Regional Safeguarding Advisor - Latin America

Job Description

Fluency in both Spanish & English required.

The Safeguarding Advisor, Latin America is responsible for the IRC’s approach to protect clients (beneficiaries) and employees from exploitation and abuse by IRC staff across our country and emergency programs in the Latin America Region. This includes: (1) prevention through the implementation of appropriate policies/procedures, trainings, and communications in line with the Safeguarding Strategy and IRC’s Strategy100; (2) working with country and regional staff, Human Resources, and technical advisors to implement contextualized approaches to safeguarding; (3) the continued development and monitoring of client reporting mechanisms in country programs in collaboration with the Ethics and Compliance Unit; (4) ensuring that lessons learned and remediation following assessments, reviews and investigations are incorporated, in cooperation with country programs and regional offices; and (5) providing other forms of country facing support to support the successful building of a safeguarding culture of prevention and response in our country and emergency programs in the Latin America Region.

Reporting to the Director, Safeguarding, this role will work closely with Regional and Country Management Teams, Human Resources, Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Unit (GEDI), Violence Prevention and Abuse Unit (VPRU), Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU), and other IRC functional units in the context of our programs in the Latin America Region.

Job Overview

The Safeguarding Advisor, Latin America Region will work under the direct supervision of the Director, Safeguarding, and in coordination with Regional and Country Management Teams. S/he will be responsible for leading and coordinating the effective implementation of IRC’s safeguarding strategy and action plan across IRC’s country programs in the Latin America Region with key stakeholders. This will include safeguarding leadership, technical advice, capacity building (training, communications), material development, and other forms of direct country support.

As the role supports IRC offices or supported programing in the current 8 countries of operation in the Latin America Region as well as any emergency responses or future programming locations, much of this support will be remote. It is anticipated that up to 50% of the Safeguarding Advisor’s time will require travel across the region. Given the programmatic and operational connections between our CRRD work in Latin America and our RAI support along the Mexico/USA border, the Safeguarding Advisor, Latin America will be the SGU lead for safeguarding support to the IRC’s cross-border activities.

Major Responsibilities

• Support and monitor the implementation of IRC safeguarding strategy for country programs and implementing partners in the Latin America Region

• Support the roll-out of client safeguarding capacity building materials for the Latin America Region, including delivery of trainings and other technical support related to safeguarding remotely or during field visits, with a particular emphasis on knowledge exchange with IRC funded partners and projects in the region

• Support development of country-level Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for responding to safeguarding violations against clients, working closely with IRC operations and programs teams on the ground

• Review and support enhancement of country program and partner complaints response mechanisms for clients relating to any type of alleged misconduct in collaboration with IRC’s internal investigations and other key stakeholders

• Support and build capacity of Safeguarding Leads and other safeguarding personnel and focal points across the Latin America Region

• Coordinate and work with Human Resources, GEDI, VPRU, ECU, and other key stakeholders, to develop and implement a contextualized safeguarding approach across our country programs in the Latin America Region

• Represent Safeguarding Unit at public events, regional or country meetings, with donors, and other opportunities as requested

• Share good practices, ideas, and materials between country programs, and with HQ for globalization and further sharing

• Active participation and support to GEDI efforts in the Latin America Region

• Active participation in regional coordination spaces as agreed upon such as regional SMT or others

• Coordination with CD and Regional Communications for any opportunities for representation of IRC or speaking on behalf of IRC

• Technical Safeguarding lead, as required, for the IRC’s cross-border work between Mexico/USA

• Technical Safeguarding lead for RAI developing programming and approach to co-sponsorship of refugees

• Any other tasks, as agreed upon between the Safeguarding Advisor, Latin America, SGU, the Latin America Region, and other key stakeholders

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Degree in relevant field relating to humanitarian action, protection, sexual violence, or training. Equivalent professional or lived experience will be equally regarded to educational background

• Contextual understanding of Latin America is required. Lived experience in the region is strongly preferred.

• At least 5 years of relevant program and/or safeguarding experience with an international humanitarian organization

• Experience with client protection from abuse and exploitation, sexual violence in development and humanitarian contexts in conflict/refugee settings, and knowledge of international protection frameworks and mechanisms on safeguarding

• Experience working with Gender Based Violence, Protection, or Child Protection related programs is an asset

• Capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including implementation, advisory /technical function, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others

• Experience in conducting training, orientation, and refresher sessions with diverse teams. Experience conducting such sessions remotely will be a plus

• Excellent spoken and technical writing ability in Spanish and English is a requirement. Additional languages are an asset

• Proven track record in working with teams, excellent interpersonal skills, positive and professional attitude, and ability to lead and work well with diverse teams in a complex international environment and with multiple partners

• Ability to travel up to 50% of time including the United States

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

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