Job Description

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger was founded in 1979 as an international non-governmental organization that fights against hunger in the world. Our mission is to save lives by eliminating hunger through preventing, detecting and treating undernutrition, especially during and after emergencies related to conflicts and natural disasters.

The international network of Action Against Hunger has offices in France, United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, USA, India and Belgium. Teams in the field combat hunger on four fronts: Nutrition and Health, Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS).

About Action Against Hunger - USA

As the world’s hunger specialist, our primary goal is to create a better way to deal with hunger. For more than 40 years, we led the global movement that aims to end life- threatening hunger for good within our lifetimes. With 7,500+ staff, our teams have been

on the front lines, treating and preventing malnutrition across more than 45 countries, assisting more than 21 million people.

We save the lives of children and their families. We are there for them before and after disaster strikes. We enable people to provide for themselves, see their children grow up strong, and for whole communities to prosper. We constantly search for more effective solutions, while sharing our knowledge and expertise with the world. We push for long-term change.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1985 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategic approach where Nutrition and Health, Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) are integrated in order to maximize impact on people’s resilience.

Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions with an anticipated 2020 yearly portfolio of $20M of emergency and resilience building programs, research and innovation. We have a country team of about 550 staff working out of 18 field offices and sub offices across Ethiopia.

Our main donors in Ethiopia are ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, OFDA, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, UNICEF and others.

General Assignments / Scope of the Role:

Action Against Hunger has a strong commitment to creating a culture of zero-tolerance of safeguarding violations in our workplace and in our programs – as well as a safe environment for reporting. We are determined to protect our program participants and staff from safeguarding violations through robust prevention and mitigation measures to minimize risk as a priority. Action Against Hunger recognizes that implementation of strong Safeguarding prevention and response mechanisms is a key component of our commitments to accountability to affected populations in our development and humanitarian programs.

The Safeguarding Manager role’s purpose, engagement and deliverables are:

Purpose:

The Safeguarding Manager will provide technical guidance and oversight to our programs and operations demonstrating that Safeguarding is prioritized, and committed to create and maintain an environment where people feel confident in to raise reports to our attention concerns of Safeguarding violations. The Safeguarding Manager will be responsible for contextualizing child safeguarding policy materials, facilitate training for various staff groups as part of our SEA prevention and mitigation strategy.

Engagement:

Internally, the Safeguarding Manager will represent Action Against Hunger Ethiopia Country Office within the country’s Safeguarding and PSEA Working Groups, Regional fora and Action Against Hunger Network. Externally, he/she will represent the Country Office with the UN and partners on Safeguarding and PSEA agenda.

Delivery: 

The Safeguarding Manager will manage all reports consistently, transparently, confidentially and safely taking each issue seriously and acting upon them timely as per internal policies and procedures. She/he is also responsible in monitoring standard sector practices on reporting, data management and share learning across all locations in the country office.

I.                   Essential job duties

Prevention of child safeguarding and SEA incidents through sensitizations, trainings and continues disseminations of good practices

§ Lead safeguarding and PSEA trainings for staff and ensure that these are integral parts of the onboarding sessions

§ Ensure safeguarding is effectively mainstreamed across all departments and is reflected in all internal SOPs

§ Participate in the kick off meetings, project annual review meetings, national management meetings and take every opportunity to promote the child safeguarding and PSEA agenda

§ Participate in new partners’ capacity assessments, review and evaluate partners’ support documents, analyze partners risk assessment results and support on identified gaps. 

§ Ensure children participation in events, media and communication technology do not put children at risk and appropriate procedure is followed by respective departments

§ Ensure the county strategy incorporates a safeguarding and PSEA component and support on its implementation and monitoring approach (budgeted activities)

§ Conduct focus group discussion with children and adult beneficiaries on safe programing and reporting.

Ensure effective systems for reporting, investigating and responding to Safeguarding violations through a survivor-centered approach aligned with Action Against Hunger approved SOPs, national legal framework and global guidance.

§ Contextualize global protocols and develop country specific SOPs describing the reporting mechanism, roles and responsibilities, investigation steps and response options

§ Participate in the evaluation of PSEA cases together with the SMT and contribute accordingly

§ Coordinate field investigations of PSEA incidents in coordination and collaboration with the Regional HR Focal Point, the Head of the HR Department and the SMT

§ Initiate the case management as per the approved SOPs and be the primary point of contact with the survivor until the case is referred for further support

§ Coordinate with the Protection, Gender and MHPSS department the internal or external referral of the survivors for the necessary support

§ Establish a confidential database of case management on child safeguarding and PSEA incidents in the mission

Coordination and representation

§ Represent Action Against Hunger in the PSEA Working Group in-country and coordinate information sharing with the relevant UN systems and platforms

§ Liaise regularly with the relevant HEARO focal points and Safeguarding Unit hosted by Action Against Hunger Canada.

§ Take additional assignments within the broader scope of this JD and in discussion with the supervisor.

Donor compliance

§ Ensure compliance with donor safeguarding and PSEA minimum standards

§ Monitoring the implementation of the agreed SOPs internally and with partners including field visits

II.  Supervisory Responsibilities

N/A only provide technical support to Base Human Resources Managers/Administrators and Program Manager.

III.  Gender Equality Commitments  

§ Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.

§ Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

§ Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status. 

§ Value and respect all cultures. 

IV.             Fiscal Responsibility

The position will be a budget holder of PSEA related costs.

V.                Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VI.             Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required and in line with Labor Law.

Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

I.  Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• MBA/BA Degree in social work, human resources, psychology or related field, or other relevant degree from a recognized institution
• At least 5 years experience in HR management or general protection or GBV/ Child Protection, related programs
• At least 2 years of relevant safeguarding and PSEA experience with an international organization in a humanitarian and/or development setting

II.  Required Skills & Competencies

• Experience in protection from abuse and exploitation, and sexual harassment in development and humanitarian contexts and knowledge of international protection frameworks and safeguarding mechanisms Capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including 
• implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge to others
• Experience in conducting training, orientation and refresher sessions with diverse teams
• Experience in providing technical assistance across a variety of departments
• Excellent spoken and technical writing ability in English, including report writing
• Local languages additional to Amharic will be positively considered
• Proven track record in working with teams, excellent interpersonal skills, positive and professional attitude, ability to lead and work well in a team setting and with multiple partners

How to Apply

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, Covering Letter with “ Safeguarding Manager” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following addresses:

 Through www.ethiojobs.net

OR

Directly In Person to Action Against Hunger Addis Ababa office after Washington DC square to Mayor Muriel Bowser Street, Wollega – Gimbi, Gambella, Waghimra – Sekota, Harergue

- Harar, Borena – Yabello and Somali Gode offices,

Deadline: Thursday, 22 October 2020 before 5:00 pm

NB: Only short listed applicants will be, communicated on and selection process includes technical test and an interview.