Advisor on Safeguarding and Complaints, national position

Position type and closing date

Status: Single Posting

Location: within another LWF country program (ideally Prague, Nairobi or Bogota/Caracas)

Contract length: one year, with possibility for extension

Deadline for application: 3 November 2024

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) World Service (WS)

World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world. A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centred and community-based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.

For additional information, please see www.lutheranworld.org/WorldService.

Purpose

LWF World Service (WS) responds to humanitarian emergencies and human needs on behalf of the Lutheran World Federation - a Communion of Churches (LWF). In pursuance of its responsibility and based on its strategy, LWF World Service:

Provides support to refugees, returnees, internally displaced people, their host communities and communities at risk, emphasizing livelihoods, quality services, protection and social cohesion.

Establishes and runs country programs and emergency operations.

Engages in diverse cooperation and partnership arrangements to serve best the vulnerable populations, including the member churches.

The incumbent is a member of the Quality, Systems and Accountability Team, which is responsible for setting high standards of quality and accountability while continuously improving internal compliance mechanisms.

The primary purpose of this position is to strengthen accountability and compliance with the LWF Staff Code of Conduct (CoC), the Safeguarding Policy, PSEA Policy, Complaints Response Mechanism, and other related policies and guidelines across LWF World Service and its country programs.

Additionally, the incumbent plays a key role in promoting continuous learning among staff and partner organizations, helping them meet World Service’s commitments to accountability more effectively.

A critical aspect of the role is supporting and maintaining the organization’s PSEA accreditation with UN agencies.

Required qualifications

Master in a subject related to the function, ideally Social Sciences, Psychology, business or finance studies, Human Resources.

Knowledge and Experience

Safeguarding and Investigations Expertise: Strong understanding of safeguarding and protection policies, as well as the challenges associated with their implementation.

Familiarity with the application of international standards of protection and accountability.

Expertise in workplace investigations in line with international standards; certification in compliance is a strong asset.

Training and Capacity Building: Proven experience in designing and delivering capacity building measures, both in-person and via remote platforms.

Professional Experience: Minimum of 5 years of work experience in development or humanitarian NGOs.

Experience working within a virtual team in an international, multi-cultural environment.

Travel and Mobility: Willing and able to travel in Country Programs upon request.

Language Skills

Proficient in English and fluent in Spanish, French an asset.

Main duties

Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Harassment

Coordinate and support the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy across World Service and Country Program (CP) levels.

Assist CPs in maintaining their accreditation with UN agencies by supporting mandatory PSEA Self-Assessments.

Contribute to the review and updating of relevant safeguarding policies and guidelines.

Lead capacity-building initiatives, identifying needs and coordinating comprehensive training programs for all country programs and emergency operations to ensure compliance with safeguarding standards and best practices.

Complaints Handling and Investigations

Support the rollout of the Complaints Response Mechanism Policy and Guidelines at the CP level.

Promote and tailor the use of digital case management tools and procedures within CPs.

Assist in compiling, analyzing, and documenting registered complaints across CPs.

Provide ongoing technical support for internally handled investigations.

Communication and Networking

Collect, document, and disseminate lessons learned to enhance the effectiveness of safeguarding efforts.

Maintain the SharePoint pages on Safeguarding, PSEA and CRM.

Proactively communicate program achievements to raise the visibility of safeguarding and accountability topics.

Engage with relevant networks and working groups at the CP level to strengthen collaboration and share expertise.

Capacity Building as a Core Focus

Developing and Delivering Training: Creating training material and conducting training programs to educate staff on safeguarding practices and to enhance skills in complaints handling and work place investigations.

Facilitating Knowledge Sharing: Promoting the exchange of information and best practices among staff to enhance collective understanding. Supporting Continuous Learning: Encouraging ongoing education and skill development to improve the organization’s overall capacity in safeguarding, complaints handling, and investigations.

Major Challenges

This role requires a strong ability to work in a cross-functional and international environment, ensuring proactive communication, and collaboration with all the teams involved.