Project Officer - Positive Parenting (PP) and Life-skills (LS) at Catholic Relief

Ref.2018/077

Reports To: Team Leader

Country/Location: Kenya/Kisumu

Background:

CRS, with partners Lumos and Maestral International, will work closely with Department of Children Services (DCS) and other care reform actors to implement programming and interventions to support care reform in Kenya. Kenya has been selected as one of three countries, together with the Republic of Moldova and Guatemala, to implement the initial phase of Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) initiative. CTWWC is an initiative that aims to leverage existing strengths and efforts of key stakeholders as well as address identified gaps to move Kenya away from reliance on residential care facilities and towards stronger family-based care

Job Summary:

Reporting to the County Team Leader, the Positive Parenting (parenting and positive discipline) and Life-skills Officer will monitor and report on all CTWWC county-level activities related to positive parenting and life-skills in support of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. You will provide leadership, training, and technical support to local implementing partners/institutions/CCIs, caregivers and young people to ensure roll-out of the positive parenting and life-skills sessions at community level. You will be expected to utilize a service oriented, participatory and strengths-based approach and ensure CTWWC consistently applies recognized and evidence based practices, regularly reviews and gathers lessons on emerging innovations on PP/LS to ensure that parents, caregivers and young people are receiving critical skills and information resulting in sustainable positive parenting and life-skills practices, and that they are regularly, adequately and respectfully engaged in all processes of CTWWC.

The position will work closely with the Case Management and Reintegration Officer to ensure that aspects of positive parenting and life-skills are central to the case management process, care plans, service referrals/delivery and monitoring of care plans – and all social work with families, young people and children.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting of all parenting and life-skills activities outlined in the CTWWC detailed implementation plan in line with CTWWC program quality principles and standards, program requirements, and recognized good, and evidence-based practices.
• Promote engagement in positive parent/child relationships especially for Children and young people
• Ensure that local implementing partners/institutions/CCIs, CTWWC staff have the knowledge and skills to successfully deliver positive parenting and life-skills sessions/fora, through trainings, supportive supervision, coaching and mentorship.
• Contribute to the adoption of existing standardized tools, approaches and training curricula to ensure active engagement of children, young people and families engaged in the process.
• Support and engage in regular meetings, trainings, roll out and dissemination of updated guidance, Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), tools, training curricula or job aids that support DCS, National Council of Children Services (NCCs), CCIs and other partners to improve positive parenting and young people engagement initiatives.
• Build and maintain mutual and productive relationship with relevant government departments like DCS, Department of young people affairs, County department of gender and social development, Ministry of education (ECDE), county government and other related partners to create partnership opportunities for CTWWC parenting and young people engagement beneficiaries
• Work closely with the Department of Children Services, Ministry of Education and other like-minded partners to engage parents and provide referrals when necessary for participation in parenting groups, child protection structures and other structures as will be defined using internationally recognized positive parenting standard tools, child safeguarding and jobs aids.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of all assigned project activities as per donor and CRS standards and established schedules.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree in one of the following disciplines: public health, education, social sciences, international development or another related field. Master’s degree will be added advantage
• At least 4 years’ experience in care reforms, positive parenting, young people engagement or community empowerment programs or in related fields
• Experience in positive parenting, children/young people engagement design, assessment, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Experience working in both high level as well as community settings preferably in young people engagement, care reforms and/or child protection initiatives
• Ability to conduct training/facilitation with adults, children/young peoples and provide technical assistance and mentoring to the CCIs, partners, government and local implementing partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage complex and sensitive organizational relationships particularly between DCS, CCIs and/or community-based providers of social services.
• Strong knowledge of social service and child protection sector in Kenya.

Skills and Abilities

• Critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong writing skills in professional English, level of proficiency should allow the candidate to serve as primary author of high-quality written reports to donors with minimal revision.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities with minimal supervision.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Able to clearly communicate in written and spoken English and Kiswahili; sign language is added advantage.

Travel Required: Some travel is expected within the County of operation

Key Working Relationships:**

Supervisory: None

Internal: CTWWC staff, Health, Education and Social Services Unit, CRS Kenya MEAL Unit, Management Quality Unit, CRS Kenya Head of Programs.

External: Local implementing partners, GOK, UNICEF, faith-based organizations, Kenya Society of Careleavers, relevant private sector entities, local communities, beneficiaries, donors and other stakeholders

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Accountability & Stewardship
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Strategic Mindset

MEAL Competencies:

• Track portfolio and project MEAL requirements – both CTWWC MEAL Policies and Procedures (MPP) and donor requirements.
• Work with MEAL staff and partner staff to implement the MPP and CTWWC MEAL requirements applicable to your projects.
• Complete the annual MEAL procedure self-assessment for your project and develop action plan to advance MEAL practice.

• Input into annual work planning process

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.