Holistic Child and Youth Development Officer at SOS Children's Villages Ethiopia

Back to other Opportunities

Holistic Child and Youth Development Officer

---

Employer: SOS Children's Villages Ethiopia

Employment: Full-Time | Permanent

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Jimma, Gode, Harar, Hawassa, Mekelle - Ethiopia

Posted date: 8 hours ago

Deadline: May, 23/2025 (14 days left)

---

Who we are

SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people.

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community based organizations across seven program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

Why we need you?

We are looking for a the Holistic Child and Youth Development Officer who is responsible for coordinating and facilitating child and youth development processes that ensure the well-being, protection, and full potential of every child and young person under the care of Family Like care. The officer plays a central role in assessment, planning, service delivery, advocacy, capacity building, and safeguarding, while working in collaboration with internal teams and external service providers

What we provide?

An amazing work environment that promotes personal growth through providing professional space to grow and advance your career!

Your role?

While working with us a Holistic Child and Youth Development Officer .you will be in charge of the following,

Admission and Care Placement Coordination

• Actively participate in the identification, assessment, and admission of children and young people into care, ensuring decisions are based on the best interests of the child.

• Facilitate care placement decisions (including changes, transitions, or reintegration) in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and based on holistic needs assessments.

• Maintain accurate documentation related to admissions, placements, and transitions.

• Ensure that every child admitted receives a comprehensive orientation and a timely individual development plan.

Child and Youth Development Planning

• Lead the assessments, development, implementation, and regular review of Individual Development Plans (IDPs) in collaboration with children, young people, caregivers, and care professionals.

• Ensure IDPs reflect age-appropriate goals across health (physical and mental), education, social, psychological, spiritual, education, etc.

• Regularly updates programme participant data in PDB2 and maintains corresponding hard copy documents.

Service Facilitation and Case Management

• Facilitate the delivery of integrated services including education, healthcare, MHPSS, and vocational training.

• Regularly monitor and follow up on the implementation of development plans and the effectiveness of services provided.

• Create access for participation and engagement of children and youth in different platforms including children parliament, children counsel, youth forum, extracurricular and other talent development activities.

• Support the organizational changes and de-institutionalization at his/her respective programme location.

Partnership and Advocacy

• Establish and maintain working relationships with external service providers, community-based organizations, families and communities of origin, and government institutions.

• Advocate for quality, inclusive, and child-friendly services tailored to individual needs

• Facilitate child- and youth-centered programs that challenge harmful gender roles, prevent gender-based violence (GBV), and promote safe, age-appropriate access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and services.

Capacity Building of Care and Service Providers

• Provide orientation, coaching, and technical support to caregivers and frontline staff on holistic development, quality of service delivery, case management, etc.

• Facilitate capacity-building workshops on child development, positive parenting, child and youth safeguarding, trauma-informed care, and psychosocial support.

• Regularly update him/herself with international, national, and organizational standards and changing legal frameworks.

Family Reintegration and Aftercare Support

• Facilitate the safe reintegration of children and young people into their biological families or extended kin, the community, where appropriate.

• Facilitate follow-up and aftercare support to ensure sustainable reintegration or alternative care arrangements.

Budget and Resource Management

• Participate in the preparation of annual work plans and budgets for child and youth development activities.

• Monitor budget utilization and ensure efficient use of resources in accordance with financial guidelines.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Maintain comprehensive, confidential records of children’s development progress, service utilization, and placement history.

• Produce timely and accurate narrative and statistical reports for internal and external stakeholders.

• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes.

Team Collaboration and Learning

• Actively engage in interdisciplinary team meetings and development, review sessions and experience sharing sessions

• Contribute to organizational learning, best practice sharing, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Safeguarding

• Always Uphold and enforce the SOS Children's Villages Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, Regulation and the Code of Conduct.

• Report promptly to safeguarding concerns, ensuring proper documentation and referral in line with established procedures.

• Ensuring a safe and conducive working environment is created for caregivers and all programme participants where they feel free to speak and raise concerns without fear of retaliation

• Contribute to the creation of operational environment where Safeguarding policies and Regulations:- Child and Youth Safeguarding, Code of Conduct, Sexual Misconduct Regulation, and Anti-Corruption Regulation are effectively implemented;

• Fulfill the minimum standard and additional responsibilities in achieving compliance with SOS Children’s Villages Safeguarding Policies and Regulations

• Ensuring the best interest of the children and young people is applied and considered in projects, decision making or any other work that is performed.

