POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title
Climate Change and Child Protection Officer
Location
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (with regular travel to project locations)
Reports To
Climate Change and Child Protection Coordinator
Employment Type
Full-Time – Fixed Term
ABOUT CHILDFUND PNG
ChildFund Papua New Guinea (CFPNG) works alongside children, families, communities, government, and development partners to create lasting change that enables children to thrive. Through its child-focused development and humanitarian Programs, CFPNG strengthens child protection systems, promotes resilience, supports climate adaptation, and helps communities prepare for and respond to disasters and climate-related risks.
As climate change increasingly affects the safety, wellbeing, education, health, and protection of children, ChildFund PNG is committed to ensuring that children's rights and protection needs are central to climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and resilience-building efforts.
POSITION PURPOSE
The Child Protection Project Officer will support the day-to-day field implementation, coordination, monitoring and documentation of the project. The Officer will work closely with the Project Coordinator, community child protection focal points, social service workers, Child-Friendly Space personnel, government officers, schools, service providers and community leaders to strengthen climate-resilient child protection systems and ensure children and vulnerable groups can safely access information, support and referral services.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Community Entry, Mobilisation and Stakeholder Mapping
Support project inception, community entry, scoping and mobilization in target wards and communities.
Map existing community structures, including village courts, churches, schools, women and youth groups, community volunteers and informal child protection actors.
Assist in identifying, selecting, registering and orienting Community Child Protection Focal Points and volunteers using transparent and inclusive criteria.
Maintain constructive working relationships with ward councilors, community leaders, government officers, schools, civil society organizations and service providers.
Promote meaningful participation of children, adolescents, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in project consultations and activities.
Mobile Child Protection, Service Mapping and Referral Pathways
Support comprehensive mapping and verification of child protection, GBV, health, justice, police, civil registration, psychosocial support, safe house, counselling and community-based services.
Help maintain an accurate service-provider directory, referral contacts and referral flowcharts for Rigo District.
Support monthly mobile outreach, early identification, safe reporting, referral and follow-up of child protection and GBV concerns in accordance with approved procedures.
Assist Community Child Protection Focal Points to use confidential logbooks and referral tools safely and correctly.
Escalate urgent or high-risk protection concerns immediately through approved ChildFund reporting and referral channels; the Officer will not independently investigate or manage complex cases outside their authority.
Support regular supervision and coordination meetings to review referral follow-up, service gaps, safeguarding risks and support needs.
Training and Capacity Strengthening
Support training needs assessments with focal points, village court officials, community leaders and frontline service providers.
Assist with contextualizing, piloting, field-testing and revising climate-resilient child protection training materials and practical tools.
Co-facilitate training on climate-resilient child protection, CPiE, case identification and referral, psychological first aid, GBV risk mitigation, safeguarding, confidentiality, safe reporting and relevant PNG laws and policies.
Administer attendance records, pre- and post-training assessments, participant feedback tools and training evaluations.
Provide coaching and follow-up support to trained focal points, volunteers and community-based service providers.
Community Awareness, IEC and Climate-Risk Messaging
Support contextual risk and messaging analysis to identify climate-related protection risks affecting children and vulnerable groups.
Contribute to the development, validation, distribution and appropriate use of child-friendly IEC materials on child protection, GBV, climate risks, safeguarding and referral pathways.
Conduct structured community awareness sessions using approved messages and participatory approaches suitable for different ages, genders, literacy levels and abilities.
Monitor the reach, accessibility and knowledge uptake of IEC and community awareness activities.
Ensure all communications protect confidentiality, obtain appropriate consent and comply with donor visibility and ChildFund branding requirements
Child-Friendly Spaces and Adolescent Engagement
Support site selection, community consultation, set-up and operation of safe and structured Child-Friendly Spaces.
Assist with identifying and training community volunteers and facilitators for Child-Friendly Spaces.
Support structured, age-appropriate and inclusive sessions for children, adolescents, parents and caregivers, including psychosocial wellbeing and positive parenting activities.
Facilitate or support adolescent safe-space dialogues using gender-sensitive, child-friendly and confidential approaches.
Ensure active referral linkages between Child-Friendly Spaces, community focal points, the 1-Tok Kaunselin Helpim Lain and relevant service providers.
Participate in routine monitoring, supervision and quality-assurance visits for Child-Friendly Spaces.
CPCM SOP Roll-out and Technical Follow-up
Support planning, coordination and delivery of orientation sessions on the Child Protection Case Management Standard Operating Procedures.
Assist with participant mobilization, training logistics, documentation and follow-up action tracking.
