Safeguarding And Accountability Manager

CRS JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Program Manager I

Department: Safeguarding and Accountability Manager

Band: Grade 9

Reports To: Country Representative

Country/Location: Egypt/Cairo

About CRS Egypt

The CRS Egypt country program began in 1956 at the invitation of the Egyptian president Nasser by providing relief assistance to the victims of the Suez War. Over the following few decades, CRS Egypt moved from large-scale food relief to long-term poverty alleviation and development programs. CRS Egypt works in a wide variety of areas within the development field.

Currently, CRS Egypt has three main programs: education assistance program and livelihoods program for refugee support, and local partnership. Projects under these programs range from the provision of technical assistance and capacity building to partners, promoting peace and tolerance, educational grants for refugees and assistance to refugee community schools, and technical support and start-up funds for refugee and vulnerable Egyptian entrepreneurs. Additional programming includes Emergency Preparedness and Response projects that arise as needed. The Operations department, supported by a regional Management Quality unit, ensures the country program develops and maintains the highest level of operational standards.

CRS Egypt currently holds a main office in Maadi, Cairo, with activities in Greater Cairo, Upper Egypt and the North Coast.

Safeguarding is the responsibility that all organizations have to ensure that their staff and programs honor and protect the rights and dignity of all people, especially children and vulnerable adults, to live free from abuse and harm. CRS is committed to creating and maintaining an environment, both in our workplace and in our projects, that promotes our core values and prevents the abuse and exploitation of all with whom we interact.

Job Summary:

The Safeguarding and Accountability Team supports programs and operations by systematically ensuring the safety, dignity, and meaningful access of CRS project beneficiaries and CRS staff is protected and that CRS activities do not unintentionally increase beneficiaries’ exposure to protection risks. As part of this, the Safeguarding and Accountability team implements preventive measures to ensure CRS beneficiaries as well as staff are protected from harassment, exploitation, and abuse. In addition, the team manages and strengthens CRS Egypt’s feedback response mechanisms (FRMs) to ensure those mechanisms meet CRS standards and that various FRMs are synchronized. As the CRS Egypt Country Program has over 10 partners and directly serves over 60,000 beneficiaries a year, ensuring consistent application of safeguarding and accountability measures requires substantial management and coordination.

Under the supervision and guidance of the Country Representative (CR), you will manage and supervise the country program’s cross-cutting safeguarding and accountability initiatives. The Safeguarding and Accountability team’s activities range from leading safety and safeguarding risk assessments of project activities, conducting risk analyses of new projects, training beneficiaries, partners, and other stakeholders on expected staff behaviors and reporting mechanisms, running the Country Program’s beneficiary feedback/accountability system, managing the internal and external referral system, and ensuring CRS and partner staff receive the necessary capacity building and follow-up support to incorporate safeguarding and accountability principles into their work. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that these safeguarding and accountability initiatives are implemented effectively, and that the CP continuously works towards improving the safety and quality of its activities for those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and implement all safeguarding and accountability activities throughout country program to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Monitor and manage CRS staff and partner organization progress in safeguarding and accountability matters. Ensure project teams and partner staff use appropriate systems and tools. Monitor teams’ implementation, analysis and evaluation of safeguarding and accountability systems and activities. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Coordinate the identification of safeguarding and accountability technical assistance and capacity strengthening needs of CRS staff and partner staff to support safe operations and project implementation. Provide or coordinate safeguarding and accountability technical assistance and accompaniment to CRS staff and partners as needed.
• Adapt and roll-out context specific safeguarding and/or accountability related trainings for CRS staff, partners, and beneficiaries.
• Develop strategies, tools, and communication materials for sharing context-specific information on staff conduct, FRM channels, and other relevant information with communities and beneficiaries.
• Liaise with MEAL colleagues to oversee FRM trends and report to relevant management and program staff.
• Act as a key safeguarding and accountability resource person in project design and proposal development across all project teams, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Collaborate with Human Resources, Procurement, operations and project teams to ensure the Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and Ethics, and reporting mechanisms are communicated to and understood by staff, volunteers, vendors, beneficiaries and relevant community members.
• Support the Country Representative in the handling of safeguarding incident reporting and case management as per CRS policies and procedures.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and timely feedback on staff performance. Strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree is required in International Development, International Relations, Social Work, Public Health, Psychology or related field. Master’s Degree is a plus.
• Minimum of five years of work experience, with two years of relevant field-based experience in Safeguarding and Accountability areas and in coordinating or managing projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Staff supervision experience is required. Experience working with stakeholders at various levels and strengthening community partnerships

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certifications and/or experience in safeguarding, social work, child psychology, human rights, protection, psychology, sociology, or counseling services highly desirable
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals
• Experience facilitating trainings and/or other capacity building efforts
• Experience engaging with partner organizations
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups
• Exhibits high ethical standards, with integrity and the highest respect for confidentiality
• Strong emotional intelligence with the ability to manage highly sensitive situations and topics tactfully
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports in English and Arabic
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Required Languages – English and Arabic

Travel– 15% to Upper Egypt and international trainings, as applicable

Safeguarding Policy: CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants from exploitation and abuse. The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to the CRS Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

Vaccination Requirement: CRS is committed to the health and safety of all program participants and staff. Staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19 as of December 1, 2021 or registered in the national registry and awaiting their first appointment. Confirmation of vaccination status will be required to undertake work with CRS as of December 1, 2021.

Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory Responsibilities: Direct- Safeguarding Senior Project Officer (1), Safeguarding and Accountability Field Officers (4); Indirect – Volunteers (4)
• Internal: Country Representative, Head of Operations, Head of Programs, HR Manager, Operations Manager, Program Managers, other project (field staff) and support staff (finance, procurement, etc.), and HQ and Regional Advisors.
• External: Partner organizations and staff, donor representatives, beneficiaries.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

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
• Builds Relationships
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

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