Senior Safeguarding Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The International Rescue Committee, IRC, is a leading humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future.

The IRC has been operating in South Sudan since 1989 and is registered as an international NGO. IRC currently delivers multi-sectoral programming directly and through partners across seven states and two administrative areas. These include Northern Bahr el Ghazal, covering Aweil East, Aweil West, and Aweil South counties, Unity State, covering Rubkona, Koch, and Panyijiar counties, Upper Nile State, covering Maban, Renk, Panyikang, Nasir, Ulang, and Panyikang counties, Lakes State, covering Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East, and Yirol West counties, Central Equatoria, covering Juba, Yei, and Kajokeji counties, Eastern Equatoria, covering Kapoeta East, Jonglei, covering Ayod, Twic East, Uror, and Akobo counties, as well as Abyei Administrative Area and Ruweng Administrative Area, including Pariang County and Ajuong Thok and Pamir refugee camps. This section follows the IRC sample JD style and organizational framing.

Job Overview/Summary

The Safeguarding Senior Officer is responsible for supporting the effective implementation of safeguarding standards across the EFASS project to ensure safe, respectful, and accountable programming for clients, communities, staff, volunteers, contractors, and partners. The role exists to strengthen safeguarding prevention, awareness raising, reporting, risk mitigation, referral pathways, and compliance in line with IRC safeguarding policies, donor requirements, and project commitments.

The post holder will work closely with programme teams, People and Culture, supply chain, operations, community feedback mechanisms, field staff, implementing partners, and community structures to integrate safeguarding into project design, implementation, monitoring, staff induction, community engagement, and partner capacity strengthening. The role will also promote understanding of expected behavior, safe reporting mechanisms, accountability standards, and safe programming practices across all levels of project implementation.

1.       Scope and Authority

Authority: Define decision-making authority, policy enforcement, and operational autonomy.

• Support the implementation and enforcement of safeguarding standards and related project-level procedures under the guidance of the supervisor.
• Advise project teams, field staff, and partners on safeguarding risks, mitigation measures, and required actions.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns through established IRC internal reporting channels in line with policy and protocol.
• Recommend corrective actions to address identified safeguarding gaps, risks, and non-compliance in project implementation.
• Participate in safeguarding risk assessments, action planning, and monitoring of mitigation measures across project sites and partner activities.

Responsibility for Resources: List budgets, assets, staff supervision, systems and materials under responsibility.

• Responsible for safeguarding awareness materials, training tools, and project safeguarding trackers.
• Maintain safeguarding records, activity reports, referral mapping, and risk mitigation action plans securely and confidentially.
• Support the proper use of safeguarding documentation tools, reporting systems, and project tracking mechanisms relevant to the role.
• May provide technical support and day-to-day guidance to project focal points, incentive workers, volunteers, and partners on safeguarding matters.
• No direct budget authority unless specifically delegated.

2. Key Working Relationships

Internal: List internal teams, departments, and roles.

Team / Role Nature of Interaction

EFASS Partnership and Finance Manager

• Primary supervisor and day-to-day coordination point. Works closely with the role on safeguarding planning, implementation priorities, risk escalation, reporting, and follow-up of safeguarding actions within the project.

Field Managers and field-based project teams

• Close operational coordination to integrate safeguarding into field activities, identify and mitigate risks, support awareness raising, and ensure safe implementation of project activities at site level.

RMEAL team

• Collaborates to strengthen safe feedback and complaint mechanisms, integrate safeguarding into monitoring tools, track safeguarding-related concerns, and support analysis of trends and risks.

People & Culture

• Coordinates on staff conduct matters, safeguarding awareness, induction, disciplinary interfaces where relevant, and alignment with IRC policies and reporting obligations.

Supply Chain and Operations teams

• Works with these teams to identify and address safeguarding risks linked to logistics, procurement, distributions, transport, facilities, and operational processes.

