✅ Head Social Worker – Children’s Care Institution (CCI)

ABOUT ORBIT

Orbit Village Project/JOI is a Christian, donation-supported nonprofit located outside Nairobi, Kenya. Founded in 1995 in response to widespread poverty, loss, and unmet needs in the local community, Orbit exists to walk alongside vulnerable children and families as they work toward stability, healing, and hope.

We address holistic community needs through education, residential care, housing, health services, employment support, and community development, using a trauma-informed and child-centered approach. Our guiding belief is “Helping families survive a broken generation.” Whenever possible, we prioritize keeping sibling groups together and supporting families toward long-term healing and reunification in safe and sustainable ways.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Head Social Worker serves as the primary professional responsible for the well-being, protection, and holistic development of all children within Orbit Village’s Children’s Care Institution (CCI). The children in the CCI are the Head Social Worker’s central and highest priority.

This role integrates direct counseling, case management, child protection leadership, documentation, staff oversight, and community engagement. The Head Social Worker works in close partnership with the Executive Director, who maintains deep knowledge of the children and makes herself available for collaboration, guidance, and shared decision-making related to child welfare.

The Head Social Worker is expected to know each child personally, including their individual histories, personalities, strengths, challenges, and developmental needs. This knowledge is gained through regular engagement with the children, careful review of records, and close collaboration with the Executive Director. The Executive Director will make herself available for this learning process and for consultation whenever issues concerning the children arise. This partnership is of the utmost importance.

The Head Social Worker must make a point to personally speak with each child at least monthly. As children grow within the program, the Head Social Worker is responsible for understanding and tracking each child’s academic successes and struggles and for helping guide and support their educational development. When a child struggles academically, the Head Social Worker must assess whether the root cause is trauma-related, disability-related, or due to lack of interest or motivation, and respond accordingly. Equal attention must be given to each child’s social development and their role within the Orbit community.

