The Safeguarding Advisor position with Mercy Corps is a senior-level humanitarian role focused on protecting vulnerable populations across East Africa. This position plays a central role in ensuring that programs are delivered ethically, safely, and in line with international safeguarding standards.
Covering countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Sudan, Nigeria, and Liberia, the role operates in complex and often high-risk environments.
About Mercy Corps and Its Mission
Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian organization working in more than 30 countries to help communities respond to crises, build resilience, and create sustainable change. Its programs span emergency response, development, and peacebuilding.
Safeguarding is a core priority within the organization, ensuring that all staff, partners, and programs operate without causing harm to the people they serve.
Understanding Safeguarding in Humanitarian Contexts
Safeguarding refers to the prevention of harm, particularly:
- Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA)
- Sexual harassment in the workplace
- Child protection violations
- Human trafficking and exploitation
The Safeguarding Advisor ensures that systems are in place to prevent these risks, respond effectively to incidents, and support survivors.
Role Overview and Strategic Purpose
The Regional Safeguarding Advisor (RSA) provides technical leadership across East Africa. The role involves guiding country teams, strengthening systems, and ensuring compliance with both organizational and donor standards.
Key objectives include:
- Preventing safeguarding incidents through strong systems and training
- Supporting survivor-centered responses
- Embedding safeguarding into all program design and delivery
- Strengthening accountability to affected communities
This is a Level 3 risk role, meaning frequent interaction with vulnerable populations and sensitive data.
Core Responsibilities
The role is broad and strategic, covering multiple operational areas.
Training and Awareness
The advisor plays a key role in building safeguarding capacity across teams.
Responsibilities include:
- Designing and delivering safeguarding training programs
- Supporting country-level safeguarding focal points
- Raising awareness among staff, partners, and communities
- Ensuring communities understand reporting mechanisms and rights
Systems, Processes, and Risk Management
A major focus is strengthening safeguarding infrastructure.
Key tasks:
- Rolling out safeguarding standards across all country programs
- Conducting and supporting risk assessments
- Developing mitigation strategies for high-risk activities
- Advising leadership on safeguarding strategy and compliance
- Integrating safeguarding into HR, MEL, and program systems
Survivor Support and Response
The advisor ensures that all safeguarding responses prioritize survivors.
This includes:
- Supporting reporting mechanisms and case management
- Ensuring survivor-centered approaches in investigations
- Mapping and coordinating access to local support services
- Guiding teams on ethical and confidential handling of cases
Regional and Global Engagement
The role also involves coordination and representation.
Responsibilities include:
- Participating in safeguarding networks and coordination groups
- Representing Mercy Corps in sector-wide discussions
- Supporting donor compliance and proposal development
- Contributing to global safeguarding initiatives
Required Qualifications and Experience
This role requires a strong background in humanitarian work and safeguarding.
Essential requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred in relevant field)
- At least 4 years of experience in safeguarding, protection, or GBV
- Strong understanding of donor and international safeguarding standards
- Experience in high-risk or emergency contexts
- Ability to design and deliver training programs
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Preferred experience includes conducting safeguarding investigations and working in fragile or conflict-affected settings.
Key Skills and Success Factors
The ideal candidate must combine technical expertise with leadership ability.
Important qualities include:
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work in fast-paced, evolving environments
- High emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity
- Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills
- Confidence in advising senior leadership
- Commitment to ethical humanitarian principles
The role also requires resilience and adaptability, given the complexity of the operating environments.
Work Environment and Regional Scope
The position can be based in any Mercy Corps country office in East Africa, including Zimbabwe. It involves close collaboration with regional leadership, global safeguarding teams, and country-level staff.
The work environment includes:
- High-risk and emergency contexts
- Diverse cultural and operational settings
- Frequent coordination across multiple countries
- Both remote and in-person engagement
Organizational Culture and Learning
Mercy Corps emphasizes continuous learning and professional growth. Employees are encouraged to dedicate time to skill development and knowledge sharing.
The organization also prioritizes:
- Diversity and inclusion
- Ethical conduct and accountability
- Community engagement and participation
- Innovation in humanitarian response
Final Perspective on the Role
The Safeguarding Advisor position is a high-impact leadership role within the humanitarian sector. It goes beyond compliance, focusing on creating safe, accountable systems that protect vulnerable populations.
This role is particularly suited for professionals who:
- Have strong experience in safeguarding or protection
- Are comfortable working in complex, high-risk environments
- Want to influence systems and policies at a regional level
- Are committed to ethical and people-centered humanitarian work
It represents an opportunity to shape safeguarding practices across multiple countries and contribute to safer, more effective humanitarian programming.
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