Child Protection Senior Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries, the IRC aims to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. In response to the arrival of refugees in Greece in 2015, the IRC has been offering SMS, WASH and Protection services. Among others, through its child protection programs, the IRC has been offering individual support through case management to vulnerable children and their families, non-formal educational activities for children through Safe Healing and Learning Spaces and emergency accommodation and protection to unaccompanied children (through safe zones).

Currently, the IRC is implementing three child protection programs; Supported Independent Living (SIL) apartments for UAC, 16 to 17 years old, Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) in partnership with another organization within the framework of an integration project and child protection activities in Lesvos.

Job Overview/Summary:

 The Child Protection Senior Manager will be responsible for coordinating all IRC CP Programs across all areas of operation and for providing strategic direction and vision to the IRC’s Protection programming in Greece. S/he will be responsible for the overall quality implementation of all aspects of an integrated response combining information sharing, access to rights and entitlements, protection monitoring, risk reduction, vulnerable case identification and referrals and specialized programming for women and children. The Child Protection Senior Manager will oversee two or three Managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the programs. S/he will work extensively with other sectors to ensure that child protection principles are being incorporated into the all programs.

Who this position reports to: The Child Protection Senior Manager reports to the Head of Programs.

Major Responsibilities

Technical Quality

• Provide technical and management leadership to the Child Protection Programs in accordance with best practice and IRC policy;
• Leads, or contributes to, development of regional sector strategic direction and plans, in consultation with the Country-Level team and the technical Unit, to country level strategies and plans;
• Provides technical guidance on all child protection teams;
• Conducts desk research and analysis and drafts assessments and reports, on an as needed basis.

Staff Supervision & Development

• Directly supervises the child protection managers and provides quality oversight to and mentoring of the protection teams in the field;
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions;
• Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, probations reviews and annual performance reviews;
• Overall responsible for staff workplans, work and vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities.

Grant Planning & Implementation

• Lead the overall implementation of the Child Protection programs and provide guidance to the protection staff to ensure that stated goals and objectives are met, that the project is appropriately monitored and evaluated, and that project reports are written and submitted in a timely manner;
• Prepare program work plans that meet the program objectives and prepare appropriate operational guidelines for project staff;
• Ensure that project activities are implemented within the assigned budget parameters, manage all financial aspects of the child protection programs, approve relevant expenses and review expenditures, in consultation with the Finance Team;
• Analyze protection concerns in all areas of operation, propose new areas of work to IRC, and lead proposal development.

Grant Monitoring & Reporting

• Development/ maintenance of effective and efficient oversight, support, quality control and reporting systems and processes;
• Ensure regular field monitoring and modifications as required;
• Ensure IRC and donor reports as per set schedules (monthly, quarterly and annually) on grant activities, indicators and achievements are produced in quality.

Coordination & Representation

• Develops and maintains effective coordination and long-term relationships with external stakeholders, representing IRC positions, promoting long-term strategy and resolving problems/conflicts;
• Work closely and coordinates with IRC logistics, finance and grant staff to ensure timely and compliant program activities and expenditures; including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings;
• Effectively represents IRC at Protection coordination forums, like the Protection Working Groups at the regional level, and provide input to the Head of Programs for meetings held at the national level;
• Negotiate and maintain appropriate information sharing protocols within IRC programs and with external actors;
• Maintain effective and safe referral pathways for protection concerns and other vulnerable cases. Spearhead development and maintenance of SOPs for referrals.

Other

Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs

Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.