Safeguarding Manager

Reports To: Global Head of People and Culture

Location: Any Hivos hub (Harare, Nairobi, San Jose, Beirut, Amman, The Hague)

Salary range: Full-time salary of €50K per annum plus benefits, depending on location and experience

Deadline: June 30th 2024 midnight UTC

About Hivos Safeguarding

Hivos believes that human life in its many forms is valuable, and that people are filled with potential. Living a life in freedom and dignity, with respect for each other and the planet, leads to greater individual well-being and fair, vibrant societies.

Hivos does not implement directly, but works through partners across several continents. Although these partners do not routinely work with children, they do represent and support rights-holders from some of the most oppressed and vulnerable groups in the world. Safeguarding them from abuse of power is of paramount importance. Hivos is also committed to providing a safe and brave workplace internally.

We have a Safeguarding Policy that provides clear definitions of what Safeguarding means for Hivos, sets standards across the organization, and gives clear guidance on how to apply the policy throughout the organization and in relation to partner organizations.

Position Overview

As the Safeguarding Manager, you will play a critical role in upholding and enhancing Hivos’ safeguarding policies and procedures, and ensuring cases are resolved in a fair, consistent, confidential and timely manner. The Safeguarding Manager will provide capacity building support to regional hubs and global program teams and strengthen systems to prevent future incidents. Among the key deliverables for your first year in post are developing new training materials, establishing an organization-wide network of safeguarding focal persons and/or investigators, and putting in place a secure and confidential online system for case management and tracking.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Proactively promote safeguarding to ensure that it is at the forefront of the organization’s activities.
• Act as the first point of contact for staff, partners or rights-holders with safeguarding complaints, and lead on the day to day management of such cases.
• Liaise with external organizations, including counsellors, social care, in consultation with Global Head of People and Culture where appropriate acting as the organization’s point of contact with these agencies.
• Make recommendations on the annual update all safeguarding policies and documents ensuring that these reflect the most up to date regulations framework & advice and best practice. Provide expert advice and guidance to staff regarding safeguarding policies and procedures. Reviewing and updating referral pathways on an annual basis
• Developing and deliver an up to date training schedule for Safeguarding Focal Persons and awareness raising for all staff and ensure that staff are equipped to meet identified needs. Maintain up to date training records for all staff and ensure everyone is trained to the same standards. Deliver safeguarding training and ensure learning is fully embedded.
• Oversee and coordinate the administration, filing and case management of safeguarding cases, ensuring that safeguarding records are regularly reviewed, maintained, updated and appropriate follow-up action is taken, supported by robust administrative processes and liaising with critical stakeholders, including effective auditing, accountability and reporting handling procedures.
• Play a key role by providing oversight, quality control, coaching to Safeguarding Focal Points in field offices and ensuring effective response and communication with the Management Team
• Provide capacity building support to regional hubs and global program teams to strengthened the survivor support mechanisms, implement lessons learned from cases, and strengthen field office systems to prevent future incidents, address gaps. Leading the review of safeguarding incidents and concerns with program teams and consolidating lessons learned to improve program quality.
• Ensure the safeguarding policies are inclusive and duly consider equality and diversity, including compliance with minimum standards in safeguarding and safe programming, and promoting best practices
• Work in partnership with all staff to create a consistent safeguarding approach across the whole organization.
• Respond to the growing need for safeguarding advice on specific projects by acting as safeguarding lead, sharing guidance, developing frameworks, tools, and training.
• Capacitating staff in investigation processes and increasing a pool of qualified investigators including developing TORs for external investigators for all internal safeguarding cases.
• Articulate and promote the strategic importance of safeguarding in all aspects of the organization’s work. Demonstrate leadership in ensuring that staff, programs and operations are safe for all program participants and staff.
• Develop tools that enable partner organizations to better embed safeguarding practices throughout their work and ensure that safeguarding capacity of partners is enhanced.
• Effectively conduct robust initial investigations of all safeguarding concerns or recommend the appointment of safeguarding investigators.
• Ensure each Global Program Team and Regional Hub has a robust safeguarding framework in place for identifying and mitigating safeguarding risks; enabling reporting; managing incidents; and building capacity of staff and partners
• Provide ongoing support, coaching and mentoring to Country Teams Global Program Team and Regional Hubs
• Coordinating to ensure that non-safeguarding issues are dealt with under Grievance procedures.

Qualifications and Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., social work, human rights, international development).
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in safeguarding, with a strong understanding of international safeguarding standards.
• Experience working with diverse and cross-cultural teams and communities.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and report writing skills.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive cases with discretion and empathy.
• Knowledge of relevant laws, codes of conduct, and best practices in safeguarding.
• Willingness to travel internationally as required.
• Extensive Knowledge of safeguarding related legislation and standards
• Strong Analytical skills

What we offer

We offer a stimulating work environment in a professional international organization with very dedicated staff. We offer a national contract based on Hivos local labor conditions, with remuneration commensurate with the experience and expertise. Contract renewable depending on performance.