Child Protection Coordinator

[Erbil,Iraq ]

Position: Child Protection Coordinator – Safer Future Project II– Protection and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Groups. 

Location: Erbil  – with frequent travel to Baghdad, Ninawa and Sulaymaniyah

Reports To: Project Manager / MHPSS Director – Iraq

Application Deadline: July 19th 2021

Starting Date: August 2021.

About You:  A motivated mid-career professional looking to work alongside an inspiring, dynamic team of leading human rights workers. The candidate will have exceptional technical skills and embrace a collaborative, team approach to the work they do. This person has experience living and working in challenging operating environments and is eager to apply that experience working on innovative human rights projects that support survivors of torture, their families as well as families of those who had disappeared.

About Heartland Alliance International: Heartland Alliance International’s (HAI) mission is to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and communities. HAI envisions a world in which those whose rights have been violated are safe and empowered to actively engage in their communities and be at the forefront of social change.  In Iraq, HAI provides holistic services focusing on mental health and psychosocial support, legal aid, violence prevention, and social cohesion to diverse vulnerable populations.

The Project:  Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is implementing a child protection project called Safer Future: Protection and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Groups. This project seeks to ensure that children who are associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG), including those detained/sentenced and those disengaged and at risk of radicalization, benefit from a functional and child-friendly system of justice that protects them and their rights and a comprehensive community-based reintegration program that promotes safe and sustainable reintegration through comprehensive social development and economic strengthening services. Project activities will be implemented in both Baghdad and Ninewa governorates. In Baghdad the will implement in the detention and reformatory centers (Observation house for boys and girls), reformatory schools for adolescents and reformatory school for juveniles. In Ninewa the project will be implement in Telkef detention facility and the newly established observation house in  Mosul, , and communities in the Ninewa  governorates due to the severity of needs in these two governorates and the conditions inside Baghdad and Ninewa detention facilities, reformatory schools and observation houses. The project consists of Three  interrelated and mutually-reinforcing objectives: (1) Detained adolescents have access to comprehensive protection and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services and have their rights protected; (2) Children and adolescents who are released from detention and children in the community who are disengaged or at risk of radicalization have access to and benefit from community-based reintegration services that are in line with international standards and best practices; (3) improve government staff capacities.

Role of the Child Protection (CP) Coordinator:

Under the direct management of the Safer Future II Project Manager, with technical supervision by the Iraq MHPSS Director, the Safer Future CP Coordinator will provide technical oversight and leadership to support HAI’s Child Protection and comprehensive case management services for participants in the area of coverage. The CP Coordinator will develop guidance and protocols, identify capacity-building needs, develop and deliver tailored trainings, and provide supervision to service providers to ensure high standards of service delivery. Although the CP Coordinator will be based in Erbil, he/she will be expected to travel frequently to Ninawa and Baghdad for staff training and supervision. He/she will also travel to Sulaymaniyah to meet with other program staff.

 

• Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Technical oversight and support to field level implementation of HAI’s CP programming, including case management, psychosocial Support (PSS), caregiver psychoeducation, and outreach.

• Ensure HAI’s case management services follow proper case management protocols; assessments, referrals and documentation are happening in timely and quality manner, and interdisciplinary case conferences occur on a regular basis.
• Design and implement new training and supervision approaches to build the capacity of service providers, including operational and technical support for ongoing child protection case management services and strengthening care for child survivors.
• Development and implementation of training and technical support to mainstream child protection and psychosocial support standards.
• Working with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) team to ensure data collection and reporting on regular basis. 
• Coach, train and supervise service provider staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Hold high-quality supervision meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least bi-weekly.
• In collaboration with the Iraq MHPSS Director, develop and implement staff support programming to prevent burnout and secondary trauma and support wellbeing among staff.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Support the timely information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level.
• Represent HAI in internal and external forums as needed, including the protection cluster and CP sub-Cluster. Participate in HAI’s internal global Child and Adolescent MHPSS working group.

 

• Other duties: this Job Description is flexible to respond to additional tasks or changes as identified by the direct line manager.

 

Position: Child Protection Coordinator – Safer Future Project II– Protection and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Groups. 

Location: Erbil  – with frequent travel to Baghdad, Ninawa and Sulaymaniyah

Reports To: Project Manager / MHPSS Director – Iraq

Application Deadline: July 19th 2021

Starting Date: August 2021.

About You:  A motivated mid-career professional looking to work alongside an inspiring, dynamic team of leading human rights workers. The candidate will have exceptional technical skills and embrace a collaborative, team approach to the work they do. This person has experience living and working in challenging operating environments and is eager to apply that experience working on innovative human rights projects that support survivors of torture, their families as well as families of those who had disappeared.

