Safeguarding Consultant

The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT) supports young leaders who are transforming their communities and we believe that investing in youth-led social ventures is key to tackling social issues and unlocking a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. We do this by providing flexible funding, practical tools & support and access to a network of other young leaders across the Commonwealth. One of the tools is technical assistance to grantees in relation to safeguarding children, vulnerable adults, staff and volunteers supported by QCT funding.

Safeguarding those we support and work with sits at the heart of our work and is fundamental to our mission and values. We are committed to operating with the highest integrity when it comes to keeping safe those who come into contact with QCT and QCT-supported projects.

We are looking to appoint a Consultant to provide safeguarding support to our grant recipients through a draw-down arrangement for which specific Statements of Work will be developed. We would expect the Safeguarding Consultant to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current regulatory requirements in the UK, and international SEAH standards that apply to partners working in Commonwealth countries. We expect the Safeguarding Consultant to have experience, specifically with regards to the international development sector, of:

1. Supporting NGOs and grassroots organisations to develop safeguarding policies, Codes of Conduct, systems and processes
2. Building capacity and understanding of safeguarding of staff and volunteers.
3. Supporting Grantees to develop robust reporting and complaints mechanisms

This procurement process is for a draw-down contract in relation to the deliverables in the attached SoW: working with 15 grant recipients for approximately 30 days (estimated 1.5-2 days per grant recipient). There is an option of further services in relation to support to QCT itself with safeguarding training and other advice, for which a separate SoW would be provided.

The successful candidate will have: • At least 5 years’ experience designing and implementing comprehensive safeguarding systems for Commonwealth and national grassroot organisations (minimum 5 years) • Demonstrated ability in evidence-based community engagement and partnership activities • Understanding of international standards and practice on safeguarding and practical application in various local contexts. • Experience designing and implementing referral pathways and confidential incident reporting systems • Demonstrable experience in providing capacity building support to local organisations. • Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to frontline programme staff. • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to engage appropriately with staff across various job functions. • Excellent cross-cultural skills and ability to contextualize key concepts in various cultural contexts. • Excellent written and verbal communications in English • Ability to develop appropriate resources and facilitate effective online, remote training