SOS Children’s Villages Tanzania is a local non-government organization affiliated to SOS Children’s Villages International, a worldwide child care and protection organization that provides orphaned and destitute children with a permanent home and educational opportunities. Established 60 years ago, SOS Children’s Villages International the umbrella organization, currently has Children’s Villages and other projects in 135 countries around the world. Globally, it runs the SOS Children’s Village Programme which has two main arms, i.e. Family Based Care based at SOS Children’s Villages and Family Strengthening Programmes supporting families in local communities. SOS has been working in the United Republic of Tanzania since 1991, and implements its programs in the following locations Zanzibar, Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and Iringa. SOS Children’s Villages Tanzania seeks to recruit a suitably qualified candidate to fill the following vacant positions.

Job Title : Alternative Care Coordinator (1 Post)

Duty station : Arusha

Reporting to : Program Manager

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Alternative Care Cordinator leads the Alternative Care (AC) unit in the programme location. His/Her primary role is to be a guardian to each SOS child/youth and family and take an active part in the growth and development of each child/youth, coordinates education activities in collaboration with relevant social workers to ensure the adequate care of all children and youth in family based care are in accordance with the organisational policies and guidelines.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES.

• Implements the SOS CV programme approach in accordance with our brand and the relevant organisational policies (basic policies, core policies, quality standards) and relevant policy support documents.
• Oversees and takes lead regularly in the programme activities, being an active part of education of children and youth.
• Develop and oversees child admission committees at the village while ensuring the adherence of the policies and standards including the legislative law of the country
• Upholds the AC monitoring and evaluation system to ensure consistent quality of services are provided to the children/ youth as per standard by the responsible people.
• Take lead in the budgeting and planning for the AC unit with consultation of the Program Manager and Senior Alternative Care Coordinator.
• Produces regular and ad-hoc reports as requested by the Program Manager.
• Develop a strong network with the other programme units in the location such as FS, schools, health and advocacy to guarantee high quality of programme services.
• Accountable on the resource/assets of the Alternative Care facility.
• Leads, manages, supports, and develops all core care co­workers with support from HR Officer at the programme level.
• Promotes strong collaboration, effective communication, and team work among Mothers/Aunts and Youth Empowerment officers for effective delivery of services.
• Provides technical support, guidance, and leadership to all care co-workers, motivating them to work as a united ‘family’.
• Support and implement appropriate training programmes for all core care co-workers with support from HROD department from National Office.
• Spends quality time with core care co-workers in order to encourage their long-term commitment to the children and youth and ensure Quality services delivered to the SOS Children and Youth.
• To provide psychosocial support to core care co-workers and helps they meet the demands with a view of creating stable and safe family environment.
• Makes time to interact with children and youth on a regular basis, to get to know and understand them as individuals.
• Creates a framework that facilitates high quality child care within the SOS family and the youth facilities.
• Ensures compliance and high quality of procedures for family-based care in accordance with the country’s legal laws.
• Enforces SOS Children’s Villages standards, procedures, and mechanisms in the field of child protection and child rights.
• Impulses innovative approaches for the successful socio professional integration of youth based on the local context.
• Aligns and reviews the work within SOS families to the child and youth care quality standards.
• Takes an active interest in and at least annually reviews the child and youth development plans to assure the developmental and education needs are met within the unit or within other programme units.
• Supports the youth through their various transition processes or/and the re-integration processes.
• Strengthens the links between SOS families and biological families and relatives if available and creates opportunities for reunions and visits.
• Maintains existing and develop potential sponsors to maximise all sponsorship opportunities and to maintain good relationships.
• Ensure timely reporting to sponsors of the children at the Villages.
• Supports the Sponsorship coordinator on getting all necessary correspondences from Mothers/Aunts/ YCCW for Sponsors satisfaction.
• Establishes and maintains partnerships and networking with relevant government departments, local community groups, CBOs, NGO and officials to establish and maintain good relationships/partnerships.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCES:

• Degree in Social work or Sociology.
• 4-5 years of relevant professional experience at management level.
• Experience in working with children/youth environment will be added advantage.
• Ability to work independently, self-organize, use initiative, keeps commitments and meets deadlines.
• The candidate should possess the emotional stability to lead and guide the large community of children and youth, by maintaining the required high standards.
• Mature personality (male or female) , stable socially and emotionally.
• Strong interpersonal and team skills
• Fluent in English and Swahili.
• Computer literacy

Note: The position requires the Alternative Care Coordinator to live within the SOS Children’s Village.