Technical Advisor - Safeguarding

Location: Portland, OR, Washington, DC, or US Remote 
Valid unrestricted work authorization in the country in which you will be based (United States) is required at the time of application for this position.Position Status: Full time, Exempt, Regular
Salary Level: The salary range for this position is $64,000- $70,000 USD commensurate on experience

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team

At Mercy Corps, Safeguarding is a holistic term that encompasses our prevention and response around issues involving Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Program Participants, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Human Trafficking, and Child Safeguarding. Mercy Corps’ global safeguarding team is a key part of Mercy Corps’ Ethics and Compliance department and leads our organizational efforts to prevent, detect, and deter safeguarding issues. The team reports to a Senior Director of Safeguarding who reports to the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (CECO). 
The global safeguarding team is bolstered by a global network of focal points and champions at the country level to mainstream safeguarding and raise awareness about the rights and responsibilities of our team members, participants, partners, volunteers and many others who are a part of the critical work we do.

The Position

The Mercy Corps’ global safeguarding team seeks to engage an experienced safeguarding professional to provide technical expertise to support our growing safeguarding team. The Technical Advisor will support the development of tools, trainings, guidance materials and processes to help ensure that safeguarding is embedded within all aspects of the organization’s work. The Advisor will also play a key role in ensuring accountability to our donors, particularly non-European and UN donors, including the US Government. This will include tracking donor initiatives and standards, giving technical input and advice surrounding donor expectations, supporting the inclusion of safeguarding in proposal development, and providing up to date and accurate responses to donor requests for information regarding our safeguarding prevention efforts. Such requests will be completed in partnership with the Safeguarding Advisor for Mercy Corps Europe, and the US and Europe based Compliance teams. As a member of the Safeguarding Team, the Technical Advisor will provide agency leadership internally and externally on safeguarding issues related to US and UN donors, proactively identifying areas requiring action and actively advocating for the implementation of evolving industry best practice.

Essential Responsibilities

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND DEVELOPMENT TRAINING GUIDANCE

• Support the development of safeguarding training materials and guidance for safeguarding focal points, country, program and global teams, ensuring consistency in quality and content
• Lead on development of tools and resources to support teams in mainstreaming safeguarding throughout the program lifecycle
• Support in the development and selection of appropriate evaluation strategies related to safeguarding

CAPACITY BUILDING OF RELEVANT STAFF ON SAFEGUARDING

• Support the development and delivery of trainings around implementation of Core Safeguarding Standards with teams as needed
• Design and implement ongoing, targeted training and engagement to build capacity of teams, including plans to ensure appropriate knowledge is sustained despite turnover and transitions
• Coordinate and plan practical learning sessions on safeguarding for Mercy Corps’ team members to build long term capacity to integrate safeguarding into planning and design
• Develop tailored tools and resources to support the design and delivery of safe programming

DONOR WORKSTREAMS

• Lead and project manage requests for safeguarding-related information from UN, North American donors, and other donors as requested
• Provide safeguarding technical support on program specific requests or document review requests as they arise
• Keep abreast of US and UN donor safeguarding and PSEAH requirements and informing and training the Global Safeguarding team, TSU, desk officers and other teams as needed on these changes
• Collaborate on donor requests as needed with the Mercy Corps Europe Safeguarding Advisor leading on European donor workstreams

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Director of Safeguarding
Works Closely With: Mercy Corps Ethics & Compliance Department, Mercy Corps Global Safeguarding Team, Regional Safeguarding Advisors, and other headquarters and country program teams

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• 4+ years’ experience with safeguarding, protection, GBV or similar area in international NGO context
• Experience and expertise in mainstreaming safeguarding/protection/GBV into program design in international NGO context
• Skilled in training and facilitation
• Experienced in developing training packages, tools, guidance and TOT approaches to cascading training and knowledge transfer
• Technical skills and knowledge in PSEAH, safeguarding, protection, and/or GBV
• Excellent training, coaching and facilitation skills
• Highly organized with excellent time management skills
• Ability to run a number of complex processes and projects at the same time, staying on track
• Understanding of US and UN donor requirements
• Excellent relationship builder and networker
• Fluency in English required; fluency in French, Spanish and/or Arabic highly desirable

Success Factors

The successful candidate for this role will be a technical expert in safeguarding, protection, and/or gender based violence. They will have direct program experience and expertise in mainstreaming safeguarding and/or protection principles into programs, designing and testing guidance and tools, and supporting country offices to ensure that safeguarding is adequately prioritized.The successful candidate will have knowledge of the INGO environment and a strong background in donor requirements, tool development, technical support and training delivery. They must be able to work across Mercy Corps teams and departments to guarantee a coordinated and cohesive approach; possess a sustained lens of cultural humility while staying abreast of best practice as it relates to safeguarding in the context of insecure environments; and persistence in moving complex problems forward in a timely yet methodical manner. 
The Advisor will lead by example, with both technical expertise and an attitude of cultural humility that always seeks to learn from a place of equity, and in turn, motivates a diverse array of stakeholders. They will embody and facilitate the development of an organizational culture of continuous improvement and learning for safeguarding. The successful candidate will be someone with the relevant experience, but also with a deep desire and commitment to live and breathe our culture and values, of which safeguarding, diversity and inclusion are a significant part. We seek an individual with a visible passion for the work we do and a desire to be part of our story.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is ideally based in Portland, OR or Washington, D.C. although remote work may be a possibility for other US based locations. Travel may be required up to 20% of the time and may include countries that are listed as failed or failing states.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and participate in the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.

Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.

Covid-19 Vaccine Policy for US-Based Employees

Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status. This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce, but the ongoing functionality of the organization.

This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.

For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment.  Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations.  Failure to comply may impact your employment.  Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.