SPO, Protection of Children in Situations of Conflict At Save the Children

Internal/External Vacancy of SPO, Protection of Children in Situations of Conflict position

Reporting Line CPAPS

Division Commissioner’s Office

Job Family Seconded staff

Grade P3

Number of Position 1

Location Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The African Union is the Pan African continental body charged with spearheading Africa’s rapid integration and sustainable development by promoting unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among African and African states and developing a new partnership worldwide. In seeking to achieve these objectives, the African Union is leading Africa’s conflict prevention, management and resolution efforts. With the African Union’s increasing role in conflict prevention, mediation, peace enforcement and stabilisation, the relevance and urgency for action on child protection has redoubled. The African Union’s role in addressing conflict resolution provides a clear and practical entry point to ensure that children’s rights are upheld before, during and post conflict, and that protection is extended to them.

To further strengthen the capacity of PAPS to integrate child protection into APSA and institutionalise protection of children in situations of conflict in AU’s peace, security and stability agenda, Save the Children has seconded a SPO to support the CPAPS. The SPO will advise the CPAPS on mainstreaming and devising strategies for the protection of children in conflict situations. The incumbent will work closely with relevant officers in charge of the Women, Youth and Children Unit.

AU values

• Respect for diversity and teamwork.
• Think Africa above all.
• Transparency and accountability.
• Integrity and impartiality.
• Efficiency and professionalism.
• Information and knowledge sharing.

Context

The SPO is responsible for supporting CPAPS in his efforts to integrate child protection in APSA and across the activities of PAPS.

Major functions:

• Support the CPAPS to ensure that child protection concerns are mainstreamed in the entire cycle of the AU’s conflict prevention, management and resolution policies, programs and projects.
• Support the CPAPS to facilitate the activities of the African Platform on Children Affected by Armed Conflicts group of Member States.
• Conduct research, analyse trends, challenges and opportunities that CPAPS could use to better advocate for child protection in situations of conflict.
• Support the CPAPS to collaborate with RECs/RMS, UN and other international partners to strengthen the AU’s child protection capacities, develop synergies, partnerships and joint initiatives.
• Prepare the CPAPS public remarks on protecting children in situations of conflict.
• Support the CPAPs to monitor and report to the PSC on implementing its decisions on protecting children in situations of conflict.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned to her/him by CPAPS.

Selection criteria

• Must be a national of an AU Member State
• Candidates must hold an advanced University/College Degree in humanities or social sciences.
• Must have at least five (8) years of relevant work experience in protecting children in conflict situations, including at least two (2) years advising elected or senior public civil servants.
• Excellent knowledge of project development and management.

Required skills

• Demonstrated ability to start and promote collaborative approaches between geographically and culturally disparate teams.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations both internally and externally.
• Ability to develop clear project goals, plans and actions, including budgets consistent with agreed strategies.
• Working knowledge in children policy analysis and program/project management.
• Excellent ability in drafting, reporting and presentation skills.
• Good organisation and planning skills.
• Good communication abilities.
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages; fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Core Competencies

• Building relationship: – Establishes a broad network of contacts that enables the individual to gather information and encourage others to establish a chain of influence and utilise stakeholders’ strengths and abilities.
• Foster accountability culture: – decides, sets priorities or chooses goals based on calculated inputs and outputs; makes explicit considerations of potential return on investment or cost-benefit analysis of outcomes.
• Learning orientation: – Promotes and role models ongoing learning and development through establishing mechanisms to facilitate and encourage knowledge sharing in the business area. Creates relevant on-the-job learning and stretch opportunities for people working in the division.
• Communicating with impact: – Uses personal rather than positional power to influence and motivate others to achieve results, even those over whom they have no line authority.

Functional competencies

• Conceptual thinking: – Uses several analytical or creative techniques to break apart complex problems into component problems or issues. Draws on complex learned concepts when examining patterns or trends and recognises underlying issues/implications of decisions or courses of action.
• Job knowledge sharing: – Champions knowledge sharing to enable continuous learning and knowledge creation. Identifies opportunities to deliver value through improved information management.
• Drive for result: decide, set priorities, or choose goals based on calculated inputs and outputs and analyses for relevant departmental/ and or organisational outcomes.
• Foster innovation: – Improves performance by taking actions that may be unique, leading-edge or new to the organisation/ department or directorate. Takes calculated risks in trying something new.