The Global Safeguarding Lead will provide leadership on Nutrition International’s commitment to protect people, including staff, partners, and communities we work with, from harm, abuse, exploitation, neglect, and mistreatment of any kind. This will be done by working alongside units in our Headquarters, Regional Offices and Country Offices to ensure a safe and respectful workplace for staff, and through embedding safeguarding within programs, research, and service delivery.

This role, while hosted by the Program Unit, will work collaboratively and seamlessly with our People and Culture team to ensure a cohesive understanding and operationalization of safeguarding within the organization. We are looking for a strategic and operational leader specializing in safeguarding awareness, prevention, reporting and response, who is motivated by building up organizational systems in a prioritized manner. You must be willing to think creatively about how to ensure safeguarding standards are upheld, leveraging expertise of partners, and government systems, as appropriate.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, cost, and support the implementation of a Global Safeguarding Framework, defining key roles, reporting structures and accountabilities.
• Lead the development and implementation of the Annual Global Safeguarding Plan in collaboration with P&C, Programs and informed by country safeguarding self-assessment reviews and audits.
• Work with P&C to review and align Safeguarding policies explicitly with international standards and national legal frameworks.
• Strengthen policy implementation, working with People & Culture (P&C), by embedding Safeguarding commitments into organizational culture and ensuring policies are operationalized through clear, practical guidance for staff and partners, and minimum standards.
• Establish standardized country level safeguarding reporting mechanisms that are accessible to children and youth and align with the global reporting framework. Ensure internal vs project-level safeguarding protocols are well understood and communicated across the organization, to leadership and with safeguarding focal points.
• Develop structured and standardized project-level safeguarding risk assessment tools and ensure their dissemination and socialization with users.
• Support Country Directors and Country Focal points in the development of country level safeguarding plans and locally contextualized safeguarding protocols
• In collaboration with the Monitoring, Data, and Learning (MDL) team, and People & Culture (P&C), integrate safeguarding indicators systematically into MDL, Human Resources and Security frameworks to track progress, identify gaps, and inform decision-making.
• Develop and cost a safeguarding capacity building plan for the organization based on sound learning needs analysis and establishment of core safeguarding knowledge, skills and attitudes required at different levels in the organization.
• Establish mechanisms for regular communication across teams and maximize opportunities to integrate safeguarding work and to elevate issues or risks when required.

About You;

You have;

• A Master’s degree or equivalent experience in nutrition, public health, international development and/or a related field.
• A degree in relevant field (social work, psychology, education, development studies, law, human rights, humanitarian affairs, or related social sciences disciplines).
• Extensive experience (minimum of 10 years) in safeguarding, safe programming, child protection, within international development or humanitarian contexts with specific experience working on safeguarding in Africa.
• Demonstrated country level experience setting up safeguarding structures and reporting mechanisms.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to Gender Equality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Safeguarding.
• Demonstrated country level experience setting up safeguarding structures and reporting mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of global safeguarding standards and best practices, including knowledge of relevant legislation, particularly within African and/or global contexts.
• Strong understanding of survivor-centred safeguarding approaches.
• Demonstrated experience in developing training materials for adults and in facilitation and training techniques.
• Experience working directly with government officials in national, state and local levels.
• Fluency in English – both reading and writing – is essential. Professional proficiency in French is highly desirable.
• Ability to address complex situations with tact, professionalism and sensitively to gender, social and cultural dynamics/ norms.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and execute strategies and planning in the area of expertise and to connect with the other areas of work that drive organizational success.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with internal teams and partners.
• Relationship Building: Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with teams and management within an organization
• Cultural Sensitivity: Ability to navigate diverse cultural environments and tailor solutions to country and regional contexts.
• Project Management: Strong project management skills.
• Analytical: Ability to analyze and interpret data for decision-making, program improvement.