GOAL Child Empowerment and Protection Coordinator Job in Kenya

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Child Empowerment and Protection Coordinator

Description

General Description of the Programme

GOAL is an international non-governmental, non-political, non-denominational relief and development organisation currently working in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.  

Consistent with its global mission to serve the poorest, the most vulnerable, and those affected by humanitarian crises, GOAL has been working with communities in difficult circumstances to implement relief, rehabilitation and development programmes over the last 30 years.

GOAL opened its first programme in Kenya in 1983 in response to through partnerships with local organizations.  GOAL began providing direct assistance to street children in 1995, before expanding in 2000 when GOAL established a refugee assistance and a child and youth programme. 

This programme covered education, health, HIV and AIDS, child rescue, and rehabilitation and reintegration.  It addressed the needs of vulnerable children in very poor communities in the Nairobi slums.  

In 2006, in response to a drought, GOAL opened a rural water programme in the arid and marginal areas of Kitui and Mwingi Districts.  

In 2007, GOAL opened the Programme of Support for Children and Youth in Difficult Circumstances in Nairobi’s informal settlements.

Today, the Child Empowerment and Protection programme focuses on developing the capacity of local partners and community structures to identify and respond to the needs of Extremely Vulnerable Children and Youth (EVCY) in Nairobi’s slums. 

The programme seeks to link EVCYs and their families with effective services providers (education, health, social support) that are responsive to the unique needs of children living on the streets, disenfranchised youth, child sex workers and other exceptionally vulnerable individuals in order to break the cycle of poverty and achieve sustainable and measureable improvements in their lives.

The programme works to advocate on behalf of EVCYs and their communities and to provide support for vocational training, education and social services that will elevate the voices improve the condition of EVCYs in Kenya.

Essential Job Function

The post holder will oversee, guide and enhance the quality of all protection and education programmes in Kenya, including implementing partners’ activities, all interactions with vulnerable children and their families, communities, the private sector and advocacy at both local and national levels. 

The position will line manage the Child Empowerment and Protection Manager. 

The Child Empowerment and Protection Coordinator is responsible for further developing the GOAL Kenya Child Empowermenr and Protection strategy; working with the Assistant Country Director-Programmes (ACD-P) and the Country Director to secure funding; and ultimately for delivering high quality protection programmes on time and on budget.

S/he will have a thorough understanding of the GOAL global Child Empowerment and Protection(CEP) strategy; an demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships with staff and partners; and a strategic vision of success for the GOAL Kenya Child Empowerment and Protection Sector. 

Funding for this position will primarily come from Irish Aid Programme Funds.

Main Duties
 

Programme Management and Technical Guidance

• Refine the GOAL Kenya CEP strategy and implementation plan (including the identification of partners and resources to support quality implementation at scale)
• Lead the CEP programme team with a focus on ensuring long-term, measureable and sustainable improvement in the lives of beneficiaries
• Work closely with the Global Child Protection Advisor to identify, share and implement best practices on child protection interventions
• Ensure appropriate, timely and quality monitoring of programme activities as per proposal/logical framework documents including archival of final copies of project data, reports etc.
• Maintain an accurate and up-to-date database of beneficiaries supported under the CEP programme, aligned across and with partners, in coordination with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning team
• Provide technical support to GOAL’s implementing partners and programme teams to ensure effective integration of child protection principles across sectors
• Carry out supervisory visits, writing technical reports and making key programmatic recommendations for partners to enhance the quality of partners programmes
• Lead the development, review and editing of donor reports to ensure their timely completion
• Work with ACD-P to facilitate grant opening, mid, and end review meetings for the CEP programmes to ensure effective communication between the programme, finance, logistics and HR departments
• Identify and oversee the implementation of programmes that respond to the training needs of partners and programme staff
• S/he will provide oversight of the CEP budget and spend rate
• With the CEP Manager and Officers, ensure implementation and monitoring of the highest possible standards of child protection mainstreaming within CEP activities for both GOAL and its partners.

Collaboration

• Oversee that CEP programme teams liaise with ministry officials on programme activities and planning
• Advise, guide and ensure CEP programme managers develop strategic links with relevant organisations working on similar programmes to ensure collaboration and the development of links for referrals
• Ensure documentation of policy level engagement, GOAL knowledge entering policy discussion and, potentially, its impact.

Strategic Design

• Contribute to GOAL Kenya’s overall strategic development – in line with GOAL global strategies.
• Guide and oversee the implementation of GOAL Kenya’s advocacy strategy as it relates to child protection.

Staff Management

• Line manage the CEP Manager and provide overall technical oversight to the CEP Team

GOAL anticipates that in the performance of daily activities there will be some tasks requested of the employee that are not stated in this job description.

It is therefore an additional responsibility of the employee to be flexible regarding its’  interpretation.

Person Specification     
 

Educational Qualification and experience

• A Master’s degree in social sciences or relevant subject
• A Degree/diploma in the social sciences, project management or community studies
• 3+ years’ experience of managing child welfare-related projects or health and livelihoods projects within an International NGO. Experience in child welfare-related projects preferred
• Excellent knowledge of urban child protection and youth development issues
• Strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including experience in quantitative and qualitative/participatory methods
• Capacity to respect and build the management skills of a diverse programme team
• Experience in developing proposals and writing reports
• Good understanding of financial management, including budget preparation and management and implementation of systems for financial accountability
• Ability to build constructive relationships with partners, donors, local and national authorities, and other stakeholders
• Good communication skills, including fluency in oral and written English

Special Skills and Abilities

• Strong experience in community outreach and community based development
• Computer proficiency in MS Word and Excel
• Ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse people and groups
• Ability to work in slum communities

To apply for the above position, please send your CV by email, listing three referees including your last direct supervisor and salary expectation to keapplications@ke.goal.ie .

Please put the job title, “CHILD EMPOWERMENT AND PROTECTION COORDINATOR” in the subject line of the email.

The closing date for all applications is Friday 28th September 2012.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted and responded to after interviews. 

GOAL is an equal opportunity employer, qualified male and female applicants are encouraged to apply.