This position includes supervisory responsibility for a Deputy Social Worker and Social Work Assistant, as well as oversight of children’s home staff in coordination with house parents and leadership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. CCI Oversight, Child Engagement & Collaborations with Director
   • Primary Oversight: Serve as the primary overseer of the CCI, with the children as the highest priority.
   • Know Each Child: Maintain detailed knowledge of each child’s history, personality, academic performance, strengths, struggles, behavioral patterns, and social interactions within the Orbit community.
   • Collaboration with Executive Director: The Social Worker reviews records, consults closely with the Executive Director, and ensures that no child’s situation is assumed to be “fine” without direct observation and assessment. The Executive Director will make herself available to support learning and guidance—but the Social Worker is expected to proactively engage with her whenever issues arise.
   • Reporting & Documentation: Report all serious issues or concerns to the Executive Director immediately as they occur, not after resolution. Document all incidents, counseling sessions, safeguarding concerns, and interventions, and copy the Executive Director.
   • Regular Engagement: Personally engage with each child at least monthly through meaningful one-on-one conversations to monitor academic progress, emotional well-being, social development, and overall personal growth.
   • Assessment & Support: Identify changes or concerns early. Assess whether challenges stem from trauma, disability, developmental delays, or lack of motivation, and coordinate appropriate support or referrals.
   • Social Development: Guide children in developing social skills, navigating peer relationships, understanding communal responsibilities, and increasing self-awareness within the Orbit community.
   • Future Planning: Support children as they mature in planning for post–high school education, vocational pathways, and realistic, achievable life goals, helping them take responsibility for their futures.
2. Counseling, Documentation & Safeguarding
   • Primary Contact for Support: Serve as the primary point of contact for emotional, mental health, and psychosocial support for children and staff.
   • Counseling & Intervention: Provide individual counseling, crisis intervention, and referrals as needed. Maintain a welcoming, safe office space where children feel comfortable seeking support.
   • Monitoring Well-Being: Monitor well-being trends, identify emerging concerns, and proactively prioritize cases. Help children and staff reflect on challenges and make positive, informed changes.
   • Child Protection Leadership: Lead, maintain, and regularly review the Child Protection Policy, ensuring compliance with CCI requirements and safeguarding standards.
   • Safeguarding & Risk Assessment: Monitor for signs of abuse or neglect. Conduct appropriate assessments, interviews, and follow-up actions when concerns arise.
   • Liaison with Authorities: Liaise with the District Children’s Officer and other relevant child welfare agencies and government offices as needed.
   • Home Visits & Reporting: Conduct home visits, write detailed reports, and make referrals when necessary. If not conducting visits, designate that responsibility other appropriate staff members.
   • Documentation & Record-Keeping: Ensure all CCI registration, safeguarding documentation, and child files are accurate, complete, and up to date. Document all counseling sessions, safeguarding concerns, and interventions, reporting to the Executive Director, including follow-up actions and outcomes.
3. Children’s Homes & Staff Oversight
   • Staff Supervision: Oversee all staff working within the children’s homes, including House Parents, cooks, guards, and cleaners, ensuring they fulfill their responsibilities to the children and the CCI projects.
   • Chain of Command: Support and reinforce the established chain of command. Ensure House Parents are able to delegate tasks effectively and supervise support staff to maintain high-quality services.
   • Performance Management: Address staff performance concerns in coordination with leadership. Ensure accountability, professionalism, and alignment with CCI standards.
   • Presence & Engagement: Maintain a regular presence in the Girls’ Well Dorm and Boys’ Joshua House to observe daily operations and engage with children.
   • Monitoring & Inspection: Conduct unannounced visits to inspect facilities, observe staff-child interactions, and ensure children’s living environments meet CCI standards.
   • Collaboration & Coordination: Work closely with the Deputy Social Worker, Assistant Social Worker, House Parents, and Pastor to support smooth operations and a family-like environment.
4. Family-Style Care & Life Skills Development
   • Parental Role: Serve in a parental capacity for the children, ensuring they receive guidance, structure, care, and accountability consistent with a healthy family environment.
   • Team Collaboration: Work closely with the Executive Director, Deputy Social Worker, Social Work Assistant, House Parents, and Pastor to cultivate a supportive, family-like environment for all children.
   • Life Skills Guidance: Provide instruction and support in areas typically taught within a family setting, including:
     • Hygiene and personal care
     • Sexual development and age-appropriate education
     • Healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and social skills
     • Spiritual growth
     • Understanding personal history and identity
     • Responsibility, independence, and future planning
   • Nutrition & Routine: Ensure children receive a balanced, nutritious diet and follow structured daily routines.
   • Holistic Development: Support the coordination of activities and programs that foster life skills, independence, and overall personal growth for each child.
5. Visitation & Child Movement Oversight
   • Oversee and approve who may visit, pick up, or transport CCI children, including what items children may take with them or bring back, in accordance with safeguarding policies.
6. Sponsorship, Operations & Team Supervision
   • Sponsorship Management: Maintain accurate sponsored child lists, case histories, and documentation. Work with other social workers and Executive Director to get accurate and detailed information.
   • Sponsor Communication: Coordinate and oversee sponsor correspondence, ensuring a minimum of four letters per child per year are accurate and appropriate. Manage birthday celebrations, photographs, and other required sponsor documentation.
   • Team Supervision: Oversee the Deputy Social Worker and Social Work Assistant to ensure shopping, sponsor letters, Christmas baskets, home visits, and other operational tasks are completed efficiently and properly.
7. Leadership, Reporting & Communication
   • Reporting: Submit monthly reports and regular case updates to leadership.
   • Strategic Advice: Advise leadership and board members on emerging needs, operational improvements, and strategic planning for the CCI.
   • Meetings & Coordination: Attend bi-weekly management meetings to stay aligned with organizational priorities.
   • Mission Advocacy: Clearly communicate Orbit’s mission, child-centered values, and program expectations to staff, partners, and stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Educational background and professional training in Social Work, Counseling, or a closely related field(licensure or certification preferred, where applicable).
• 7–10 years of progressive social work experience, including supervisory or leadership experience managing staff or volunteers.
• Demonstrated experience in counseling, child protection, and/or community-based social work.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed, child-centered, and somatic approaches to care.
• Proven ability to manage crises, navigate conflict, and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
• High standards of confidentiality, integrity, emotional intelligence, and ethical practice.
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong documentation, reporting, project management, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively with children, families, staff, donors, senior leadership, and community partners.
• Demonstrated capacity to clearly communicate expectations, delegate responsibilities, and support staff performance, including addressing misconduct when necessary.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, trustworthy, and able to work independently in a dynamic environment.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Familiarity with DCO, child welfare agencies, and child safeguarding systems in Kenya.
• Experience facilitating workshops, trainings, or community presentations.
• Research-oriented mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement of practices, tools, and resources.
• Experience engaging diverse groups of children, families, community members, and external stakeholders.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & EXPECTATIONS

