Organization: Right To Play Ethiopia

Department/Division: Program Quality and Impact

Work Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Target Hiring Range: Local salary scale applies (Grade 8). Hiring range and benefits will be shared with applicants as part of the recruitment process.

Target Start Date: April 1, 2024

Contract Duration: April 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024 with a possibility of contract extension

Application Closing Date: March 8,2024

ABOUT US:

Right To Play is a global organization that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity through the power of play. We help millions of children each year to stay in school and out of work, to prevent life-threatening diseases and to stay safe from exploitation and abuse. We are the leading global development organization that uses play to transform the lives of children and youth impacted by poverty, war, disease and inequality.

Established in 2000, Right To Play reaches children through experiential programming in 14 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. These programs are supported by our headquarters in Toronto, Canada; London, UK and seven national offices across Europe and North America.

In Ethiopia, Right To Play has been operating since 2005 implementing Education and Child Protection focused programs in refugee camps and host communities in collaboration with the government and NGO partners in different parts of the country.

With a shared passion for our mission, our Culture Code guides how we act and interact based on five core pillars:

• Accept Everyone – Be intentional about inclusion
• Make Things Happen – Seek opportunities to lead and innovate
• Display Courage – Act with integrity
• Demonstrate Care – Look after yourself and one another
• Be Playful – Have fun at work

Please visit our website to learn more about who we are and what we do, and watch this video to find out about the five pillars of our Culture Code.

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Psychosocial Support (PSS) Specialist will provide technical leadership in integrating PSS in design and implementation of the Ethiopia Country Office (CO) Strategy.

PSS Specialist will provide Right To Play (RTP) Ethiopia staff capacity development on PSS quality program standards and approaches. You will also be responsible for providing skills development, partnership development, coaching and mentorship support, including active participation in Technical Working Group (TWG) at national level. You will also guide the development of new project models to address the protection and psychosocial support needs of children in diverse contexts.

Reporting to the Country Director, you will work closely with Program Manager, Education Specialist, Training Officer, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer, Finance Manager and focal points to ensure that psychosocial wellbeing programs are developed, implemented, and measured in line with global best practice and learning on what works from the sector. You will also work with a diverse team of program specialists within the Program Quality and Impact (PQI) and MEL teams.

This position will include international travel up to 20% per year.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

#1: Strategic Leadership on Psychosocial Support (30% of Time):

• Design context relevant PSS Strategy aligned with CO Strategy, and theory of change.
• Analyse PSS information and data at national and regional level to inform RTP Ethiopia’s program designing, learning exchange and training material revision/development.
• Lead the design and material development of Play Based Learning for PSS intervention.
• Provide guidance and coordinate the collaboration with other subject matter specialists to integrate Socio-emotional Learning (SEL) and PSS into programming and guidance documents, toolkits, MEL guidance documents, and quality assurance processes.
• In partnership with Global Program Unit, establish quality assurance mechanisms, document learnings and report on delivery of RTP’s Strategic Plan goals related to psychosocial wellbeing.
• Collaborate with MEL team to effectively integrate child participation and protection considerations within standards and guidelines.
• Contribute to organizational initiatives at the country office and field office level to implement and reinforce RTP’s thought leadership strategy for psychosocial wellbeing of children.

#2: Support Program Design (35% of Time):

• Develop new, or revise existing, psychosocial wellbeing project models based on evidence from RTP’s programs and learning from what works in organisations delivering similar work.
• Collaborate with implementing partners to strengthen program adaptation based on results and learnings of what works in programming to support children’s wellbeing through PSS intervention, particularly in relation to education.
• Collaborate with Program Manager, MEL and technical specialists to develop standards and guidance on play- based approaches and methodology to achieve psychosocial wellbeing program outcomes.

#3: Support Quality Programming (30% of Time):

• Support ongoing learning and knowledge sharing among RTP Ethiopia team, partner organizations and government practitioners.
• Coordinate and facilitate PSS trainings that focus on: knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards child rights and protection; and child protection referral systems.
• Train RTP staff to train volunteers and service providers on basic, focused, non-specialised PSS services (level 3).
• Provide technical backstopping on psychosocial wellbeing programming, based on needs and priorities identified by Country Offices.
• Work in partnership with Program Manager, Education Specialist to communicate RTP’s strengths related to play, psychosocial wellbeing programming and outcomes, including contributing to capacity statements, proposal development and partnership engagement.

#4: Other Tasks as Assigned (5% of Time)

WHAT YOU’LL BRING (ESSENTIAL):

EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree in related field (Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Education, International Development, Child Protection, Child Rights, etc.) or equivalent professional experience
• Child rights and protection courses and/or certificates

EXPERIENCE:

• Proven experience in child protection system development in a humanitarian or development child centered organization focusing on PSS
• Active involvement with the National/regional child protection or PSS network and MHPSS networks, including experience of working with government and child protection partners at national level
• Demonstrated experience in designing interventions and training related to PSS interventions for children
• Strong experience of embedding safeguarding protocols within child protection programming including considerations on consent, information sharing and monitoring
• Experience with strengthening of child protection or PSS delivery preferably in emergency or humanitarian contexts
• Demonstrated experience in policy processes, including research, reviews and formulation with evidence of similar assignments in other countries; and experience to advocate and provide policy advice
• Consolidated experience in safe information management within child protection programming

COMPETENCIES/PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Ability to multi-task, maintain a high degree of organization, and meet deadlines
• Highly adaptable, demonstrating a flexible attitude and an ability to work with people from various backgrounds and cultures
• Effective leadership and team management skills
• Demonstrated change management skills, including the ability to lead implementation of new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change
• Strong conflict management and resolution skills
• Excellent relationship building and management with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to address the intersectionality of PSS issues and program with gender, inclusion, poverty and racism
• Focuses on impact and result for the client
• Growth mindset, open to feedback and actively engage in continuous learning and development

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Knowledge of Standards to ensure a quality PSS response, risks, develop adequate strategies and work across sectors
• Excellent knowledge of preventing and responding to psychosocial distress and promoting mental health of children in different settings
• Strong knowledge of developing community-level approaches
• Outstanding communication skills, oral and written, including reporting writing
• Proven facilitation and presentation skills
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to support the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programs and projects

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency in spoken and written English

BONUS IF YOU’LL BRING (NOT ESSENTIAL):

• Knowledge of 2 or more local languages widely spoken in Benishangul Gumuz and Oromia Region
• Training/professional experience in gender equality and/or inclusion

WHAT YOU’LL GET:

The opportunity to collaborate with an innovative global team who are passionate about working with children and youth. You will gain experience working for a globally recognized organization with a healthy culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care and be playful). You will be immersed in an environment where learning and development is encouraged and valued, and “play” is appreciated as a core avenue to building community.

• Competitive salary and benefits (e.g. medical and life insurance, transportation allowance)
• 20 paid vacation days per year
• 3 personal days per year
• 5 personal learning and development (L&D) days per year
• Maternity/paternity/parental leave top up and support
• Annual learning week
• Annual staff recognition awards
• Opportunity to connect with employees across our offices (e.g. Facebook Workplace)
• Opportunity to engage in global projects and initiatives
• Wellness programs
• Playful activities and events