GBV/Child Protection Officer Full Time

Introduction:

Positive Action for Development (PAD) is one of the most vibrant, rapidly expanding, and results-driven civil society organizations in Ethiopia. Positive Action for Development (PAD) is currently scaling up its intervention to focus on humanitarian, NEXUS, and development activities. This includes expanding PAD intervention throughout the country, including Addis Abeba, Amhara, Oromia, Harari, Afar, Somali, Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Ethiopia’s southern regional states.

Vision and Mission of PAD

• Vision: PAD strives to see a community of hope, humane, and social justice.
• Mission: PAD brings people together to work in partnerships; Promotes hope humanity and social justice for every human, life in all its fullness; improves the livelihoods of the disadvantageous groups for Social and Inclusive Economic Growth through actively engaging in positive actions promoting responsive care and support and fight the causes of poverty in Ethiopia”.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Implementation

• Implement school-based GBV and child protection activities in targeted schools and communities.
• Facilitate awareness sessions on GBV prevention, child rights, and protection for students, teachers, and parents.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of school protection clubs and child rights clubs.
• Integrate Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) activities within school environments.
• Promote positive parenting and safe school environments to prevent violence against children.

2. Case Identification and Referral

• Identify children at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or GBV through safe and ethical approaches.
• Ensure confidential referral of cases to appropriate services such as health, psychosocial, legal, and protection actors.
• Work closely with GBV caseworkers and social workers to ensure survivor-centered responses.
• Maintain confidential case documentation in accordance with protection standards.

3. Capacity Building

• Train teachers, school management committees, and community leaders on child protection, safeguarding, and GBV prevention.
• Support orientation on PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) and reporting mechanisms in schools.
• Strengthen school staff capacity to identify and respond to protection concerns.

4. Community Engagement

• Engage parents, community leaders, and local authorities to promote child protection and GBV prevention.
• Support community dialogues and campaigns on safe school environments and gender equality.
• Strengthen community-based protection mechanisms.

5. Coordination and Networking

• Coordinate with education offices, protection clusters, and other service providers to ensure effective referrals.
• Participate in child protection and GBV coordination meetings at woreda level.
• Update and disseminate referral pathways for protection services.

6. Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Collect and report program data related to school-based protection activities.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of project activities and outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Gender Studies, or related field.
• Minimum 2–3 years experience in GBV, Child Protection, or protection programming.
• Experience working with schools and community-based child protection mechanisms.
• Knowledge of child safeguarding, GBV guiding principles, and protection standards.

Required Skills

• Strong facilitation and training skills.
• Knowledge of MHPSS and survivor-centered approaches.
• Good communication and community mobilization skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Strong report writing and documentation skills.

Core Competencies

• Commitment to child safeguarding and protection principles.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work with diverse communities.
• Accountability to affected populations.