USAID OVC Project Jobs in Uganda

Job Title:   Child Protection Systems Specialist

Organization: Action for Community Development (ACODEV)

Funding Source: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Project Name: Sustainable Outcomes for Children and Youth in Central and Western Uganda

Duty Station: Uganda

Reports to: Regional Coordinator

About US:

Action for Community Development (ACODEV) is a Non-Governmental Organization that serves

and empowers individuals, families and communities in East and Southern African region through promotion of innovative solutions in the areas of Human Rights, Health Promotions and Institutional Capacity Strengthening.

About Project:

ACODEV will be implementing Sustainable Outcomes for Children and Youth in Central and Western Uganda over the next five years. The Project will improve the health, nutrition, education and psychosocial wellbeing of vulnerable populations, as well as reduce abuse, exploitation and neglect to a minimum of 625,000 children and 101,500 households in 17 districts in central and western Uganda.  The Project is being implemented by a consortium of partner consisting of CRS being the lead, Futures Group, ANPPCAN and TPO.

Job Summary:  The Child Protection Systems Specialist will technically support efforts to increase the quality of the comprehensive protection Systems for OVC, youth and caregivers in four districts of Western Uganda. Such efforts include capacity strengthening for government and CSOs, ensuring adherence to Uganda's OVC standards, and improving child protection case management, including response and referrals. S/he will work closely with the Project District Coordinators, Child Protection Committees, and District Probation Officers.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

1. Capacity Development in Child Protection and Legal Support:

• Develop quality program standards that will guide the OVC project implementing partners and sub grantees to mainstream and deliver quality child protection and legal support services.
• Carry out a child protection capacity and skills gap assessment across all implementing partners to ascertain capacity needs, prepare and implement a Systematic capacity development plan.
• In each district, directly manage the development of a functional community based child protection Systems that brings together the probation office, community based organizations and other informal structures in a coordinated manner.
• Carry out capacity building for staff and community based structures through comprehensive trainings, lesson learned and knowledge dissemination
• Collect and put together a package of training manuals, relevant child protection literature and reference materials and establish a child protection reference point at the OVC department
• Interpret Ugandan government national policies and strategies on children such as the NOP, NSPPI 2, guiding the OVC team on how it can promote and contribute to the realization of the project.
• Play a role in identifying ongoing capacity development initiatives by other USG supported projects targeting vulnerable children and forge linkages and synergies that strengthen collaboration whilst minimizing duplication.

2. Increasing Access to Child Protection Services:

• Ensure that service delivery procedures for all implementation level staff and district duty bearers in the identification and management of child protection cases in each target district.
• Manage all district level duty bearers and backstop the functionality of the community based child protection Systems in the district.
• Carry out regular support supervision, monitoring and support to all staff and district duty bearers to ensure that policies and procedures in relation to child protection are well understood.
• Work closely with the Program Manager ensure that child protection data is, regularly updated and disaggregated in a meaningful manner that can improve the quality of child protection services delivered.
• Work in consultation with the OVC team, map and identify other related child protection and legal support service providers, establishing referral pathway.
• Together with the OVC team design and supervise the roll out of a community based advocacy and child protection awareness raising strategy that increases community responsiveness and support to vulnerable children.
• Offer technical support for the implementation of activities targeting both out of school and school based child friendly activities that increase participation, self-esteem and relational abilities of children.
• In the district together with the probation office, identify and agree procedures of supporting children in conflict with the law as well as children in need of legal support for reintegration.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 

• The applicant should possess a good Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies or Community Psychology.
• Attended Professional training in child protection, juvenile justice, human rights and other essential skills will give you a competitive edge.
• A minimum of four years’ progressively responsible experience in a child protection technical advisory/ support role with a large scale NGO.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of national level response initiatives targeting vulnerable children.
• Awareness and familiarity with government policies and strategies on children.
• Demonstrable training skills, development of training materials and capacity building of community based organizations.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication and negotiation skills. Fluent written and spoken English.
• Extremely flexible, and have the ability to cope with stressful situations.
• Ability to maintain performance expectations and strong working relationships in diverse cultural contexts, psychologically & physically stressful environments
• Past experience with and enthusiasm for on the job training.
• Computer proficiency i.e. Knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Internet) required.
• Supportive attitude towards processes of strengthening staff capacity; 
• Possess good leadership qualities, personnel and team management including mediation and conflict resolution;
• Proven skills in critical thinking, assessment and analysis; strong competency in conceptualizing and designing strategic frameworks;
• Excellent communication, team building and training skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in and outside the organization;
• Proven ability in report writing and presentation to ACODEV Management and other stakeholders.
• Desire to work effectively in a team oriented environment.
• Ability to travel within rural Uganda.

ACODEV’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. It is ACODEV’s policy not to solicit money for the entire recruitment process.

How to Apply: 

All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send a cover letter, updated CV and three work references (names and contact information only) to: Plot 98/99 Masoli Road 600M off Gayaza Road. Kampala. Uganda.

Deadline: Wednesday, 6^th May 2015