Job Purpose
In response to increasing climate-related disasters, particularly flooding, HARAF is implementing a community-based protection project focused on strengthening preparedness and response systems for flood-affected populations, with a strong emphasis on child protection services and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) risk mitigation. The project aims to enhance community resilience, strengthen protection systems, and ensure timely identification, prevention, and response to protection risks affecting children and other vulnerable groups during emergencies.
We are seeking a qualified, experienced, and passionate Child Protection Officer to support the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of child protection activities within this project, ensuring that all interventions are delivered in accordance with national legislation, international standards, and organizational safeguarding commitments.
The Child Protection Officer will be responsible for implementing high-quality child protection interventions within a flood preparedness and response context, focusing on preventing and responding to abuse, neglect, exploitation, violence, and other protection risks affecting children. The role will strengthen community-based child protection systems, support case management services, facilitate psychosocial support activities, and ensure effective referral pathways, including GBV-related referrals where children are at risk or affected.
The position will also contribute to disaster preparedness efforts by building the capacity of communities and local structures to identify and respond to protection risks before, during, and after flooding emergencies.
Location: Yola Adamawa State
Job Type: Six (6) months contract
Reports to: Program Manager
Application Deadline: August 7, 2026
Organization: Hope and Rural Aid Foundation (HARAF)
Key Responsibilities
Programme Implementation
- Plan and implement child protection activities in line with project work plans, with a focus on flood preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Conduct child protection and GBV-related risk assessments in flood-prone and affected communities.
- Support identification and prioritization of vulnerable and at-risk children, including those affected by displacement due to flooding.
- Implement prevention and response activities for children affected by violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harmful practices in emergency contexts.
- Facilitate child-friendly, age-appropriate, and context-sensitive activities in both stable and emergency settings.
- Organize structured recreational and psychosocial support activities for children in flood-affected areas.
- Support establishment and strengthening of Child Friendly Spaces in emergency and displacement settings.
- Promote meaningful participation of children in protection and preparedness activities.
Case Management
- Identify children requiring specialized protection and GBV-related services.
- Conduct intake, assessment, case planning, referrals, follow-up, and case closure in line with approved case management guidelines.
- Develop individualized care and safety plans, particularly for children affected by flooding emergencies.
- Maintain confidential case files and documentation in accordance with data protection standards.
- Ensure timely referral to health, psychosocial support, legal, education, nutrition, and GBV services.
- Monitor progress of referred cases until appropriate closure.
- Ensure informed consent, confidentiality, and survivor-centered approaches throughout case management.
Child Safeguarding
- Ensure strict compliance with organizational Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.
- Promote safe programming in all flood preparedness and response activities.
- Report safeguarding concerns immediately through approved reporting mechanisms.
- Support safeguarding awareness sessions for staff, volunteers, partners, and community members.
- Ensure children are protected during assessments, emergency response activities, and data collection processes.
Community Engagement
- Strengthen and support community-based child protection and disaster preparedness structures.
- Train community volunteers, caregivers, teachers, youth groups, and local leaders on child protection, GBV risk mitigation, and emergency preparedness.
- Conduct awareness campaigns on:
- Child rights
- Positive parenting
- Prevention of child abuse and exploitation
- Child labour
- Child marriage
- Gender-based violence affecting children
- Protection risks during floods and displacement
- Support establishment of community feedback and complaint mechanisms in emergency settings.
Psychosocial Support
- Provide basic psychosocial support to vulnerable children and caregivers affected by flooding and displacement.
- Facilitate structured group psychosocial sessions in Child Friendly Spaces and community settings.
- Identify children requiring specialized mental health and psychosocial support services and refer appropriately.
- Promote resilience, coping mechanisms, and emotional well-being among children in crisis-affected communities.
Coordination and Referral
- Coordinate with relevant government ministries, disaster management authorities, and child welfare structures.
- Collaborate with GBV, health, education, nutrition, WASH, and protection actors in emergency coordination platforms.
- Participate actively in child protection and GBV coordination meetings and clusters.
- Maintain updated referral pathways, including emergency referral systems for flood response.
- Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)
- Collect quality programme data in both development and emergency contexts.
- Maintain beneficiary records and activity databases.
- Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and donor reports.
- Monitor indicators related to child protection and GBV risk mitigation.
- Document success stories, case studies, and lessons learned from flood response interventions.
- Support rapid assessments, surveys, and evaluations during emergencies.
Documentation and Reporting
- Produce timely activity and emergency response reports.
- Maintain confidential and secure child protection records.
- Ensure proper filing of case management and safeguarding documentation.
- Prepare training reports and attendance records.
- Submit reports within agreed timelines, including emergency reporting when required.
Capacity Building
- Train community volunteers and partner staff on child protection and emergency response.
- Mentor case workers and community facilitators in flood-affected areas.
- Support continuous improvement of community-based protection systems.
- Participate in internal and external trainings on emergency preparedness and GBV risk mitigation.
Representation
- Represent the organization professionally in coordination meetings and emergency response forums.
- Build effective relationships with government agencies, community leaders, partners, and donors.
- Promote humanitarian principles, child rights, and protection mainstreaming in all interventions.
Other Duties
Perform any other responsibilities assigned by the supervisor consistent with the objectives of the position.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Child Development, Human Rights, Law, International Development, Education, or a related field.
- Master’s degree is an added advantage.
Experience
- Minimum of three (3) years’ experience implementing child protection programmes in humanitarian or development settings.
- Demonstrated experience in child protection case management.
- Experience working in emergency or disaster-affected contexts, particularly flood response, is highly desirable.
- Experience working with vulnerable children and families.
- Experience with NGOs or UN agencies is an added advantage.
Technical Knowledge
The successful candidate should demonstrate knowledge of:
- Child protection principles and minimum standards.
- Child safeguarding and PSEA.
- Case management in emergency settings.
- GBV risk mitigation and referral pathways.
- Community-based child protection systems.
- Psychological First Aid.
- Humanitarian principles and emergency response.
- Protection mainstreaming in disasters.
- Confidentiality and data protection.
- Inter-agency child protection and GBV guidelines.
Skills and Competencies
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Strong report writing skills.
- Excellent facilitation and training skills.
- Strong interviewing skills with children and vulnerable groups.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and apply survivor-centered approaches.
- High level of integrity and professionalism.
- Strong problem-solving skills in emergency contexts.
- Ability to work under pressure and in difficult field conditions.
- Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams.
- Good organizational and time-management skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
- Knowledge of local languages is an added advantage
Core Values
The successful candidate must demonstrate commitment to:
- Humanity
- Neutrality
- Impartiality
- Independence
- Accountability
- Respect
- Diversity and inclusion
- Gender equality
- Child rights
- Zero tolerance for fraud, corruption, sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, and discrimination
Safeguarding Commitment
HARAF is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from all forms of abuse, exploitation, neglect, and harassment. Successful candidates will undergo rigorous recruitment procedures, including reference checks, employment verification, police clearance (where applicable), and signing of the organization’s Safeguarding Policy, Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct, and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) commitments.
Equal Opportunity Statement
HARAF is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women, persons with disabilities, and candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Recruitment is based solely on merit, competence, and organizational needs.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates “click here to apply”
Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. HARAF does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
