Starting Date: ASAP

Status:  Full Time

Child Safeguarding Policy: Level 3 – The job holder will have regular contact with children

Position Summary

The Protection Officer coordinates SN teams under the project “Transit Hotels”, with the objective of providing timely and effective guidance on protection cases, as well as supervising protection interventions. The incumbent must be able to lead the development of a protection strategy that is solutions-oriented and based on a consultative process with multifunctional teams and partners. The incumbent must also have the ability to establish protection objectives and an overall technical guidance for the programme in the specific area. Further, the post holder will provide day to day supervision, guidance and on the job training for staff regarding protection issues.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Planning and supervising the implementation of protection plan in close cooperation with key project staff, SolidarityNow’s other departments and partners, in compliance with all contractual obligations towards the donor and in accordance with the SolidarityNow SOPs;
• Ensuring protection of refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable populations of concern, in accordance with international humanitarian standards and legally binding obligations, by directly guiding case management tasks of the field teams;
• Planning and supervising the development, implementation and monitoring of standard operating procedures, in relation to protection mechanisms and activities;
• Providing advice and guidance on protection related issues and ensuring proper documentation and follow up;
• Conducting field visits/work and participating in field activities as required;
• Provides support and technical assistance to field staff;
• Conducts (or advises on) best interest/risks/needs assessments;
• Facilitates communication and cooperation with social services and authorities and prepares relevant documentation;
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with donors, (I)NGOs and other key stakeholders to ensure coordination, collaboration and dissemination of information for protection-related issues;
• Identifies protection gaps and interventions and refers accordingly.
• Produces incident reports, in collaboration with field staff, and disseminate them accordingly.

Required qualifications and skills

Essential

• University degree (preferably Master’s) from an accredited academic institution in Humanities, Social Science, Law, Political Sciences, International Relations or related
• Minimum of 2 years relevant work experience in child protection, psychosocial support and youth programmes or related field
• Experience in working with unaccompanied and separated children is an asset
• Previous hands-on experience on child protection within the Greek context and the refugee crisis is indispensable
• Experience in working with IOs, NGOs as well as with governmental and local authorities
• Experience in developing and/or delivering child protection training
• Knowledge and understanding of interagency standards and guidelines in child protection, including the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
• Excellent knowledge of English and Greek; a third language (spoken by the project beneficiaries) would be considered an asset
• Good knowledge and competence of IT applications and software
• Ability to work under a distance-management scheme
• Ability to work with and coordinate protection activities of more than 80 field staff, ensuring a uniform implementation of the project across different locations
• Ability to work on own initiative and at the same time as part of a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to organize and prioritise workload, using initiative when appropriate
• Understanding of the people on the move emergency and the socio-economic hardship aspects, demonstrating high cultural sensitivity
• Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure with a great level of personal organization.

If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and motivation letter to thes-recruitment@solidaritynow.org mentioning in the email subject “Protection Officer (Ioannina-Kozani-Konitsa/roving)”.

SN is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with disabilities and from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Recruitment processes reflect SN’s commitment to keeping children safe from harm and abuse. Employment is subject to SN Child protection standards, including background checks and adherence to SN Child Safeguarding Policy.

Due to the urgency of recruitment, SN reserves the right to complete the process as soon as the suitable candidate has been identified. Interested candidates should submit their applications (CV and motivation letter) not later than by November 15^th, 2020.

Only short-listed candidates will receive a written reply.