Collect feedback on the practical use of SOPs and identify areas requiring technical support or referral to the Project Coordinator.
Maintain complete records of orientation sessions, attendance, actions agreed and follow-up support.
Monitoring, Documentation and Reporting
Prepare accurate field visits, activity, training, awareness, outreach and monthly progress reports within agreed deadlines.
Collect and maintain complete supporting evidence, including attendance sheets, consent forms, monitoring checklists, referral follow-up records, distribution lists, participant feedback and approved photographs.
Support baseline surveys, community feedback processes, key informant interviews, post-activity monitoring and documentation of lessons learned and good practices.
Work with the MEAL team to ensure data is accurate, disaggregated, securely stored and consistent with project indicators.
Contribute information for donor reports, FACE/ICE supporting documentation, activity acquittals and project reviews.
Report implementation delays, risks, safeguarding concerns, data-quality issues and emerging needs promptly to the Project Coordinator.
Programme Operations and Accountability
Prepare activity plans, field movement requests, Terms of Reference, participant lists and logistical requirements in advance of implementation.
Use project resources responsibly and support timely submission of receipts, acquittals, distribution records and other required financial documentation.
Coordinate with logistics, procurement, finance and administration staff to support timely delivery of field activities.
Follow approved work plans, budgets, donor requirements, security procedures and ChildFund operational policies.
Undertake frequent travel to project sites and work flexibly when community activities require early, late or extended field hours.
Safeguarding, PSEA, GEDSI and Risk Management
Apply ChildFund’s Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, PSEA requirements and safe-programming standards in all activities.
Conduct activities in ways that are child-safe, survivor-centered, culturally appropriate, disability-inclusive and sensitive to gender and age.
Identify and report safeguarding risks, incidents, disclosures or suspected breaches immediately through approved channels.
Maintain strict confidentiality and apply informed consent and data-protection requirements when handling personal or case-related information.
Ensure volunteers, partners and community stakeholders understand expected safeguarding conduct and reporting pathways.
Never make promises of confidentiality that cannot be kept where a child or vulnerable person may be at risk of harm.
KEY DELIVERABLES AND PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Timely community entry, stakeholder mapping and mobilization records for assigned locations.
Updated focal point register, service directory, referral pathway information and outreach documentation.
High-quality training, awareness, Child-Friendly Space and CPCM SOP activity records.
Complete and accurate monthly work plans, field reports, indicator data and supporting evidence.
Demonstrated safeguarding compliance and prompt reporting of concerns and risks.
Effective coordination with communities, government, service providers and the ChildFund project team.
Timely contribution to project targets, including community actors trained, beneficiaries reached, awareness sessions delivered, Child-Friendly Spaces supported and referrals safely linked.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in social work, Community Development, Child Protection, Development Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Education, Humanitarian Studies or another relevant field.
Minimum three years of relevant experience in child protection, GBV, safeguarding, community development, humanitarian programming, climate resilience, education, social services or related work.
Experience working directly with communities, children, adolescents, parents, volunteers and local leaders.
Experience supporting project planning, field implementation, training, monitoring, documentation and reporting.
Experience working with government agencies, schools, civil society organizations or development partners is highly desirable.
Practical knowledge of child protection referral pathways, safeguarding, PSEA, confidentiality and survivor-centered approaches.
Knowledge of CPiE, psychological first aid, Child-Friendly Spaces, case management or climate/DRR programming is an advantage.
Previous experience in Central Province or rural and remote PNG communities is an advantage.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
Strong community facilitation, mobilisation and interpersonal skills.
Good understanding of child protection, safeguarding, GBV risk mitigation and referral principles.
Ability to communicate clearly in English and Tok Pisin; relevant local language skills are an advantage.
Sound report writing, record keeping, data collection and Microsoft Office skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgement and respond appropriately to sensitive issues.
Ability to organize field activities, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
Commitment to GEDSI, child participation, accountability to communities and respectful partnership.
Willingness and physical ability to travel regularly to field locations with challenging road and weather conditions.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Child-focused and safeguarding-oriented | Community partnership | Accountability and professionalism | Respect for diversity and inclusion | Results orientation | Problem solving | Teamwork | Adaptability and continuous learning
CHILD SAFEGUARDING REQUIREMENT
This position involves regular direct contact with children, adolescents, families and vulnerable people. Appointment will be subject to ChildFund PNG’s recruitment checks and the successful candidate must sign and comply with the Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, PSEA requirements and all related safeguarding procedures. Any offer of employment may be withdrawn or employment terminated where safeguarding requirements are not met