Summary
Date Posted: Friday, June 09 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
JOB SUMMARY
The Alternative Care Coordinator provides leadership and is responsible and accountable for the overall development of children and youths in promoting child centred approach across the alternative care programme. Coordinates all Alternative Care programme activities and is responsible for the overall development and management of SOS families and youth care. Guides the Alternative Care Programme staff in a strategic way in accordance with the SOS Children’s Villages policies, values, standards and practices and the relevant laws of the country. The Alternative Care Coordinator ensures that the individual and safeguarding needs and rights of children and staff are addressed and respected. The rights and wellbeing of children are at the centre of his/her work. He/she ensures the implementation of the organization’s Alternative Care and child Safeguarding policies and guidelines, effective planning, evaluation, reporting and financial management.

KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategy and program development
• To work with Alternative Care professionals and other co-workers at different levels to design and deliver innovative Alternative Care Models.
• Contributes towards annual and strategic planning in the area of Alternative Child Care work.
• To implement and evaluate different kinds of Alternative Care models.
• To identify capacity gaps within the program location and co-workers pertaining to Alternative Care of children, and facilitate capacity building process accordingly.
• Contributes to policy and guideline development, translation, revision, familiarization and followup of proper implementation in the area of Alternative Child Care work.
• To actively contribute towards SOS Children’s Villages Program Policy reviews and implementations while taking into consideration the national legislations.
• Works closely with relevant Local government authorities, Location and National Office Coworkers in carrying out feasibility studies and participates in the development of concept notes and program proposals.
• Develops detailed program concepts for new types of interventions in the program location jointly with all program staff at the location and submits the same for review to the Area Programme Manager who will in turn submit to the Head of Programme and the National Director for final approval.
• Leads Alternative Care specific -development projects at the programme location as assigned by the supervisor from time to time.
• Conducts capacity building, knowledge management and information dissemination in regards to Alternative Care to the staff under his or her supervision.
• Ensures strict compliance to gatekeeping guidelines for child admission and reintegration.
• Ensures the overall development of the children & youths in SOS families and other forms of family like care.

Development of the SOS Families and other forms of Care
 Leads the overall development of children and youth and ensures that their individual needs and rights are identified, respected and protected.
 Implements Alternative Care programmes in accordance with SOS’s policies, standards, procedures and guidelines while complying with the national laws.
 Guides and supports care professionals on a daily basis to ensure effective and efficient delivery of Alternative Care intervention for children and young people.
 Regularly sensitizes staff on the SOS philosophy, principles, history, vision, mission and values.
 Spends quality time with, families (children) and young people.
 Provides psychosocial counselling to alternative care staffs, children and young people identified with psychosocial Social Support challenges as a way of empowering them to cope and improve their holistic wellbeing and performance levels.
 Provides close supervision of mothers to ensure quality services are provided to the children with regard to feeding, health and that all the family interactions do no harm to the children.

Responsibility for Children and Youth Development
 Reviews all child and youth development plans, at least once a year and to keep up to date with the developmental needs of each individual child and youth.
 Monitors and reviews each child’s progress to ensure that their educational needs and abilities are addressed.
 Works in cooperation with pedagogical staff to plan educational programs geared towards the individual needs of each child and conducts regular reviews of such programs.
 Conducts school visits in schools attended by SOS family children and youths seeking feedback on their school performance and progress from school managers and teachers.
 Creates a stimulating learning environment in conjunction with the Education Programme Officer and Youth Care Co-Workers to promote education and encourage academic excellence of children and youths.
 Supervises and supports the Education Programme Officer and Youth Care Co-workers to ensure the implementation of holiday’s programs as a way of preventing idleness and monotony.
 Facilitates cultural and recreational activities to educate the children in local cultures and customs.
 Supports the MA Child Safeguarding Coordinator on information and other specialized reports on Alternative Care as shall be required.

Guiding and Supporting SOS Children’s Villages Co-Workers
 Leads and supports all co-workers in a strategic way according to SOS Children’s Villages programme policies, values and approved guidelines.
 Provides leadership to all Alternative care staff while motivating them to work as a united ‘family’ in pursuit of the best interests of the children.
 Creates an open working environment where Alternative care professionals and other co-workers learn and question with confidence, promote strong bonds and strive for participation.
 Develops, implements and periodically reviews appropriate staff training and professional development content for Mothers and Youth Care Co-workers in conjunction with the Area Programme Manager and HROD.
 Closely monitors and reviews AC staff performance while ensuring that appropriate work objectives are set and implemented by each staff on an annual basis while providing continuous feedback on performance.
 Establishes a functional disciplinary committee with clear TOR and works with the APM and HROD to report and deal with cases of discipline and poor performance.

Guide and Support SOS Families and Parents
 Creates a secure, positive and motivating environment to ensure that a high quality of child care within the SOS families is provided.
 Supports the development of strong family ties to encourage long-term commitment between SOS Mothers and the children.
 Works in conjunction with the MA Child Safeguarding Coordinator to create framework conditions for a high quality of child care within the SOS families and youth care.
 Builds positive relationships with children and youths and maintains interest in the needs and development of children and youths.
 Holds regular meetings with individual SOS Mothers to discuss new ideas, problems and concerns, and to promote open communication and co-operation.
 Spends quality time with SOS Mothers while providing counseling and other related support as a way of motivating them to offer quality care to the children.

