Technical Advisor I - Safeguarding & Safe and Dignified Programming at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary

• The Safeguarding & Safe and Dignified Programming (SSDP) Advisor will advise and provide tools and technical support to the Country Program to effectively implement CRS’ Safeguarding Policy and ensure protection mainstreaming across programming.
• The SSDP Advisor will support leadership by ensuring safeguarding program quality standards and safeguarding-related MEAL policies and procedures are effectively met and exceeded, and that protection mainstreaming guidelines are adhered to in both relief and development programming.
• They will also be responsible for supporting the mentorship and capacity building of any additional in-country Safeguarding focal points.

Roles And Key Responsibilities

• Working with the Global Safeguarding Team and HRD’s Safe & Dignified Programming Team, assist with the implementation of CRS’ Safeguarding Policy and SDP Strategy at the Country Program (CP) level;
• Support the Country Program to identify and action internal safeguarding priorities and capacity building opportunities, including for example: CP Safeguarding Checklist & Action Plan, Legal Analysis, CP-level Safeguarding Risk Assessment, and others;
• Provide regular updates to the Country Program on the agency and CP safeguarding and SDP efforts, lessons learned, and best practices; and ensure safeguarding and protection mainstreaming are regular agenda items in leadership and staff meetings;
• Coordinate the training of in-country generalist or project specific Safeguarding Focal Points, including exchange of learning opportunities, facilitating regular meetings, etc.;
• Ensure Essential Service Mapping / referral pathways (across CP and project-level) are kept up to date and reviewed on an annual basis;
• Serve as a reporting channel to receive safeguarding allegations from colleagues and associates, and log these into EthicsPoint;
• Triage initial safeguarding or protection related concerns or queries from colleagues; help ensure survivors receive immediate support and/or appropriate referrals following disclosure;
• Provide tools and technical support to Program Managers for awareness raising of program participants and communities of intervention on their rights, CRS’ Code of Conduct & Ethics, reporting expectations, etc.;
• Plan and facilitate safeguarding and protection risk assessments and mitigation planning for projects in the design phase, ensuring adherence to the Safeguarding Risk Management Policy and Procedure and SDP tools;
• Assist with the review of project designs/proposals to ensure minimum requirements for safeguarding and protection are included, such as: risk assessments, mitigation measures, functional FCRMs, meaningful participation, staff and budget, etc.
• Contribute to the design and monitoring of FCRMs, ensuring they are functional, safe, accessible, and effective for communities, and especially, vulnerable and marginalized populations;
• Advise project frontline staff on identifying, receiving, and escalating safeguarding and protection reports, suspicions, and concerns;
• Support the implementation of Common Humanitarian Standards (CHS) action planning for safeguarding and protection;
• Participate in and contribute to in-country PSEA/Protection/GBV networks and cluster forums and ensure Country Program staff and programs are kept abreast of global and local initiatives and resources;
• Support Global Safeguarding Advisors and HRD’s Safe & Dignified Programming Advisors by informing/contributing to discussions on safeguarding programming, and protection mainstreaming initiatives and efforts.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Ability to develop integrated plans that propel initiatives forward and identify ways in which to work collaboratively across departments.
• Ability to communicate in a timely manner to enable others to plan accordingly.
• Ability to assess, organize, and interpret information to draw reasonable conclusions.
• Ability to easily collaborate with others, and influence without formal authority, working towards common goals and objectives.
• Ability to explain ideas and processes clearly and address sensitive subject matters.
• Ability to facilitate discussions with various levels of staff.
• Personal and professional commitment to treat all people with fairness, honesty, dignity, and respect.
• Demonstrates gender-positive, disability-positive, and survivor-positive attitudes.
• Knowledge of industry safeguarding/sexual exploitation and abuse principles and standards
• Experience advising or providing direction to staff by using effective interpersonal and communication skills; influence others both within and outside of functional areas of responsibility.
• Experience creating and rolling out culturally sensitive training and capacity-building programs, materials, and communications.
• Solid organizational/time management skills: the ability to be flexible and work well under pressure in a fast-paced multi-tasking team environment.
• Strong analytical and report building skills; strong computer skills including facility with standard desktop applications.
• Humble and approachable; a problem solver who seeks to find constructive solutions within compliance and policy requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) experience

Key Working Relationships

• Internal – CP: Senior Management Team; Safeguarding Focal Points; MEAL Unit; Regional & Global: Global Safeguarding Advisor for your Region; Humanitarian Response Department (HRD) Advisors; Regional Directors/Deputy Directors; other Regional and Global Technical Advisors.
• External: Local implementing partners, including Caritas; NGO and UN Safeguarding Staff; Donor Safeguarding and SDP Representatives; local PSEA Networks

Qualifications
Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study (Human Rights Law, Gender, International Development, Social Work, Psychology, etc.) or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of three years of relevant experience (safeguarding, protection, gender) in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities.