Safeguarding Coordinator – Kampala

Location: Kampala, Uganda. For Ugandan Nationals.

About the Role

GOAL is currently seeking to hire a Safeguarding Coordinator to oversee the implementation of GOAL’s safeguarding policies and guidelines, including the Child + Adult Safeguarding Policy, Child Protection (CP) Policy, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy, the Code of Conduct (CoC) and the Whistleblowing Policy at country level, with the aim of creating a working environment free from SEA of children or adults perpetrated by GOAL or its members. The Safeguarding Coordinator champions components of protection mainstreaming in all projects.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Masters in Sociology, Gender and Women’s Studies, Development Studies, International Development, Human rights or any relevant discipline
• Certification in Safeguarding Case Management or Investigation Skills training on Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH)
• 7 years experience in the development or humanitarian sector in the areas of safeguarding and protection
• Experience conducting context analysis, child protection and gender programming, preferably in an NGO context
• Demonstrable interest in working to prevent SEA.
• Demonstrable understanding of power relations.
• Skilled in identifying and mitigating risks.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills
• Strong people and budget management skills
• Strong moral integrity.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Commitment to upholding GOAL’s values; demonstrating integrity, diplomacy, professionalism, reliability and resilience
• Ability to quickly build personal rapport, trust, ease of communication and active listening.
• Empathy for the challenges survivors face in reporting and for the pressures an investigation places on stakeholders in general, including the alleged perpetrator and management.
• Commitment to, and knowledge of the Common Humanitarian Standards
• Excellent self-awareness and understanding of the need for self-care, personal strength and resources to face possible hostilities related to its tasks.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality, experience of confidential case management systems
• Able and willing to travel in the field, including at short notice
• Proficiency in local language of the population GOAL Uganda serves

The key responsibilities of the role will be:

1. Prevention

• Develop a yearly country Safeguarding Action Plan together with appropriate Heads of Departments, with support from the Global Safeguarding Advisor. Action Plans to be signed off by the Country Director.
• Chair the country programme Safeguarding Task Force working with programme and department leads to ensure that programmes and systems are integrating safeguarding into all activities through the safeguarding country action plan
• Manage the Safeguarding budget ensuring that relevant activities, IEC materials etc are resourced and monitor financial transaction as per the Authorisation Matrix and delegation protocols
• Report safeguarding progress and concerns to SMT on a bi-monthly or quarterly basis.
• Ensure local compliance with GOAL’s Safeguarding Policies and the Safeguarding 7 Minimum Standards.
• Identify and select a cadre of safeguarding field level focal points.
• Support Human Resources to include best practices in safeguarding during recruitment, staff management and HR strategy.
• Support Human Resources in the follow up and review of staff who have more contact with children and / or vulnerable adults, and staff who are in position of power.
• Adapt tools, resources, training and information education and communication (IEC) materials to suit the country context for countering SEA
• Provide a 1 hour safeguarding induction to all new staff within 30 days of their employment.
• Deliver a one-day training of staff on safeguarding policies and procedures within the first 3 months of their employment.
• Improve the effectiveness of SEA prevention, detection, mitigation and response in the organisation, working through the countries’ Managers, Human Resources teams and Complaint Response Mechanism (CRM) Managers.
• Work with programme managers to ensure that programmes are integrating safeguarding into all activities.
• Ensure safeguarding is embedded in new proposals and sufficient time and budget is allocated to strengthen safeguarding within programme implementation.
• Review and strengthen Safeguarding systems including local reporting procedures; conduct mapping and risk assessments within the country office, field office and in partner offices.
• In coordination with the program team ensure a project level risk assessment is conducted for all new projects.
• Participate in country office quarterly risk registers ensuring Safeguarding risks are identified at an early stage and mitigation measures put in place.
• Develop a country functional system to receive reports from the field on a monthly basis, on activities conducted, issues identified/prevented and/or addressed.
• Coordinate on a monthly or bi-monthly basis a meeting with the SG Field Focal Points to assess the level of compliance to safeguarding policies and build their capacity in various aspects of Safeguarding.
• Ensure that the Training Management System is updated with staff who have received the induction and training on a monthly basis.
• Review and strengthen Safeguarding systems including local reporting procedures with support of the Global Safeguarding Advisor and CD.

1. Oversight of Safeguarding standards at country level:

• Provide quarterly updates of the country safeguarding indicators to the CD and Global Safeguarding Advisor
• Lead the country safeguarding action plan on safeguarding.
• Respond to the internal auditor/ compliance officer on issues raised.
• Ensure all projects have an updated risk assessment.