Protection / Women’s Protection and Empowerment and child protection teams

• Coordinates on technical safeguarding matters, survivor-centered approaches, referral pathways, and access to specialized services where needed.

Community feedback / accountability focal points

• Works closely to ensure safeguarding-sensitive complaints are safely received, documented, referred, and escalated through appropriate channels.

Country Safeguarding Focal Point or delegated technical lead

• Receives technical guidance, policy direction, case escalation support, and advice on safeguarding standards, risk mitigation, and compliance requirements.

Technical Coordinators and partner support teams

• Collaborates to mainstream safeguarding across sector activities, strengthen partner capacity, and ensure safeguarding expectations are integrated into project implementation and oversight.

External

List authorities, partners, donors, suppliers, and community groups

Stakeholder Nature of Interaction

EFASS Implementing partners and partners focal points

• Provides safeguarding orientation, technical support, follow-up, and monitoring to ensure partners understand and apply IRC safeguarding standards and agreed mitigation measures.

Community leaders and community-based structures

• Engages to promote awareness of expected staff behavior, available reporting channels, community accountability, and safe access to project services.

Relevant safeguarding and protection service providers

• Coordinates to maintain updated referral pathways and support safe, timely, and appropriate referrals for individuals affected by safeguarding concerns.

Local referral actors and support service providers

• Maintains working relationships for service mapping, referral coordination, and understanding available support options for survivors or affected individuals.

Local authorities and coordination actors, when delegated and appropriate

• Limited and controlled engagement, mainly for coordination, contextual understanding, and support to safeguarding-related operational linkages, in line with IRC protocols and confidentiality requirements.

Donor representatives during field visits or review processes, as required

• Provides information on project safeguarding measures, implementation progress, and compliance actions, in coordination with project leadership and within approved communication lines.

3. Safeguarding & PSEA Accountability

Safeguarding Accountability Level (1–4)

Select one: Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Level 4

L3 - Supervisory Safeguarding

Safeguarding Responsibilities: List safeguarding, PSEA, reporting, supervision, compliance, and risk mitigation expectations.

• Support implementation of IRC safeguarding, PSEA, child safeguarding, and Code of Conduct standards across EFASS project activities.
• Promote a safe environment for clients, communities, staff, volunteers, and partners through awareness, prevention, and risk mitigation actions.
• Ensure safeguarding risks are identified, assessed, documented, and mitigated in project design and implementation.
• Support staff, volunteers, incentive workers, and partners to understand expected standards of behavior and reporting obligations.
• Ensure safeguarding concerns are reported promptly through IRC internal reporting mechanisms.
• Maintain confidentiality and apply survivor-centered principles when handling safeguarding concerns.
• Support the strengthening of safe, accessible, and inclusive reporting channels for communities and project participants.
• Monitor safeguarding compliance and follow up on agreed mitigation actions in coordination with the supervisor.
• Support managers and supervisors in promoting safeguarding awareness and accountability in their teams.

4. Key Accountabilities

Accountability 1 Safeguarding Mainstreaming and Risk Mitigation

Key Responsibilities

• Support integration of safeguarding measures into EFASS project implementation, field activities, community engagement, and partner operations.
• Conduct and update safeguarding risk assessments for project sites, delivery points, and activities.
• Work with project teams to identify safeguarding risks and implement practical mitigation actions.
• Ensure safeguarding is reflected in project tools, checklists, activity plans, and operating procedures.
• Support project leadership to strengthen safe and accountable programming practices.

Accountability 2

Training, Awareness, and Capacity Building

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver safeguarding induction, orientation, and refresher sessions for staff, incentive workers, volunteers, contractors, and partners.
• Support development and dissemination of safeguarding awareness materials and key messages.
• Build staff and partner awareness on IRC Code of Conduct, PSEA, child safeguarding, anti-harassment, and reporting obligations.
• Conduct community awareness sessions on expected staff behavior, prohibited conduct, and available reporting channels.

