Partner Safeguarding Advisor, East Africa Region at Catholic Relief Services

Job Summary:

The Partner Safeguarding Advisor will ensure quality implementation of CRS safeguarding policy with partners though capacity building efforts and technical guidance to CRS staff, partner organizations and affiliates, in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. Your advice, knowledge, and support will contribute to effective, adaptive and innovative work on Partner Safeguarding within CRS’ work in East Africa.

This position is open for international telecommuting or nationals from Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• In coordination with CRS East Africa regional and country focal points, and in particular partner safeguarding focal points, ensure timely and quality implementation of safeguarding capacity strengthening support for local partners to:
• Provide technical assistance including training, accompaniment and mentoring to country program staff involved in partner safeguarding capacity building;
• Oversee the technical design and implementation of appropriate efforts to strengthen partner safeguarding capacity, including delivering training of trainers, development/review of curricula, templates and activities, etc.;
• Provide technical assistance to country programs to help partners operationalize safeguarding policies (e.g. organizational policies, CoCs, complaints systems, reporting and investigation procedures, etc.) Support may include: sharing examples and templates from CRS or Caritas Internationalis, facilitating experience sharing and linkages with other partners, coordinating with HRD and/or Ethics Unit for guidance and review;
• Maintain regular communication channels with and among all field-based staff involved in partner safeguarding capacity building in EARO to share learning, challenges, successes and tools;
• Potentially support partners during times of allegations and/or investigations, at the request of the Ethics Unit.
• Support reviews/evaluations of partner capacity and policies against safeguarding policy minimum standards and provide technical support to update relevant policies and develop of capacity building plans to address gaps in capacity and systems;
• Coordinate with relevant CRS teams, including the Ethics Unit, Risk/Compliance, Gateway, and HRD, regarding safeguarding support, monitoring, and reporting to ensure complementarity of effort;
• Support CRS country program team in designing and implementing relevant safeguarding mitigation measures in projects and programs, with a particular focus on programs that engage/work with highly vulnerable populations (ex. children/youth, refugees, survivors of trafficking, etc.);
• Document and share project learning, best practices, and experiences in safeguarding initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Good technical writing skills
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Required Languages - Excellent professional communications skills, with language proficiency in oral and written English.

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%.

Supervisory Responsibilities None

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Country program safeguarding focal points, CRS Ethics Unit, other East Africa regional staff
• External: Partner staff

Basic Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, International Development or another related field required. Additional experience may substitute for some education;
• Minimum of five years relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of two years relevant field-based experience in safeguarding, protection and/or partner capacity building;
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation and training applying adult learning principles and practices;
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation;
• Proven ability to work with partner agencies, including peer organizations and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles;
• Knowledge of technical principles, concepts and international standards in Safeguarding;
• Experienced trainer of adults and multi-cultural groups;
• Knowledge of capacity strengthening best practices and partnership building;
• Experienced in establishing feedback and response mechanisms an asset;

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship