United States of America: Community Based Child Protection in Emergencies (CBCP) Project Manager

The CBCP in Emergencies Project Manager will sit within the Resilience Practice Area at Plan International USA. This person will be responsible for the administration, technical leadership, implementation, and reporting for Plan International’s USAID/OFDA grant improving the protective environment for children, young people and their families affected by conflict and disaster through strengthened community-based child protection approaches in line with the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action. They will also contribute significantly to inter-agency work as part of the Community Based Child Protection in Emergencies Task Force under the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action.

The CBCP in Emergencies Project Manager is responsible for the implementation and final deliverables of Plan International’s OFDA grant improving the protective environment for children, young people and their families affected by conflict and disaster through strengthened community-based child protection approaches in line with the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action on behalf of the inter-agency Community Based Child Protection in Emergencies Task Force under the Alliance for Child Protection Humanitarian Action. The Project Manager (PM) will be based in their home country, Washington, DC or London, and travel up to 40% to pilot countries.

Responsibilities:

Implement the OFDA Grant

• Establish a review committee of representatives from the Community Based Child Protection in Emergencies Task Force (CBCP in Emergencies TF) and other relevant initiatives that will provide technical guidance, feedback and revision of various deliverables, participate in data gathering, etc.
• Develop a work plan in coordination with Plan International
• Develop criteria for selecting pilot countries in coordination with Plan International and the review committee
• Collect and synthesize existing tools, evaluation reports, donor reports and other key resources on CBCP and other sectors using community based approaches to develop a database on key resources and a synthesis on key research and lessons learned in collaboration with/building on the work of War Child Holland
• Liaise with ongoing initiatives strengthening community based approaches, evidence generation, evaluation, etc. and foster a collaborative environment
• Work with the Assessment, Measurement and Evidence Working Group to design data collection processes and participatory approaches for engagement with pilot countries

Design the Field Guide to Strengthening Community Based Child Protection

• Deploy to pilot countries to design and validate “key considerations” for strengthening CBCP
• Develop final “key considerations” and “how to guides” through participatory approaches that engage pilot countries, field based coordinators, academics, and practitioners.
• Provide capacity building opportunities to pilot countries through deployments to roll-out the draft Field Guide and develop in-country action plans
• Monitor and provide technical support to the implementation of country action plans.

Provide Capacity Building Opportunities to Practitioners

• Develop a CBCP training package to accompany the Field Guide in collaboration with the Learning & Development Working Group inclusive of
  • Face-face Training of Trainers
  • E-learning Modules
• Broadly test and disseminate training and Field Guide through deployments to provide training, online webinars and dissemination via websites, and via global events and meetings (regional and global events)
• Work with the Assessment, Measurement and Evidence and the Learning and Development Working Group to design a feedback mechanisms for future testing, study, and finalization of the Field Guide and training package

Networking and Representation

• Co-lead the CBCP in Emergencies Task Force as part of the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action as Plan International’s representative.
• Liaise with and participate in various initiatives on CBCP and bring key stakeholders and organizations together for collaboration and coordination
• Participate in the revision process of Standard 16 (CBCP) in collaboration with the Child Protection Minimum Standards Working Group

Grant Management

• Support the submission of timely donor reports (narrative, budgetary, etc.)
• Design monitoring and reporting methodologies
• Provide regular updates to the Senior Director of Resilience at Plan International USA on the status of the project
• Support the communication with USAID/OFDA (provide regular updates on project progress and achievements, organise workshops in the USA to present the guidance and related tools, etc.)
• Work with Compliance, Operations & Awards to ensure compliance with award terms and conditions including any sub-awards issued under the award

Build Technical Expertise of Plan International’s in CBCP

• Identify opportunities to build capacity of Child Protection in Emergencies practitioners in CBCP which may include: support to proposals including CBCP interventions, provide trainings both face-face and via webinar, support the development of Plan International’s CBCP strategy in emergencies, etc.

Dealing with Problems:

• Excellent risk-assessment and management is required to support decisions that may require overcoming attitudinal, systemic and physical barriers
• Management judgment will be required to negotiate and influence inter-agency task force members at the global, regional and country level

Key Internal Contacts

• The successful candidate will work regularly with the Global Child Protection in Emergencies (CPiE) Unit at Plan International Headquarters.
• The candidate will lead the CBCP project in collaboration with the CPiE technical team and utilize technical guidance from team members.
• The candidate will contribute to Global CPiE pieces of work as appropriate.

Key External Contacts

• Inter-agency forums and groups such as the Working Groups and Task Forces within the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, the Child Protection Area of Responsibility, the Community Based Child Protection Exchange, the Inter-agency Learning Initiative on Community Based Child Protection, the CPC Network, the UNHCR Community Based Protection Exchange, etc.
• Other agencies and groups relevant to community based approaches and actions.

Reporting Lines

• Reports to the Senior Director of Resilience at Plan International USA
• Technical guidance from the Global Child Protection in Emergencies Specialist at Plan International Headquarters
• When working in Plan International Country Office, may have dotted line reporting to Emergency Response Manager or designate.

Required Qualifications:

• At least 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience with international organizations in Child Protection in Emergencies and demonstrated expertise in implementing CBCP
• University degree in social work, psychology, social sciences or related field
• Experience in developing, methods, tools and programs/interventions – including capacity building approaches (training, coaching/mentoring, remote supervision, participatory learning approaches, etc.)
• Strong research and analytical skills with experience in participatory and inter-agency approaches
• Experience in grant management, spending and procurement planning, monitoring and reporting, etc. (preferably with USA donors)
• Creative, thinks outside the box to solve complex problems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Knowledge of the Child Protection Minimum Standards and their role within the child Experience working at an inter-agency level

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in developing inter-agency pieces of work and ability to distil various viewpoints into cohesive guidance
• Familiarity with multi-sector approaches to programming
• French, Arabic, or Spanish speaking/written skills
• Previous experience with USAID, OFDA, BPRM, or other USA donor
• Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
• Excellent negotiation, representation, skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
• Strong organizational and work prioritization skills, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines
• Proven ability to solve problems independently without direct supervision.
• Good facilitation skills and ability to deliver induction briefing/training.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate clearly and effectively at all levels, and to maintain this under pressure.
• Commitment and adherence to humanitarian values and standards
• Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan International’s core values and humanitarian principles including awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.
• Experience working in conflict or emergency-affected areas
• Ability to work in multiple locations and on the move

Please apply through our career page at: https://www.planusa.org/careers