Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR) Coordinator

Job Description

Job title
Child Protection AoR Coordinator

Job Number:
551316

Location:
South Sudan

Work Type:
Short-term contract assignment

Description:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does - in programs, advocacy and operations. The past two decades have seen important progress on child rights, yet while much has been achieved, sharp disparities remain. The challenges are compounded by the scale and complexity of crises triggered by conflict, natural disasters, and epidemics. The global community faces these challenges when political and economic environments pose challenges of their own, testing the world’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable. In this environment, UNICEF’s strong and consistent leadership is critical to enable the achievement of results for children. The cluster approach aims to ensure clear leadership, predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies by clarifying the division of labor among organizations and better defining roles and responsibilities in different sectors. It seeks to make the international humanitarian community better organised and more accountable and professional, so that it can be a better partner for the affected people, host governments, local authorities, local civil society and resourcing partners. A well-run coordination group including Information Management is a formal deliverable of the sub-Cluster/Area of Responsibility Lead Agency and forms a part of the agency’s work. UNICEF, as highlighted in their Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, is fully committed to interagency humanitarian reform and supports this through provision of leadership and participation in assigned clusters and sectors.

Job organizational context:

The Child Protection Coordinator, reports to the Chief, Field Operations and Emergency and is responsible for the overall management and Coordination of the Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR), including supervision the Child Protection AoR Information Manager to ensure full application of the core cluster functions, as defined by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). The post is Juba-based with frequent travel to field locations. In 2011 the UN activated the Child Protection Sub-Cluster (CPSC) in South Sudan led by UNICEF and co-coordinated by Save the Children. There is currently one national Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR) Coordinator within UNICEF based in Juba and a new national Co-Coordinator within Save the Children. Several of the states also have Sub-National Child Protection Sub Clusters activated with Sub-National focal points supporting coordination activities. South Sudan remains a protection crisis with children subjected to widespread violations of their rights and limited access to life-saving services. The multiple shocks have had profound humanitarian consequences with 8.9 million people in need of assistance. Children make up 54% of the affected population, and they continue to be disproportionately affected due to exposure to multiple protection risks including recruitment by armed groups, family separation, and exploitation. It is estimated that 2.9 million children are in need of child protection services.

Purpose of the job:

On behalf of UNICEF, the Area of Responsibility/Sub-cluster Lead Agency for Child Protection, and in support of the Government, the purpose of this post is to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by participants in the Child Protection coordination group. The Child Protection AoR/Sub-Cluster Coordinator will work closely with the Co-Coordinator based in Juba, information management team, inter-cluster coordination bodies and support the sub-national/state level Child Protection working groups, ensuring overall efficiency, effectiveness and delivery of results in accordance with Child Protection Sub-Cluster Work Plan, UNICEF’s (CCCs) Humanitarian response plan (HRP), Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) centrality of Protection Strategy and humanitarian standards of child protection.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

The post holder has joint responsibility with the Lead Agency, resourcing partners and cluster participants at national and sub-national level for the efficient management and functioning of the CP AoR encompassing the following:

• Establish and maintain an appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanism for the CPIE response, building on and strengthening pre-existing sectoral coordination where possible;
• Ensure the CPIE response is evidence-based through conducting secondary data reviews and, where necessary, assessments identifying the priority child protection needs and capacities;
• Carry out a mapping of CPIE actors to identify gaps, avoid duplication and build complementarity of partner actions;
• Work with child protection actors to develop an inter-agency Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO and a CPiE response plan, based on needs and gaps identified, that fits within the wider protection response and is captured in the overall Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP)
• Ensure an effective information management system is established for sharing of information and generation of analysis, to, from and between cluster participants and other stakeholders, and between national and sub-national levels;
• Promote the implementation of the Minimum Standards of Child Protection in Human Action amongst Child Protection actors and non-CP actors.
• Ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocated for the effective functioning of the cluster and its response;
• Work with child protection actors to develop an inter-agency CPiE capacity-building strategy that meets the needs and priorities;
• Effective and comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues, including age, gender, disabilities, environment and HIV/AIDs;
• Ensure ongoing situation monitoring and maintain flexibility within the coordination group to respond to changes in the operating environment, evolving requirements, capacities and participation;
• Interact with other clusters (including through inter-cluster coordination fora), humanitarian actors, government counterparts, and relevant authorities for operational planning, engagement and active contribution of operational partners;
• Develop inclusive consultative and feedback mechanisms to ensure accountability of the response to the affected population;
• Monitor performance of the inter-agency CPIE response against agreed indicators and monitor the core cluster functions;

Where there is both a national and a sub-national cluster, the post holder will ensure that there is effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the two levels.

Core cluster functions:

1. Supporting service delivery
1.1. Provide a platform to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities
1.2. Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery

2. Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response
2.1. Needs assessment and gap analysis (across other sectors and within the sector)
2.2. Analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues.
2.3. Prioritization, grounded in response analysis

3. Planning and strategy development
3.1. Develop sectoral plans, objectives and indicators directly support realization of the HC/HCT strategic priorities
3.2. Application and adherence to existing standards and guidelines
3.3. Clarify funding requirements, prioritization, and cluster contributions to HC’s overall humanitarian funding considerations

4. Advocacy
4.1. Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to HC and HCT messaging and action
4.2. Undertaking advocacy activities on behalf of cluster participants and the affected population

5. Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the cluster strategy and results; recommending corrective action where necessary

6. Contingency planning/preparedness for recurrent disasters whenever feasible and relevant.

7. Accountability to affected populations:
The global Child Protection Area of Responsibility will provide operational support to the Child Protection national coordination group.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

• Master’s degree social science, social work, social development, child development or related field to the CP AoR Coordination.
• Formal training in cluster coordination is an asset.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in humanitarian/cluster coordination, child protection programming, or another relevant area is required.
• Experience in cluster coordination and relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in Child Protection in emergency programming /Humanitarian Coordination or in emergency response management is highly desirable.
• Experience in effective leadership and facilitating inter-agency processes to deliver results and achieve a common goal in high stress/risk environments is desirable.
• Experience in humanitarian contexts is required with experience in development contexts an added advantage.
• Experience in working in fragile contexts or familiarity with South Sudan context is an asset.

Language

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

Core Competencies required for this position

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Deadline: 08 Jun 2022 E. Africa Standard Time

About the Organization

UNICEF is out to change the world for children vaccination by vaccination, blanket by blanket, biscuit by biscuit, book by book. In most of America, these things are considered completely ordinary. But in many parts of the developing world, they can save a child's life. UNICEF is unique among world organizations and unique among those working with young people. As a global movement, we use our authority to influence decision makers and diverse partners to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. In 155 countries and territories, UNICEF's field staff uses hard-won expertise to meet the challenges facing children and those who care for them. Our history has given us a profound understanding of development and the importance of child health, education, equality and protection in advancing humanity. All that we do helps children realize their full potential. In support of UNICEF's work, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF focuses on five major priorities: education, emergencies, HIV/AIDS, immunization and malnutrition.