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Program Officer, Economic Strengthening and Child Protection

BACKGROUND

The Women’s Refugee Commission works to improve the lives and defend the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children and young people. As an advocacy organization, the Commission is dedicated to bringing about systemic changes that lead to greater respect for the rights of uprooted women, children and young people.  The organization strives to effect policy change with broad, worldwide impact.

The Women’s Refugee Commission, Childfund International , International Rescue Committee, the Program on Forced Migration and Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Save the Children in Sweden, UNICEF, and several local NGO’s have established the Care and Protection of Children in Crisis-Affected Countries (CPC) Learning Network. The goal of the CPC Learning Network is to strengthen and systematize child care and protection in crisis-affected settings through the collaborative action of humanitarian organizations, local institutions, and academic partners.  The CPC Learning Network aims to inform practice and policy through the use of evidence-based findings.

SCOPE OF WORK: 

The Program Officer, Economic Strengthening and Child Protection, will be a representative of the Care and Protection of Children in Conflict-Affected Countries (CPC) Network housed within the Women’s Refugee Commission. The Officer will take the lead responsibility for the daily management of the organization’s participation in the Columbia University-led Care and Protection of Children in Conflict-Affected Countries (CPC) Network under the supervision of the Director of Protection. The Officer will be a resource to generate an active network of diverse agencies working together as a Global Technical Group; act as a resource for members of the Global Technical Group; advocate for a focus on child protection outcomes in economic strengthening programs and support cross agency evaluations of work.  Responsibilities include: researching and writing a report on the state of the field on economic strengthening program impact on child protection outcomes; building a network of stakeholders to participate in a Global Technical Group on this topic to push the agenda forward at the policy, donor, and practitioner levels; working with the Children and Youth Economic Strengthening online platform to solicit and capture global learning in this field; developing core indicators for measuring child protection outcomes; and providing direct technical assistance to field-based Program Learning Groups implementing economic strengthening programs focused on improving child protection outcomes.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Program Implementation

• Lead the CPC’s Network’s Global Technical Group on Economic Strengthening and Child Protection
• Build a coalition of stakeholders to engage in the Global Technical Group
• Coordinate with and support the CYES online platform as a tool to solicit and share information and learning
• Develop core indicators on child protection outcomes for economic strengthening programs
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to field-based Program Learning Groups implementing economic strengthening programs

Financial Responsibilities

• Monitor expenses and budgets
• Prepare donor proposals and budgets
• Coordinate with the Head of Finance on donor financial reporting requirements

Research and Writing

• Manage and conduct additional desk and field research and assessments, as needed, to further develop and refine program guidance and collect further data. 
• Write, edit, produce and distribute program documents including global report on the state of economic strengthening on child protection outcomes as well as other reports, advocacy letters, policy papers, journal articles and other materials. 

Advocacy and Public Education

• Provide technical expertise and policy advice to the Global Technical Group, the field-based Program Learning Groups, as well as policy makers in governments, UN agencies, and NGOs on enhancing economic programs’ impact on child protection.
• Represent the Women's Refugee Commission on economic strengthening and child protection linkages and issues to a variety of audiences, including with policy makers, government and U.N. officials, at public events, meetings, conferences, with media, and other venues as appropriate.

Supervision

• Supervise and oversee the research of interns providing assistance to this initiative.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree/Master’s preferred in international affairs, economics, political science, non-profit management or related field.
• Minimum 4 - 5 years of field experience in humanitarian assistance – ideally implementing economic programs serving displaced populations and/or working in child protection.
• Minimum 2 - 3 years project and staff management experience in refugee protection and humanitarian assistance programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in economic programs targeting displaced populations (refugees, internally displaced persons, and/ returning populations).
• Demonstrated knowledge of child protection in situations of conflict.
• Strong background in training design and delivery.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, including synthesis of research findings, policy analysis and reports to donors.
• Proven record of effective project management, demonstrating the ability to ensure that projects are carried out on time, within budget, and producing products of excellent quality.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Previous experience in proposal development.
• Proven record as a team player, demonstrating flexibility and diplomacy.
• Excellent written and spoken English; working knowledge of French or Spanish desirable.
• Good Computer skills: facility with MS Word, Excel, and email/internet software.

Position: Program Officer, Economic Strengthening and Child Protection
Location: New York, NY
Employee Type: Regular
Employee Category: Full Time

Deadline to Apply: August 15, 2010

To apply, submit résumé, cover letter and salary requirements at IRC Careers. Scroll to the bottom to apply on site.