Job particulars
- Job title
- Safeguarding Manager
- Hiring organisation
- s Expand Recruitment Services
- Location
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Employment type
- Contract
- Work arrangement
- On-site
- Industry
- Project Management
- Level
- Management
- Experience
- 10+ years
- Posted
- 20 Oct 2026
- Closing date
- 31 Oct 2026
Key responsibilities
- Policy, governance and organisational controls.
- Assess existing safeguarding, code of conduct, whistleblowing, People & Culture, procurement, travel and data protection arrangements and recommend a coherent Group framework.
- Review and maintain safeguarding policy, procedures, roles, reporting channels, escalation matrix and secure case-management protocols.
- Embed safeguarding requirements in recruitment, partner due diligence, contracting, programme planning and leadership reporting.
- Provide risk-based assurance to management and escalate serious matters independently where normal reporting lines are conflicted.
- Programme design and implementation.
- Complete programme and country risk assessments, and agree mitigation plans with programme leads.
- Integrate safeguards into mobilisation, registration, onboarding, workshops, coaching, mentoring, field visits, digital delivery and MEL activities.
- Develop facilitator, coach, enumerator and participant guidance covering boundaries, consent, communications, images, data collection and disclosures.
- Conduct implementation visits, control reviews and corrective-action follow-ups, prioritising higher-risk locations and groups.
- Donor and funder contractual alignment.
- Review signed funder agreements, relevant partner standards and any programme-specific safeguarding schedules before finalising obligations.
- Maintain a donor obligations matrix specifying required controls, evidence, reporting triggers, notification recipients, deadlines and contract owners.
- Support donor due diligence, compliance reviews, incident notifications and response to remedial-action requests in line with applicable agreements.
- Maintain auditable records of programme risk assessments, training, partner checks, complaints systems and corrective actions.
- Incident prevention, response and case oversight.
- Establish accessible, confidential, safe channels for participants, staff, consultants and partners to raise concerns without retaliation.
- Coordinate intake, initial safety assessment, triage, safeguarding referrals, notifications and case oversight, including urgent protection measures.
- Apply survivor-centred and trauma-informed methods; protect privacy and secure sensitive case information on a need-to-know basis.
- Engage specialist investigators or statutory authorities when appropriate; avoid assuming the safeguarding manager should personally investigate all incidents.
- Track actions, closure and lessons learned while safeguarding identities and preserving required records.
- Capacity building and partner assurance.
- Deliver staff and facilitator induction, refresher training and specialist modules on SEAH, professional conduct, disclosure handling and reporting.
- Assess implementing partners, contractors and consultants against minimum safeguarding standards; agree remedial plans where gaps arise.
- Work with People & Culture to build safeguarding into screening, onboarding and conduct management; nominate and coach programme focal persons.
- Ensure participant-facing safeguarding information is understandable, accessible and context-appropriate.
- Monitoring, evaluation and management reporting.
- Maintain a safeguarding risk register, training dashboard, programme compliance tracker, partner-assessment log and corrective-action register.
- Report trends, systemic weaknesses and implementation status regularly to Risk & Compliance and programme leadership.
- Support programme audit readiness and an annual review of safeguarding effectiveness and improvement priorities.
Candidate requirements
- A Bachelor’s degree in social work, law, psychology, sociology, human rights, international development, public health or a related discipline is required. A specialist safeguarding or PSEA qualification is desirable. (Specific education requirements to be confirmed.)
- At least 10 years’ relevant experience, with a minimum of 5 years focused on safeguarding in donor-funded programmes — including direct reporting to a funder.
- Demonstrated experience managing safeguarding incidents against fixed reporting timelines, applying survivor-centred practice and maintaining thorough case documentation.
- Experience writing safeguarding policies, checklists, risk assessments and training content for programme and partner use.
- Experience assessing the safeguarding systems and controls of partner and implementing organisations.
- Ability to work remotely and collaboratively with project teams across multiple African countries.
- Strong understanding of PSEA/SEAH, safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, and confidential referral pathways.
- Clear, evidence-based writing for funder reports, and the confidence to challenge partners when the evidence trail is thin.
- Ability to interpret donor contracts and translate funder safeguarding requirements into practical, programme-ready plans.
- Excellent judgement, integrity, discretion, cross-cultural communication and practical problem-solving.
- Hands-on safeguarding experience in international development or donor-funded programmes.
- Experience managing safeguarding incidents against a fixed reporting timeline.
- Experience designing and delivering safeguarding training for partner organisations.
- Experience in enterprise development or MSME support programmes.
- Knowledge of safeguarding practice and reporting channels in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone or Rwanda.
- Familiarity with Acumen or Mastercard Foundation safeguarding requirements an added advantage.
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Hiring organisation
s Expand Recruitment Services