Kinship-Foster family care at SOS Children's Villages Ethiopia

Who We Are

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is an international non-governmental organization and a member of the SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first village in Mekelle 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 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 eight program locations, we aspire for every child to grow up with love, respect, and security.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

At SOS Children's Villages, safeguarding isn't just a policy—it's a foundational value embedded in everything we do. We are unwavering in our commitment to protecting the children, young people, adults, and communities we serve, as well as our workforce and resources.

We cultivate an environment of trust and accountability where every voice is heard and respected. All successful candidates will be expected to champion our holistic safeguarding principles, actively upholding our Child & Youth Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and regulations against sexual misconduct, fraud, and corruption.

Key Responsibilities

Support Children and Youth Program

Conduct assessments on the developmental needs and support mechanisms of children and youth.
Facilitate life skills training and psychosocial support.
Support and follow up with caregivers to ensure the holistic development (physical, social, emotional, and spiritual) of children and youth.
Update progress in the program database and individual files.
Lead the Holistic Individual Development Plan (HIDP) process.
Develop and implement case plans, including reviews and evaluations.
Facilitate and participate in case conferencing.
Maintain updated data on children, youth, and families.

Empower Caregivers

Advise and assist caregivers in implementing primary health care principles.
Capacitate caregivers through training in parenting, positive discipline, reproductive health, educational support, child rights, and hygiene.
Facilitate Learning and Development (L&D) training for caregivers.
Organize training on business skill development, entrepreneurship, and income-generating mechanisms.
Support caregivers in identifying business types and developing saving habits through SaCCo membership.

Implementing and Coordinating Programs

Conduct program and service evaluations with partner groups.
Assist with budget preparation and administration, ensuring responsible financial planning.
Produce high-quality regular and ad-hoc reports for the national office.
Prepare long- and short-term plans for social services.
Direct, coordinate, and supervise social welfare programs.
Develop and recommend child admission criteria based on gatekeeping guidelines.
Conduct supportive monitoring for children, youth, and caregivers.

Safeguarding Duties

Participate in awareness-raising and capacity-building sessions to prevent abuse, exploitation, and harassment.
Help participants understand safeguarding risks and protection mechanisms.
Report any safeguarding suspicions or incidents immediately within 24 hours to the Incident Management Team.
Ensure all professional relationships align with the Sexual Misconduct Regulation and Code of Conduct.

Ideal Candidate Criteria

Essential Requirements (Must-Have)

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Child Development, Psychology, Community Development, or a related field.
Experience: Minimum of 5 years’ experience working with children, youth, and families in development or protection programs.
Case Management: Proven experience in developing individual development/case plans.
Knowledge: Strong understanding of holistic support approaches and child development.
Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant program database technology.

Desired Assets (Nice-to-Have)

Education: Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or Child Development.
Experience: Background in working with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) or family strengthening programs.
Empowerment: Experience in economic empowerment, income-generating activities, and savings groups.
Adaptability: Strong cross-cultural sensitivity and experience in designing customized training materials.

Competencies

Collaboration: Building partnerships and removing barriers to participation.
Empowerment: Promoting inclusion and equitable sharing of power.
Strategic Thinking: Translating the mission into actionable plans.
Emotional Intelligence: Maintaining self-control under pressure or in sensitive cases.
Results Orientation: Focusing on solutions and desired outcomes.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your updated resume via the SOS Children's Villages Application Portal (ICIMS).

We actively champion diversity and inclusion and strongly encourage women to apply. SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia is an equal opportunity employer, providing fair consideration to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or class.

Kinship-Foster family care

Job Description