Requête nº : req9060
Intitulé de poste : Coordinateur éducation et protection de l’enfance
Secteur d’activité : Protection de l’enfance
Type de contrat : Durée Déterminée
Taux d’occupation : Plein temps
Ouvert aux expatriés : Oui
Lieu de travail : Maroua, Cameroon
Context :
The IRC started operations in Cameroon in 2016 to respond to the increasing concerns for people affected by violence linked to Boko Haram, in the Far North of the country. Assistance to displaced populations extends across the Far North, notably Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari, delivering lifesaving programming to increase access to water and improving hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities, cash programming to enable poor families to meet basic needs and improve food security, and protection programming, including meeting specific needs of women and girls. The Coordination office is located in Maroua, with a field base in Kousseri and a representation office in Yaoundé.
Following the increasing crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, the IRC expanded its operations into the South West region in August 2018. The IRC is delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance to internally displaced populations, with a field base in Buea.
IRC Cameroon is committed in its 2020 Strategic Action Plan, to continue to provide essential humanitarian services, with a focus on safety in communities and ensuring affected populations can meet their basic needs, whilst also building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls, and addressing the needs of youth. IRC Cameroon is funded by European and American donors.
Scope of work :
Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Programs, the Education & Child Protection Coordinator will be responsible for the vision, strategy, design, monitoring, and quality delivery of the Child Protection and Education program in Cameroon. The Child Protection & Education Coordinator will be based in Maroua with frequent visits to all field sites and the capital Yaoundé and will supervise a team of Child Protection and Education staff, including a Child Protection Manager, and Education Curriculum Specialist.
The Education & Child Protection Coordinator will start up IRC Cameroon’s education and child protection program, lead the design, development and context analysis of new projects focused on education and child protection, and will ensure capacity building of national staff and partners engaged in the implementation of the IRC Cameroon’s Education and Protection activities. In accordance with IRC Cameroon’s focus on integrated programming, the Education & Child Protection Coordinator will work closely with in-country Coordinators covering other sectors such as Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Environmental Health (EH/WASH), Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL). The Education & Child Protection Coordinator will be supported by Technical Advisors (TAs) based at IRC HQ to ensure effective, high quality delivery of both education and child protection components.
Responsibilities :
Technical Monitoring and Program Quality :
- Provide technical supervision of, and technical support to IRC Cameroon Education and Child Protection programming activities ;
- Ensure that education and child protection programs utilize standardized protocols, policies and guidelines, as recommended by the Ministries of Education, Safety, Civil/social protection, etc. ;
- Ensure that all education and protection activities are consistent with established international and national best practices, in close collaboration with the HQ Education and Child Protection TAs ;
- Lead all research and learning activities in relation to Education and Child Protection ;
- Ensure appropriate follow-up and decision-making on data relevant to IRC Education and Child Protection programs ;
- nsure all stakeholders are provided with updates on Education and Child Protection, programs in Cameroon, including HQ, the regional team, partners, donors, etc. ;
- Ensure regular performance monitoring of team to achieve the set project’s objectives; provide technical support and guidance ;
- Supervise the development of relevant M&E systems and ensure regular follow-up on monitoring data relevant to IRC Education and Child Protection programs to feed into on-going review of project cycle and decision-making for programming ;
- Ensure that all internal and external reporting requirements are met, that reports are of a high quality and are submitted on time ;
- Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.
Strategic Planning :
- Provide strategic direction, leadership and overall technical and management support to the Education & Child Protection programming, ensuring it is needs-based, context-appropriate, responsive, coherent, collaborative, and operationally feasible ;
- Monitor evolving needs of the target communities and adjust the programmatic priorities as necessary ;
- In collaboration with HQ-based Technical Advisors and in-country Senior Management Team, lead the overall development of IRC Education and Child Protection Program strategies, in line with IRC Cameroon Strategic Action Plan and IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework ;
- Provide technical input into IRC Cameroon’s emergency preparedness plans and protocols in relation to the protection of children ;
- Program Development, Communications and Advocacy
Identify opportunities for program development :
- Design and lead technical assessments as a basis for education and child protection program development ;
- Coordinate and initiate project proposals and develop program proposals (development of logical frameworks, program design and implementation plans and appropriate, realistic and measurable indicators, budget) for the IRC Cameroon Education and Child Protection Program under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Programs and in consultation and collaboration with field based technical, field management staff and HQ based Education and Child Protection TAs ;
- Together with regional and HQ teams, identify communication opportunities for internal and external audiences highlighting humanitarian needs related to education and child protection and publicizing on-going projects and research ;
- Together with CD, DDP and relevant coordination mechanisms, identify opportunities for advocacy on issues related to education and child protection.
Coordination and Representation :
- Collaborate with Grants Manager, SMT and Regional colleagues on the design and writing of proposals and strategies aimed at supporting IRC Cameroon’s commitment to education and safety outcomes as described in the country’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) ;
- Collaborate with other in-country technical coordinators, to ensure an integrated strategy to achieve education and safety outcomes as in the country’s SAP ;
- In coordination with the supervisor, represent IRC to UN, sector working groups, international and national NGOs, Ministries of Education, and donors for child protection and education ;
- As Education and child Protection focal point at country level, participate actively in external respective coordination and Cluster forums ;
- Participate in internal coordination and management meetings to promote effective and efficient information sharing, problem-solving and decision making ;
- With support from the programs team, ensure accountability to beneficiaries, gender sensitivity and inclusion are adequately addressed in IRC’s Education and Child Protection programs.
Staff Management & Development :
- Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance ;
- Supervise and mentor staff, including communicating clear expectations, and in partnership with the direct line supervisor, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and contribute to the annual and mid-year performance reviews ;
- Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development ;
- Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage ;
- Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures ;
- Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.
Qualifications :
- Masters level qualification in Social Sciences, Education, or related subject ;
- A minimum of 3-5 years professional experience in leading/managing Education and child Protection projects in humanitarian contexts ;
- Proven experience in managing and/or technically supporting education, case management, and psychosocial support activities for children ;
- Excellent professional approach, strong building skills and proven ability to build staff capacity ;
- Prior experience and excellent understanding of working in emergency settings or insecure environments ;
- Strong leadership, management, project planning, monitoring and evaluation, analytical interpersonal and communication skills ;
- Strong budget management and reporting, skills; and an ability to oversee multiple awards from a variety of donors ;
- An initiator of initiatives, able to plan, prioritize and manage multiple tasks under pressure and deliver tangible benefits to a team ;
- Proven problem solving and results oriented ;
- Strong written and oral communication skills, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment and effective in representation and liaison ;
- Flexible work attitude – the ability to work productively in a team environment and independently ;
- Able to respond rapidly to changing environments and work under pressure ;
- Fluency in French and English required ;
- Experience of working in West Africa or Cameroon a plus ;
- Excellent Computer skills: MS Word, Excel.