Accountability 3

Community Reporting Mechanisms and Referral Support

Key Responsibilities

• Support the establishment and strengthening of safe, confidential, and accessible safeguarding reporting channels.
• Work with MEAL and community feedback teams to ensure safeguarding-sensitive complaints are appropriately received and escalated.
• Maintain updated referral pathways and service mapping relevant to safeguarding response.
• Support safe and timely referrals for affected individuals in line with agreed protocols and available services.
• Promote community understanding of their rights, expected standards of staff conduct, and reporting options.

Accountability 4

Incident Reporting, Monitoring, and Compliance

Key Responsibilities

• Receive and promptly escalate safeguarding concerns through IRC internal reporting procedures.
• Support confidential documentation, immediate safety planning, and follow-up actions within the scope of the role.
• Maintain safeguarding trackers, activity records, training data, and action plans securely and accurately.
• Conduct monitoring visits to assess safeguarding compliance and identify implementation gaps.
• Report safeguarding risks, repeated concerns, and non-compliance issues to the supervisor in a timely manner.

Accountability 5

Coordination and Project Support

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate with project teams, field staff, partners, and relevant internal departments to strengthen safeguarding integration.
• Support partner safeguarding capacity strengthening and follow-up on agreed actions.
• Participate in safeguarding and project review meetings as required.
• Contribute to project reports, updates, and documentation related to safeguarding implementation.
• Represent IRC in safeguarding-related discussions when delegated by the supervisor.

5. Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Specify qualifications and certifications.

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, law, psychology, gender studies, development studies, public health, human rights, community development, or other relevant field.
• Additional training in safeguarding, PSEA, GBV, child protection, accountability, or related area is an added advantage.

Skills & Knowledge

Specify technical skills, tools, systems, and languages.

• Good understanding of safeguarding, PSEA, child safeguarding, and Code of Conduct principles.
• Knowledge of survivor-centered principles, confidentiality, and safe referral approaches.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Good coordination, documentation, and report writing skills.
• Ability to analyze safeguarding risks and propose practical mitigation measures.
• Good computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of Arabic and/or relevant local languages is an advantage.

Experience

Specify years and types of experience.

• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in safeguarding, protection, PSEA, GBV, child protection, accountability, or related field.
• Experience working with NGOs in humanitarian or development settings, preferably in complex or insecure environments.
• Experience delivering trainings and awareness sessions to staff, communities, and partners.
• Experience supporting community-based programming and partner engagement.
• Experience handling sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism.

Competencies & Attributes

Specify behavioural competencies and values.

• High integrity and strong commitment to safeguarding and accountability.
• Sound judgment and ability to handle sensitive issues with discretion.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Respectful, culturally sensitive, and able to work with diverse teams and communities.
• Proactive, organised, and able to manage competing priorities.
• Commitment to IRC values of Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality

6. Standard IRC Compliance Requirements

The employee must at all times carry out their duties in accordance with IRC policies and procedures and in line with IRC values.

This includes full adherence to:

• IRC Code of Conduct / The IRC Way
• Safeguarding Policy
• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy
• Child Safeguarding requirements
• Anti-Harassment Policy
• Anti-Retaliation Policy
• Fraud Prevention and Fiscal Integrity requirements
• Health, Safety and Security policies and procedures
• Data protection, confidentiality, and information-sharing protocols
• All relevant donor compliance and project accountability requirements

The employee is required to immediately report any concerns, violations, or suspected breaches of these standards through the appropriate internal channels.

Safety and Security Situation

All staff must comply with all IRC South Sudan security policies and procedures.

Standards for Professional Conduct

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

Safeguarding Policy

The IRC has a zero-tolerance policy for safeguarding violations by staff, incentive workers, visitors, sub-grantees, suppliers, sub-contractors, and implementing partners. Staff and associates are expected to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment of any person linked to IRC programmes. The successful candidate will be subject to a thorough background check and satisfactory references.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and 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.

The position is strictly for South Sudanese Nationals with all the National documents.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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