Gender Sensitive Child Protection Technical Lead
Date: 21-Apr-2023

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Company: Plan International

Organization Background

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian non-governmental organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Working in Zambia since 1996, Plan International Zambia’s development and humanitarian programmes focus primarily on Inclusive Quality Education, Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Early Childhood Development and Gender Responsive Child Protection. Child protection is key in all that we do. Plan International Zambia has Programme Areas (PAs) in; Central, Luapula, and Eastern Provinces including in Lusaka, where the Country Office is located.

Location: Lusaka, Country Office

Reports to: Head of Programs

Grade: D2

Closing Date: 5 May, 2023

Position Description:

The purpose of Gender Sensitive Child Protection – Technical Lead (GSCP) is to provide strategic leadership and technical expertise in the promotion of gender sensitive child protection in Plan International Zambia (PIZ); develop, implement, manage, monitor and evaluate GSCP programmes; and build capacity and network to ensure integration and synergies between the Child protection program and other thematic country programs, proactive external engagement, including resources mobilization, networking and collaboration for policy engagement, and learning and knowledge management within the broader organization.

The incumbent will be reporting to the Head of Programs.

Responsibilities:

Provide leadership and strategy in influencing, lobbying and advocating on child rights issues at national and regional level.
Contribute in the implementation of the Country Strategy (CS) through formulating country specific policies, strategies and goals on child rights, protection and safeguarding for quality programming that embed our gender transformative programming.
Support the development and review of country strategy and thematic programme plans that reflect rights-based approach to programming and demonstrate good practice in child participation and child safeguarding.
Contribute towards child rights program strategies in the development of the CS ensuring children’s contributions and issues form the basis of Plan programs.
Undertake in-depth Child Rights, Protection and Safeguarding power and policy analysis of the structures, systems and networks in Zambia to identify opportunities for changes in law, policy, budget and behaviour at the national level that will drive the achievement of the CS.
Liaise with and communicate with government bodies, donors, other Plan offices and local and international agencies stakeholders – as required and directed by the Head of Programs.
Provide technical support in the implementation of program interventions.
Ensure the effective engagements and influencing on child protection issues.
Enable the sharing of lessons, programme models, good practices, etc. within the country and wider organisation for organisational learning.
Ensure early and rigorous implementation of quality and accountability mechanisms, as well as feedback from the relevant stakeholders is considered throughout all phases of Plan’s CR project design and implementation activities.
Ensure that Plan International Zambia is providing quality and timely child rights status reports to donors, National Offices and the Global/Regional Hub.
Oversee and manage both internal and external reporting for the child rights programming
Represent and advocate for Plan with regional and international agencies, donors, Zambia, Government, NGOs and others as required.
Analyse and provide feedback on programme implementation to ensure gender equity for both the girl and boy child.
Coordinate compilation of quarterly reports on child related offences from Plan’s areas of operation and provide guidance and support to mitigate such abuses.
Contribution to thematic capacity statements on Gender Sensitive Child protection.
Where necessary provide technical training for project staff and partners as required (child rights programming and the role of duty bearers, investment in children, etc.).
Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Ensures that all staff in the unit/ function/ department are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies.
Where necessary provide technical training for project staff and partners as required (child rights programming and the role of duty bearers, investment in children, etc.).

Educational Qualifications and Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in Child Psychology, Social Sciences, Sociology, Social Work or relevant equivalent qualification.
A minimum of 5 years work related experience in similar settings.
Experience in working with local communities and networking with local implementing partners, and private sectors.
Good understanding of policies, strategies, programs and priorities related to youth programmes and activities.
Able to mobilise communities, confidence in talking to people both in groups and on a one-to-one basis and excellent listening skills.
Understanding child safeguarding and equality for girls, and demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity.
Good time management skills; able to prioritise tasks and to meet deadlines.

Competencies:

Familiarity with gender inclusion issues and sensitive to political and socio-economic environment.
Gender based violence: Violence (including sexual violence), neglect, abuse and exploitation on grounds of gender identity and discrimination; strategies to prevent and respond to protection issues arising from gender inequalities and gender discriminatory practices.
Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, including ability to find, absorb, analyse and prioritise information from many different sources.
Ability to work under pressure, to tight deadlines, with competing priorities and minimal supervision.
Flexibility and adaptability.

Plan International provides equal employment opportunities to qualified and experienced women and men, Women are especially encouraged to apply.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.