Back Regional Localization Specialist / Consultant Contract

War Child believes no child should be part of war. Ever. Children have the right to grow up in peace, free from fear and violence. To develop their full potential and become the person they want to be. War Child makes a lasting impact. By protecting children from violence and offering psychosocial support and education. We unleash the children’s inner strength with our creative and involving approach. And inspire as many people as we can to participate in our cause. War Child is both implementing its own programmes and cooperating with a variety of partner organizations in 14 countries around the world.

War Child Holland is looking for:

Regional Localization Specialist / Consultant Contract

War Child Holland, in partnership with the Global Child Protection Area of Responsibility

War Child Holland (WCH) is an independent and impartial international non-governmental organization investing in a peaceful future for children and young people affected by armed conflict. We strive to empower children and young people while enabling adults to bring about positive and lasting change in the lives of conflict-affected children and young people.

We are seeking to strengthen our team and we are currently seeking an enthusiastic Regional Localization Specialist to join our dynamic team of professionals

Background

Established in 2007 by the Interagency Standing Committee (IASC) as part of the cluster approach, Child Protection is an Area of Responsibility (AoR) within the Global Protection Cluster (GPC). Led by the Global Coordinator and housed in UNICEF, the Global CP AoR is responsible for ensuring that national and international humanitarian efforts to protect children in Humanitarian Coordination and Early Warning settings are timely, well-coordinated, and achieving maximum coverage, quality and impact.

The World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) recognized that increased localization is fundamental to the delivery of a dignified and effective humanitarian response, concluding that humanitarian action should be “as local as possible, as international as necessary.” The associated Grand Bargain emphasized the need to make more deliberate and explicit efforts to better engage with, empower and promote the work of local actors. The Global CP AoR has been a leading actor on localization, and this is reflected in its strategic plan and the 2020-2024 workplan.

Key progress has been made since 2017, include the following:

• A conceptual framework has been developed and is currently being used to inform the Global CP AoR Localization Approach.
• Arabic, French and Spanish Help Desks have been established in 2018 which have increased access to technical support and information for national/local actors as well as localization technical support to country-level coordination groups.
• The Global CP AoR Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) was established in 2018 with representation (for the first time) from 6 national actors.
• The Global CP AoR has partnered with Save the Children and Street Child UK to implement a localisation initiative in 6 countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, and South Sudan). The lessons learnt from this initiative have been documented by Save the Children.
• The Global CP AoR and the Global Education Cluster (GEC) developed Localization tip sheets and checklists on Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP).
• In 2020, the Global CP AoR and the GEC developed the framework for strengthening the institutional capacity of local and national actors.
• In 2021, the Global CP AoR along with Save the Children, the Global Education Cluster, the Global Nutrition Cluster, the Global WASH Cluster and Street Child led the development of the Inter-Agency Toolkit on Localization in Humanitarian Coordination which is being piloted in 2022.

The Global CP AoR, in partnership with War Child Holland as one of its SAG members, aims to decentralize localization support at regional level in order to provide contextualized technical support for child protection coordination group members in the Middle East and North Africa. This will also contribute to increased peer learning and sharing and to contribute to priority setting on localization within the region. Overall, improved participation of local actors in child protection in humanitarian action with strengthened capacity is critical to improving the quality and coverage of child protection interventions.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this position is to provide timely, dedicated and contextualized support on localization to child protection coordination groups and members in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Duty Station and Reporting

The Regional Localization Specialist will be based in Amman, Jordan, and will be working in War Child’s regional office. The role will report to War Child’s Regional Child Protection Advisor for daily support, coordination with War Child’s regional team and direct line management. Technical support will be provided by UNICEF CPAoR global Localization teams.

Scope of Work

The regionally recruited Localization Specialist, in collaboration with the Arabic Help Desk, will work to achieve the following across coordination groups in the MENA region:

1. supporting country coordination groups in conducting self-assessments on localization and in developing localization action plans
2. supporting national/local actors in conducting self-assessments on technical and institutional capacities
3. identifying institutional capacity building service providers in the relevant region(s) or in countries facing humanitarian crisis
4. linking country coordination groups and local actors, with institutional capacity service providers
5. supporting country coordination groups and national/local actors to undertake peer learning as part of the institutional capacity strengthening
6. supporting the documentation and dissemination of lessons learnt in the strengthening of national/local actors’ capacities
7. supporting country coordination groups to develop tools for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the localization action plans.

Required qualifications and competencies

These terms of reference continue to require a deployment with very specific areas of knowledge and experience, along with key competencies:

Education:

• • Advanced university degree in social sciences, education, international development, or related discipline.

Experience and skills:

• • A minimum of 5 years of experience with either the UN and/or NGO in international settings. - Experience in the child protection and/or education in emergencies field, including sound understanding of relevant international instruments, standards, and best practices in the Middle East and North Africa region. - Demonstrated experience in humanitarian contexts, including L3 environments and the cluster system. - Sound understanding of localization and local engagement concepts, practices and the Grand Bargain commitments and implementation. - Demonstrated exposure to humanitarian coordination, team management and coaching, including remote management. - Proactive approach and ability to work under pressure and with minimal supervision; and willingness to travel, including emergency and hardship contexts. - Proven high level analytical and communication skills and ability to build collaborative relationships at all levels and across sectors and agencies. - Fluency in English and Arabic (verbal and written).

We Offer

• A dynamic and challenging work environment, with opportunities to grow and enhance your skills.
• Competitive payment with corresponding benefits
• Working as part of a multinational, multilocational team committed to support children affected by violent conflict, with relevant expertise and experience.

Contract and duration of contract

Local consultant contract of 12 months

Location

Jordan – Amman, with willingness to travel, including to emergency and hardship areas in the Middle East and North Africa region.