Job Description

 

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT 

Position:       National Safeguarding Coordinator (Re advertise)

Grade:       6B

Location:       Freetown

Reports to:       Deputy Director of Programs

Application Deadline:           29^th March 2022

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation, and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in 42 countries. The IRC has worked in Sierra Leone since 1999.  The IRC currently programs across three core sectors: 1) Health 2) Women and Girls’ Protection and Empowerment (WGPE), and 3) Education. The IRC is committed to supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in the strengthening of the country. We seek to build upon our programming experience and introduce new programs that are adaptive, collaborative and evidence-driven, leading to a more educated, safe, healthy, and empowered Sierra Leone.

JOB OVERVIEW

The IRC has a strong commitment to creating a culture of zero-tolerance of safeguarding violations in our workplace and in our programs – as well as a safe environment for reporting. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor. With support from the Safeguarding Specialist, the National Safeguarding Coordinator is responsible for supporting the Sierra Leone program to protect clients and staff from any harm, exploitation, and abuse.

The National Safeguarding Coordinator will be working under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director, Programs, with technical support from the Safeguarding Specialist and the Safeguarding Advisor, East Africa, West Africa, and Great Lakes Regions and in close collaboration with the Senior Management team, Technical Coordinators, the HR team and partners.  S/he will be mainly responsible for coordinating the effective implementation of IRC’s safeguarding measures and activities across the IRC in Sierra Leone and for supporting partner organizations.

AREAS OF RESPONBILITIES:

Donor Compliance

•Monitor the implementation of IRC and partner safeguarding plans, including field visits.

•Provide support and guidance to IRC and partners on the safe management of safeguarding incidents

•Review new proposals and ensure safeguarding is incorporated. 

Safe Programming

· Support staff to take proactive steps to ensure that all programming activities identify potential risks and work to eliminate and mitigate those risks

•Coordinate regular sensitization sessions on safeguarding and Complaints Response Mechanism for clients and communities 

•Support the drafting of program safeguarding guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and other required materials

•Support the review of any new proposal or project revision document to ensure safeguarding considerations are included.

•Will be a budget holder for safeguarding activities and will be responsible for managing the spending of that budget across programs

Accountability

•Support programs to incorporate key accountability mechanisms and communication guidelines

•Lead on the review of the Complaints Response Mechanism including gathering feedback and suggestions from clients and staff

•Support the IRC complaints response mechanisms and ensure partner reporting mechanisms and case handling frameworks are in line with IRC standards

•Review and update and improve partner’s safeguarding case handling frameworks and SOPs localized for Sierra Leone

•Ensure the systematic updating and sharing of a centralized support service mapping

· Foster a working environment that is non-threatening, safe and is actively addressing safeguarding in its processes. Create safe spaces where people can ask questions, be listened to, and get answers about safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and raising concerns.

•Support country program with investigations to safeguarding incidents following best practice and survivor-centered approach

HR/Systems

• Support Human Resources to include best practices in safeguarding during recruitment, staff management and HR strategy

•Support logistics department, to enhance their safeguarding mechanisms throughout the procurement and service provision implementation

Co-ordination

•Facilitate national Safeguarding Community of Practice meetings, to foster information sharing, cross organizational learning on best practice and enhance safeguarding standard adherence across the NGO sector in Sierra Leone

•Liaise regularly with the relevant IRC HQ technical units as the Program may dictate

•As requested by supervisor, represent the IRC to partners, donors, and other external stakeholders in Sierra Leone.

Training and Capacity Building

•Continuously develop the capacity of district Safeguarding Focal Points, support them in their safeguarding activities in their field locations, and organize regular safeguarding trainings for staff in accordance with IRC Global policy and procedures

•Support partners in any of their safeguarding training needs

•Ensure safeguarding is a standing agenda item in internal meetings

·Arrange safeguarding inductions and ongoing capacity building of staff, through formal training, discussion groups, refresher sessions, etc.

Job Requirements:

Qualifications: 

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant fields such as human rights, international law, social sciences, or related field.

Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 4 years’ experience in safeguarding, child protection, human rights and/or gender programming, preferably in an NGO context
• Demonstrable experience and excellent skills in capacity development and training of others
• Demonstrable understanding of safeguarding, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment, and power relations in the Sierra Leone context.
• Experience in identifying and mitigating safeguarding risks.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple tasks
• Commitment to upholding IRC’s values; demonstrating integrity, accountability, service, and equality
• Flexible, reliable and ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines and in changing contexts
• Ability to quickly build personal rapport, trust, ease of communication and active listening
• Computer literate and sound knowledge of Word and Excel
• Excellent English both written and spoken
• Demonstrable understanding of Confidentiality and Do No Harm principles, and Survivor-Centered Approach

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowance.

WOMEN ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY 

Mode of Application: 

All applications must be done using the below link and should include a cover letter, updated CV, names of three referees and their active telephone and email contacts, copies of professional certificates and testimonial.  Please ensure that all attached files are less than 2 megabytes (2MB) for any one message that is sent.

A copy of your application letter, updated CV, labour card and all other supporting documents should be sent to the NGO Desk Officer, Ministry of Labour – New England or to the nearest Ministry of Labour office nationwide.

Please contact any of our offices captioned below for further information and/or detailed requirements or call on 076-471-796.  

Click link to Apply: APPLY

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