CHILDREN’S VILLAGE MANAGER
Job Description
JOB ADVERTISEMENT
CHILDREN’S VILLAGE MANAGER (FREETOWN)
SOS Children’s Villages was established in Sierra Leone in 1974. We work with government and partners in communities to help families care for their children or to provide an alternative family for children who have no one to care for them, or who have lost parental care or are exposed to risks of neglect, abandonment, abuse and exploitation. Located in Freetown, Bo and Makeni, SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone has a wide range of programmes, in which the love of a caregiver is essential, to ensure children grow in a loving home and become their strongest selves.
Our Vision: Every child belongs to a family and grows up with love, respect and security.
Our Mission: We build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures, and
we share in the development of their communities.
Our Values: Courage
Commitment
Trust
Accountability
Programmes include Alternative Care settings, Interim Care Centres, Youth care programmes that support more than 530 children and young people leaving in villages and in communities. In addition to quality care, we advocate for children, young people and women’s right, protection, safeguarding and empowerment. SOS Children’s Villages also provide quality education to over 4,000 students through its Herman Gmeiner International Schools and Kindergartens. Other projects include the Youth Innovation challenge & Youth-Can! which support young entrepreneurs with their businesses and young people on their quest to employment. The emergency programmes aid vulnerable families cope with the impact of COVID-19 and the economic downturn to prevent family separation.
SOS Children’s Villages in Sierra Leone is recruiting a Children’s Village Manager to manage the implementation and strategic direction of the Family Strengthening (FS) Program, while simultaneously overseeing the transformation of the Alternative Care (AC) Program in line with SOS Children’s Villages’ global and national strategic priorities. The role ensures quality care for children, supports families at risk, and leads program innovation and change management at the CV level.
The CV Manager will lead and manage the transformation process of the Alternative Care program in accordance with SOS Children’s Villages’ Care Promise and national care reform initiatives.
Support the transition from traditional care models to more family-like, community-integrated and rights-based approaches.
Ensure the participation of children and young people in the care transformation journey.
Lead and supervise a multidisciplinary team including FS field officers, caregivers, social workers, youth development coordinators, and support staff.
The CV Manager will be involved in the planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Children’s Village, and Educational Programmes, which include the Kindergarten, Lower & Upper Primary, Basic School and High School.
He/she is also responsible to ensure there is ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the programmes and its efficiency according to the organization’s policies and procedures.
Support the process of identifying local funding opportunities and applications for grants and other forms of local income (such as donations-in-kind and government subsidies).
S/he is to build and/or maintains effective relationship with local media and external bodies, so that child rights issues in general as well as the organization’s mission and objectives can be promoted on a regular basis.
Arranges, provides and coordinates the delivery of services to children and families in strong partnership with other services providers and in line with the family development plan.
Keeps regular contracts with child and family during the implementation of family development plan through phone calls, home visits and meeting in programme premises.
Advocates for the individual child and his/her family to have access to social entitlements or obtain needed services.
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in Social Work, Community Development, Child Psychology, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in child and family-focused program management, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
Proven experience in managing community-based programs and child care transformation.
Strong understanding of child protection, alternative care models, and family strengthening approaches.
Experience in team leadership, budgeting, and partnership building.
Have skills in human resources management and planning and monitoring and evaluation skills.
Have a great writing and reporting capacity and a mastery of the IT tool.
Highly developed communication with tact & diplomacy, interpersonal, networking, and negotiation skills.
Trustworthiness and confidentiality as well as modelling principled behaviour.
WORK CONDITIONS
STARTING DATE: 1st July 2025
NUMBER OF POSITIONS: One
DURATION OF CONTRACT: One year with a possibility of an extension based on performance and/or
availability of funding
LOCATION: Freetown
WE OFFER:
- Attractive Salary
- A supportive team working environment
- Opportunity to work for a well-respected and recognised NGO
To apply: submit a letter of interest, with Curriculum Vitae, photocopy of certificates, and three (3) professional references with at least one (1) from a direct supervisor, by email only to apply.sl@sossierraleone.org Please indicate in the subject line the position, the location and the subject area desired.
Closing date for the submission of applications is Monday 19th May, 2025
Only the successful candidates will be contacted.
In accordance with the organisation’s child protection policy, all employment is subject to applicable background checks, including criminal record checks.
What We Stand For:
SOS Children’s Villages is committed to creating and maintaining a caring and protective environment, which promotes its core values, and prevents and addresses child abuse and exploitation. We strongly condemn all forms of child abuse and exploitation, be it within or outside of our organisation, and always respond to any case of proven, alleged or attempted abuse within our sphere of influence according to its nature. Efforts ensure that mechanisms are in place to raise awareness, aid prevention, encourage reporting and ease response. They range from human resource development actions such as training and counselling to measures such as suspension, dismissal, and legal action.
