Requisition ID: req58006 Job Title: Child Protection Program Officer Sector: Child Protection Employment Category: Regular Employment Type: Full-Time Open to Expatriates: No Location: Maaret Tamsrin, Syria Work Arrangement:In-person Deadline: Last Day for applying will be Thursday May 15th, 2025 Job Description Background/IRC Summary: The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Today, 13.4 million people in Syria - more than half of the country's population - are in need of humanitarian assistance with needs increasingly being exacerbated by economic decline. Of these, 6.8 million are refugees and asylum-seekers who have fled the country. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair. IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1000+ staff in Syria Country Program. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, early childhood development, education, women’s protection and empowerment, non-food items and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, protection and rule of law, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination. Job Overview/Summary: Under the supervision of the Child Protection Program Manager, the Child Protection Program Officer will manage and implement child protection project activities, either directly or in collaboration with local partners. The officer will oversee the daily operations of the project, providing technical support and guidance to ensure the delivery of high-quality child protection services in the project areas. Additionally, the officer will ensure the application of standard operational procedures and minimum child protection standards, fostering an effective response that meets the needs of vulnerable children and families. The Child Protection Officer will also be responsible for reporting and providing accurate information about the projects under their supervision to the Program Manager promptly. Major Responsibilities: Program Design, Planning, Implementing and Support • The responsibilities include providing technical oversight and support for the daily management of child protection projects both through direct implementation and in collaboration with partners in project locations. This includes supervision of the daily services of case management, Structured Psychosocial Support (SHLS) sessions, parenting skills education, outreach psychosocial support (PSS) activities, awareness-raising activities, supporting child protection committees, organizing and delivering training for service providers and community leaders to ensure high-quality services are provided consistently. • Ensuring adherence to established case management methodologies through timely referrals, documentation, and regular team case conferences. • Development and implementation of training and technical support to mainstream child protection standards across Syria response. • Identify cases eligible for cash assistance, register them, participate in cash protection committees, and coordinate with the Early Recovery and Development (ERD) program to ensure the provision of cash assistance to children and families in need according to the SOPs. • Contribute to any activities required for the integrated protection program. • Providing accurate information and submitting regular reports on the progress of the project and activity details, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to ensure the project is on the right track. • Develop and regularly update activity implementation, spending, and procurement plans. • Develop and/or implement tools for Child Protection Assessments, including revising tools, directing the child protection staff, and analyzing findings. • Lead inclusion and child protection mainstreaming in IRC’s Health, Early Childhood and Development and Early Recovery and Development (ERD) programs. Staff management • Recruit child protection project staff members as needed. • Coach, train, supervise, and mentor direct-report staff including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews. • Develop, implement, and manage capacity-building approaches to build the strengths of the CP team. • Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promote a strong team spirit, and provide oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. • Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least bi-weekly. • 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 staff. • Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. • Adhere to and act under the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures and communicate through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations. Project Monitoring and Evaluation • Work with the CP Manager, MEAL team, and partners to ensure a safe and confidential mechanism for collecting information on project activities is implemented. • Support the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation tools that are contextually appropriate and will allow the IRC to measure the impact of programming. • Conducting monitoring field visits to oversee child protection projects for direct and partner projects involves assessing achievements, identifying challenges, and recognizing gaps. This process includes providing detailed reports, constructive feedback, and a development plan aimed at enhancing the quality of child protection services. • Develop and maintain an appropriate archiving system/database to track activity progress and quality. • Ensure that all internal and external reporting requirements are met and that reports are of high quality and submitted on time. Coordination & Representation • Preparing presentations and instructional materials to present child protection activities and providing trainings as needed. • Support the timely information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level. • Represent IRC in internal and external forums as needed, including the protection cluster and CP sub-cluster. • Assist in contributing to the development of referral mechanisms in collaboration with IRC teams, other NGOs, and the Protection cluster. Job Requirements • Approximately 2- 4 years of experience in child protection programs. • Degree in fields such as humanities, social sciences, sociology, psychology, education, and related disciplines. • Experience in INGO is preferred • Ideally experience managing and running child protection projects directly or through local partners. • Demonstrated experience with child protection case management and psychosocial support. • Demonstrated experience with capacity building and training of internal and external teams. • Demonstrated understanding of protection mainstreaming of best practices for integration of child protection interventions in humanitarian action • Report writing skills. • Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills, and the ability to liaise diplomatically. • Solid ability to provide leadership, management, team building, coaching, and development for staff. • Experience working with local stakeholders and partners. • Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: + A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct. + Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development. + Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution. + Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context. + Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience. + Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity. + Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must. + Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies. Language/Travel: • English and Arabic are required. • Travel: To field sites. as well as attending workshops and meetings. Key Working Relationships: Position Reports to: Child Protection Manager Position directly supervises: CP case workers, PSS workers, and CP assistants. Indirect Reporting: Will work with Integration Protection Officer, IM Officer, PRol Officer, and WPE Officer. Other Internal and/or external contacts: Regular coordination with relevant IRC staff/departments. Professional Standards:IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs. Accountability to Clients:IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery. Gender Equality:IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. Diversity and Inclusion:at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work. IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.