Mozambique: Child Rights Governance Specialist

TITLE: Child Rights Governance (CRG) Specialist, Save the Children in Mozambique

TEAM/PROGRAMME:

Programme development and quality

LOCATION:

Maputo

GRADE: 3

TYPE OF CONTRACT:

National

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3 - a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) previously CRB check (enhanced level) or equivalent overseas vetting will be required as the responsibilities of the post require that you may have contact with children and young people during Country Programme visits.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The CRG Specialist will be responsible for the leading and ensuring that the SCIMOZ strategic objectives in the area of Child Rights Governance are achieved.

He/She will provide assistance on SCiMOZ interventions aimed to ensure: (i) Improved accountability for the rights of the most deprived children; (ii) Children influence local and national governance to ensure their survival, learning, and protection; (iii) Open and resilient institutions deliver children’s rights; (iv) Increased and improved quality of public spending on essential services for child rights; (v) CRG Program in Mozambique builds from local context and lessons learnt elsewhere.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Deputy PDQ Director.

Workplan to be agreed upon by the Deputy PDQ Director in coordination with PDQ Director.

Staff reporting to this post: None

CRG Specialist will work closely with the Health and Nutrition, Child protection and Education departments to ensure integration of CRG components into SCiMOZ programmes.

Budget Responsibilities: Yes. She/he will manage projects related to CRG implemented from Maputo, when need is identified.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

Program Development and Fundraising

1. To assist in investigation of appropriate program interventions in Child Rights Governance with focus on those aimed to ensure:

(i) Improved accountability for the rights of the most deprived children; (ii) Children influence local and national governance to ensure their survival, learning, and protection; (iii) Open and resilient institutions deliver children’s rights; (iv) Increased and improved quality of public spending on essential services for child rights, in coordination with senior Save the Children staff in country to develop specific proposals for action, and to seek the support of government, donors, national and international NGOs;

1. To assist on preparation of funding proposals for the CRG Program as and when necessary;

2. Keep abreast of international developments and debates regarding Child Rights Governance in order to advise and assist Save the Children to effectively respond to developments and participate in debates.

Management & implementation of high quality CRG programs

1. To assist on the development of IEC materials and delivering of sensitization for staff and partners and children and their caregivers;

2. To assist on the development of mechanisms for involving communities, children and young people in all stages of design and implementation of CRG interventions, including support to children´s groups such as child parliament at district, Provincial and national levels;

3. To work closely with staff, partners and communities to strengthen mainstreaming of child rights related activities in the nutrition, education, disaster risk reduction, food security, social protection and health work.

4. Ensure that all CRG program activities within the country program address gender and resilience, HIV prevention and protection as cross-cutting issues, funded in the SCI full spectrum approach.

5. Ensure that CRG program interventions are implemented based SCI Quality Framework standards;

6. Support establishment of civil platforms (strengthen existing ones) for constructive dialogue with service providers from community to national levels;

7. Support child participatory planning and budgeting processes at Municipal, district, province and national level;

8. Support establishment of independent institutions such as a Children´s desk at the National Human Rights Commission, for monitoring of child rights in Mozambique;

9. Support civil society organizations in Mozambique to develop child informed supplementary report on implementation of child rights to relevant international accountability bodies such as UN Child Rights Convention (CRC) Committee, African Committee of Experts on rights and welfare of the child (ACERWC), Universal Periodic review (UPR). This includes adequate follow up to recommendations from these entities:

10. To manage Maputo based CRG projects, including adequate planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

a) In coordination with Finance/Awards team ensure timely preparation of fund summary, preparation adequate budgeting phasing, regular budget holders meeting attendance, timely and high quality reporting as per donors requirements;

b) In coordination with Logistics team ensure that Procurement Plans for projects under her/his responsibility are prepared timely.

Advocacy, networking and campaigning

1. To assist on the provision of training and mentoring to Save the Children staff and partner organizations to raise their level of awareness and knowledge of child rights, child safeguarding, child participation and accountability to children so that it is properly integrated into all program planning and development.

2. To assist on engagement with policy and coordinating bodies to ensure that the rights and needs of children, especially the most deprived are taken into account, so their voices are heard in the planning and budgeting processes.

3. To assist on representation of Save the Children’s relevant technical and policy bodies related to child rights governance.

4. Co-responsible for developing and maintaining network contacts with other key players e.g. donors, national and local NGO’s working on child rights, including child led initiatives such as Child Parliament, children’s groups representatives within school councils, Child Protection Community Committees, Community Based Committees for Management of Disaster Risks.

5. To serve as co-primary liaison on CRG issues with colleagues within the region and with Save the Children head offices.

Research, Analysis and documentation

1. To assist on assessment of current program and identify areas in which child rights governance issues may be strengthened or initiated;

2. To Work closely with child protection colleagues and the MEAL team to develop staff and partner skills in child-focused documentation, participatory planning & budgeting, monitoring, evaluation through result and impact measurement tools, accountability and learning.

Perform other duties as may be requested by the incumbent’s supervisor.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (Our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

· Holds self accountable for making decisions and role modelling Save the Children values

Ambition:

· Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and stakeholders, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same

· Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

· Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

· Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members, Global Initiatives and external partners and supporters

· Works closely with and supports partnership advisors in the country offices

· Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

· Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

· Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

· Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

· Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS

• Higher Education (Master’s Degree) in relevant social / economic science, international development, monitoring and evaluation, governance or a related topic;
• Higher Education (Degree) in relevant social science, international development, monitoring and evaluation or a related topic with equivalent working experience to the above requirement;

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

· Commitment to Save the Children vision, mission and values.

· At least 5 years working experience in development and/or humanitarian field, with at least 3 years experience in human (child) rights based programming.

· Knowledge of child- and human-rights frameworks, including rights-based programming.

· Knowledge about and understanding of working with child and youth led organisations

· Knowledge about core elements of approaches to working in advocacy, partnerships, including capacity strengthening;

· Excellent training/facilitation, negotiation, conflict handling, presentation, networking and communication skills.

· Strategic mindset, analytical, innovative and creative problem solving skills.

· Strong commitment to team work and understanding of how to contribute to this

· Portuguese and English language fluency, both spoken and written.

Additional job responsibilities

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

"We are an equal opportunity employer, we encourage the nomination of women recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to the protection of the child against all forms of abuse" NB: only candidates selected will be contacted. Save the Children International, Tchamba nº 398, Maputo or via Email: SCIMOZ@savethechildren.org