UN PONTE PER – Protection Specialist – Siria

Un Ponte Per sta selezionando un/a Protection Specialist (Child Protection Focus) da inserire nella sua operatività in Siria (NES). Durata 6 mesi. Scadenza candidature 01/07/2022

Protection Specialist (Child Protection Focus) – Siria (NES)

Position Title: Protection Specialist (Child Protection Focus)

Location: North East Syria (NES) / Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)

Period: 6 months with possibility of extension

Closing date: 1 July 2022 (applications on a rolling basis)

Starting Date: As soon as possible

Context presentation: Un Ponte Per (UPP) is an international humanitarian organization, based in Italy. Originally named Un Ponte Per Baghdad (A Bridge to Baghdad), the association became simply Un Ponte Per after the extension of its work to the Balkans, as well as other Middle East and Mediterranean countries.

UPP is currently active in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Serbia and Kosovo alongside civil society organizations. In Italy and in Europe, UPP works to promote peace and disarmament, human rights, and refugees and migrants’ inclusion. UPP strongly rejects war as a solution to international and national conflicts, it exerts restless efforts with the ultimate objective of developing more equal and peaceful coexistence up to social cohesion.

For further information please refer to our website: www.unponteper.it/en/

BACKGROUND

Entering year 9 of the Syria crisis, conflict continues to expose civilians to acute humanitarian needs in health, and protection. In North East Syria (NES) widespread displacement, destruction of basic services and increased exposure to protection risks is on-going. In response, UPP implements health and protection programmes through funding of several donors, including EU, ECHO, AICS and private funding.

UPP and local partners aim is to improve the physical and psychosocial wellbeing of the conflict-affected population with a view of building the capacity of local actors and the resilience of communities in NES.

responsibilities:

Technical backstopping

Provide supervision and technical support to UPP’s Protection team and partner organizations to implement activities with high quality standards and in respect of international Protection standards and internal SOPs;
Provide technical support to the implementing partners in order to strengthen local capacities and ensure a correct implementation of the ECHO-funded project in line with UPP internal guidelines and donor’s requests;
Lead as project Focal Point on implementation of protection mainstreaming strategy, ensuring partner staff members are familiar with requirements, roles and responsibilities and steps to follow;
Devise and implement a protection M&E plan, in coordination with MEAL and technical teams for protection data collection tools, assessments and evaluations;
Participate in the development of proposals, budgets and concept notes in coordination with Protection Desk Officer and Coordinator.

Child Protection Focus:

Support the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of protection-related programming with partners, with particular focus on Child Protection (CP);
Coordinate with the Protection Coordinator to provide technical advice on all issues relating to ECHO-funded project protection mainstreaming and protection result activities in line with project workplan and UPP NES strategy, with specific focus on CP;
Strengthen child protection mainstreaming, safeguarding and integration in health efforts;
Provide support to protection outreach strategy, including the implementation of awareness campaigns according to assessed needs (child labour, early marriage or other child protection issues identified);

Capacity Building

Build the protection capacity of UPP staff and implementing local partners, with a specific focus on Child Protection, protection mainstreaming and protection core concepts;
Contribute to the missions integrated protection mainstreaming in health and other sectors through community-based protection methods;
Update and lead the roll out of internal SOPs on prevention, outreach activities, information dissemination and awareness raising initiatives, with specific focus on child related activities;
Promote and implement effective measures to identify, prevent and reduce protection issues, with specific focus on CP;
Lead capacity building efforts on CP Case Management;
Liaise with other health/protection technical specialists/coordinators on synergies with SGBV/ women protection and empowerment activities;
Support the Protection Coordinator in the development and implementation of NES level protection plans in coordination with Desk Officer and Head of Mission.

Staff mentoring

Support Project Managers and Protection Coordinator in the recruitment, management and supervision of UPP and partners local protection staff;
Provide mentoring and guidance on protection issues to UPP Protection team staff and implementing partner staff, including field staff in direct contact to persons of concern;
Provide specific close follow up, mentoring and supervision to Child Protection response and prevention UPP and partner staff, in accordance with Capacity Building Programme.