The Orbit Village Project operates within low-income communities in Embakasi East Constituency and surrounding neighborhoods. Resources are limited, and while the community and staff are deeply committed to the children, access to professionally trained mental health and social services is limited. As a result, this role requires a high level of presence, initiative, and adaptability.

The Social Worker will work closely with children, house parents, teachers, and leadership, providing consistent support, safeguarding oversight, and follow-up. The work can be emotionally demanding, but it offers the opportunity to make a deep and lasting impact on children, families, and the broader community.

Success in this role requires:

• Daily, hands-on engagement with children and regular presence in the children’s homes and school
• Strong follow-through on cases, documentation, and child protection processes
• Emotional resilience, maturity, and sound judgment when navigating complex family and trauma-related situations
• Clear, timely communication with local leadership as well as U.S.-based Directors and Board members across time zones
• Comfort working in a low-resource setting where systems are still being strengthened

Who This Role Is For

This role is well suited for someone who:

• • Is committed to child-centered, trauma-informed social work in a community-based setting
  • Thrives in hands-on roles that require relationship-building, consistency, and accountability
  • Values structure, clear policies, and strong safeguarding practices
  • Skilled at balancing direct care with administrative, reporting, and supervisory responsibilities.
  • Feels called to longer-term service and accompaniment of children and families

Who This Role Is Not For

This role may not be a good fit for individuals who:

• Are students or have competing commitments that limit their ability to be fully present
• Prefer primarily clinical, desk-based, or short-term casework roles
• Are uncomfortable with regular follow-up, documentation, or difficult child protection decisions
• Are seeking a low-intensity or observational experience

APPLICATIONS INSTRUCTIONS

Please apply through Idealist and submit your resume/CV AND Cover letter.

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter – Core Reflections & Supporting Experience

At Orbit Village Project, we prioritize authentic motivation and reflection. We welcome and value detailed responses. Please use your cover letter to thoughtfully address the following:

Core Reflections (Most Important)

• Your passion and personal story—why you feel called to take on this role, and examples of the kind of social care work you have found most meaningful or fulfilling in your past experience.
• One case history that holds deep meaning for you, describing your role and how your involvement played an important part in the life and well-being of that child. (Please protect confidentiality by omitting identifying details.)

Professional Practice & Readiness

• Your experience working with vulnerable children, families, or communities, particularly in trauma-impacted or low-resource settings.
• Your approach to trauma-informed, child-centered social work in community development contexts, including how you balance relational work with documentation, safeguarding, and accountability.
• Your experience with child protection, case management, and cross-sector collaboration.
• Any leadership or supervisory experience.
• Your readiness for long-term, on-site service in a low-resource setting, including emotional resilience, cultural humility, and consistent follow-through.

Compensation: As a small, donation-supported nonprofit, our current salary capacity for this role is approximately KES 50,000/month, with openness to discussion based on experience, scope, and long-term commitment.

Fluency in English and Swahili