Global: Global Safeguarding Lead

About Self Help Africa: 

Self Help Africa is an international development organisation that works through agriculture and agri-enterprise development to end hunger and extreme poverty.

The organisation has programmes in 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and also implements projects in Brazil and Bangladesh.

In early 2023 we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines
shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the
impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise-focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean
water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.

Our wider organisation also includes United Purpose, social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, TruTrade, an innovative trading platform in East Africa, and CUMO, Malawi’s largest micro-finance
provider.

Our three core values are:

• Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
• Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing world.
• Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.

Job Purpose:

Self Help Africa seeks to ensure its programming is delivered in the safest way possible upholding the principles of Do No Harm and protecting the organisation’s reputation and ultimately and most importantly ensuring the rights and dignity of programme participants are protected.

The Global Safeguarding Lead will play an important role in this effort through the provision of strong direction, guidance, tools, and capacity strengthening for all of Self Help Africa’s countries of operation, support offices and partner organisations.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead on the periodic review of the safeguarding policy and its socialisation across the organisation

• Ensure that all policies, processes and practices across the organisation are safeguarding-informed and support the overall aim of the safeguarding policy. Particular focus to the employee life cycle, programme cycle management, risk management and institutional funding.
• Support Safeguarding Focal Points to develop and regularly review progress against safeguarding action plans.
• Oversee an organisation-wide training programme that ensures all staff, board members, partners and other relevant stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities and duties relating to safeguarding.
• Work with the Compliance and Risk team in triaging new cases and ensuring that lessons learnt from safeguarding incidents are informing regular review and improvement of policies and procedures.
• Lead on internal and external reporting on safeguarding actions relating to policy and preventative actions.
• Working with Global Executive Team colleagues ensure group boards and subcommittees are provided with relevant and timely data to allow directors to adequately discharge their governance duties.
• Participate in cross organisational management and strategic projects as necessary and carry out other tasks as identified by line management.
• To keep informed of current legislation, statutory and other guidance with regards to safeguarding (to also include data protection), cascading the information accordingly.
• Identify safeguarding risks and work with key internal and external stakeholders to minimise any risks of harm, exploitation, and abuse.

Key Relationships:

• Internal: Safeguarding focal points, Country Directors and other global leaders, Risk and Compliance team and members of the global executive team.
• External: Safeguarding network forums, training providers.

Knowledge & Experience:

Essential:

• A recognised degree in a specialist technical or professional field such as social work, child rights, psychology, etc. or equivalent experience.
• Strong understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of Safeguarding, principles and standards, key sectoral issues and processes.
• 5 years’ experience, including significant demonstrable experience in Safeguarding and/or PSEA or in a related field e.g. HR.
• Experience of developing and delivering training (both remote and in-person).
• Experience developing guides, policies, standards and quality improvement tools.
• Experience working in overseas/multi-cultural environments or organisations.
• Experience of building, coordinating and maintaining strong cooperative and professional relationships and working with managers of different departments.
• Willingness to travel to overseas programmes, potentially at short notice, which can be insecure areas.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Excellent communications and relationship-building skills, both formally and informally.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Strong IT skills, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and both online grants and case management tools.

Desirable:

• Proven experience of working in non-profits, NGOs, social enterprises, and/or government institutions.
• Ability to work in French and/or Portuguese.
• Experience of working in or closely supporting programme delivery.

How to Apply:

Please upload a completed Application Form, CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role on our website: https://selfhelpafrica.org/uk/global-safeguarding-lead/

The closing date for applications is 30th October at 5pm.

Please note incomplete applications will not be considered for shortlisting.

There is a rolling deadline for this role, Self Help Africa reserves the right to review applications on an ongoing basis.

Self Help Africa strives to be an Equal Opportunities Employer

All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign Self Help Africa’s Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their conth Ocotract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ vetting.