Job Title: Family Like Care Manager
Organisation: SOS Children’s Villages
Duty Station: Uganda
Job Ref: SOS-UG/JOBS/2022/19
About US:
SOS Children’s Villages is an independent, locally registered, child-focused, social development non- governmental organization with a strong reputation for providing quality care and protection, education and health needs for vulnerable children. Since its inception in 1991, SOS CV Uganda has reached over 60,000 children, youths and adults directly and indirectly to become empowered and self-reliant to contribute significantly to the needs of their families and communities. Works in partnership with a number of donors, (institutional and corporate agencies) including; Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Austrian Development Agency (ADA), Grieg Foundation, ERIKS Development Partner, USAID/Bantwana World Education, European Union, AVIS Foundation, Brand Charity, USAID/Uganda Private Health Support Program (UPHSP), Terre des Hommes (TDH), Stanbic Bank Uganda, DHL – Go Teach, Madhvani Group of Companies.
Job Summary: Reporting to the Programme Director, the Family Like Care Manager will be responsible and accountable for the overall development of children and youths and promoting the child centred approach across the FLC programme. He/she will coordinate all Family Like Care programme activities Will guide the FLC Programme Units and 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. Will follow his / her vocation and carry out the job within special working conditions and assure the quality of child care within the framework of the SOS Child care model. The rights and concerns of children will be at the centre of his / her work and he/ she will be a guardian to each SOS child / youth and will take an active part in their growth and development. He/she will ensure the implementation of the organisation’s policies and guidelines, effective planning, evaluation, reporting and financial management.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Development of the SOS Families and other Forms of Family Like Care
- Leads the overall development of children and youth and ensures their individual needs and rights are identified, respected, protected and addressed.
- Implements Family Like Care programmes in accordance with SOS’s policies, standards, procedures and guidelines.
- Presides over the Child Protection, Admissions, Education Committees and follows up implementation of agreed actions.
- Works closely with SOS Mother Representative / Coordinator and Youth Care Co- Workers.
- Regularly sensitizes staff on the SOS philosophy, principles, history, vision, mission and values.
- Acts as Guardian to the Children and Youth in the Family Like Care Programmes.
- Spends quality time with individual children, families and youth.
- Guides SOS mothers and Youth Care Co Workers on family activities to benefit the children and youth.
Responsible for Children and Youth Development
- Reviews all child and youth development plans, at least once a year, to keep up to date with the developmental needs of each individual.
- 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 to the individual needs of each child and conducts regular reviews of such programs.
- Visits schools attended by SOS family children and youth (including SOS schools and kindergartens), seeking feedback on their school performance and progress from school managers.
- 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 implementation of holiday and individual youth personal programs, to prevent 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 family like 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 Family like care staff, motivating them to work as a united ‘family’ in pursuit of the best interests of the children.
- Creates an open working environment where family like care co-workers learn and question with confidence, promote strong bonds and strive for participation.
- Develops and implements appropriate training and development programmes for Mothers and Youth Care Co-workers in conjunction with the PD and National Human Resource Manager
- Closely monitors and reviews FLC staff performance ensuring that appropriate work objectives are set by each staff on an annual basis providing continuous feedback on performance.
- Works with the PD and NHRC to report and deal with cases of discipline and poor performance.
Guide and Support SOS Families, SOS Mothers and SOS Aunts
- Creates a secure, positive, and motivating environment to ensure that a high quality of child care within the SOS families.
- 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 homes.
- Builds positive relationships with children and youth 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, counseling and being their confidant, motivating and supporting them to meet their day-to-day challenges in child care.
Guides and supports SOS Youth Care workers and Youth
- Creates framework conditions for a high quality of youth care within youth facilities and programmes.
- Ensures that youth programmes offer career, learning and development opportunities for youths.
- Maintains an overview of and interest in the needs and development of individual youth.
- Counsels Youth Care Co-Workers to meet day-to-day challenges in youth development.
- 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 and transition to independent living.
- Provides advice, guidance, and support to children and youth on personal and social issues.
- Links SOS families with biological relatives of the children (if available) and creates opportunities for reunion events or visits.
Contributing to the Development of the Programme Location.
- Takes active interest to learn from other programme locations and shares his / her own experience.
- Participates in national planning, evaluation processes and contributes to the development of organization policies.
- Contributes to local and national child and youth care initiatives and seek recognition of the SOS Family model.
- Helps other co-Workers to understand the SOS Children’s Village Programme and its impact to children and families and the society.
- Familiarizes SOS families and youth care co-workers on the importance of fundraising.
- Oversees activities based at affiliated projects to the Children’s Village e.g. Kindergarten, Family
Strengthening Programme, Medical Centre and School by participating in their activities and meeting regularly with the various Departmental heads at the location
- Takes part in the location and national advocacy interventions as required.
- Family Like Care Strategic and Programme Development
- Leads the development of appropriate annual action plan to support Family Like Care programmes.
- Works with key Programme Co-workers to design and deliver innovative alternative care models.
- Contributes towards annual and strategic planning in the area of Alternative Child Care Work.
- Implements and evaluates different kinds of alternative care models.
- Identifies capacity gaps within the programme location and co-workers pertaining to alternative care of children and facilitates capacity building process.
- Contributes to policy and guideline development and revision, familiarization to ensure proper implementation of alternative child care work.
- Actively contributes to ensuring all SOS Children’s Villages policies and guidelines are practiced and aligned to the national legislation and local context.
- Leads the identification of activities and resources for the action plan to meet the needs of each SOS family and youth homes.
- Facilitates regular review of the annual plan in conjunction with the various child care coworkers.
- Holds regular finance/budget reviews for the smooth operation of programmes ensuring that all activities are implemented within the set budget parameters.
- Works to run the family like care programmes at full capacity, utilising all available facilities in line with the National Association strategy.
Monitoring and Evaluation of Family Like Care Programmes
- Regularly reviews family like 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 Programme Director and the National Office.
- Supports the National Child Safeguarding Coordinator on information and other specialised reports on family like care as shall be required.
- Contributes to overall National Association reports as may be requested by the Programme Director 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 and participate in the development of concept notes and programme proposals.
- Supports the initiatives to solicit donations to the Family like care programme, seeking guidance from the Programme Director 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 sponsors and ensures prompt correspondences
- Provides regular progress updates on children, Youth and the Family like care programme in general.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal applicant must hold a university degree Social Sciences – Development Studies, Education, Management, HRM, Psychology, social work.
- Leadership experience at a senior management level preferably within the NGO or public sector.
- Three years’ experience in any of the following functional areas: Child and/ or Youth care, community Development, human resource management, psychology, education.
- Must have good physical and mental health
- Readiness to live within the SOS Children Village.
- Interest in working with children and youths and willingness to make a long-term commitment.
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.
How to Apply:
If you believe you are the right candidate for this position, please send your electronic application letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV), and photocopies of academic certificates, and names and contact details of three traceable referees to the address below
The Head Human Resources and Administration
SOS Children’s Villages Uganda,
Plot 53 Ntinda II Road
Kampala
Electronic Applications must be sent 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.
Deadline: Wednesday 7th September 2022
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