Monitoring & Reporting

Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions and implement modifications as required;
Monitor protection referrals and report on incidents through working relations with program staff, partners and other stakeholders;
Contribute to UPP data collection, and provide support to MEAL team to ensure that UPP FCRM is child-friendly;
Assist in the drafting of reports, as well as in the development of a harmonized reporting system across the project in the specific area of work;
Contribute to technical annexes and qualitative reports, with a specific focus on CP.
Act as technical Focal Point for Monthly, Interim, Final and ad-hoc ECHO-funded project related reports.

Coordination & Representation

Maintain close coordination with Project Management and technical teams;
Liaise and maintain good relations with local partners, other INGO and with all relevant stakeholders;
Stay abreast of developments in the area that have an impact on the protection environment and represent UPP at relevant cluster / working group and other meetings;
Represent UPP and participate to donor meetings, upon request of Protection Coordinator or Desk Officer;
Performing any other task relevant to the project and position assigned by the HoM and Protection Coordinator.

requirements:

Education & experience

University degree in Social Sciences, Social Work, Human Rights, International Affairs or related fields.
3+ years relevant professional experience in Community Based Protection, including 2 years in Child Protection;
Experience in designing and delivering training programmes on protection and child protection in emergencies;
Experience in Child Protection Case Management services, Youth / Child-Friendly Spaces and/or PSS activities.
Experience in delivering technical guidance such as producing protection technical documents, assessments, evaluations and reporting on protection activities/issues;
Experience in reviewing and aligning sector tools and strategic documents in line with protection standards;

Skills

Proven communication and behavioral skills to work directly with affected communities, including children;
Proven record of positive collaborative experience with local counterparts (CSOs, local NGOs, and others);
Experience of planning, organizing and prioritizing work, working under pressure and matching deadlines;
Strong presentation skills and experience in delivering quality capacity building, trainings and workshops;
Excellent computer literacy skills;
Excellent oral and written English;
Solid Team working and management skills;
Proactive attitude and Flexibility to Mission travel requirements are essential skills;
Ability to travel in the Middle East and in the EU.

UPP requires criminal background check certificate (released max 3 months before the date of job offer) to confirm a job offer. We are aware that in some countries the release of criminal background certificate by the competent authorities might require several weeks. However, UPP runs selections to deploy staff in emergency programs and time-lapse between job offer and field deployment is often very short. Thus, we kindly ask all candidates to get prepared on time and be able to submit their certificate promptly in case of success in the selection.

Desirable requirements:

Prior experience of donor procedures including EU is an asset;
Experience in Protection Mainstreaming:
Experience delivering remote technical guidance and trainings;
Knowledge of the Middle East context and relevant local actors;
Knowledge of Arabic / Kurmanji is a strong asset.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Un Ponte Per is an International NGO committed to diversity and inclusion within its teams, in line with the principle of non-discrimination. UPP encourages all candidates irrespective of gender, religion and ethnicity including persons with disabilities to apply and become part of the organization.

Ethical Conduct

UPP upholds all the minimum standards in terms of Ethical Conduct and strives to increase its standards over the minimum. Zero tolerance is reserved to Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and to Child Abuse, Violence, Harm, Injury and Negligence. By applying, any candidate assures that s/he has never breached any standard in terms of SEA and Child Safeguarding and that s/he will not in the future. For the protection of beneficiaries, communities and partners, UPP will conduct extensive reference check and vetting on shortlisted candidates, also over the contacts indicated by the candidate. Candidates are alerted that the required background check might compromise their privacy. Shortlisted candidates shall promptly provide an up-to-date criminal background check.

HOW TO APPLY Interested candidates are invited to submit a detailed CV (PDF format) with the authorization to use and process data on the base of the EU Regulation 2016/679 – GDPR and a brief cover letter (PDF format) that includes the contact information for three Professional References (relevant and recent) to: vacancy@unponteper.it Please reference “Protection Specialist (CP)- Name Surname” in the subject line of your email application and name the files attached to your application as surname_name_CV, surname_name_CL, etc. Be informed that UPP screens prospective colleagues through anti-terrorism/anti-money-laundering/anti-corruption/anti-fraud sanctions lists before job offer. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Link: unponteper.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/UPP_Protection_CP_Specialist_jun22.pdf