Job Advertisement

Position Title: Technical Advisor III - Child Protection and Care
Location: Remote
Country: United States
Deadline Date: Not specified

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to serve those in need, CRS operates in over 100 countries, focusing on saving, protecting, and transforming lives without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization engages in various relief and development programs, including emergency response, health, Agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to its Vision 2030 strategy, which includes six strategic change platforms aimed at achieving significant results at scale, one of which is the Strengthening Families for Thriving Children Strategic Change Platform (SCP5). This initiative is designed to support vulnerable children and strengthen families globally, influencing policies and practices to create supportive environments for children.

Job Overview:
The SCP5 Child Protection & Care Technical Advisor III will play a crucial role in providing Technical Support to demonstration countries and facilitating exchanges and learning across Country Programs in the Southern & East Africa region. This position involves liaising with CTWWC team members to ensure effective sharing of learning and influence efforts. The advisor will contribute to strategy development and provide technical support in child protection and care system reform, focusing on family strengthening at various levels. The role requires a deep understanding of child protection and care programming, ensuring that interventions are aligned with CRS program quality principles, donor guidelines, and best practices. The advisor will also be responsible for developing and disseminating standards, guidance, and tools to support quality programming, particularly for children vulnerable to family separation and those in alternative care settings.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Technical Advisor III will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including:

• Providing technical support for child protection and care system reform initiatives across CRS country programs.
• Developing and disseminating child protection and care standards and tools.
• Supporting country program teams in planning and implementing interventions that engage partners effectively.
• Ensuring integration of disability inclusion, gender, and Disaster Risk Reduction in programming.
• Offering technical backstopping and quality assurance to CTWWC Kenya.
• Facilitating capacity strengthening initiatives through training and mentoring.
• Contributing to proposal development and project Design for complex initiatives.
• Engaging in knowledge management and learning agendas, documenting successes and lessons learned.
• Leading regional influence and engagement plans to advance care reform. 1
• Representing CRS in regional and global forums to enhance collaboration and influence.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree in social work, social sciences, or a related field. A minimum of seven years of work experience in child protection and care system reform is required, with progressive responsibilities ideally in an international NGO setting. Candidates should have experience in multiple countries or regions as a technical advisor or program manager, particularly in child protection and care reform projects. A strong understanding of technical principles in child protection and care reform, along with a track record in Business Development activities, is essential. Candidates should also demonstrate experience in developing training materials and tools for child protection interventions, as well as experience in monitoring and evaluation.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree in social work, social sciences, or a related field is required for this position. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of child protection and care systems and for effectively contributing to the development and implementation of relevant programs.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of seven years of relevant work experience, with at least three years in a technical advisory or Program Management role focused on child protection and care reform. Experience should include designing and implementing initiatives in low-resource contexts, with a strong emphasis on family strengthening and alternative care solutions. Candidates should also have experience in Capacity Building and knowledge transfer through training and mentoring.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position, while fluency in French is preferred. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication and collaboration with diverse stakeholders across different regions.

Additional Notes:
The position is global but requires frequent travel to Eastern and Southern Africa, with an expected travel commitment of 30 to 40%. The role does not have supervisory responsibilities but involves significant collaboration with various internal and external stakeholders. CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where CRS operates. The organization is committed to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and its hiring practices reflect this commitment.