• Uphold SOS Children’s Villages Values and the Code of Conduct when interacting with partners, children, young people, families and other stakeholders within or outside the organization.

• Ensure that all equipment or materials provided by the organization are properly managed in a transparent and appropriate manner with the established procedure.

• Ensure that contracts and partnership agreements or Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) have articles referring to safeguarding policies and regulations ( Child and Youth Safeguarding Regulation, Sexual Misconduct Regulation, Anti-Corruption and other related policies and regulations) and the Code of Conduct with partners, contractors, vendors/suppliers, consultants or any other stakeholders working with SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

• Ensure partners or co-workers working on behalf of the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia have been vetted for any safeguarding risks prior to signing any contracts.

Other

• Other responsibilities & duties as required by line Manager

Job Requirements

Up for the challenge...

Then check out our criteria’s:

MUST CRITERIA

• Education: Bachelor's degree in social work, Psychology, Child Development, or related field (master's degree is an asset).

• Experience: Minimum of five years of relevant experience in holistic development, alternative care, education, child protection, family and community-based care, or youth development.

• Strong understanding of national and international child rights frameworks and safeguarding principles.

• Demonstrated experience in case management, assessment, and family reintegration.

• Experience in working with the target group, i.e. vulnerable children, families and community

• Computer literacy in MS Office applications including MS projects and use of cloud-based applications

• Fluency in written and spoken English and local language of the work area.

DESIRED CRITERIA

• Education: Master's degree in child psychology, Social Work, Development Studies or related fields.

• Certifications or additional training in child protection, trauma-informed care, positive parenting, or safeguarding

• Experience : Familiarity with child development databases and platforms.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse stakeholders including caregivers, community members, and service providers.
• Experience Leading child and youth development in Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and monitoring of developmental outcomes.

Competencies – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Understanding the organization and commitment to its vision and mission: able to clearly communicate SOS Children’s Villages Who We Are (Vision, Mission & Values), “Living our Values” policies and strategies in all areas.

• Child and Young people rights: Working knowledge in all areas of child rights, child protection, child development, family & community development and rights-based programming in a developing country.

• Case Management Proficiency in identifying needs, planning interventions, monitoring progress, and closing cases responsibly.

• Capacity Building: Ability to mentor, coach, and provide technical support to frontline care givers, children and youth co-workers.

• Leadership: Role modeling and ability to build effective teams, motivate high performance, and generate a commitment to organizational goals.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Building and maintaining partnerships with service providers, government agencies, and community groups.

• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse stakeholders including caregivers, community members, and service providers. C

• Confidentiality: Competence in maintaining confidential records and documentation.

• Interpersonal Relationships: Knowledge of and the ability to effectively interact within and across Divisions, Departments/Regional Offices in a constructive and collaborative manner.

• Collaboration: driven to work with others, able to build partnerships and teamwork internally and externally.

• People development: driven to improve others; proven track record in coaching & mentoring staff, giving feedback, and identifying development opportunities for co-workers.

• Integrity: able to state views openly and act in line with beliefs, maintain the organization’s values, maintain deadlines and commitments; have ethical standards, ability to gain the trust of co-workers, and desire to be of service.

• Software: Experience in report writing, data management, and using databases (e.g., PDB2 or similar).

Competencies – Lead and Core

Lead Competencies

• Role Model: Act as a role model for the organization, living our values and inspiring and learning from others

• Collaboration: Remove barriers to participation, share decision making and build partnerships

• Empowerment: Promote inclusion and equitable sharing of power

• Strategic Thinking: Live the values and mission, setting realistic goals and translating them into actionable plans

Core competency

• Kindness: Act with empathy towards everyone he/she works with.

• Continuous Learning: Make an effort to learn, understand and grow as a person, admitting your own mistakes.

• Inclusiveness: In any actions show respect and care for others.

• Initiative: speak up when things are not right, do not hesitate to act, and adapt to change when necessary.

• Results Orientation: look for solutions and focus on desired results.

---

How to apply

Excited to take on a new Challenge...

Then send us your application (application letter, detailed CV containing contact details of their references) electronically through SOS Children Villages Application portal (ICIMS)

Please specify the location you are applying for in your application letter

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conduct of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection, and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, and police clearance reference check processes.

SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia provides equal employment opportunities to all co-workers & qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or class.

---