Child Rights and Safeguarding Advisor at Plan International

Role Purpose

The Child Rights and Safeguarding Advisor will lead in defining the Country office agenda for protecting children and young people especially girls and keeping them safe from gender based and other forms of violence. S/He will serve as the lead advisor responsible for assessing, designing and guiding a strategy to address violations of children’s rights to protection from abuse, exploitation and violence. S/he will ensure that quality programmes are initiated and capacities developed in-country and with partners to provide protection interventions. S/he will play a leading role in national level child protection coordination working groups and support government efforts to strengthen protection and end violence against children. S/he will collaboratively drive advocacy at the appropriate levels in Kenya and with a view to ending violence against girls and young women.

The incumbent will also contribute in strengthening the internal measures of safeguarding of children and young persons at all levels and efforts to empower them to effectively detect, prevent and respond to all forms of violence, especially Gender Based Violence against adolescent girls and children in and out of school.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring that Plan Kenya continues to be a leading agency in safeguarding children’s rights within the organization and among its partners and associates, as well as advocating for the same.  The position holder will advise on the implementation milestones of the policy on Safeguarding Children and Young People in Plan Kenya and ensuring compliance to the policy by Plan staff, partners and associates.  The position will contribute to business development by supporting intelligence gathering, proposal development, advocacy and donor engagement to deliver on Plan Kenya’s bold ambitions for girls and youth in Kenya.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 7 years’ experience, 5 of which are in implementing Child Rights programming at local or national level, preferably with an International Non-Governmental Organization.
• Strong and up to date knowledge of child protection/Safeguarding programmes, protection and safeguarding as well as meaningful youth engagement.
• A clear understanding of the strategies for engaging with children and young people in programme activities and advocacy.
• Good understanding of child protection systems in the country.
• Experience working with civil society and community-based organisations, particularly in Kenya.
• Result oriented, good interpersonal and communication skills including influencing and negotiation
• Commitment to Plan values and willingness to abide by Child and Young people Safeguarding Policy and hold others accountable.
• Good presentation and communication skills
• Proven experience in providing technical assistance to complex protection programs
• Commitment to Plan Kenya’s position on promoting girls’ rights and gender equality and integrating all these aspects in their day to day work
• 3 Years in a leadership/managerial role