At Save the Children, we believe every child deserves a future. In Kenya and across the world, we work tirelessly to ensure that children grow up safe, educated, and healthy—free from harm and with the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential.
As part of our expanding work and deepening impact, we are currently seeking a Child Protection (CP) and Child Rights Governance (CRG) Technical Specialist to join our Kenya Country Office (KCO) team in Nairobi. This is a full-time role for a passionate, skilled, and experienced professional ready to lead transformative initiatives, influence systemic change, and help secure justice and protection for the most vulnerable children.
This position presents an exciting opportunity to make a significant and lasting impact on children’s lives by supporting government institutions, working with communities, and engaging civil society and donors. If you are looking for a challenging, fulfilling role that combines advocacy, technical expertise, and program design within a dynamic international development environment, this could be the perfect next step for you.
Refer to the attached PDF for full role details and responsibilities.
About the Role
Position: Child Protection and Child Rights Governance Technical Specialist
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Reports to: Director – Programme Development, Quality and Impact
Direct Reports: One (1) – Child Protection Coordinator
Application Deadline: 13 June 2025, 03:00
Job ID: 12897
Schedule: Full-time
Role Purpose
Under the guidance of the Programme Development, Quality and Impact (PDQI) Director, the Child Protection and Child Rights Governance Technical Specialist will be responsible for ensuring the technical excellence and impact of our CP and CRG programming. The post holder will lead efforts to strengthen national child protection systems, build coalitions, and advocate for stronger child rights governance in Kenya.
You will collaborate closely with government stakeholders, civil society organizations, donors, children, and Save the Children teams across sectors to design, implement, monitor, and scale up programs that promote and protect the rights of children. A core aspect of the role is external representation on critical child protection and governance issues and working with others to amplify children’s voices.
Key Responsibilities
A. Program Development
- Partner with Business Development (BD) teams to conceptualize and design innovative project proposals aligned with CP and CRG goals.
- Develop high-quality, cost-effective, and sustainable child protection project concepts and proposals.
- Conduct formal and informal child protection system assessments to identify key gaps, especially affecting the most deprived children.
- Identify strategic funding opportunities and support proposal submissions in line with Save the Children’s strategic plan.
- Collaborate with cross-thematic teams in areas such as Health, Nutrition, Education, and Child Poverty to design integrated approaches.
- Incorporate latest research, global developments, and evidence-based practices into program design.
B. Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
- Provide ongoing technical support to field teams, ensuring high-quality implementation of CP and CRG activities.
- Keep abreast of relevant national and county policies and ensure that programming is aligned with the current policy landscape.
- Support analysis of policy gaps and produce actionable policy briefs informed by program data and evidence.
- Provide technical quality checks, particularly in case management processes and child protection services.
- Develop and facilitate CP and CRG training for Save the Children staff, partners, communities, and children.
- Promote children’s meaningful participation in program activities and policy discussions.
- Serve as a thought partner on program frameworks, approaches, tools, and monitoring systems.
- Represent Save the Children in child rights governance fora and contribute to national-level strategy discussions.
C. Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Knowledge Management
- Collaborate with the MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research and Learning) team to build robust monitoring systems for CP and CRG projects.
- Conduct field visits to assess implementation progress and advise on course correction where needed.
- Develop quality benchmarks and track project impact through baseline studies, reviews, and evaluations.
- Document good practices, learning, and innovations, and ensure dissemination to both internal and external stakeholders.
- Lead research efforts on CP and CRG, using findings to inform advocacy and future program design.
- Guide teams in the development of MEAL frameworks and indicators for all child protection initiatives.
D. Representation, Coordination and Advocacy
- Maintain strong collaborative relationships with key stakeholders including government agencies, national and international NGOs, and donors.
- Represent Save the Children at national coordination platforms, technical working groups, and forums to ensure integration and alignment of efforts.
- Champion advocacy initiatives that promote increased public investment in children’s services and enhanced legal protection mechanisms.
- Identify strategic events and policy windows to advance Save the Children’s positioning on CP and CRG.
- Work with our Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media (ACCM) team to create effective messaging and communication materials.
Key Behaviors and Competencies
We expect all our employees to embody our organizational values:
Accountability
- Takes responsibility for decisions and resource use.
- Holds self and others to high standards of performance and integrity.
Ambition
- Sets ambitious goals and is committed to achieving them.
- Encourages innovation and continuous improvement.
Collaboration
- Works effectively across teams and cultures.
- Engages and inspires internal and external stakeholders.
Creativity
- Encourages innovation and new ideas.
- Embraces change as an opportunity for improvement.
Integrity
- Demonstrates honesty and transparency in all dealings.
- Respects confidentiality and upholds ethical practices.
Qualifications and Experience
While detailed academic and professional qualifications are outlined in the attached PDF, the ideal candidate will have:
- Over 10 years of experience managing child protection and child rights governance programs in Kenya.
- Proven expertise in program development, policy advocacy, systems strengthening, and child-centered approaches.
- Strong understanding of Kenyan legal and institutional frameworks related to children’s rights.
- Experience working in both development and humanitarian settings.
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and representation skills.
- A deep passion for advancing children’s rights and ensuring child safety in all environments.
About Save the Children
Save the Children is the world’s first and leading independent organization for children. With operations in over 100 countries and a team of 25,000+ professionals, we focus on ensuring that every child survives, learns, and is protected.
We are working to achieve three breakthroughs for children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday.
- All children learn from a quality basic education.
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion in our workforce and strongly encourage female candidates to apply.
Important Notice
Please note that Save the Children does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. If anyone contacts you claiming to represent Save the Children and requests payment, do not respond and report such incidents immediately to [email protected].
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted through our official application portal. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Deadline: 13 June 2025, 03:00 EAT
Job ID: 12897
Application Type: Online submission only
