Turkey: Protection Officer

ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children is seeking job applications for 2x Protection Officersfor a 12 month award supporting host and refugee communities in Istanbul,Zeytinburnu district. The activities will be implemented in partnership with Zeytinburnu Municipality and hosted by Family, Woman Supporting and Disabled People Center (AKDEM). The project is focused on Child Protection (CP),Psychosocial Support (PSS), Protection,Social Cohesion and Community-based interventions. The Protection Officers, under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator, is responsible for implementing activities and interventions with refugee and host children and adults in the AKDEM. Protection Officers will be key contacts to address protection issues in Zeytinburnu district. Protection Officers will mainly be responsible to raise the community awareness on refugee rights, benefits, and responsibilities, as well as to refer refugee and host community members with protection concerns to relevant service providers. A key responsibility is also the supporting and overseeing the protection/legal processes in between the legal consultation session and the management of “lighter” cases or phase-out of cases.

*SCI and Zeytinburnu Municipality will conduct a joint recruitment process.

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3– the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regularcontact with or access to children or young people.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to:** Project Coordinator

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Implementation

• Under daily supervision of the Child Protection (CP) Project Coordinator and technical supervision of the CP Protection Project Manager and Center Lawyer, implement regular activities in and out of the center that include: information sessions on rights-related matters, information dissemination, referral to services, hand holding and support to access to services. A key responsibility will be the supporting and overseeing the protection/legal processes in between the legal consultation session and the management of “lighter” cases or phase-out of cases.

· Manage urgent cases with technical support from lawyer as needed.

· Prepare weekly activity plans in coordination with e.g. the Community Engagement Officers and AKDEM staff ensure smooth implementation of these plans. Highlight any concerns with the work plan on a timely basis so that proper adjustments can be made in line with donor regulations and requirements.

· Contribute to the weekly/monthly procurement plans regarding project activities in his/her responsibility

• Actively participate in weekly meetings with the Center team and ad hoc meetings as requested by the direct supervisor.

• Support the CP Project Coordinator and Project Officer to ensure mapping of services and referral systems (health, education, psychosocial, etc.) are updated as appropriate on a regular basis in the district

• Actively contribute to the development and implementation a Protection Risk and Gap Analysis and co-lead the monitoring of protection risks and gaps throughout the project. Also, contribute to the development of a Community Engagement Strategy and embed this strategy into daily activities.

• Lead on information dissemination and conduct information sessions on refugee rights, benefits, responsibilities in the center

• Identify persons with child protection and protection needs, facilitate safe and ethical referrals in liaison with the Child Protection Coordinator, support AKDEM with house visits including accompanying beneficiaries to relevant services and report these interventions.

Monitoring,Evaluation and Accountability and Quality

• Report to the Project Coordinator and project monitoring system on a regular basis.

· Track the attendance of participants and ensure timely provision of data, information and keep in regular contact with other project staff conducting other activities within the Center on the beneficiaries’ class performance, referrals to courses etc.

· Actively contribute to effective implementation of accountability mechanisms of the project in collaboration with the MEAL department.

· Produce and submit weekly and monthly reports on project activities as required

• Support and coordinate MEAL Officer’s project related field & center visits and relevant implementation in the field & center. Participate in team meetings and provide feedback as required.

· Liaise with the Security Officers/security focal points in field through providing update information on security situations, significant events and community tensions in a community.

General

· Undertake any other duty as requested by the direct supervisor or in support of Save the Children’s education and protection programming in Turkey.

• Work with cultural sensitivity and respect the dignity of refugees and members of the host communities at all times.

• Comply with Save the Children and AKDEM policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

• Maintain the confidentiality of all information acquired during time in post.

• Build positive relationships with the community and promote community member participation in taking care of children’s needs, and jointly develop solutions, including the development of protection key messages.

• Actively contributing to making the project gender sensitive (and to the extent gender transformative)in collaboration with SC’s Gender Focal Point.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

· Bachelor degree in Social Work or in any relevant field.

· Minimum 2-years of field experience (volunteer or professional) in protection programmes, social work, community mobilization or equivalent.

· Excellent knowledge about the Turkish legal system and social welfare system,particularly relating to refugee rights.

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills, being able to communicate and negotiate complicated issues with non-informed population.

· Previous experience in working with children and/or adolescents and their families.

· Fluency in Arabic or Farsi or Dari (written and spoken).

· Good Turkish skills.

· Good technical understanding of child protection and community based approaches

· Excellent understanding of Child Rights and Child Participation.

· Excellent team player.

· Ability to quickly form relationship within the communities.

• Experience in delivering capacity building efforts in the field of Protection, including leading trainings, and willingness to dedicate time to staff and partner development.

Desirable

• Fluency in Turkish (spoken)
• Advanced English skills (written and spoken)
• Computer literacy including the use of Microsoft Word and Excel
• Experience in working with NGOs
• Experience in working with refugees/IDPs
• Knowledge of established inter-agency standards and guidelines in the field of International Protection.

CHILD SAFE GUARDING POLICY:

Any employee, consultant, contractor or the supplier undertaking an activity on behalf of SCI must sign the Child Safeguarding – Declaration of Acceptance Form and comply with the SCIs Child Safeguarding Policy which is a statement of SCI’s commitment to preventing abuse and protecting children with whom it comes into contact.

This extends not only to children with whom SCI and its partners work directly, but also includes children whom staff are responsible for. SCI believes that the situation of children must be improved through the promotion of their rights supported and demonstrated by all members of staff. Save the Children International’s Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Please apply in Turkish by sending your up to date CV with a cover letter as a single document explaining your salary expectations to turkey.recruit@savethechildren.org and mention the position that you are applying on the subject section. The advertisement will be closed on December 2nd, 2018 EOD (Turkey local time).

Please kindly be informed that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.