Child Protection Officer (Internals Only)

Protection

The IRC has been delivering protection programs in the northwest since 2013 and in the northeast of Syria since 2014, focusing on Protection/Rule of Law (PRoL), Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and Child Protection (CP). These efforts include specialized case management, PSS, protection monitoring, service mapping, and advocacy. Collaborating with partners, IRC improves access to protection services, raises community awareness, and strengthens referral pathways. Protection capacity building, community outreach, and rapid response through mobile protection teams have also been provided since 2017.

Job overview:

As part of Syria response, the IRC is employing psychosocial and life skills services to vulnerable children, adolescents, and caregivers in the community through Safe Healing and Learning approaches, Youth Development and resilience building, and caregiver engagement approaches. The Child Protection officer will support the establishment of Safe Healing and Learning Spaces, monitor the implementation of activities in the spaces. At field level coordinate with other IRC sectors and actors in the delivery of psychosocial support programming ensuring inclusion in program activities. Oversee the SHLS facility, build capacity and support the child Protection assistant, and SHLS facilitators in service delivery and activity implementation.

Responsibilities:Technical Quality

•  Provide daily guidance on SHLS and Adolescent activities to the SHLS and Adolescent Facilitators in accordance with the standard tools and procedures.
• Ensure weekly support supervision visits for each SHLS and structured observations of SHLS and Facilitators, and document through reports.
• Ensure that records of children and Facilitator attendance are accurately recorded, reported, and stored.
• Ensure regular interaction and feedback with community and committee members.
• Ensure proper documentation of pre/post-tests for Facilitators in assigned SHLS.
• Ensure regular communication with the manager/coordinator for updates on achievements and challenges.
• Ensure program quality and planning activities in coordination with the Child Protection Manager.
• Work with Facilitators to set schedules for daily/weekly activities for children.
• Organize community information sessions, meetings, and open days.
• In coordination with CRM, manage the suggestion box, report back to the community and share comments with the IRC.

Staff Supervision & Development

•  Directly supervises child Protection assistants and SHLS and Adolescent Facilitators.
• Maintains open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and mentorship to enable staff to optimally perform in their positions.
• Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, probation reviews and annual performance reviews.
• Assist with the recruitment of Facilitators in coordination with community representatives and the CP Manager.
• Ensure support and ongoing capacity-building opportunities for Facilitators on technical skills.
• Ensure SHLS is cleaned in between sessions and prepare material for each session.
• Ensure all staff are trained in code of conduct and safeguarding among other policies.

Grant Planning & Implementation

•  Supports implementation and adherence to grant work plans, spending plans and monitoring and evaluation plans.
• Lead in identifying and submitting material needs for SHLS or SAFE programming.

Grant Monitoring & Reporting

•  Support regular field monitoring and modifications as the need arises.
• Provide weekly and staff activity reports.
• Take the lead in monitoring all PSS-related indicators

Coordination & Representation

•  Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with child protection actors in the field, including government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.
• Regularly attends coordination meetings on site.

Program Development

•  This contributes to the development of the CP program`s strategic direction for responding to children harmed and at risk of being harmed.
• Contribute to the development of proposal activities.
• Coordinate with other IRC sectors` staff (e.g., WPE, Protection, Health, and Livelihoods) at field level.

Other

•  Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams; promptly report concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaise with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Other duties assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Job Requirements:

Education:

• A university degree, preferably in social sciences, psychology, or education or any related field with experience in child protection.

Work Experience: 

• Approximately 2-4 years of progressively responsible professional experience of protection and psychosocial support programming.
• Previous experience in an emergency or conflict-afflicted setting is required.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development.
• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
• Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must.
• Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.

Language/Travel:

•  Fluency in written English & Arabic is required while Kurdish will be an added advantage.
• This position will rotate across all official and informal camps in Raqqa Governorate, as well as Raqqa City.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Child Protection Manager
Position directly supervises: Child Protection Assistant and Facilitators

Indirect Reporting (If applicable):

 Key Internal Contacts: All program and operation sectors

Key External Contacts: MHPSS working group, all Child Protection, and non-Child Protection actors in the area of operation

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and giving them greater influence over programming design and delivery.