Senior Safeguarding Officer

Job Description

Organization: Save the Children International – Afghanistan

Location: North (Balkh, Faryab, Saripul, and Jawzjan)

Save the Children International (SCI) is a global organization dedicated to helping children affected by crises, providing better healthcare, education, and child protection. With approximately 25,000 employees worldwide, SCI operates in over 100 countries, working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday

All children learn from a quality basic education

Violence against children is no longer tolerated

In Afghanistan, Save the Children has been making a difference since 1976, working closely with communities to deliver lasting change for tens of thousands of children. The organization adheres to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as the foundation of its work, focusing on education, child protection, and healthcare.

Job Description:

Description for Internal Candidates

Title: Senior Safeguarding Officer

Team/Programme: Risk & Compliance

Location: North (Balkh, Faryab, Saripul, and Jawzjan)

Contract Length: Fixed Term

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – The post holder will have frequent or intensive contact with children and/or young people due to working in country programs or visiting country programs, or being responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process for staff.

Role Purpose:

The Senior Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for conducting capacity-building trainings on safeguarding topics, monitoring projects for active safeguarding case findings, and ensuring that SCI and partners’ programs/projects are safe for beneficiaries and staff in the designated province.

Key Areas of Accountability:

• Identify potential risks to children and adults in all project activities, reporting them to the Head of Province and Head of Safeguarding.
• Coordinate closely with provincial SG focal point to improve safeguarding practices.
• Deliver mandatory and refresher/capacity-building training on Child Safeguarding, anti-harassment, Bullying, code of conduct, Modern Slavery, human trafficking, and PSEAH.
• Conduct regular visits to project sites to ensure the effectiveness of the safeguarding reporting system and that beneficiaries know how to report safeguarding cases.
• Update the local safeguarding reporting tracker regularly.
• Lead safeguarding investigations in the province, coordinating with the Head of Safeguarding and Safeguarding Coordinators.
• Uphold high levels of professional safeguarding behavior and adhere to Safeguarding Policies and the Code of Conduct.
• Provide support to the humanitarian response team to ensure safeguarding minimum standards are embedded in the response plan.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in social science or a related field.

Experience and Skills:

• Three to five years of experience in Child protection and familiarity with Safeguarding.
• Experience in project monitoring and investigation.
• Multi-disciplinary experience in successfully working with senior managers to deliver operational change.
• Building a personal network with SG focal points of SCI and partners.
• Planning and undertaking training programs/workshops in safeguarding.
• Good verbal communication and report writing skills in English and Dari/Pashto languages.
• Presentation skills.
• Demonstrable commitment to Children’s Rights.
• Ability to deliver results against demanding timetables and in challenging environments.
• Ability to travel and work within challenging environments.
• Awareness of own strengths and weaknesses and evidence of commitment to self-managed personal development.

Desirable:

Evidence of experience, personal development, and learning in the field of childcare.

Experience of working within challenging environments.

Experience of work-related travel in challenging environments.

Additional Job Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities are not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities:

The role holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety:

The role holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Submission Guideline:

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by filling out the online application form Senior Safeguarding Officer – North – SCI Career Site. Attach your CV and cover letter in the online system. Applications received through the online portal will be considered. Save the Children International provides equal employment opportunities and does not ask for money at any stage of recruitment. Our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

“Save the Children strongly encourages applications from women. Minimum country requirements for potential female applicants will be followed.”