Ombuds Coordinator (f/m/d)

SOS Children’s Villages, founded in 1949 by Hermann Gmeiner, is the world’s largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.

Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person’s best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.

Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child’s rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.

To support us with this important responsibility we are now looking for a committed:

Location: Innsbruck-AT, Vienna-AT

Duration: limited contract until December 2024 (full-time)

Mission:

The Global Ombuds and the rest of the SOS Children’s Villages Ombuds Office (i.e., National Ombuds, Regional Ombuds) align to SOS Children’s Villages International policies and processes, but work independently of SOS Children’s Villages. The Global Ombuds position is selected by and accountable to the Ombuds Board.

The Ombuds Office provides checks and balances to SOS Children’s Villages child safeguarding systems at the national, regional, and global levels. The SOS Children’s Villages Ombuds Office operates with a child-centred and rights-based approach in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Developed with input from children and young people, the Ombuds Office functions on the four Ombudsperson principles of independence, impartiality, confidentiality, and informality.

The Ombuds Coordinator provides administrative and professional support to the SOS Children’s Villages Ombuds Office, including inquiry management, virtual office operations, communications, and correspondence across the office. The role is 1.0 FTE and reports to the Global Ombuds.

Main Activities:

• Manage and monitor the Virtual Office and Data/Inquiry Management System on MS Teams and SharePoint, ensuring that the Ombuds are utilising the systems as intended.
• Prepare and support the development of reports and other documents for the Ombuds Office.
• Monitor the Ombuds Office general contact email and delegate emails to the appropriate receiver.
• Keep the Ombuds website up to date.
• Answer general questions about the Ombuds Office from various stakeholders.
• Initiate and facilitate open communication within the Office about issues, updates, office needs, process improvements, etc.
• Liaise and coordinate with Ombuds Office Human Resources and Finance personnel.
• Improve and develop Ombuds Office operations as the Ombuds pilot and scale-up progress. Create and improve systems as needed.
• Provide executive administrative support to the Ombuds Office, including scheduling meetings, organising travel, etc.
• Manage Global Ombuds’ calendar.
• Support the Ombuds Office with any technology-related needs, including IT support and online meetings. Train new Ombuds on the virtual office and how to use it.
• Support new SOS Children’s Villages’ member associations “Advisory Groups” who are using the Ombuds Scale-up Toolkit.
• Oversee the Ombuds scale-up help-desk email by answering general questions and delegating Ombuds-related questions as appropriate.
• Facilitate cross-Ombuds learning and exchange by organizing exchange calls, documenting promising practices, sharing tips etc.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area, such as public administration, business administration, communications or social sciences. Training in project management is desirable.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in providing executive-level administrative support.
• Ability to speak and work with proficiency in English plus French or Spanish. The ability to work in French and Spanish is desirable.
• Highly skilled in managing and supporting people and building effective teams across numerous cultural contexts
• Exceptionally skilled at juggling and prioritising multiple tasks and managing timelines.
• Excellent judgement and problem-solving skills.
• Highly organised and committed to working collaboratively across the Ombuds Office to get the results and support needed.
• An attentive listener with good observational skills plus strong verbal and written communication skills with diverse groups of people and ages.
• Ability to establish and maintain a safe working environment that is honest, respectful and inclusive. An open-hearted, honest, and kind person who respects and understands the needs of various stakeholders, and especially children.
• Understands and is sensitive to diversity, inclusion, and contextualization.
• Ability to apply Ombuds Office principles to their work (i.e., independence, confidentiality, impartiality, informality).
• Ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders across the globe and at all levels in accessible, respectful ways.
• Advanced proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and SharePoint). Comfortable using a range of IT applications and platforms.

We offer

• Satisfying and stimulating work
• Remote and in-person work arrangements
• The opportunity to work for an NGO that is a member of a recognized international network.
• Possibility to make a significant, positive contribution to child safeguarding globally

In accordance with the organisation’s child protection policy, this position will be subject to applicable background checks, including criminal record checks. The successful candidate will be required to understand and sign the SOS Code of Conduct.

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 organization, 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

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to creating and maintaining a safe working environment for our staff, the children and young people and the communities that we work for. The organization prohibits harassment, exploitation and abuses by or of any employee, supervisor, manager, child, young people, community, contractor, applicant, or other individual with whom SOS Children’s Villages employees come into contact by virtue of their work. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our prevention and protection against Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse policy.

In addition, SOS Children’s Villages apply a zero tolerance concerning any fraud situation. The organization does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.