Child Protection Consultant

Job Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CHILD PROTECTION CONSULTANT

1. BACKGROUND

Marie Stopes International (MSI) operates in 37 countries worldwide to increase access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and to expand contraceptive health choices for millions of women and couples.

MSI’s organisational strategy for 2015-2020, Scaling-Up Excellence, is our answer to meeting this growing demand as we seek to evolve our approach to delivering global impact. Investing in governance is the first strategy under the ‘Quality’ pillar of the Scaling-Up Excellence and ensuring that all of our country programs have in place best practice policies for safeguarding children is an important element of this.

Marie Stopes International already has a standard global child protection policy that is in place in some MSI country programs but work is required to harmonise our approach to safeguarding children across the global partnership. This work is also in line with the development of our global youth strategy which is currently underway and seeks to increase service delivery to 15 – 19 year olds, who are underrepresented in most countries as users of modern contraception and the most likely to have an unsafe abortion when faced with an unintended pregnancy.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this consultancy is to provide quality technical leadership and advice for harmonising MSI’s child protection policies across the global partnership in line with international best practice.

3. CONDUCTING CONSULTANCY

The consultant will be managed by, and work closely with, the Global Marketing Advisor who is based in London. The consultant may also liaise with other members on the global team and with local staff in MSI country programs.

3. TASKS

The consultancy will likely include the following tasks:

• Review MSI’s existing child protection template policy in terms of compliance with Marie Stopes’ donor requirements;
• Advise on the harmonisation of MSI’s child protection global framework;
• Develop guidance for country programs on how MSI’s existing standard child protection policy template can be adapted to local context while maintaining its integrity;
• Provide advice and support on the recruitment and training of country program child protection focal points;
• Develop a child protection toolkit that in addition to the policy and guidance, includes training modules for delivery in-country and tools for ongoing monitoring of implementation of the policy:

• Work closely with the Global Marketing Advisor to develop an implementation plan for the roll out of a child protection toolkit across MSI’s country programs; and
• Support roll-out of the toolkit in country programs (where required).

4. OUTPUTS

Individual deliverables and timeframes will be negotiated with the consultant but likely key deliverables and approximate timeframes are summarised below:

• Document outlining MSI’s proposed global child protection framework – September 2016
• Child protection policy template (with integrated guidance on adaptation and templates) finalised – October 2016
• Role description for child protection focal points – October 2016
• Child protection toolkit (including policy, tools for policy implementation and training module in ppt format) developed – November 2016
• Implementation plan document finalised – December 2016
• ToT training of child protection country focal points completed – March 2017

5. CONSULTANTS REQUIRED

Essential

• At least 5 years of field-based child protection programming experience, preferably in an international development setting.
• Masters/Post-graduate degree in international development, child protection, social work or relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Demonstrated experience in child protection program design, monitoring and evaluation.
• Demonstrated commitment to renewing and maintaining currency with best practices in field of child protection.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, coupled with cultural sensitivity and awareness.
• Willingness to travel and live under difficult conditions while in Africa and Asia, if required.
• Pro-choice values with a genuine commitment to the mission, values and ethos of Marie Stopes International and access to sexual reproductive health for all.
• Have a flexible attitude and openness to travel and communication outside of working hours (to accommodate time zone differences).

Desirable

• Fluency in French is desirable to support work in Sahel and West Africa.
• Experience working in family planning, sexual and reproductive health and maternal child health programs and services within a develop country context.

6. TIMING AND TERMS

• The consultant will work remotely but may be required to travel to support training and implementation.
• This consultancy will start in September 2016 and continue until end of March 2017.
• This consultancy is not expected to exceed 45 days of work over the course of the consultancy period and there is no guarantee of minimum or maximum hours per week.
• Any extension to the period of the consultancy beyond the maximum of 45 days will only be by prior written agreement from MSI.

7. ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

Jennifer Gassner, Global Marketing Manager will be authorised to sign the agreement.

The consultant will be paid on a monthly basis upon submission of itemised invoices detailing time spent on the deliverables. Any other extra costs incurred during the consultancy period (phone calls, printing etc.) will be reimbursed to the consultant at any time by inclusion on the invoice and the provision of receipts. All extra costs must be approved in advance by MSI. The consultant will be responsible for any tax or statutory deductions that may apply.

International travel may be required to MSI country programs, if deemed necessary to support implementation of the child protection framework. Travel is considered an extra cost to be approved by MSI in advance. MSI will book and pay for the consultant’s flights but all other costs including accommodation, visa and per-diems to cover the cost of meals and other incidentals will need to be paid by the consultant up front. Reimbursement for pre-approved travel costs will be via invoices. The consultant will be responsible for providing his/her own travel/health insurance and all necessary vaccinations and any associated costs will not be reimbursed by MSI.

8. SUBMISSION OF LETTER OF INTEREST

Marie Stopes International invites qualified consultants to submit a letter of interest. This submission should include:

a) Letter of interest outlining how the consultant meets the required specifications;

b) An estimate of the number of days of work required to fulfil the tasks above (this could be a range)

c) Daily rate in GBP

d) CV including the details of 2 referees

e) At least 1 relevant example of your work

Letters of interest are due by close of business BST 23 September 2016.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position may be filled before the due so early submissions are encouraged.

For more information, please contact Kate Williams by email to kate.williams@mariestopes.org

About the Organization

Marie Stopes International (MSI) is the UK's leading provider of sexual and reproductive healthcare services. Our nationwide network of sexual health clinics see over 100,000 men and women each year who come to us for information, advice and professional care. We are committed to providing all the help you need to make informed choices about your health. We ensure that there is no wait for appointments and that our centres are safe, friendly, and comfortable places to visit. Our services include: contraception, unplanned pregnancy counselling, abortion information and advice, help for women needing abortions, abortion pill and other abortion treatment options, vasectomy information and vasectomy procedure, female sterilisation, health screening for men and women, and company health screening. If you would like to know more about our sexual and reproductive healthcare services click on the women’s and men’s sections. Our fees section gives details including abortion costs and vasectomy costs. A registered charity, Marie Stopes International also works around the world in 42 countries. Surplus funds from the UK clinics, help support vital sexual and reproductive healthcare programmes in some of the world’s poorest regions. So by using Marie Stopes International services in the UK, you are also helping improve the lives of nearly 5 million people every year.