Guides and supports SOS Youth Care Workers and Youths.
 Creates framework conditions for a high quality of youth care in our programme.
 Ensures that youth programmes offer career, learning and development opportunities.
 Maintains an overview of and interest in the needs and development of individual youths.
 Counsels Youth Care Co-Workers to cope with day-to-day challenges in youth development work.
 Coordinates the professional development of Youth Care Co-Workers.
 Holds regular meetings with the individual or groups of youth at different transition levels to support them to explore their full potential and abilities as they prepare for transition to independent living.
 Provides advice, guidance, and support to children and youths on personal and social issues.
 Links SOS families with biological relatives of the children (if available) and creates opportunities for reunion events or visits while supporting those without known families to find foster parents to also belong to natural families as guided Cap 59 of the Children’s Act 2016 as amended.

Contributing to the Development of the Programme Location.
 Takes active interest to learn from other programme locations and shares his / her own experiences.
 Participates in national planning, evaluation processes and contributes to the development of organization policies.
 Helps other Co-workers to understand SOS Children’s Village Programme and its impact to children, families and the society.
 Takes part in the location and national advocacy interventions as required.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Alternative Care Programmes
 Regularly reviews alternative care activities to ensure that they are implemented according to children’s village standard manual and organisation procedures and policies.
 Participates in internal and external evaluations of programmes in conjunction with the National Office
 Prepares and submits reports and statistics to the Area Programme Manager and the National Office.
 Supports the National Child Safeguarding Coordinator on information and other specialised reports on alternative care as shall be required.
 Contributes to overall National Association reports as may be requested by the Area Programme Manager and other National Office department heads.

Develop Good Working Relations Internally and Externally
 Works with the National Office co-workers to carry out feasibility studies, participate in the development of concept notes, and programme proposals.
 Works directly with the Probation and social Welfare officer to ensure that supervision and compliance of the Approved home as required by the laws of Uganda are taken care off.
 Supports the initiatives to solicit donations to the alternative care programme, seeking guidance from the Area Programme Manager and the Head of Fundraising.
 Maintains and creates links with schools, community groups, places of worship, civic associations, service groups and other bodies and organizations based in the local community.
 Develops detailed programme concepts for new interventions in the programme location.
 Cultivates good relationship with sponsorship department and ensures prompt correspondences
 Provides regular progress updates on children, Youth and the alternative care programme in general.

Child Safeguarding
• Ensuring that Child Safeguarding measures are in place and address the needs of the children and youths and ensures that associates and other key stakeholders are aware of these measures.
• Creating and maintaining a managerial and operational environment where the Child Safeguarding Policy is effectively implemented.
• Fulfilling specific and additional responsibilities in achieving compliance of SOS Children’s Villages Child Protection Policy and PSHEA Regulations are upheld by all alternative care staffs.
• Ensure the best interest of the child and DO NO HARM principles are applied and considered in all forms of alternative care.
• Ensure all alternative care staff members sign annual safeguarding code of conduct and child protection policy to prevent harm and create a safeguarding risk free environment for everyone especially children and young people.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCES:
Essential
 University degree in Social Sciences fields - Development Studies, Education, Management, Human Resources Management, Psychology and Social work and Social Administration.
 Leadership experience at a senior management level preferably within the NGO or public sector.
 Five years’ experience in any of the following functional areas: Child and / or Youth care, community Development, human resource management, Counselling, Teaching among others.
 Must have good physical and mental health suitability.
 Readiness to live within the SOS Children Village.
 Interest in working with children and youths and willingness to make a long-term commitment.

Management Competences:
• Skills and expertise in HRM, organisational management, strategic thinking, planning and budgeting, financial management skills, basic knowledge in fundraising and marketing

Child and Youth Care Competences:
 Pedagogical and psychological knowledge and skills;
 Basic comprehension of child, youth and family development;
 Knowledge of national child welfare and childcare legislation, familiar with and aware of children’s rights and child protection,
 Capability to promote child and youth activities,
 Knowledge and experience on alternative child care models.
 Experience in cooperating with local and national child and youth care projects of governmental and NGO initiatives.

SOS Children’s Villages Uganda is committed to keeping children safe from all forms of violence and abuse. Therefore, our selection process will include rigorous background checks at different levels.



Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
If you believe you are the right candidate for this position, only electronic application are accepted. Please send your application letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV), and photocopies of academic certificates, and names and contact details of three traceable referees to the address below to reach not later than Thursday, 22nd June 2023:
To The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development
SOS Children’s Villages Uganda
Plot 53 Ntinda II Road
Kampala, Uganda

All Applications must be sent electronically as one Single PDF Document not exceeding eight pages to: jobs@sosuganda.org 

Applications that are late, do not have CV or certificates or exceeds eight pages or electronically submitted as images will be disqualified. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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