About US:
AVSI Foundation is an international not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in Italy in 1972. Its mission is to promote the dignity of the person through development cooperation activities, with special attention to education, according to the social teaching of the Catholic Church. AVSI has been present in Uganda since 1984, first supporting hospitals and agriculture projects in Gulu and Kitgum districts, and later expanding around 1990 to establish the present-day headquarters in Kampala, offices in Pader, Gulu and Kitgum, and project activities in 12 other districts. AVSI staff has remained through the long periods of instability in northern Uganda caused both by anti-government rebellions led by Lord’s Resistance Army, and by conflict across the northern border in Sudan, which caused displacement in both countries.
About SCORE Programme:
AVSI is leading a consortium of partners including CARE, TPO and FHI360 is implementing a USAID funded project titled “Sustainable, Comprehensive Responses for vulnerable children and their families – SCORE” in 23 districts in Uganda.
Job Summary: The Project Officer Child Protection and Legal Services will actively contribute to the implementation of activities, in particular, focusing on improving the socioeconomic status of vulnerable children and their household members.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
· Work in liaison with implementing partners, TA Child Protection and Legal Services, the Area Manager and other project officers:
· The incumbent will carry out periodic vulnerability assessment to establish child protection needs amongst beneficiary households and plan age appropriate interventions.
· Conduct regular mapping and identify existing community support structures and informal organizations and systematically build their capacity in child protection approaches and principles.
· Deliver both in-school and out of school age specific child protection services that ensure that all children in need of protection and legal support receive a holistic package of care at individual, family, and group level
· The job holder will conduct interactive learning sessions and legal clinics for households to create awareness about child abuse and neglect, profiling the rights of the OVC’s.
· The incumbent will also support the implementing partners to Identify and monitor incidents of children in need of legal support, collaborating closely with the prisons, police and judiciary as well as the probation officer to ensure that all action taken is in the best interest of the child.
· Ensure that project activities are sensitive to the peculiar needs of children especially those with special needs.
· Undertake innovative advocacy activities and promote child participation through sport, and other innovative activities that build the coping, self-esteem and relational abilities of children and adolescents.
· Work closely with the SCORE Child Protection and Legal services Technical Advisor in the development of reports, standards, protocols, manuals, tools and dedicated reports related to the Child Protection and Legal services objective, success stories, and other reports related to implementing partners
· Collaborate with the Area Manager and other staff in reporting and documentation both for the internal AVSI SCORE (quarterly reports) as well as consistency checks for the IPs’ reports directly designated to you and for all IPs for the Child Protection and Legal services objective as required by the supervisor
· Under the direction of the supervisor and in collaboration with the other POs of SCORE, and the project Child Protection and Legal services, the Project Officer will monitor and support the implementation of project activities and carry out needed capacity building at implementing partner and beneficiary level
· Perform other duties within the area of responsibility as requested by the SCORE Area Manager.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
· The ideal candidate should preferably hold a University Degree in Social Work, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Law or a related field of study from a recognized institution
· Additional certificate-level or on-the-job training in child protection, psychosocial support and juvenile justice is an added advantage.
· A minimum of two years’ experience delivering child focused interventions at community level
· Prior experience in delivering services that target OVC and their households is an added advantage.
· Demonstrated ability to work with both formal and informal community organizations in a rural setting.
· Ability to interact with community groups and communicate in the local language
· People management skills – team building initiatives
· Effective interpersonal skills – oral and written communication skills
· Computer literacy skills
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified candidates should send their application letters, accompanied with updated Curriculum Vitae indicating three professional referees and copies of relevant certificates via E-mail with the subject line indicating ‘Application for Project Officer – Child Protection’ addressed to:
The Human Resource Manager,
AVSI Foundation,
P.O. Box 6785, Kampala, Uganda.
E-mail to: hr.kampala@avsi.org
Deadline: 26th November 2015 by 5.00 pm