Project Officer - Child Protection and Family Strengthening

About the role

ICS SP (Investing in Children and their Societies) is hiring two Project Officers to lead day-to-day implementation of its child-centred family strengthening, care reform, early childhood development (ECD) and child protection activities in Kisumu or Kakamega County. The role works with government services, caregivers and community structures to keep families together, support safe reintegration and strengthen community protection and referral systems. It reports to the Programmes Manager.

Key responsibilities

• Plan, deliver and coordinate projects at county and community level, prepare activity plans and budgets, track expenditure and outputs, and flag delays or risks.
• Organize community dialogues, trainings, field visits and review meetings, and guide community facilitators and frontline staff through supervision and coaching.
• Run family strengthening and positive parenting activities, work with Children Services on family tracing, reunification and reintegration, and link families to psychosocial, social protection, livelihood and health services.
• Support the transition from residential care to kinship, foster and other family-based care, and promote inclusive access to services for children with disabilities.
• Strengthen caregiver and community child protection volunteer capacity to identify risks, and support safe reporting and referral of violence, neglect and exploitation.
• Work with the MEAL team on indicators, validation and feedback, and prepare field reports and lessons learned while keeping data confidential.
• Apply safeguarding, child protection and PSEA standards, and build partnerships with county Children Services, health and ECDE teams, civil society and care institutions.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Child Protection, ECD, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Health or a related discipline.
• At least five years of experience in NGO or community-based programming, preferably in child protection, care reform, family strengthening or parenting.
• Sound understanding of Kenya's child protection and alternative care systems, safeguarding and referral pathways.
• Experience working with children, caregivers, frontline workers and government structures.
• Ability to manage activity plans and budgets, monitor results and meet reporting requirements.
• Strong community facilitation, partnership management and communication skills, good judgement in sensitive child protection matters, and commitment to confidentiality.

Required skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Strong written and spoken English and Kiswahili.
• Knowledge of local languages and ability to travel regularly within project areas are added advantages.

Applicants apply through the online form, uploading a CV and application letter merged into one document, indicating their preferred duty station. The application deadline is 30 October 2026; only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.