Senior Safeguarding Specialist (Africa Country Cluster)
Who strengthens safeguarding systems and drives a culture of safety, accountability, and protection.
The Senior Safeguarding Specialist provides technical expertise to strengthen safeguarding practice across War Child Alliance, ensuring that safeguarding standards, policies, and approaches are consistently understood, applied, and continuously improved.
The role supports the organisation to identify and manage safeguarding risks, embed safeguarding into programmes and organisational processes, and strengthen systems, capacity, and culture. Working across teams, functions, and contexts, the Safeguarding Specialist contributes to safe, accountable, and ethical ways of working that protect children, communities, and staff.
This role sits within the Integrity & Safeguarding function and works across country programmes, and global teams. It supports coordination between HR, safeguarding, investigations, and operational teams to ensure a consistent and effective approach to integrity, safeguarding, ethical behaviour, and misconduct management.
Provide technical safeguarding advice and guidance to managers and teams, supporting consistent interpretation and application of safeguarding standards, policies, and frameworks.
Contribute to the development, refinement, and contextualisation of safeguarding approaches, tools, and frameworks to ensure they remain practical, relevant, and aligned with organisational and sector standards.
Advise on the identification, assessment, and mitigation of safeguarding risks across activities, programmes, and partnerships, supporting informed and risk-aware decision-making.
Guide the strengthening of safeguarding systems and processes, including reporting mechanisms, community feedback channels, and risk management practices, ensuring consistency and effectiveness.
Support the integration of safeguarding principles into organisational processes, including programme design, partnerships, recruitment, and operational practices.
Provide technical input to capacity strengthening efforts, including advising on learning approaches, training content, and capability development for staff, focal points, and partners.
Contribute to monitoring, analysis, and interpretation of safeguarding data, trends, and risks, providing insight to inform organisational learning, improvement, and decision-making.
Work across functions (e.g. HR, programmes, MEAL, safeguarding, integrity) to promote alignment and coherence in safeguarding approaches, policies, and practices.
Education
Relevant qualification or equivalent professional experience in safeguarding, social work, psychology, international development, humanitarian action, human rights, or a related field is desirable.
Experience
Minimum of 2 years’ experience working on protection, PSEA and/or safeguarding with civil society / I/NGOs
Experience of delivering safeguarding activities in emergency response situations
Worked on safeguarding, protection, or related risk areas in a complex organisational or programme environment
Supported or advised on safeguarding concerns, incidents, or risk management processes
Contributed to the development or application of safeguarding policies, frameworks, or standards
Worked across teams, functions, or partners to support consistent approaches to safeguarding practice
Supported integration of safeguarding into programmes, partnerships, or organisational processes
Contributed to capacity strengthening, learning, or awareness initiatives related to safeguarding or protection
Worked with sensitive information and situations requiring discretion, sound judgement, and ethical decision-making
Worked in international, humanitarian, development, or values-led environments
Languages
Fluency in English is required for this role.
Fluency in French is also desireable
Additional languages may be useful for example Swahili, Arabic, Hausa
(Technical) Knowledge
Knowledge of safeguarding principles, protection standards, and risk management approaches
Understanding of safeguarding in both organisational and programme contexts, including partnerships and community engagement
Understanding of relevant international standards (e.g. CHS, PSEA, safeguarding frameworks) and their practical application
Ability to provide clear, practical, and context-sensitive technical advice
Ability to assess and interpret safeguarding risks and support appropriate mitigation measures
Ability to work across functions and build effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders
Ability to communicate clearly and support shared understanding on sensitive or complex issues
Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with a proven ability to build trust, understand client needs, and deliver clear, tailored solutions in client-facing environments.
Uses judgement to balance policy, context, and organisational values in decision-making
Ability to support learning, reflection, and continuous improvement in safeguarding practice
Supports inclusive, respectful, and values-led ways of working
Location Based in any of the War Child offices across the Africa Cluster.
Type of Contract Local contract with salary and secondary labour conditions based on the in-country salary scale, local T&C's will apply.
Why You Should Apply
Meaningful Impact : Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long-term, sustainable change.
Professional Growth: Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation, and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network.
Global Reach : Play a key role in scaling a ground-breaking programme across multiple conflict-affected contexts worldwide.
Collaborative & Inclusive Culture : Work alongside passionate, mission-driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all.
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Senior Safeguarding Specialist (Africa Country Cluster) in Amsterdam werkgever: War Child
War Child Alliance Foundation is een uitstekende werkgever die zich inzet voor de ondersteuning van kinderen in conflictgebieden. Met een sterke focus op financiële transformatie en samenwerking biedt de organisatie een stimulerende werkomgeving waarin medewerkers de kans krijgen om hun vaardigheden te ontwikkelen en bij te dragen aan betekenisvolle projecten. De cultuur is inclusief en divers, met mogelijkheden voor professionele groei en een sterke nadruk op integriteit en kindveiligheid.
