Description
Summary of Position
Action Against Hunger is seeking an experienced and motivated Safeguarding Specialist who will oversee the Safeguarding priorities and will be in charge of creating and developing the overall work plan, capacity building and recruitment of relevant workforce. He/she will take specific responsibility for ensuring that Action Against Hunger offices are prepared and able to respond to reports of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Child Safeguarding in humanitarian and development contexts we work in. This means ensuring that risk assessments are completed, staff and related personnel are trained and that complaints mechanisms are designed, consulted on and communicated to staff and program participants and the wider community. S/he will ensure that reports are followed up and survivor centered support mechanisms are in place. S/he will oversee the functioning of Safeguarding Investigations in consultation with the Incident Management Team (IMT).
Purpose
The Regional Safeguarding Specialist will take lead in ensuring that Action Against Hunger HEARO and Country Offices prepare and are able to respond to reports of SEA (sexual, exploitation and abuse), Child Safeguarding and trafficking in persons. S/he will raise awareness Action Against Hunger’s policy commitments, including zero-tolerance approach through training, coaching and ensure that the global PSEA, Child Safeguarding and Anti-trafficking in persons mechanisms are socialized and used by staff and related personnel.
Engagement
The Regional Safeguarding Specialist will collaborate closely with Action Against Hunger Safeguarding focal persons, key stakeholders at Country and Regional level. S/he will also work with program teams in the region to ensure that Safeguarding policies is mainstreamed into program design. A strong rapport will be created and enhanced with the Safeguarding unit in Canada as well as others in the international network including the Safeguarding Community of Practice.
Externally, close collaborations and working relationships will be created and maintained with Safeguarding working groups in the region, InterAgency Working groups (ICVA, IASC, CHS, AAP, CDAC etc), organizational partners, collaborators and other INGOs with the aim of creating a positive culture.
Delivery
S/he will be responsible for the timely and quality delivery of the Safeguarding road map to ensure that regional and country office priorities are achieved.
Essential job roles
- Lead the implementation of the Safeguarding policy and procedures and facilitate the structural embedding of safeguarding across Regional and country operations
- Oversee the functioning of Safeguarding investigations and ensure accurate and proper close-out of investigations, survivor support mechanisms are in place adhering to the principles of confidentiality, impartiality, fairness and sensitivity of investigation.
- Lead in the roll-out, awareness creation, training and capacity building of all staff in line with the Safeguarding priorities.
- Work with the Regional HR Director and Director of People & Strategy and to map out a clear process for vetting & reference checking including implementation of the misconduct disclosure scheme. S/he will create the legal framework available and the HR teams to ensure that these checks are rolled out, ensure that all staff are checked in line with agreed protocols.
- Providing on the ground Safeguarding support and expertise during humanitarian emergencies in the region and drawing up lessons learnt
- Support in Country office teams in conducting Safeguarding assessments, setting up processes for community complaints mechanisms and that they are mainstreamed into program design.
- Provide technical advice and support to Country Offices in coordination with Country Directors, Safeguarding focal points and HR teams
- Provide technical advice and guidance to Country Offices and Regional Teams in coordination with Action Against Hunger International Safeguarding policy and protocols
- Create a close work relationships with the Safeguarding Community of Practice members in the Network, Region and Countries
- Work with the Regional HR and Regional Director’s to deliver a coordinated Safeguarding services to Country Offices
- Lead, alongside Safeguarding focal points, on Safeguarding related data collection, auditing and reporting in the organization and donor requirements.
- Ensuring that action plans are in place at HEARO and country office regional level to facilitate continuous improvement in the prevention of and response to safeguarding reports
- Work with Country Office teams to ensure that Community Complaints Mechanisms have a safeguarding lens and adequately cover safeguarding needs.
Gender Equality Commitments
- Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.
- Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
- Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
- Value and respect all cultures.
Fiscal Responsibility
The position will be the overall budget holder for Safeguarding priorities.
The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.
Physical Demands
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Working Conditions, Travel and Environment
The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a field related to humanitarian assistance and international development, psychology, law, political science, development studies, gender studies, social work.
- Minimum 10 years humanitarian work in emergency and/or development context (experience in Horn and East Africa Region an added advantage).
- At least 7 years of Safeguarding experience with sound knowledge and understanding of organizational Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies.
- Certified trainer in Safeguarding investigations.
- Proven experience in managing Safeguarding investigations.
- Training in interview skills and techniques or mediation techniques.
- Understanding and experience of the first phase of humanitarian response and the unique pressures faced in this period.
- Experience developing safeguarding resource materials, including training curriculum, guidance tools and best practices.
Benefits
Action Against Hunger – USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger – USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.
How to apply
Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. Applications should be received by Friday 7th April 2023.
Regional Safeguarding Specialist – Action Against Hunger (workable.com)
