Senior Officer Program Safeguarding At International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity, and hope to millions uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

RAI-Europe serves thousands of individuals each year through a diverse portfolio of programs. We operate in six countries and provide technical assistance to more than 10 others to ensure that the most vulnerable asylum-seekers and migrants have the vital support to feel safe and well, get the services they need day to day, and become financially independent of the time they arrive, throughout their journeys, and in their new homes.

Scope:

Safeguarding is at the core of IRC’s mission. Ensuring that IRC’s clients can survive, recover and gain control of their lives requires that they and our staff are protected from sexual violence, exploitation, and abuse by those working for or associated with the IRC.

Are you passionate about people? Bring your whole and authentic self, and join our team!

Job Overview:

We are looking for a Senior Officer, Program Safeguarding, who will be the focal point for client-facing aspects of safeguarding in RAI Europe. This position will establish and maintain a network of skilled responders who will provide a survivor-centered response to staff and clients experiencing a safeguarding violation. It will also build capacity in RAI Europe staff and partners to mitigate risk and support the incorporation of safeguarding principles into program design and implementation.

Major Responsibilities:

• Support and advise country teams in RAI Europe as they complete and update their safeguarding tools (country program self-assessment form (incl. SOP, service mapping), Safeguarding Violations Exposure Framework, client safeguarding SOP /Joint Safeguarding and Client Responsiveness Framework)
• Enable country teams in RAI Europe to deliver a survivor-centered response for staff who experience safeguarding violations by
• establishing a network of staff-facing safeguarding responders
• ensuring that responders are trained and marketed to their users.
• collaborating with responders at the country level as they support staff survivors.
• facilitating access to the 5 core support services using survivor-centered methods and the established SOP and service referral pathways
• Enable country teams in RAI Europe to deliver a survivor-centered response for clients who experience safeguarding violations via -established programming channels, using SOP and service referral pathways.
• Support and advise country teams in RAI Europe on client engagement and awareness-raising activities (incl. active methods such as campaigns, complaint mechanisms, SG checks in recruitment, and passive methods such as posters in work sites and information on Signpost platforms)
• Support and advise country teams in RAI Europe on partner engagement to ensure safeguarding practices are integrated into partner-led programming.
• Enable country teams in RAI Europe to mitigate safeguarding-related risks in program design and delivery (e.g., proposing practical approaches to reviewing program designs to ensure safeguarding standard methodologies are coordinated and conducting regular risk mitigation audits)
• Support the RAI Europe region and country offices in their external engagement on safeguarding, e.g., active, and consistent involvement in the PSEA network to ensure sector-wide systems strengthening and cross-organizational reporting by collaborating with dedicated SG technical specialists from other INGOs.
• Participate in a community of practice calls with the Senior Officer, Protection and Social Work and Regional Safeguarding Advisors, and Safety and Wellbeing Team
• Regularly engage with RAI Senior Technical Advisor for Safeguarding and Europe Regional Safeguarding Advisor for information exchange

Job Requirements:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in social work, protection, or related field of study preferred. Masters preferred.

Work Experience:

• Relevant professional experience in humanitarian settings is required, confirmed ability of 5 years is strongly preferred.

Proven Skills & Proficiencies

• Experience in safeguarding in humanitarian settings, compliance and ethics, and investigative practice skills
• Experience in technical tools development, monitoring & evaluation.
• Positive relationship-building, tact, and networking skills; ability to effectively build internal and external relationships.
• Shown experience of working directly with survivors of violence.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and work through change in a proactive and positive manner.
• Excellent project management and knowledge management skills
• Fluent in spoken and written English; proficiency in the language(s) spoken by client group and/or RAI Europe staff is desired.

Working Environment:

• A combination of the standard office environment, remote work, and ‘field’ time within the service delivery area to perform the above-outlined responsibilities.
• Occasional domestic (non-local) travel required; up to 20%.
• It may require occasional weekend and/or evening work.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other encouraging benefits and allowances.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.