Director, Global Safeguarding

Habitat’s Commitment to Safeguarding:

Habitat for Humanity International has no tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Nothing is more important than the welfare of the people in the communities where we work, our volunteers and our staff.

Summary of Position:

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is looking for a seasoned professional for the role of Director, Global Safeguarding, who will be responsible for developing and managing comprehensive global safeguarding strategies, policies, and procedures to protect and support HFHI’s staff and global operations. This position works closely with HFHI global and regional leadership to promote a culture free from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and maintains strategic networks and relationships with external agencies, and organizations, to inform and enhance safeguarding strategy and protocols for staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders. The position works with the HFHI global operations team to embed safeguarding into its programs as an enabler. In addition, the role supports related efforts to embed safety and security protocols across operations, including 70 countries and more than 1000 personnel.

This position is eligible to be remote or hybrid in countries where HFHI currently operates in.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Strategy
• Lead the development of a global safeguarding strategy and cross-functional action plan for the organization, aligning the function to Habitat’s strategic vision, strategy, programs, and multi-year plans.
• Take a lead role in creating an organizational culture of “Everyone’s Responsibility” and where safeguarding is prioritized at all levels, allegations are taken seriously, and all stakeholders feel safe to report.
• Establish appropriate objectives, targets, and actions to implement organizational safeguarding. Additionally, provide regular updates to the senior management on this progress and overall safeguarding, including results, risks to the organization, and other relevant data.
• Manage and monitor the expenditure budgets for safeguarding.
• Serve as representative at interagency working groups related to safeguarding and PSEAH
• Provide ongoing leadership to a global safeguarding network, including support to safeguarding staff at national, regional, and global levels.
• Cultivate a strong network of Regional Safeguarding Advisors to support consistent and effective safeguarding protocols, learning and training at a regional Level.
• Technical Support, Reporting, Compliance and Capacity Strengthening
• Prevention Strategies: Facilitate prevention strategies and initiatives at all levels of the organization, working with the country and Area Office staff, the Global People Team, and technical advisors to develop appropriate policies/procedures, trainings, and communications.
• Trainings: Work closely with Safeguarding Team, the Global People Team, Program Units, and global SMEs to develop a training/capacity-building plan for Habitat staff, volunteers, and partners, including a mandatory training plan for staff according to their level of safeguarding responsibilities.
• Risk Management: Contribute to Habitat’s strategic risk management processes by ensuring safeguarding is considered in the context of overall risk approach and identifying specific safeguarding risks.
• Investigations: Work with the Governance, Risk and Compliance team to continue to build internal investigations capacity to address allegations of exploitation and abuse and workplace sexual harassment
• Policies/Procedures: Support the development, implementation, and monitoring of the safeguarding framework (including standards and metrics) throughout the organization, ensuring coherence between the safeguarding framework and related policies/ procedures, including that such protocols are legally compliant and follow best practice standards.
• Reporting: Ensure regular reporting of safeguarding metrics through the enterprise risk framework.
• Technical Assistance: Provide technical assistance to strengthen safeguarding practices within project and program design (safe-programming) and to support the Global Foundations and Institutional Relations team to strengthen proposals and to ensure donor safeguarding requirements are being addressed effectively.
• Donor Requirements: Promote a strong and up-to-date understanding of donor requirements, working with colleagues to help standardize reporting to donors for Habitat and partners on safeguarding. Other duties as needed.

Minimum:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree, preferably in relevant field such as social sciences, psychology, social work, or law
• Years of Related Experience: Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in a safeguarding-related field (e.g. humanitarian protection, child protection, gender based violence, orphans & vulnerable groups, etc.)

Qualifications:
• Pursuant to current HFHI policy, this position requires full vaccination against COVID-19, except to the extent such requirement is prohibited by applicable law.
• Experience at a management level, demonstrating creative leadership, and co-ordination in a complex organization.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with others in a global and cross-cultural organization.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully empowering, motivating, managing, and mentoring staff from diverse back grounds (including remote/virtual management).
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills across a range of audiences.
• Experience working for an International NGO or UN agency.
• Fluency in English is required.
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Preferred – in addition to minimum:
• Active support of HFHI Values:
o Humility – We are part of something bigger than ourselves
o Courage – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular
o Accountability – We take personal responsibility for Habitat’s mission
• Safeguarding: HFHI requires that all employees take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguarding our intended beneficiaries, their communities, and all those with whom we work. Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.