Safeguarding Advisor, What Works 2 Consortium At International Rescue Committee

This role can be based in Kenya, Jordan or Pakistan. This is a global role and applicants from other IRC registered locations will also be considered.

The Safeguarding Advisor, What Works 2 Consortium role represents a unique opportunity to build and implement safeguarding processes, structure, and learning through the duration of the 7-year FCDO funded What Works 2 project. The ‘What Works to Prevent Violence – Impact at Scale’ Programme will build on the success of its predecessor (‘What Works I’) to prevent and contribute to eliminating violence against women and girls (VAWG) by:

• Systematically designing, implementing, and rigorously evaluating a range of approaches to scaling up violence

prevention efforts, translating proof-of-concept evidence into robust, largescale programmes and strategies;

• Designing, piloting and testing new theory-driven violence prevention approaches (innovation);

• Strengthening long-term capability and capacity to deliver cutting-edge, evidence-based violence prevention programmes across the programme grantees, the UK Government (principally FCDO), and developing country governments; and

• Using evidence to influence a more effective, scaled-up global response to end VAWG.

Direct reporting will be into the Director for the What Works 2 Consortium. Dotted line reporting will be into the Director of Safeguarding, IRC, with additional routine reports to the What Works 2 Consortium Project Management Unit and Consortium member Safeguarding Leads.

Job Overview

The work envisioned for this role will evolve over the duration of this project, beginning with the establishment of feminist, principled, and shared approaches to creating a culture of safeguarding within the consortium, as well as reporting and investigations procedures for the consortium. When the grants delivery phase of What Works 2 begins, the role will shift to focus on developing and implementing bottom up, southern led approaches to determining what safeguarding capacity looks like in smaller women-led feminist organizations. Building an evidence base of how safeguarding can be structured in smaller organizations, this role will be an essential contributor to countering the notion that safeguarding compliance must meet a list of requirements for safeguarding risks to be mitigated. This will uniquely require balancing the due diligence requirements of a major governmental donor translated on an individualized basis to a diverse group of local partners. Further, in documenting new southern led best practices for the implementation of safeguarding prevention and response, this role will fill significant knowledge gaps in the sector, contributing to the growing documentation of alternative approaches to safeguarding.

As the role supports a global consortium project, much of this support will be remote. It is anticipated that up to 30% of the Safeguarding Advisor’s time will require travel to conduct learning or capacity building opportunities.

Major Responsibilities

Within Consortium

• Technical lead on safeguarding for the What Works 2 Consortium, in collaboration and co-production with the grantees, IRC, and other consortium members

• In collaboration with consortium members, build safeguarding structure, policy, principles, and process for the What Works 2 Consortium, including data protection measures for information and reports collected through the duration of the What Works 2 project

• Further ensure that safeguarding is integrated into all aspects of programme design and implementation, mainstreaming risk analysis, mitigation, and response

• Support the processes and procedures designed by the consortium members to ensure that any allegations of safeguarding misconduct are timely reported to the affected consortium partner, who will review and determine whether and how any investigation should be conducted. As needed, support and guidance to the consortium partners on reporting mechanisms, case management, support referral pathways, and investigation pathways with a survivor and trauma informed lens, including documentation and sharing of lessons learned

• Track statistics on completed investigations as provided by consortium members and provide updates to the PMU.

• Document and publish best practices for safeguarding, based on learning that emerges throughout the project, including innovations in community driven safeguarding approaches, with aim to establishing a community of practice that will exist beyond the completion of the project

• Participate in relevant What Works 2 Consortium forums, working groups, and events to report on or document approaches to safeguarding, including establishing a cross-consortium working group on safeguarding

• In coordination with other capacity building functions, ensure a coordinated and supportive learning process for grantee partners

• Any other tasks, as agreed upon between the Safeguarding Advisor and other key stakeholders

To Consortium Grantees

• Build and implement an innovative feminist and southern focused approach to assessing safeguarding capacity of grantees through the What Works 2 project that balances donor compliance with partner led and focused approaches to safeguarding

• Co-design and deliver capacity building on safeguarding in partnership with grantee partners, using existing or bespoke materials, with a recognition that each organization will need an individualized approach

• Support as needed grantee partners to establish localized reporting mechanisms, case management, support referral pathways, and investigation pathways with a survivor and trauma informed lens

• Where grantee partners do not have the capacity to conduct their own investigations, the Safeguarding Advisor will connect them to the IRC’s Ethics and Compliance Unit for investigation guidance and best practices, working with this function to understand trends and lessons learned in the context of the What Works 2 programme

Job requirements

• Degree in relevant field relating to humanitarian and development action, protection, law, sexual violence, or training. Equivalent professional or lived experience will be equally regarded to educational background.

• Contextual understanding of safeguarding in Africa, Latin America, or Asia is required. Lived experience in one of these regions is strongly preferred.

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in a combination of safeguarding, community-based reporting mechanisms, gender based violence, protection, or child protection with a humanitarian or development organization.

• Experience with client protection from abuse and exploitation, sexual violence in development and humanitarian contexts in conflict/refugee settings, and knowledge of international protection frameworks and mechanisms on safeguarding.

• Capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including implementation, advisory /technical function, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others.

• Experience in conducting training, orientation and refresher sessions with diverse teams. Experience conducting such sessions remotely will be a plus.

• Ability to facilitate continual learning processes for institutional reflection and behaviour change is a significant asset.

• Excellent spoken and technical writing ability in English is a requirement. Additional languages, such as French, Arabic, Spanish, or Swahili, will be considered strong assets.

• Proven track record in working with teams, excellent interpersonal skills, positive and professional attitude, and ability to lead and work well with diverse teams in a complex international environment and with multiple partners.

All What Works staff commit to and uphold the Programme’s Feminist Principles throughout all aspects of their work. We further confirm a commitment to survivor-centered approaches in the design, prevention, and response of safeguarding violations.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies Adult Safeguarding, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.