Safeguarding Advisor

Main role and responsibilities

Sitting within the Programme Quality Team, the Safeguarding Advisor will play a significant role in strengthening accountability mechanisms within our portfolio of International Programmes. The Safeguarding Advisor will work closely with our Programme Delivery Team to enhance programme quality and embed a Safeguarding culture across the department and wider organisation.

The Safeguarding Advisor will support the implementation of ShelterBox’s Safeguarding policies, strengthening capacity, developing protocols, procedures and enhancing our approach to Safeguarding. They will liaise with the Senior Leadership Team, Programme Managers, Emergency Coordinators, and partner organisations to provide technical support and ensure that programmes/projects adhere to agreed policies and processes with respect to Safeguarding,

In coordination with other stakeholders, they will develop a Safeguarding risk framework for managing risk and mitigating strategies for projects/programmes. This role will hold strong relationships with programme teams, challenging teams to shift culture and working closely with partners and Safeguarding focal points to improve capacity in all areas relating to Safeguarding.

This role will ensure Safeguarding is embedded in our ways of working and throughout the project cycle, ensuring we have a survivor focused approach to Safeguarding. The successful candidate will provide ongoing advice, support and information to Senior Managers and key staff on best practice, and current developments in Safeguarding policy. Communities of Practice, discussions and learning events will be developed to support organisational learning and continual improvement.

This role will work within the Programme Quality Team, with a dotted line to the Director of People. You will partner with the leadership team at ShelterBox to develop the organisational and strategic approach to safeguarding.

Who are we looking for?

The successful candidate must be passionate about Safeguarding and in promoting an organisational culture where Safeguarding is prioritised; where allegations are taken seriously, and the people we support, our staff and our partners feel safe and feel able to report any or potential Safeguarding issues.

You will have previous experience of working as a Safeguarding Advisor within humanitarian support and/or international development. As well as knowledge and experience of working in this space, you will also be a good project manager and a strong communicator. You will be effective at building networks and have advanced facilitation, training, and consultation skills.

You must have experience of designing, developing, and embedding key strategies at organisational level and have a record of driving measurable results. You will be comfortable driving change. You must be able to engage key stakeholders, as well as to observe and incorporate feedback.

Duties will include but not be limited to:

• Ensure ShelterBox’s policy and practices are fully aligned with humanitarian Safeguarding standards and frameworks.
• Work with colleagues across the global organisation to strengthen the implementation of Safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Lead the process of monitoring performance of Safeguarding policy implementation and commitments.
• Provide technical support to Programme Managers, Emergency Coordinators and MEAL Coordinators during project/programme design, implementation and evaluation.
• Develop Safeguarding protocols, procedures, and risk mitigation strategies in line with our policies ensuring they are legally compliant, in all the locations in which we will be applying them.
• Support Programme Managers and Regional Directors to review partner policies and Safeguarding capacity as part of partner capacity assessments and due diligence processes. Work with the Partnership Manager and other key stakeholders to develop clear protocols for embedding Safeguarding in all aspects of partnerships. Where required, support Programme Managers and Emergency Coordinators to strengthen the capacity of partner organisations with regards to Safeguarding.
• Maintain a system to document risks and concerns raised during all stages of the Project Management Cycle, ensuring that appropriate follow-up is conducted and that learning from implementing these processes is fed back into the organisation’s practice, policies, and risk management.
• Support Safeguarding investigations, ensuring that Safeguarding reports are managed appropriately and according to due process.
• Prepare reports on incidents and Safeguarding policy implementation monitoring for leadership and key stakeholder groups, to enable management decisions, governance oversight, and enable internal and external transparency and accountability, as well as learning for improvement.
• Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Team to support continual improvement in techniques to obtain Safeguarding complaints and feedback through effective mechanisms at community level.
• Work collaboratively to ensure compliance with best practice and lead on the development of a Safeguarding culture and practices. This includes training, capacity strengthening and knowledge sharing with staff from across the global organisation and programme partners.
• Work with EDI Working Group to ensure respective work areas are cohesive and complementary, avoiding duplication of work and process.
• Work away from home. There will be some travel with this role – this may be UK or overseas training, or a visit to one of our programme locations to work with partners.
• Keep within the charity’s aims and objectives, strategic plans and values.
• Any other duties as required which are deemed appropriate to the level and grade of the post