Technical Advisor - Children and Family Care

JOB SUMMARY

The Children and Family Care Advisor will provide technical leadership and coordination for The Salvation Army’s global work with children needing alternative care, with a specific focus on supporting safe, high-quality care in children’s homes while actively advising and accompanying the transition toward family-based and community-based care models. This role will strengthen child protection systems and case management practices in alignment with international child safeguarding standards and national regulations.

The Advisor will also work closely with U.S. Territories, international stakeholders, and global networks to ensure coherent strategy, funding alignment (e.g., child sponsorship), and learning across programs. The Advisor plays a key role in guiding complex program transitions, strengthening sustainability, and ensuring child safeguarding excellence across diverse contexts. In a funding environment where cost-effectiveness is at a premium, this role is critical for helping balance high-quality residential care with family and community strengthening initiatives.

Technical Leadership and Standards Support

• Provide guidance and resources for the development and implementation of good practice standards for Salvation Army-operated or -supported children’s homes.
• Support countries in strengthening case management systems, ensuring best-interest determinations, individual care plans, regular reviews, and child participation.
• Help assess existing institutional care models and explore transition strategies where appropriate.
• Share expertise in trauma-informed care and assist in adapting good global practice to local legal and cultural contexts.
• Equip Territorial teams through resources, training, and mentoring on child safeguarding and alternative care models.

Care Reform and Family-Based Care Development

• Advise on the design and implementation of alternative care options such as family tracing and reunification, kinship care, foster care, and adoption, in compliance with national laws.
• Collaborate with the Journey for Change team and International Headquarters to promote learning and processes for care reform within Salvation Army territories.
• Contribute to prevention strategies to reduce unnecessary family separation through community-based child and family strengthening initiatives.

Engagement with U.S. Territories and Child Sponsorship

• Serve as the primary liaison with U.S. Territories in support of their international child protection programming and child sponsorship funding.
• Facilitate alignment between child sponsorship mechanisms and evolving care strategies to ensure responsible, ethical use of sponsorship funds.
• Ensure that sponsorship-funded programs meet child safeguarding and care quality expectations, particularly for children in institutional settings.

Strategic Coordination and Advocacy

• Strengthen coordination between implementing offices, U.S. Territories, International Headquarters, as well as Zonal and Territorial Child Protection specialists.
• Represent The Salvation Army in external global forums, networks, and policy discussions (e.g., Better Care Network, Faith to Action, World Without Orphans) to advocate for family-based care models.
• Engage faith leaders, senior organizational leadership, and partners to build alignment and momentum for care reform priorities.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Outcomes

• Support the design of M&E frameworks that track outcomes specific to alternative care transitions, including child well-being, placement stability, and program impact.
• Promote use of evidence-based learning to inform program design, program adjustments and strengthen accountability.
• Assist with data collection, analysis, and reporting for internal learning and external reporting requirements.
• Monitor safeguarding compliance and coordinate with field teams and appropriate other stakeholders involved in safeguarding to address any critical incidents.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university AND a Master’s degree in Social Work (preferred), international development, human services, or other social sciences related to Child Development, Wellbeing and Protection. ,

and

Five years of directly related professional experience in providing technical and knowledge driven solutions, in country-led development in the field of Child Protection and Safeguarding, including extensive work around alternative care for children, AND five years of program management experience supporting teams to develop strong results frameworks, implementation plans, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning mechanisms.

• Preference for an in-depth understanding of trauma-informed care and the qualifications and expertise to develop and deliver training on this subject matter,
• Preference for an in-depth understanding of child development and the qualifications and expertise to develop and deliver training on this subject matter,
• Preference for expertise in developing and implementing case management processes for children in alternative care and for preventing family separation through family and community strengthening initiatives

and

three years of experience living in a developing country and working with international Child Protection and Safeguardingprograms, preferably in a management role,

or

any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of and experience with international development project management theory, programs and their requirements including writing proposals, providing support for donor-funded activities, including US-funded projects. Ability to track and shepherd projects through a life cycle from start to close, ensuring both financial and programmatic compliance; ability to work closely with many staff in a team-oriented environment.

Has specialized expertise in the following areas: trauma-informed care, social services case management provision, child protection and safeguarding program design, curriculum development and facilitation/training. Additional skills required: monitoring and evaluation, participatory community development, and international project/program management.

Possesses an in-depth professional and field-based knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to managing child protection and safeguarding programs/projects/activities in developing countries. Has thorough knowledge and understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics of development challenges and opportunities in the child protection and safeguarding sector.