Job Overview
PROJECT HOPE ZAMBIA
District Social Services Officer
Petauke, Zambia
About Project HOPE
Project HOPE is a Technical partner to Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDRZ) in Zambia, on a five (5) years USAID funded Empowered Youth Program III (USAID EYP III). The USAID EYP III is implemented in Lusaka and Eastern Provinces. The goal of the EYP III project is to mitigate the impact of HIV and improve the health and wellbeing of VCA through the delivery of high-impact, evidence-informed, and age-appropriate interventions customized for each VCA sub-population using a family-centered approach.
Position Description
Project HOPE seeks to recruit a District Social Services Officer to be based in Petauke. The District Social Services Officer will be responsible for overseeing the successful implementation of child protection activities at the district level. He/she will provide technical backstopping to Community Based Workers on child protection, related case management and supervise the activities to ensure quality delivery of services.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Program Planning and Implementation.
- Support Community Based Workers to develop and implement activity plans to achieve expected results.
- Ensure that all planned activities such as community awareness raising and case management are implemented on time, to quality measures and within budget as per the monthly plan.
- Introduce a system and SOPs for flagging challenges early through to all relevant District Team focal persons supporting child protection efforts.
- Facilitate child protection awareness and sensitization workshops with project staff and community member service providers.
- Provide follow-up child protection training in coordination with the District team.
- Provide psycho-social support to program beneficiaries.
- Act as a district liaison for all child protection opportunities such as working closely with Government and Child Care Forums.
- Assist with reporting of GBV cases and support child witnesses (psychosocial support) through the legal processes.
Case Management
- Support the identification, registration and assessment of service provision to identified households by the Community Based Workers.
- Develop and implement individual/household case management plans with the Community Based Workers.
- Conduct community awareness on identification of vulnerable children and the process of child headed households registration.
- Support establishment of temporal community care arrangements of children affected by abuse, neglect, GBV or other vulnerabilities warranting protection.
- Serve as referral link for children with specific needs and ensure access to services, follow up and documentation.
- Establish/support implementation and enforcement of all National laws, policies, guidelines and acts related to safeguarding of children in Zambia.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Ensure that all child protection activities data is properly and regularly collected by field staff, check data and ensure that it is logically presented to the MEL team.
- Contribute to the preparation of internal and external reports.
- Participate in team reviews of results and program progress.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Reporting and Organizational Relationship:
The District Social Services Officer reports to the Provincial Coordinator.
Minimum Requirement:
- University Degree in Social Work, Gender Studies and Community Development.
- Minimum of 2 years relevant work experience in childhood protection case management, childhood protection or related field.
- Proven ability to work as part of a team.
- Strong understanding of the situation of children in the community and demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of children in community.
- Proven technical knowledge and skills in the field of Child Protection and Child Protection legislation.
Experience working with children and community mobilization. - Possess excellent training and facilitation skills.
- A good level of written and spoken English and at least one other Zambian language.
- Good computer skills.
- Hold a valid Driving license.
PLEASE EMAIL APPLICATION AND CV TO: hr-zambia@projecthope.org
Clearly indicate, “District Social Services Officer” on your email heading. Closing Date: 26th August 2021.