Protection Program Officer (Ethiopia) At Terre des Hommes Netherlands

Terre des Hommes Netherlands is looking for a full time Protection Program Officer for its emergency response project in Ethiopia focusing on stopping child exploitation. The position will be based in Debre Birhan. This is a national position, open to applicants who can prove the right to live and work in Ethiopia. Initial contract period will be for six (6) months.

1. Background

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH-NL) is an international NGO committed to stopping child exploitation globally, the most serious violations of the rights of the child, is the core of Terre des Hommes Netherlands’ work. In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and International Labour Organization (ILO) standards as laid down in Conventions 138 and 182, our definition covers: child trafficking and unsafe migration; sexual exploitation of children; the worst forms of child labour; and child abuse including violations of the sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of adolescents and retrogressive cultural practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation. In addition, humanitarian assistance is an integral part of our activities, in particular child protection and stopping child exploitation in emergency situations. We work a lot with local partners, so we keep a good view of the local problems. Our partners know the culture and know how best to help children who are being exploited. This allows us to better organize our programs.

In East Africa, Terre des Hommes Netherlands works in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. We support child victims of exploitation with safeguarding, education, livelihoods support, psychosocial support, legal assistance, shelter, job opportunities and medical care; while at the same time targeting highly vulnerable children, who are at risk of being exploited, in our prevention activities. We launch public and media campaigns to create awareness on our focus issues and carry out local research into the extent and nature of abuse and exploitation of children.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TDH-NL) has been operational in Ethiopia since 2016 and registered in Ethiopia in 2017, carrying out child protection projects within four child protection themes: the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), the Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL), Child Trafficking and Migration (CTM), and Child Abuse (CA) in the form of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. With a management structure in Addis Ababa, TdH is currently implementing Emergency and Development projects in the Amhara regional state.

Our Vision: Terre des Hommes Netherlands works towards a world where all children have a decent life and can grow up to be independent adults. A world in which children are no longer exploited. We will continue our work until this is accomplished.

Our Mission: Terre des Hommes Netherlands prevents child exploitation, removes children from exploitative situations and ensures these children can develop themselves in a safe environment.

1. Objective:

The Protection Program Officer has the overall responsibility for design, planning, implementation, coordination and reporting of all protection activities under RRM projects in the northern Shewa zone and other locations as assigned. She/he leads the development and planning of new protection interventions, conducts protection monitoring/assessments, design implementation guidelines, capacity building of protection staff, and reporting. The Protection Program Officer will also be responsible for liaising with relevant stakeholders and local authorities in providing capacity building training as well as local and state level coordination.

The Protection Program Officer works under the direct supervision of the Humanitarian Program Officer and liaises with all program, operations departments of TdH-NL in Ethiopia.

Program management

• Plan and timely implementation of TdH´s protection projects namely (child protection (CP), gender based violence (GBV) and psycho social support (PSS)).
• Conduct timely rapid protection assessments in new areas with greater focus on CP, GBV, PSS and other life saving needs of affected communities.
• Regerious application of project management tools as well as national and international sectoral standards.
• Documenting the impact of TdH´s presence in the field of protection.
• Supervise and on job capacity building of TdH caseworkers in the field of CP & GBV.
• Provide regular updates to the Emergency Program Officer at country level and Humanitarian Coordinator at the head office.
• Participation in the program/project design of TdH Ethiopia.
• Ensure greater synergy and collaborations with protection and other sector responses by other agencies in the field.
• Preparation of monthly budget forecast for the protection project and track budget expenditures.
• Prepare and timely submission of procurement plans and follow up this with the finance/supply chain department.

Capacity building:

• Capacity building of TdH field case workers on protection, particularly on CP, GBV and PSS.
• Capacity building of government counterpart/ stakeholders staff on CP, GBV and PSS.
• Design capacity building strategies for communities in the field of CP, GBV and PSS.
• Ensure new staff are trained on CP, GBV and PSS.

Human resource:

• Directly supervise the rapid response protection team (RRT) of TdH at the field level and ensure a positive and collaborative working environment.
• As necessary, participate in the recruitment of local staff.
• Conduct performance planning and appraisal of staff including the CP, GBV and PSS case workers.
• In collaboration with the Emergency Program Officer and HR assess and produce staff capacity building and training plans.

Representation/coordination:

• Participation in protection coordination meetings at the field and state level.
• Represent/promote TdH in emergency coordination meetings at the field and regional level.

Others responsibilities:

• Ensure strict compliance to TdH´s national and international policies, procedures and practices, including adherence to Do No Harm and child protection.

The responsibilities listed in the job description are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

1. Qualifications

Required:

• Advanced university degree, preferably in an appropriate field such as law, sociology, social work, humanitarian aid, international relations, project management or equivalent.
• Minimum of 6 years’ solid experience in protection including child protection, gender based violence and mental health and psychological support.
• Experience in managing protection programs in complex emergencies such as refugee settings, internally displaced contexts etc.
• Knowledge of the country’s and local context.
• Proven experience and knowledge in emergency/ humanitarian coordination.
• Proven experience in needs assessment and report writing.
• Extensive experience in humanitarian project management.
• Proven experience in management of multisector programs.
• Capacity building skills.
• Knowledge of Project management, including project design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills- written and orally.
• Planning, organizing, cooperation, performance oriented.
• High degree of taking initiative and working independently.
• Knowledge of management techniques.
• Verbal and written fluency in English and Amharic.
• Good computer and IT skills.
• Willingness to deploy in multiple locations.

Desired

• Knowledge of TdH
• Knowing additional local language skills is considered an asset.

Competency profile

• Analytical capacity: understand complex issues by logical reasoning, investigation of potential causes.
• Networking: builds relationships and networks that are helpful when realising objectives and utilises informal networks to get things done.
• Striving for excellence: focus on results while ensuring efficiency.

Integrity: act based on TdH´s mission and values.