We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. 

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

•            No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday

•            All children learn from a quality basic education and that,

•            Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

SCI - Afghanistan

 Save the Children has been working in Afghanistan since 1976. Our way of working close to people and on their own terms has enabled us to deliver lasting change to tens of thousands of children in the country. The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child is the basis of our work.

We are helping children get a better education, we make it possible for more boys and girls to attend school, we help children protect themselves and influence their own conditions. We work with families, communities and health workers in homes, clinics and hospitals to promote basic health in order to save lives of children and mothers

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 2: either the role holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young people as part of their work; or they will be working in a ‘regulated’ position (accountant, barrister, solicitor, legal executive); therefore, a police check will be required (at ‘standard’ level in the UK or equivalent in other countries).

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Safe programming Officer will work under supervision of SG manager, and close coordination with Ips, GPE and PMU team in end-to-end safe programming (awareness, prevention/risk mitigation, reporting & response, and ensure safe partnership.

The Safeguarding officer is a dedicated role for GPE award only to support and ensure Safeguarding/safe programing all mechanisms and due diligence in place in all implemented locations under GPE. He/she will support the implementation of SCI SG framework into IPs and GPE sites mainly in rural schools. The role will ensure that all project activities are carried out in a safe, inclusive, and accountable manner. The officer will work closely with IPs, program teams and communities to prevent and respond to SG concerns, minimize the risks, including SEA, child SG, and misconduct. He/she will make sure full oversight and accountability on the ground to ensure all activities are implemented in compliance with SG minimum standards.

The Safeguarding Officer is responsible for ensuring that GPE programs are implemented in a manner that promotes safeguarding principles, prevent harm, and provide meaningful access of services to affected populations, particularly vulnerable groups. He/ She to maintain close engagement with relevant stakeholders, including IPs, and undertake up to 30% travel to field offices to ensure strengthened safeguarding systems and the effective implementation of integration of safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, and Do No Harm principles across all programmatic activities.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Safeguarding Manager

Staff reporting to this post:  None

Budget Responsibilities: None

Role Dimensions: A wide range of stakeholders include program, Partners, community, MEAL, HR.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Safeguarding System Strengthening into GPE Site including Safe Partnership:

• Provide support to SG manager in gathering information to integrate safe programming principles in all phases of the project.
• Support staff/IPs to take proactive steps to ensure that all programming activity identifies the potential risks and works to eliminate and mitigate those risks.
• Enable partners with key responsibilities and accountabilities to undertake their roles and mainstream safeguarding functions.
• Lead safeguarding and PSEAH risk assessments tailored to rural education contexts and ensure mitigation measures are implemented in compliance with Safeguarding minimum standards in close coordination with IPs.
• Provide technical support to Implementing Partners (IPs) to ensure all staff and partners follow safe recruitment procedures, sign the Code of Conduct (CoC), and receive mandatory safeguarding and PSEAH orientation.
• Conduct periodical monitoring and supportive visits to IP offices and project sites to strengthen safeguarding systems, ensuring effective implementation of policies, procedures, and reporting mechanisms.
• Coordinate and roll out joint activities with IPs to ensure safeguarding and safe programming measures are consistently integrated across all interventions.
• Work closely with community engagement workers to support and facilitate community sessions, ensuring strong accountability, accessible reporting pathways, and effective response mechanisms, particularly in rural communities.
• Design and deliver contextualized safeguarding and PSEAH training for staff, partners, and community stakeholders.
• Establish and monitor safe, confidential, child-friendly and harmonized reporting mechanisms in rural schools and communities in consultation with IPs and community.
• Lead community awareness initiatives on safeguarding, child protection, and PSEAH reporting pathways.
• Support establishment of school-based safeguarding structures and ensure ongoing functionality at community level.
• Ensure timely, confidential, and survivor-cantered response to safeguarding and PSEAH concerns, including referrals.
• Monitor safeguarding and PSEAH compliance across project sites and partners, ensuring alignment with organizational and inter-agency standards.
• Ensure safeguarding and PSEAH measures are inclusive and accessible to all children, especially vulnerable groups.

