Regional Safeguarding Advisor Africa

Your Challenge

Within War Child we have an integrity framework that protects and supports the organization, its employees and project participants, that is in line with the best practices in the field and includes moral learning process and decent practice of preventative and repressive compliance.

In your role as Regional Safeguarding Advisor in the War Child Alliance (WCA) you support the development, roll-out, and active implementation of the Safeguarding & Integrity policies, development of tools, strengthening capacity, knowledge exchange and learning, and the process of constantly improving measures to safeguard children, youths and adults across all WCA programmes. You provide guidance, empower and support the country and regional-based safeguarding staff and focal points, and work with the Global Safeguarding and Integrity team to develop innovative approaches to embed a safer culture throughout the organisation. The Safeguarding Advisor will engage with external networks to ensure that WCA operates in line with best practice and is at the forefront of safeguarding in the sector.

The Regional Safeguarding Aadvisor will work with colleagues across the Africa region to ensure that WCA country operations and programmes are safe for children, youth, adults and communities, identifying risks and mitigation strategies, and leading/supporting investigations into safeguarding allegations when required. The post holder must have a strong knowledge of PSEAH and safeguarding, including safeguarding children.

The position can be based on any of the locations in the Africa region where War Child has an office, the interested candidate must have the right to work in this country. Locations include: DR Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda.

The Regional Safeguarding Advisor role is part of the Safeguarding & Integrity (S&I) Team in the People & Culture Department. You will work closely with the country-based safeguarding staff and focal points and will collaborate with key stakeholders across the organisation.

Your Responsibilities

• Providing advice, support and training/awareness sessions to country leadership, staff, focal points and partners.
• Supporting country Safeguarding staff and focal points to develop and deliver training, support and progress safeguarding action plans, and map survivor support.
• Engaging with partners and other NGOs, strengthening partners capacities on safeguarding, monitoring, policy development and implementation, training and awareness raising in the area of safeguarding.
• Designing and delivering effective strategies, projects, and tools to ensure that all children, youth and adults who WCA representatives interact with or work for the WCA are protected from harm and abuse Is the voice of children – advocating for child friendly and age appropriate accountability and feedback mechanisms where children’s voices on safe activities and programmes are heard and acted upon, considering the risks of child abuse (emotional, sexual, neglect, physical and exploitation) and risks associated with unsafe programming
• Working with key stakeholders to increase awareness, prevention, reporting and responding on safeguarding issues Research and develop innovative approaches to countering any harm and abuse. Support the Global Safeguarding and Integrity Advisors to promote best practice across WCA.
• Leading and/or conducting impartial/evidence based/professional investigations and/or empower country Safeguarding staff to lead impartial/evidence based/professional investigations into allegations of safeguarding breaches of the Global Safeguarding Policy, PSEAH Policy or Code of Conduct (to the extent it relates to PSEAH or children) in accordance with agreed WCA procedures.
• Communicating confidentially, safely, empathetically, sensitively and effectively with survivors, complainants/reporters, witnesses, subject of concerns and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Working within regional structure to support the mainstreaming of safeguarding and safer programming at all levels.
• Supporting safeguarding staff and focal points to develop networks in country to allow for an agile response in investigations and identify sources of GBV, PSEAH, and Protection support.
• Conducting country risk assessments on safeguarding and ensure tailored country specific safeguarding activities
• Being responsible for creating a culture committed to the safeguarding of all who come into contact with War Child and compliant to WCA PSEAH and Safeguarding Policies.
• Working with other members of the Safeguarding and Integrity Team to actively implement the Integrity framework.

Your Profile

• Minimum of 5 years of practical experience working with children, youth and adults in international development and humanitarian settings
• You are from the Africa region and have the right to work in one of the locations where we have an office in the Africa region (please see locations above)
• Professional field relevant to role (e.g. Education, Law, Social Work, Child Protection, Child Rights, Psychology) is a pre
• Language proficiency in English and French
• Demonstrable a minimum of 3 years of experience in developing and implementing safeguarding policy and procedures for the delivery of high-quality standards
• Experienced in independently conducting investigations into child, youth and adult safeguarding and SEAH issues
• Knowledgeable about PSEAH and safeguarding, including child safeguarding
• Experienced working within an the humanitarian sector and/or with INGOs.
• Skilled in designing and facilitating safeguarding learning in different cultural and organisational contexts.
• Able to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders and influence using a variety of different styles, considering cultural differences.
• Able to work with a high degree of confidentiality, and to manage conflict and handle sensitive issues with an empathetic and results-driven approach.
• Demonstrable experience in and sensitivity towards gender, inclusion and conflict-sensitive programming.
• Excellent skills in report-writing and documentation.
• Strong analytical skills and knowledge of how to improve policy and practice.
• Strong co-ordination and proactive leadership skills, and the ability to mentor and support staff.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate and form effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating patience, tact, diplomacy and sensitivity to culturally diverse environments.
• Able and willing to travel globally, including to hardship environments and at short notice.
• This role is to be performed by someone who is orginal from the ME Region and who currently resides (or is willing to reside) and will work from one of our WCA country offices.

Our Offer

• Conditions and benefits will depend on the hiring WCA office and will be discussed further throughout the interviewing stage
• Possibility to follow training and/or courses and attend War Child’s events.
• Pleasant working conditions, good atmosphere, great colleagues and of course the meaningful purpose of our work!

The Organisation

War Child is a dynamic organization. We try to keep an informal ambiance within our offices, with a lot of room for creativity, inspiration and self-initiative from employees. We practice what we preach: dynamic, innovative, integrity focused, and a drive to reach the highest possible results against the lowest possible costs. War Child Alliance offers a challenging job in an inspiring workplace.