Safeguarding Senior Advisor

World Vision is hiring a Safeguarding Senior Advisor to serve in the Legal and Compliance division.

At a Glance 

Role: Safeguarding Senior Advisor

Reports to:   Associate Vice President, Governance, Risk and Compliance

Location: Remote

Required Experience:   Bachelor’s degree in law, social work, development or related field or equivalent professional work experience (8 years). In addition to education or education equivalent, requires a minimum of five to seven years of relevant work experience.  Experience must include a minimum of two years of direct programming experience in child protection, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), gender-based violence (GBV) or safeguarding.

Work Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the U.S.A. for any employer.

Estimated Salary Range: $120,000-$146,000

The Job 

The Safeguarding Senior Advisor will serve as the WVUS Safeguarding lead to implement the WVUS Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy. Represent WVUS on Safeguarding to external groups engaged in addressing effective safeguarding in the INGO sector. Advise senior leadership on opportunities, resource needs, training, and progress. Participate in WVI global safeguarding community of practice and learning. Help carry out our Christian organization’s mission, vision, and strategies. Personify the ministry of World Vision by witnessing to Christ and ministering to others through life, deed, word, and sign.

Responsibilities Will Include

1. Keep Christ central in individual and corporate life. Actively participate in and contribute to the spiritual disciplines of the organization (Christian conduct, chapel, prayer, worship, devotions, and leadership of devotions); incorporate WV Core Values into decisions within scope of role. 

2. Strategic Leadership in Safeguarding:

·       Actively build a culture of safeguarding, where staff are informed and empowered to discuss key issues, report, and act on safeguarding violations, making World Vision a safe place for all.

·       Lead thinking on safeguarding risks and protection issues across international and domestic programming, including appropriate prevention, programming, and response methodology.

·       Ensure safeguarding is properly resourced across the office and programs; advocate to Senior Leadership Team for appropriate resources and actions as needed. 

·       Understand and speak to safeguarding compliance gaps, incident trends, and emerging risks.

·       Influence, network, and collaborate with WVUS staff, engaged government bodies, NGOs, and other relevant safeguarding peers or networks.

·       Participate in WVI global safeguarding community of practice and learning.

·       Advise program/project designs, including grants, on matters related to safeguarding.

3. WVUS Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy Implementation:

·       Maintain a contextualized, culturally sensitive, and legally sound Safeguarding Policy that meets or exceeds the Partnership Safeguarding Policy.

·       Develop and coordinate training for all staff and affiliates in the WVUS Safeguarding Policy, including the obligation for all WV staff to immediately report known or suspected Safeguarding violations. 

·       Guide development of safeguarding incident preparedness plans (SIPP), including referral plans for child and adult victims of sexual and other abuse, and plan to report incidents to local police and other duty bearers or regulators. Complete the full SIPP related to WVUS domestic programming.

·       Advise HR, Communications/Marketing, Sponsorship, International and U.S. Programming colleagues on their safeguarding responsibilities in alignment with the Safeguarding Policy.

·       Confirm WVUS has a keen focus on ensuring marketing and sponsor/donor relations, especially visitor, communications, social media and digital technology standards are child- and project participant-safe.

·       Complete the annual Partnership Safeguarding Update Report which measures the quality of WVUS’ safeguarding system, including gaps in adhering to WVUS’ Safeguarding Policy.

·       Lead the Safeguarding Action Plan working group based on results and feedback from the Safeguarding Update Report process; monitor and report Action Plan progress.

4. Safeguarding Capacity Building and Awareness Raising: 

·       Lead and coordinate a safeguarding capacity building strategy for WVUS staff and affiliates.

·       Oversee and collaborate on the implementation of safeguarding training across WVUS, ensuring all staff, interns, volunteers, board members, partners, contractors, and visitors receive orientation upon recruitment and refresher training every two years.

·       Work in partnership with HR, Communications/Marketing, Sponsorship, International and U.S. Programming teams to ensure tailored, job-specific safeguarding training is provided and confirm contractors and visitors acknowledge and adhere to WV’s Safeguarding Behavior Protocols when engaging with program participants.

·       Assist International and U.S. Programming teams in implementation of Partner Safeguarding Assessment Tools to assess and strengthen a partner’s safeguarding systems where needed.

·       Ensure appropriate WVUS staff are trained on the WVUS Safeguarding Incident Preparedness Plan.

·       Ensure that accessible complaints and response mechanisms are in all communities where WVUS conducts domestic programming.

5. Safeguarding Incident Management: 

·       Lead the WVUS Safeguarding Steering Committee and Safeguarding Incident Response Team.

·       Coordinate incident response actions including safeguarding investigations with support from HR, Security, Communications, Legal, and the WVI Safeguarding Unit.

·       Provide safeguarding incident updates, reports, and documentation within established deadlines.

·       Ensure confidentiality of information regarding safeguarding incidents.

·       Promote and ensure implementation of 'survivor-centered' approaches to incident management, seeking support from global colleagues as required.

·       Collaborate with HR for care for and support to staff working on complex safeguarding issues.

·       Collaborate to ensure required reporting of safeguarding incidents to donors, including field incidents where the program is supported by WVUS grant funding. 

6. Work collaboratively with team members when assigned to work as a member of a team. 

7. Perform other duties as assigned.

8. Maintain awareness of corporate goals, objectives, organizational announcements, and activities. Reference and follow organizational policies and procedures, seeking clarity as needed.

You Bring These Skills

·       Influencing Skills: Asserts ideas and persuades others, gaining their support and commitment; mobilizes people to take action. Makes and maintains contact with individuals who can influence decision-makers. Communicates persuasively and with high impact. 

·       Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes situations and/or issues, considers options, develops and decides on solutions, recommends and/or implements and monitors appropriate solutions. 

·       Cross-Cultural Sensitivity: Communicates and interacts effectively with people from other cultures, religions, and geographies; respects and adapts to other cultures and seeks

·       Risk Assessment: Effectively assess business controls and risks using appropriate tools and techniques. Demonstrates an understanding of implications of decisions and strives to mitigate risk and improve organizational performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in law, social work, development or related field or equivalent professional work experience (8 years). In addition to education or education equivalent, requires a minimum of five to seven years of relevant work experience.  Experience must include a minimum of two years of direct programming experience in child protection, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), gender-based violence (GBV) or safeguarding. Requires strong relationship building/network capacity, excellent communication skills, spiritual maturity in Christian faith, ability to influence, to innovate, and to be proactive.

Salary & Benefits

WVUS Pay Grade Level: 228

Estimated hiring range is $$120,000-$146,000.

This range applies to locations with a market similar to our Federal Way and Washington D.C. offices. A different range may apply based on your work location.

Job offers are based on relevant qualifications and pay equity.

Please indicate your salary expectations in the application.

In addition, we have a robust and comprehensive benefits package to round our total compensation package. Click here to learn more.

About World Vision

We're a global Christian humanitarian organization. We partner with children, families, and their communities to empower them as they reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. For nearly 75 years, World Vision has followed Jesus' example to show unconditional love to the poor and oppressed. We serve every child regardless of faith.

What Happens Next? 

Applications are reviewed weekly. Short-listed candidates will be contacted for an initial phone conversation with a recruiter. If questions arise on our end about your application, we will message you to learn more. We encourage you to submit a PDF resume and a cover letter. Our goal is to fill this vacancy with the right person in the shortest amount of time.