Partner Safeguarding Advisor II

JOB DESCRIPTION

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary:

Congruent with CRS’ commitment to subsidiarity, the majority of CRS’ interventions are implemented by local partner organizations. This generates an ethical obligation to ensure that entities representing or acting on behalf of CRS uphold industry safeguarding minimum standards designed to prevent and mitigate harm perpetrated by humanitarian and development actors. In 2022 CRS rolled out an agency wide global Partner Safeguarding Policy and Procedure, which aims to ensure that all partners with whom CRS works with will meet minimum standards in safeguarding within specified timeframes.

The Partner Safeguarding Advisor II will be responsible for strengthening the quality of safeguarding guidance, support, and oversight CRS provides to its implementing partners. The position will play a key role in documenting, adapting and developing CRS’ current approach to preventing, addressing, and responding to safeguarding matters with implementing partners and providing technical support to regions.

Alongside the Sr. Partner Safeguarding Advisor, the Partner Safeguarding Advisor will guide and support the roll-out of CRS’ updated approach to partner safeguarding. Many duties and tasks will necessitate joint working and collaboration between the Sr. Partner Safeguarding Advisor and the Partner Safeguarding Advisor II.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and further adaptation of trainings, tools, templates and communication materials intended to ensure CRS supports our implementing partners to comply with safeguarding minimum standards, in coordination and collaboration with others from the safeguarding team, other relevant HQ and regional departments.
• Deliver interactive online and in-person trainings to regional partner safeguarding advisors and other relevant regional, CP and HQ staff on CRS’ partner safeguarding approach, system, and tools.
• Lead on coordination between partner safeguarding and other partnership capacity strengthening teams to ensure alignment of framework with other CRS modalities and KPIs.
• Alongside the Senior Partner Safeguarding Advisor, provide technical assistance (and oversight) to regional partner safeguarding advisors on CRS’ partner safeguarding approach, system, and tools.
• Establish and lead a global community of practice on partner safeguarding for Regional Partner Safeguarding Advisors and other relevant HQ and regional staff to support information sharing and learning across regions and departments. This includes the systematic documentation and analysis of lessons learnt across all regions.
• Proactively identify any gaps in understanding or application of CRS’ approach to partner safeguarding through dialogue, training, provision of tools, etc;
• Coordinate with relevant HQ departments and peer/donor agencies regarding safeguarding support to partners, working to ensure complementarity of effort
• Where required, provide remote and on-sight support to country programs in the implementation of the Partner Safeguarding Procedure

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of five years of experience in the humanitarian or development sector
• Minimum of three years of experience in partnership capacity building or institutional strengthening, including the design and delivery of systems and trainings
• Experience in the field of protection or safeguarding
• Experience facilitating collaboration between partners and different departments and country programs
• Experience in remote working across countries or regions.

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in social work, Development, Project Management, Organizational Development, Psychology or Public Administration

Required Languages

• English essential, French, Arabic or Spanish is an advantage

Travel – up to 30% in any one calendar year

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (SKAs) Limit to 2-5 SKAs.

• Promotes the integration of a survivor centred approach in all areas of their work
• Contributes to safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation strategies in relation to areas of their work
• Promotes widespread awareness and where applicable, use of safeguarding reporting channels throughout their work
• Knowledge of industry safeguarding/sexual exploitation and abuse principles and standards
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, representation, and networking skills

Agency-wide Competencies

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

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Potentially interns or short term TDY support staff
• Alongside the Senior Partner Safeguarding Advisor, technical supervision of Regional Partner Safeguarding Advisors

Work Conditions/Environment Conditions

• Tele-commuting position

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.