Incident Reporting & Case Management:

• Act as a focal point for reporting safeguarding concerns, leading on it and support strong referrals in line with organizational protocols.
• Ensure safe, confidential, and survivor-centered reporting and response mechanisms are in place and accessible.
• Ensure 24-hour reporting mandate is adequately informed to all staff, partners, and relevant stakeholders. 
• Report all the concerns received via various and accessible reporting channels like MEAL, emails, phone calls etc. are reported to DATIX and informed to Safeguarding manager.
• Maintain safeguarding tracker updated and provide monthly report of the tracker with lesson learning to Safeguarding manager.
• Keep all reports and cases confidentially recorded.
• Follow-up on recommendations and plan of action

SG Audits, Monitoring & Compliance:

• Monitor program activities to ensure compliance with organizational safeguarding policies.
• Collaborate with MEAL teams to integrate safe programming indicators and feedback mechanisms.
• Conduct regular field visits and report on safe programming implementation and challenges.
• Ensure improvement plan is in place, lessons learned are documented and shared with IPs, and other stakeholders for future consideration.
• Integrate SG monitoring into regular field visits (check safe service delivery, safe interaction with children, adults).

Coordination:

• Support the unit in coordination with various stake holders and partners to improve SG practices.
• High levels of professional behaviour and maintain the standards required by the Policies and Code of Conduct.
• Whenever required support partnership and PMU team on ensuring SG minimum standards embedded into the response plan.
• Coordinate with Child Protection Sub-Cluster and partners on SG risks.
• Advocate for safeguarding to be included in all project/partner activity plans.

Liaise and maintain close engagement with relevant stakeholders, including IPs, and undertake up to 30% travel to field offices to ensure strengthened safeguarding systems and the effective implementation of the Do No Harm principle across program locations.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (Save the Children Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Able to respectfully and constructively challenge stakeholders in the course of their work

Ambition:

• Set ambitious and challenging goals for themselves, take responsibility for their own personal development and encourage their team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, see it as a source of competitive strength

• Approachable, good listener, & easy to work with

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.

Integrity:

• Demonstrates the highest levels of integrity and honesty

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree / equal qualification in a relevant field such as Law and Social Sciences
• Has at least 3 years relevant experience (SG/Child Protection, Safe Programming, Partnership. Education, Community engagement/initiatives) applicable to the role with knowledge of common analytical tools.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential:

• Experience of managing as well as undertaking complex unsafe programming/ safeguarding investigations and or disciplinary investigations.
• Work and travel 30% to field location where program implemented
• Multi-disciplinary experience of working successfully with senior managers to deliver major operational change with a track record of delivering results to high standards.
• Experience of building personal internal and external networks.
• Experience of planning and undertaking training programmes/workshops in safeguarding at a range of levels (e.g. field workers, managers, senior managers).
• Strong verbal communication and report writing skills in English and Dari/Pashto languages.

Desirable:

• Evidence of professional expertise, personal development and learning in the field of childcare
• Experience of working within hostile and challenging environments.
• Experience of work-related travel in challenging environments.
• Knowledge of SCI systems including Agresso, TIM, PPM Prime, Datix etc.

Additional job responsibilities

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the Save the Children Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with Save the Children Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Qualified applicants are highly encouraged to apply for the position by filling in the online application form. In addition to the online application form, they can also attach their CV and cover letter in the online system. Please note that only the applications received through the online portal will be considered for this position.

Applicants can login to the online application system by copying and pasting the following link intro their web browser. Returning users will need to enter their username and password, first time users will need to create a user account.

It is recommended that you save your username and password for future job applications through the online system.

Link:https://hcri.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/16330/?utm_medium=jobshare&utm_source=External+Job+Share

Save the Children International provides an equal employment opportunity and does not ask for money at any stage of recruitment.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.