Organization Islamic Relief Bangladesh
Address Bangladesh Country Office: House # 10, Road # 10, Block-K, Baridhara, Dhaka-1212, islamicrelief.org.bd
Vacancy Title Programme Manager- Orphans, Child Rights, and Protection
Number of Vacancies 1
Working Place Country Office-Baridhara
Nature of Role, Nationality Core Staff, Bangladeshi National.
Employment Status Full time
Contract Duration Initially for one year, Upon review & Satisfaction, it will be extended.
Monthly Salary BDT 202,298/-
Benefits & Allowances Mobile bill, Tour allowance/Per-diem, Provident fund, Weekly 2 holidays, Insurance coverage (IPD, OPD, Life, DB, CIB), Festival Bonus, Long Service Awards, Leave (Annual, Casual, Sick, TOIL/CTO, Maternity, Paternity) and Gratuity, etc.
Age Limit Maximum (At Most) 55 years (As per National ID Card/Birth Certificates)

Organization History:

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) - founded in 1984 and based in Birmingham, UK - is an independent humanitarian and development organization. It supports the world’s most vulnerable people in their fight against poverty & suffering regardless of race, political affiliation, gender, or belief, and without expecting anything in return. It is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

IRW has a presence in 45 countries across the globe. Some funds of the organization come from individual donations and others from institutional donors such as the DFID, EU, SIDA, CIDA/IDRF, Forum Syd, WFP, UNDP, and ECHO.

Islamic Relief(IR) started working in Bangladesh in 1991 to help the distressed survivors of the devastating cyclone by providing emergency relief and supporting communities to rebuild in the wake of that cyclone. Initially, it focused on emergency relief & disaster preparedness activities. Later on, it expanded its programs on both humanitarian and development challenges. Now it works in an integrated manner combining emergency humanitarian assistance, short-term work opportunities, shelter support, awareness & training on different DRR, climate change, development, health & hygiene and social issues, cash grants, IGA means, health & nutrition, safe water & sanitation, education, advocacy and linkage with different service providers. As a registered charity, IR is open and transparent; it continually assesses its work and operational methods to improve impact and effectiveness.

Islamic Relief values and commitment to safeguarding: IRB is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, lack of integrity, and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults, and beneficiaries with whom IRB engages. IRB expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. IRW also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

Job Context:

Islamic Relief has been implementing the Orphan Support program in Bangladesh for over two decades. This program endeavors to promote a community-based alternative care model for vulnerable orphaned children, ensuring their access to consistent financial, educational, and social support. Throughout its evolution, various components, including an international award-winning alternative livelihood model and other innovations, have been integrated to enhance the resilience of the orphans and their caregivers. Presently, the program requires visionary leadership to propel it to greater heights. This entails proactive engagement in the national and international discourse on orphan care, child rights, and overall protection while showcasing Islamic Relief’s robust community-based alternative orphan and childcare model. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in influencing policies related to Orphans and widows' rights, community-based childcare, and protection in the country. As part of an ongoing restructuring process, and in alignment with Islamic Reliefs Global Strategy on Orphans Welfare and Protection issues, the Department has undergone a rebranding, now known as Orphan, Child Rights and Protection.

Structure of Specific Position:

Duties & Responsibilities:

Objective
Activities
Weightage

Programme Development and Management

  • Lead the Orphan, Child Rights and Protection Department, crafting a robust program strategy, underpinned by a clear theory of change informed by robust needs assessment, lessons learned, and existing good practices.
  • Manage the One-to-One Orphan sponsorship program and ensure activities are implemented as per the agreed action plan.
  • Develop short-term and long-term strategic action plans for the Department and ensure its smooth implementation.
  • Conduct frequent field visits and monitor the program activities.
  • Foster the development of a strong program portfolio through innovation and learning.
  • Develop high-quality winning proposals addressing orphan care, child rights, and protection issues through community and systems-based approaches for submission to potential donors (Institutional, Philanthropic and internal)
  • Identify funding opportunities and foster relationships with the donors both in-country and outside.
  • Mainstream the Orphans, Child Rights, and Protection approach into all departmental programs. Develop and operationalize effective and innovative Orphans, Child Rights, and Protection programming approaches, addressing child and wider Protection needs across various contexts.
  • Work closely will the IRB global orphan support program team at Headquarters to ensure the effective implementation of policies and guidelines related to the orphan sponsorship program.
  • Ensure timely collection of field reports and their submission to donors through online platforms.
  • Address donor queries promptly and comprehensively

30%

Technical Support and Capacity Building

  • Provide technical support to the program team on child rights and Protection programming (GBV, early and forced marriage, out-of-school children, child labor, trafficking, etc), and other related areas following global best practices and IRB policies.
  • Community and protection systems strengthening.
  • Ensure regular communication with relevant staff of IRB to integrate technical quality standards into program design, ensuring updates on achievements, challenges, and context evolution around protection.
  • Ensure that children who have been harmed or are at risk of harm are identified and provided with individual case management support, establishing and enforcing standard tools and procedures.
  • Develop technical guidance, position papers, and resource materials on Child Rights programming and policies.
  • Conduct TNA and develop and implement capacity-building strategies for all areas of child protection programming.
  • Implement the Global Islamic Relief Bangladesh child protection policy and guidelines across the organization by conducting training sessions.