About Heartland Alliance International: Heartland Alliance International’s (HAI) mission is to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and communities. HAI envisions a world in which those whose rights have been violated are safe and empowered to actively engage in their communities and be at the forefront of social change.  In Iraq, HAI provides holistic services focusing on mental health and psychosocial support, legal aid, violence prevention, and social cohesion to diverse vulnerable populations.

The Project:  Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is implementing a child protection project called Safer Future: Protection and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Groups. This project seeks to ensure that children who are associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG), including those detained/sentenced and those disengaged and at risk of radicalization, benefit from a functional and child-friendly system of justice that protects them and their rights and a comprehensive community-based reintegration program that promotes safe and sustainable reintegration through comprehensive social development and economic strengthening services. Project activities will be implemented in both Baghdad and Ninewa governorates. In Baghdad the will implement in the detention and reformatory centers (Observation house for boys and girls), reformatory schools for adolescents and reformatory school for juveniles. In Ninewa the project will be implement in Telkef detention facility and the newly established observation house in  Mosul, , and communities in the Ninewa  governorates due to the severity of needs in these two governorates and the conditions inside Baghdad and Ninewa detention facilities, reformatory schools and observation houses. The project consists of Three  interrelated and mutually-reinforcing objectives: (1) Detained adolescents have access to comprehensive protection and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services and have their rights protected; (2) Children and adolescents who are released from detention and children in the community who are disengaged or at risk of radicalization have access to and benefit from community-based reintegration services that are in line with international standards and best practices; (3) improve government staff capacities.

Role of the Child Protection (CP) Coordinator:

Under the direct management of the Safer Future II Project Manager, with technical supervision by the Iraq MHPSS Director, the Safer Future CP Coordinator will provide technical oversight and leadership to support HAI’s Child Protection and comprehensive case management services for participants in the area of coverage. The CP Coordinator will develop guidance and protocols, identify capacity-building needs, develop and deliver tailored trainings, and provide supervision to service providers to ensure high standards of service delivery. Although the CP Coordinator will be based in Erbil, he/she will be expected to travel frequently to Ninawa and Baghdad for staff training and supervision. He/she will also travel to Sulaymaniyah to meet with other program staff.

 

• Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Technical oversight and support to field level implementation of HAI’s CP programming, including case management, psychosocial Support (PSS), caregiver psychoeducation, and outreach.

• Ensure HAI’s case management services follow proper case management protocols; assessments, referrals and documentation are happening in timely and quality manner, and interdisciplinary case conferences occur on a regular basis.
• Design and implement new training and supervision approaches to build the capacity of service providers, including operational and technical support for ongoing child protection case management services and strengthening care for child survivors.
• Development and implementation of training and technical support to mainstream child protection and psychosocial support standards.
• Working with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) team to ensure data collection and reporting on regular basis. 
• Coach, train and supervise service provider staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Hold high-quality supervision meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least bi-weekly.
• In collaboration with the Iraq MHPSS Director, develop and implement staff support programming to prevent burnout and secondary trauma and support wellbeing among staff.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Support the timely information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level.
• Represent HAI in internal and external forums as needed, including the protection cluster and CP sub-Cluster. Participate in HAI’s internal global Child and Adolescent MHPSS working group.

 

• Other duties: this Job Description is flexible to respond to additional tasks or changes as identified by the direct line manager.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

 

Essential Criteria:

• University degree in psychology, counseling, mental health, Sociology, social work, education or relevant field is preferred; Bachelor’s degree in above field is required.
• 5+ years of experience providing services in child protection and PSS fields.
• 3+ years of experience providing technical oversight to child protection, case management, and PSS programming in humanitarian settings.
• Demonstrated experience providing training, supervision, and monitoring to child protection and PSS service providers, including using remote modalities.
• Experience working with youth in detention is strongly preferred.
• Experience in MHPSS is strongly preferred.
• Strong commitment to human rights and gender equality.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including ability to gain trust and build relationships; strong diplomatic, negotiation, and persuasion skills; ability to proactively problem-solve.
• Comfort working on a team, as well as independently.
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and humanitarian values.
• Knowledge and understanding of Monitoring and Evaluation concepts.
• Experience with Windows platform, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.
• Proven ability to calmly, professionally, and successfully manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to work in a stressful setting and adapt quickly to changing environments.

 

Languages

• Required: Fluent in Arabic.
• Proficiency in English (read, write and communicate) is required.

• Personal Competencies: Collaborative spirit and ability to work independently as well as in a team; commitment to knowledge sharing and teamwork; positive attitude and ability to see through challenges to find solutions; and strong interpersonal skills and an ability to clearly communicate, including complex concepts into layperson language.

  Resilience: This project will address sensitive issues. Interested applicants should have a strong commitment to addressing the issues with cultural sensitivity, respect, and confidentiality.  Candidates should be flexible, have a sense of humor and patience.

To Apply: Please send cover letter (1 page maximum) explaining your interest and how your experience meets the qualifications required and a CV, to 

https://heartlandalliance.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=495

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.