Position: Safe and Inclusive Officer
Condition: Technical
Department/Section: Human Resources Department
Reports to: HR and Admin Manager
Location: LRCS Head quarters
Grade: RC6
Duration: 12 months
Job Summary
Safeguarding is a collective term for actions which ensure the safety and protection of beneficiaries and Red Cross/Red Crescent personnel, especially (but not exclusively) from harm perpetrated by Red Cross/Red Crescent personnel. While this encompasses a broad range of actions, the two key pillars of Safeguarding are the Prevention of and response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding. The Safe and Inclusive Officer’s primary focus will be to support all LRCS staff, and related personnel to ensure continuous improvements in reinforcing Safeguarding institutionalization and programming. S/he will support LRCS and their programs to foster a work environment that keeps personnel and beneficiaries safe from harm, especially by preventing and protecting against sexual exploitation and abuse of adults and children, as well as preventing and responding to risks posed to children in humanitarian settings. This role will also support implementation of minimum actions for safe and inclusive programming, ensuring a joined-up approach to community engagement and accountability (CEA), protection, gender and inclusion (PGI) and Safeguarding. The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting and tracking the progress of the implementation of the LRCS PSEA and Child Safeguarding Policies. . The National Society is looking for a suitable candidate to carry out the following:
Key tasks and responsibilities
▪ Identify local safeguarding/PSEA networks.
▪ Support National Society engagement with networks for knowledge-sharing, joint awareness raising, training and reaching out to local communities and specialist expertise.
▪ Conduct an assessment/review of the current programs to support prevention and response of sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as the safeguarding of children, and make recommendations for improvements.
▪ Screening of National Society personnel to help prevent safeguarding risks.
▪ Briefing, training and signing of staff Code of Conduct by all programme volunteers and staff.
▪ Provide awareness-raising sessions on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of both adults and children, as well as other risks to the safety of children, for all staff and other personnel in the Organization on a regular basis, including for newcomers.
▪ Make appropriate recommendations to management on enhancing prevention strategies. This includes collecting and analyzing information on actual/potential risk factors for vulnerability to sexual exploitation, abuse, and child safeguarding concerns, and elaborating measures to address them.
▪ Ensure the development and implementation of a PSEA action plan; track the progress of all PSEA related activities Support the Protection, Gender and Inclusion focal points technically and enhance communication and information sharing among them.
▪ Ensure that procedures to guard against the hiring of persons who have a record of SEA and Child Safeguarding offenses are put in place and applied.
▪ Work with human resources personnel to include PSEA and Child Safeguarding content in staff inductions, including all contractors, consultants, temporary staff, and casual laborers.
▪ Work with programme managers, to establish safe and inclusive community-level complaints mechanisms that facilitate reporting of concerns by beneficiaries
▪ Represent LRCS in all PSEA and Child Safeguarding network meetings, and other relevant meetings. In addition, being the liaison between the Organization and the Inter-Agency Community Based Complaints Mechanism.
▪ Take appropriate measures to ensure safety and confidentiality for all reported SEA and Child Safeguarding issues.
▪ Develop recommended referral, complaints and investigation structures in coordination with the LRCS HR Office
▪ Keep management up to date on PSEA and Child Safeguarding measures taken and plans for future action.
▪ Receive complaints, reports, and questions about alleged acts of sexual exploitation, abuse, and child safeguarding concerns committed by the organization’s personnel.
▪ Support regular data analysis, documentation of lessons learned and case studies and good practices in relation of PSEA and Child Safeguarding standards.
Qualification:
Relevant university degree (Gender studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Communication, Political science, International relations, Law or human rights) or similar professional qualification. Post-graduate degree is an advantage Knowledge & competencies
• Experience of participating in exercises which raise awareness on PSEA and/or Child Safeguarding/Protection
• Experience in PSEA, child safeguarding/protection, gender and/or inclusion as part of design and/or delivery of humanitarian projects/services
• Experience working on issues related to PSEA, Child Safeguarding/Protection and/or sexual and gender-based violence.
• Demonstrable skills in developing and conducting capacity building activities.
• Working with adults and children in vulnerable situations
• Ability to collect, collate and analyses data in an efficient and effective manner.
• Proven ability to produce outputs independently with minimal supervision and guidance, while at the same time seeking innovative ways to integrate PSEA and Child Safeguarding considerations into ongoing programs.
• A good understanding of humanitarian issues.
• Experience engaging with organisations at branch/community level, whether within the LRCS or at another community-based organisation or similar agency
• Proficient using of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and file sharing software; General Qualities required:
• Written and spoken communication skills;
• Interpersonal skills and able to communicate with people at all levels, motivate others and change people’s attitudes when necessary;
• Problem-solving and negotiation skills;
• Initiative and the ability to offer new ideas;
3 • Organizational and planning skills;
• Personal commitment to improving your own knowledge and skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and handle stressful situations;
Closing Date for all applications is Friday March 18th, 2022 12 midday Interested candidates should NOT hand deliver but send their applications in an attachment format to [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] , covering letter and curriculum vitae written in size 12 fond and not more than 4 pages long, and no copy of certificates for now addressed to the Human Resources and Admin Manager, Lesotho Red Cross Society, Red Cross House, Private Bag A 205, Maseru 100.
Applicants are advised to provide their functional e-mails/mobile phone numbers on the application letter as well as three professional referees.