20%

Networking, Policy and Advocacy

  • Responsible for drafting and delivering a policy and advocacy strategy for orphans and child rights in Bangladesh, articulating and working towards key system change objectives at national and local levels.
  • Actively participate in national and regional child rights forums/platforms and influence their agendas.
  • Represent Islamic Relief at the national level child rights forum to showcase Islamic Relief’s work and advance the advocacy agenda.
  • Engage with relevant and targeted national-level child rights networks, UN bodies, and International INGOs to contribute to processes such as the UNCRC reporting, Universal Periodic Review, and other human rights-based reporting mechanisms.
  • Engage proactively with relevant government departments and ministries to present IR’s work seek opportunities for collaboration and win support for IR Bangladesh’s policy and advocacy agenda.
  • Identify advocacy opportunities, case studies, and research opportunities that align with the organization’s broader strategic objectives.
  • Work closely with IRB’s Head of Program and External Relations & Communications Unit to drive key advocacy messages regarding child protection needs and rights in Bangladesh.
  • Contribute to shaping communications and media priorities related to Child Protection in alignment with thematic priorities.

15%

Protection in Emergencies

  • Enhance the visibility and programming of Child Rights within the humanitarian sector, especially in supporting humanitarian programs and advocacy efforts aimed at prioritizing accountability to affected populations. This involves fostering stronger consultation with children and partners in humanitarian responses, aligning with commitments to the Grand Bargain and core humanitarian standards.

5%

MEAL/ Knowledge Management

  • Ensure the impact and effectiveness of the department and the program it leads is evidenced in collaboration with the MEAL Department.
  • Ensure regular project monitoring to provide adequate support to field teams and utilize monitoring and evaluation findings to enhance program effectiveness.
  • Ensure that appropriate, timely, and accurate data collection against agreed indicators enables both internal and external reporting.
  • Collaborate with the MEAL team to develop a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan and tools incorporating quantitative and qualitative indicators for child rights, aligning them with reporting requirements.
  • Explore opportunities for integrating various thematic programs and approaches, such as Child Rights Programming, Theory of Change, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), gender, inclusion, diversity/non- discrimination, children as stakeholders, impact assessment, and organizational learning into the program.
  • Ensure that child protection interventions are informed by and integrated with other key sectors, including raising and addressing child protection issues within them.
  • With support from the PQ team, gather and disseminate IRB’s program experiences and insights into Child Rights.
  • Collaborate closely with the Head of the Program to establish a strong linkage between knowledge management and evidence agenda.

15%

Staff Management & Development
  • Provide leadership and direction to the Child Rights Department through proactive engagement, communication, and direction
  • Develop strategic objectives and work plans for the unit in collaboration with team members.
  • Ensure each member fully comprehends the expected outcomes and success criteria relevant to their roles.
  • Organize work in a manner that efficiently meets the needs of staff at the Islamic Relief Country Office and in project areas, prioritizing cost-effectiveness.
  • Assign appropriate workloads to team members and ensure efficient Productivity.
  • Support team members to perform at their best by encouraging and recognizing good performance, providing coaching, assisting in problem resolution, and furnishing necessary resources, tools, and equipment.
  • Monitor and assess performance, holding staff accountable for meeting success criteria and achieving improvement goals. Provide corrective feedback as needed and take decisive action in cases of poor performance.
  • Ensure staff are adequately trained and developed for their roles by identifying training needs, facilitating training needs, facilitating training sessions or coaching, and fostering the exchange of expertise within the team.

10%

Others
  • Frequent travel for extended periods to remote project areas.
  • Participate in seasonal programs such as Ramadan, Qurbani, Winterization, etc.
  • Ensure the safety and well-being of team members, safeguarding them from harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation. Additionally, serves as a key source of support, guidance, and expertise on safeguarding practices to foster a safe and secure working environment.
  • As a member of Islamic Relief and a child-friendly organization, it is the core responsibility and obligation of each staff member to adhere to and uphold the IR Child Protection & PSEA Policy and respond accordingly when necessary.
  • Perform any additional duties assigned by Management

5%

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in Development Studies, Social Science, Economics, English, or a related discipline
  • At least 15 years (s) of experience in a relevant field/sector (Orphan support, child rights and Protection)
  • A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience as a manager/Lead and above level.
  • Knowledge of strategic planning processes and theories of child rights and protection programming
  • Strong experience in child protection and child protection programming
  • Experience in coordinating or leading national-level policy and advocacy initiatives on vulnerable children's rights and protection
  • Capacity-building experience including training and skills development.
  • Ability to work independently, function effectively as a member of a regional team, and adhere to strict deadlines
  • Strong interpersonal skills, including written, verbal, and presentation skills
  • Proven ability to develop successful project proposals and concept notes
  • Excellent networking and partnership-building skills

Desirable:

  • An in-depth understanding of international development and Bangladesh’s economic, social, and development context
  • High level of numeracy and understanding of financial controls and procedures
  • Understanding of integrated development issues and critical analysis of child poverty
  • Research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
  • Good communication, facilitation, and report-writing skills.
  • Strong team-building and motivational skills
  • Strong negotiating, strategic thinking, and influencing skills.
  • Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities, and implications to community development
  • Fluency in English
  • Self-Development & Adaptive behavioral Skills, Mental Health Stability

Apply Instruction:

If you believe your qualifications, exposure, and experience match our requirements, and you are dedicated to upholding the values and principles of Islamic Relief, please download the Application Form from the official website (islamicrelief.org.bd), and send the filled-out form to recruits@islamicrelief-bd.org on or before the closing date (September 15, 2024). Please mention only “Position Name” as the subject of the e-mail. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection. This is re-advertisement. The person who applied before is not allowed to express his/her interest or apply.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Islamic Relief Bangladesh considers diversity in the workplace and is a committed equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of race, family/ marital status, ethnicity, disability, class, caste, or religion.