Program Officer Education and Child Protection  

Country/Region: Uganda

Location: Kyangwali

Organization: Save the Children International

Join us to lead sustainable change for children:

• Be part of a GLOBAL and DIVERSE technical community
• Get EXPOSURE in many different contexts
• Test and scale up INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
• Influence policies that affect MILLIONS OF CHILDREN

OVERVIEW 

Are you passionate about being an advocate for children? Do you want to use your expertise to bring about lasting change for children and be a part of an inspiring, dynamic global movement?

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Program Officer, Education and Child Protection, provides ongoing implementation, monitoring & evaluation and reporting regarding the execution of the Education and child protection components of the sponsorship program in the allocated area. The Job Holder is also expected to liaise with implementing partners, provide input into education and child protection programme design, monitor implementation progress; write reports, facilitate project implementation meetings and workshops and maintain relationships with key education and program stakeholders in the district. He/she should implement the project in a manner that fosters networking and collaboration with the OPM, Local Government education officials, and other relevant stakeholders and meaningful active participation of children, accountability (internal and external to Save the Children). The post holder may be called upon as and when necessary to support the emergency team in cases of humanitarian crisis.

Sounds interesting? Read more below

THE ROLE 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Planning and Implementation of Basic Education Programmes:

• Ensure that all planned interventions are implemented on time, within budget and meet the set Quality benchmarks.
• Support orientation of the Head teachers, CCTs, SMCs, PTAs, Child Wellbeing Committees and children on the Save the children Quality Learning Environment (QLE) framework and Common Approaches.
• Liaise with the Office of the DEO, CCT and the other stakeholders to develop an annual plan for BE interventions in the Save the Children – supported schools.
• Work with the Child Protection Coordinator to strengthen Child Protection structures including training stakeholders on Child Protection related areas and follow up of identified CP cases and case management.
• Provide strategic and technical support to education partners and facilitators.
• Prepare and submit activity memos/concepts and budgets for review and approval prior to activity implementation
• Provide technical support to the stakeholders to ensure effective implementation
• Ensure 100% monthly budget utilization based on project work plans and budgets.
• Follow-up on implementation of agreed project and community action plans that will harness improvement in schools and sustainability of project interventions.
• Involve beneficiaries throughout all stages of programme cycle – assessment, design, implementation and maintenance

Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

• Provide technical advice and expertise to teachers and Community Volunteers to effectively deliver key project outcomes
• Play an active role in identifying, documenting and disseminating best practices
• Monitor the performance of the project interventions and participate in monitoring and review activities
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date activity data
• Report on activity progress and project outcomes

Partnerships (Networking and collaboration):

• Represent Save the Children in various interagency and stakeholder forums with knowledge and expertise of Save the children’s thematic areas of works.
• Facilitate or participate in dialogue meetings, workshops and seminars focused on Basic Education.
• Build and maintain linkages with other agencies undertaking education interventions in the impact area or Save the children supported schools.
• Create and sustain positive working relationships internally with other technical staff; externally with the District Local Government, OPM, CSO partners and other stakeholders, and maintain an up to date understanding of key development trends in the Programme area.
• Ensure coordination with the government activities and structures in the implementation of the Basic Education project

Community Capacity Strengthening:

• Mobilize the local community to participate in the sponsorship program core project and other SCI Program activities.
• Support the formation, functionality and capacity building of the Core groups including PTAs, SMCs, RWCs among the ECCDs and CFS
• Support the participation of the children, community and partners in the process of planning, monitoring and implementation of basic education core Programme.

Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation:

• Participate in preparation of project reports including monthly, Semi – annual and annual and other project progress reports.
• Ensure that activity reports are prepared and filed for every completed activity
• Undertake regular monitoring visits to the schools supported by the Programme to understand the ground situation and take necessary actions for improvement in quality of programmes for the children.
• Contribute data collection, analysis and reporting on key programme indicators.
• Ensure that the funds requested for the programme activities are spent and accounted for, in line with the SCI financial management procedures and policies.
• Support proper documentation of the project activities conducted –case studies, best practices and unique experiences for sharing and learning to Line Manager.
• Regularly monitor project activities with the frequency and tools as reflected in the M&E plans
• Submit monthly reports (progress against planned activities, expense against estimated budget) of project activities to the line manager as per agreed schedule.

Child Safeguarding and Child Participation:

• Take responsibility to review, understand and declare commitment to observe and implement child safeguarding policy.
• Closely work with supervisors and or, Child Safeguarding Focal persons to ensure all child abuse or potential risks to children are recorded, reported and filed
• Observe confidentiality of all child information that may come to your possession either by virtue of your position as a SCI Representative or unintentionally
• Support meaningful and age-appropriate participation of the children in the Basic Education activities; including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programmes.
• Work with the Sponsor servicing department to ensure that enrolled children are targeted and benefit from the programme intervention among other children.
• Implement the complaints response mechanism in line with the SC accountability framework to ensure that the voices of the children are captured.

To be a strong supporter and advocate for children in this role you will need to have:

• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in education, Social Work, Counselling Psychology, Social Sciences or relevant discipline.
• Previous work experience in community development or with an NGO (preferably in child protection).
• Minimum 3years of professional experience working with children.
• Excellent writing, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Excellent command of the local language of the affected population.
• Strong drive for results and ensuring timely delivery of quality products.
• Experience managing education and child protection projects.
• Excellent communication and engagement skills with children and their caregivers.
• Able to empathize with children and families that have been impacted by the humanitarian emergency.
• Experience working with case files and databases and providing regular documentation.
• Good understanding of social welfare systems and child protection mechanisms
• Excellent community mobilization skills, Ability to work individually and within a team.
• Good analytical, problem solving and project planning skills.
• Able to communicate clearly and strategically with internal and external stakeholders as a representative. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
• Computer knowledge – Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Advocates for children’s rights and child participation in all decisions that affect them.
• Strongly drives performance forward in area of the business for which they are responsible together with the team.
• Conceptual understanding of and commitment to humanitarian work.
• Remains calm and positive under pressure and in difficult situations.

Desired

• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.
• Strong skills in monitoring, evaluation, research and conducting participatory, community-led assessments.
• Competent spoken English language.
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts.
• Experience working with IDPs, refugees and returnees.

Application Information:

Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at https://hcri.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Application closes on July 29, 2025 midnight Uganda time.

Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified talent, persons with disabilities and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer: Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process and does not act through recruitment agents. 

OUR DIVERSITY BELIEF 

Save the Children International is committed to create a truly inclusive, effective and representative organisational culture, encouraging equity and diversity among its employees and eliminating unlawful discrimination. We want our people to be truly representative of all sections of society. Having a diverse profile of employees, different age groups, backgrounds, cultures, & disabilities etc. We are guided by our values in everything we do, and recognise that being a diverse and inclusive employer helps us fulfil our responsibility to make a difference for children around the world.