Child Protection Community Engagement Officer 32 views2 applications

Introduction:

Positive Action for Development (PAD) is one of the most vibrant, rapidly expanding, and results-driven civil society organizations in Ethiopia. PAD is currently scaling up its interventions across the humanitarian, NEXUS, and development spectrum—expanding operations throughout the country, including in Addis Ababa, Amhara, Oromia, Harari, Afar, Somali, Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Ethiopia’s southern regional states. As PAD broadens its reach, it remains firmly committed to inclusive, equitable, and conflict-sensitive programming—respecting the diverse realities of communities while fostering peaceful coexistence and sustainable development.

Vision: PAD strives to see a community of hope, humanity, and social justice.

Mission: PAD brings people together to work in partnerships; promotes hope, humanity, and social justice for every human life in all its fullness; and improves the livelihoods of disadvantaged groups for social and inclusive economic growth by actively engaging in positive actions, promoting responsive care and support, and addressing the root causes of poverty in Ethiopia.

Position Overview

The Child Protection community engagement Officer will be responsible for working at community level to support access to child protection services for vulnerable migrant and returnee children. The officer will be primarily field based and will work in a team with a dedicated Project Coordinator and Child Protection Case Management Coordinator.

S/he is responsible for working closely with children, community and government stakeholders, and for provision of effective, efficient and quality psychosocial support, family tracing, and reintegration services for vulnerable migrant and returnee children and youth, and information/awareness raising at the community level. S/he works as a caseworker, be the best interest determination panel member, and other support activities to respond to the children’s problems.

S/he works in establishing/strengthening community-based child protection mechanisms to prevent and protect children from abuses and other child protection risks. S/he supports the Child Protection case management coordinator and project coordinator to organize, mobilize and facilitate on implementation of activities with beneficiaries/communities and other stakeholders at a Woreda level.

Key Responsibilities

Child protection (Case Management )

• Conduct identification, assessment, documentation and referral (to relevant services) and follow up of protection cases.
• Provide information, advice and facilitate access to social services for vulnerable children.
• Conduct home visits to follow-up on interventions with families.
• Properly document all protection cases that went through the case management process.
• Carry out case management for UASC and other migrant and returnee children who are at risk (family tracing and reunification, other children at risk or victims of child abuse and SGBV.
• Facilitate alternative care arrangement for UASC including placement of children in foster or kinship care arrangements and regularly follow up their situations.
• Work as a case manager or case management focal person at Woreda level.
• Conduct vulnerability analysis in line with project vulnerability assessment and define targets for case management services
• Map and coordinate with service providers to support case management activities
• Actively participate in the referral path way development process to ensure access to holistic and quality services
• Actively participate on the assessment to identify the safety and protection of needs of the child, develop care plan, implement the care plan and conduct follow ups.
• Lead and facilitate best interest determination (BID) panel to guarantee best interest of the children.
• Lead and facilitate psychosocial support for children at risk.
• In collaboration with Child Protection team establish/strengthen referral linkages

Community engagement

• Perform outreach activities in the intervention areas covered by the project, including community-based awareness raising sessions.
• Participate in needs assessments, and lead community consultation meeting, awareness raising, sensitization and information activities, and liaise with MEAL team for feedback on M&E assessments
• Actively participate on identification of community-based child protection mechanisms capacity gaps and participates in building their capacity.
• Mobilize and facilitate active participation of migrant children and youth and the host communities to participate in planning, monitoring and implementation and evaluation of project interventions.
• Build the capacity of children, families and community to collectively engage on identified issues.
• Facilitate multi sectorial linkages at Woreda level to prevent, protect and respond to child protection risks.
• Actively participate on activities that ensure establishment/strengthen community-based child protection mechanisms to prevent and protect children.
• Facilitate and provide trainings, workshops for community members, and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with key stakeholders at woreda level and community-based child protection structures to provide psychosocial support for children.
• Actively participate in the preparation and compilation of monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports and for other PAD and donor compliances and requirements.
• Assists project Coordinator and / Child Protection Case Management coordinator in overseeing implementation of Project activities
• Document best practices of the project activities and share with the project team.
• Performs other related activities as assigned by his immediate supervisor.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling PAD values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Positive action for development, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Qualification: Diploma in Social Science from an accredited College/University in the field of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Community Development, Psychiatric Nurse & related fields. Preferred: Degree /Advanced Diploma in Sociology, Social Work, Community Development, Psychology & related field.

Work Experience: Three years relevant experience of child protection, migration works, and community-based child protection mechanisms, an NGO environment is preferable

• Experience in delivering case management, community sensitization/mobilization, and psychosocial support.
• Computer literacy in all the Microsoft office applications, and internet literacy are required
• Good communication skills
• Fluency in English, writing and speaking
• Commitment to Positive action for development values
• Qualified female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

Number required: (1) one
Duty Station: “Based in Addis Ababa, (with assignments to subcities according to organizational needs)
Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply

Equal Employment Opportunity

Positive Action for Development (PAD) promotes fairness, equity, and diversity in the workplace. We welcome applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or other personal status. Hiring decisions are made based on skills, experience, and suitability for the role.

We are committed to creating a respectful and inclusive environment where all staff can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and grow professionally.

Zero Tolerance for Misconduct

PAD has zero tolerance for any form of abuse, harassment, exploitation, or misuse of power. We take safeguarding seriously and expect all staff, volunteers, and partners to follow our policies and uphold our values at all times. All successful candidates will go through background checks and be required to follow PAD’s code of conduct and safeguarding principles.

Recruitment Flexibility

PAD reserves the right to recruit more than one candidate from this announcement or keep qualified applicants in our database for future similar roles.

Important Notice on Recruitment Fraud

PAD does not request any payment at any stage of the recruitment process. If you receive any suspicious messages claiming to be from PAD, please report them to our office through official contact channels. www.padethiopia.org