INTERSOS work. Including initiating discussion and advice for problem-solving on the potential response and mitigating actions. In particular, any security incidents involving INTERSOS staff or partners must be reported immediately.
   • When requested, act as INTERSOS focal point for child protection working group meetings;
   • Maintain good working relations with IDP and host community, formal and informal authorities in the target areas;
   • Any other task as requested by the CP or GBV Field Coordinators and Project Managers necessary for the project implementation.

Person specification:
 Social Science, Development degree, Social work and/or equivalent practical field experience working in Somalia, preferably with a humanitarian organisation;
 Minimum three years experience in either GBV, child protection, protection monitoring with strong focus on community mobilisation;
 Good interpersonal skills to work effective with different stakeholders including different communities in the target areas, humanitarian actors, health and education staff, local authorities;
 Proven experience in training, coordination and monitoring and evaluation is an asset;
 Gender-sensitive and advocate for women, children and minority rights;
 Experience in psychosocial support, case management and alternative care for children is an asset;
 Good cooperation skills and ability to work in a team;
 Good problem solving and social skills and creative, to think of alternative solutions;
 Stress-resilient to be able to cope with deadlines and complex problems;
 Strong organizational, communication and report writing skills;
 Computer literate (word and excel);
 Fluency in written and spoken English and Somali;
 Willing to work extra hours and available at the weekend for emergency cases.

Application process:
Send CV and cover letter to hr.somalia@intersos.org with email heading “Child Protection/IDTR Officer - Galkcaayo” or direct submission to INTERSOS Mogadishu office by COB March 13th 2016.