1. Oversight of Partners and suppliers:

• Lead the safeguarding due diligence assessment of each Partner in line with the On-Granting partnership protocols.
• Support implementing Partners in their safeguarding policies.
• Provide an induction to all Partners and service providers on safeguarding
• Work with Logs + Procurement team to ensure Suppliers contracts are aligned to global protocols and the Supplier Code of Conduct.

1. Safe environment to raise and discuss concerns

• Responsible for ensuring the programme Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) is active across all country and field offices with an emphasis on ensuring knowledge about GOAL Safeguarding policies and CFRM is accessible to young and vulnerable people.
• Foster a working environment that is non-threatening, safe and actively addressing safeguarding in its processes.
• Create safe spaces where people can ask questions, be listened to and get answers about normal/ abnormal behaviors.
• Establish Safeguarding and CFRM focal persons across all field offices with a clear TOR and provide training and regular oversight and support
• Provide basic training on active listening and psychological first aid to staff.
• Work with the Global Safeguarding Advisor to research and develop context appropriate innovative approaches to countering SEA and to address barriers to reporting.
• Communicate to staff about experiences and lesson learned on safeguarding.
• Work with accountability focal points to ensure that the CFM is accessible to children and vulnerable adults.
• Raise awareness to ensure vulnerable populations, including women and children have knowledge about our Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct and have access to GOAL’s reporting mechanisms
• Ensure that appropriate records are maintained of SEA cases, suitable for admission in legal proceedings, ensuring data protection and confidentiality.

1. Response to concerns

• Support Safeguarding investigations, when required, in collaboration with the Investigation Unit at HQ and the Global Safeguarding Advisor.
• Ensure the service mapping and referral pathway is updated on a yearly basis, liasing with local statutory, local and international NGO and service agencies.
• Ensure staff are trained in using GOAL’s Guide to Support a Survivor of SEA.
• Provide appropriate support and advice for those who are victims or survivors of abuse.
• Make appropriate referral to organisations that are mandated to provide emergency and ongoing support to abuse cases, in consultation with the Global Safeguarding Advisor, where appropriate, without disclosing confidential information (such as the name of the alleged perpetrator).
• Support individuals where appropriate when a referral to local authority is necessary.
• Organise support for all who may be affected by an enquiry (members of staff, partners, etc.)
• Work in partnership with authorities or external agencies seeking information to which they are entitled.
• Foster linkages with national and local structures (relevant Ministry) for strengthened case management and referrals.
• Be an active member of the PSEA, Protection or GBV cluster in Uganda.

General terms and conditions

Code of Conduct and Accountabilitywithin GOAL

GOAL is an equal opportunities employer and has values and behaviours framework which defines our code of conduct. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability.

• Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, Code of Conduct, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
• Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
• Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.

Safeguarding

Children and vulnerable adults a must be safeguarded to the maximum extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury, and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

GOAL

Established in 1977, GOAL is an international humanitarian agency, with a global team of 2,400 personnel, dedicated to alleviating the needs of the most vulnerable communities. Currently operating in 13 of the world’s most vulnerable countries, GOAL delivers a wide range of humanitarian and development programmes, ranging from humanitarian relief in disaster situations, to focusing on nutrition, food security, and building greater resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

General description of the country programme:

First operational in Uganda in 1979, the current GOAL Uganda country programme focuses on Health (including WASH, Health Accountability and Nutrition programming); and a market-based systems approach to improving agricultural livelihoods and WASH. GOAL Uganda mainstreams gender, child protection, social behaviour change and resilience strategies across all programming. GOAL works on a district focused approach and uses a mixture of direct implementation and partnerships with national and international civil society organizations, local government, the private sector and communities to give effect to our mission.

GOAL Uganda has a skilled team of approximately 127 personnel and manages an annual operating budget of approximately €8.7 million (2018). GOAL is currently operational in the North, South, East and West of Uganda with six established offices in Kampala, Lira, Mbale, Fortportal, Moroto, , Kaabong and Agago Districts. GOAL Uganda country programme is funded by a number of donors who include Mastercard, charity: water, Irish Aid and some small foundations.

Our package includes a competitive salary, health insurance cover for up to 3 dependents, comprehensive 24-hour personal accident cover, terminal benefits equivalent to one month for each completed year of service and our working hours provide for a half day on Fridays. GOAL promotes a learning and development environment with training & study opportunities aligned to our staff development policy.

Interested applicants who meet the requirements should submit their applications by email with at least 3 reference contacts (current or former Line Manager) from the last three employers and daytime contact number to; [email protected]indicating the title “Safeguarding Coordinator” in the subject line by 30th May 2024. PLEASE DO NOT ATTACH CERTIFICATES.