In Ethiopia, many children are out of school or at risk of dropping out, in particular girls and other marginalised groups. Progress has been made in expanding education access for children across the country, however, since 2019 progress stalled due to conflict and instability, climate-induced shocks and the impact of Covid-19 and wider macroeconomic challenges around inflation which exacerbated existing inequalities.

In response, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aims to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes and increase access to education for girls and marginalised children through the ‘Transforming Education in Ethiopia’ project (2024-2028). The project will focus on three key components below:

• Teacher and school leader development:  Improved quality of teaching and learning with a focus on continuous teacher professional development in targeted schools. 

• English Language Teaching and Learning: Selected schools provide better teaching and learning in English Language as a subject, and improved use of English across the curriculum.

• Equity, Inclusion and Girls’ Education: Improved access and retention of the most marginalised children, particularly girls.

Employment type: Definite period

Role Purpose:

The Safeguarding Lead will ensure that robust safeguarding measures are integrated across all aspects of the programme. The role will focus on the protection and welfare of children, vulnerable adults, and staff involved in the programme. The Safeguarding Lead will establish, implement, and monitor safeguarding policies and practices, ensuring compliance with donor standards and internal organisational frameworks. They will lead on training, incident management, and coordination with partners to create a safe and supportive environment across the consortium.

Duites and Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and implementation of safeguarding risk prevention, mitigation and management strategies across the programme, ensuring alignment with donor safeguarding requirements and organisational policies.

• Develop, update, and enforce safeguarding procedures, ensuring they reflect best practices and the local context.

• Act as the main point of contact for safeguarding issues and manage reporting systems.

• Lead on the effective management of safeguarding incidents, ensuring timely and appropriate responses, including liaising with the Protection and Safeguarding team at head office as necessary.

• Deliver comprehensive safeguarding training and awareness-raising activities for programme team, partners and stakeholders.

• Ensure all programme staff and partners are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and duty to report via the appropriate channels any suspicions or concerns. 

• Identify and assess safeguarding risks associated with the programme and implement risk mitigation measures.

• Monitor compliance with safeguarding policies through site visits, providing timely feedback to management.

• Collaborate with monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) colleagues to integrate safeguarding into project evaluations and ensure safeguarding lessons are captured and applied.

• Ensure that any safeguarding concerns are reported promptly internally to Concern Worldwide’s head office, the donor and other relevant authorities as may be necessary.

• Collaborate closely with consortium partners to ensure safeguarding standards are consistently applied across all organisations.

• Liaise with local authorities, community leaders, and other stakeholders to foster a safe environment and ensure alignment with local safeguarding regulations and practices.

• Effectively communicate Safeguarding findings to the Team Lead, programme staff and external stakeholders, including the FCDO, to facilitate informed decision-making.

• Represent the programme at external safeguarding forums and networks to share learnings and remain informed about global safeguarding trends.

• Ensure adherence/compliance with Concern Worldwide’s Code of Conduct & Associated Policies (including Programme Participant Protection, Child & vulnerable adult Safeguarding, Anti-Trafficking policies), Conflict of Interest Policy, Anti-Fraud Policy, and Modern Slavery Transparency Statement. 

• Promote and ensure accountability to programme participants and wider communities in line with Concern Worldwide’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Do No Harm principles and ensure high ethical standards throughout programme implementation.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Gender Equality

• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy

• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with  dignity and respect 

• Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E); 

• work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 

• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behavior is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.

• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.

• Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.

• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.

• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.

Job Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor’s or equivalent experience in social work, gender studies, human rights, child protection, international development or related field.

• Minimum of 5-7 years’ experience in safeguarding, child protection, or protection programming in an international development context.

• Experience working in East Africa, preferably Ethiopia.

• Proven experience in developing and implementing safeguarding policies and procedures within a complex programme working with vulnerable children and adults.

• Strong knowledge of safeguarding principles, best practices, and international standards, with a focus on protection of vulnerable groups within the education sector.

• Experience in conducting risk assessments, managing safeguarding incidents, and leading investigations in complex, multi-partner environments.

• Demonstrated experience in delivering training and capacity building on safeguarding issues.

• Understanding of Ethiopian legal frameworks and cultural sensitivities relating to safeguarding and protection is a significant advantage.

• Ability to handle sensitive issues with discretion, maintain confidentiality, and provide empathetic support.

• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to respond to complex safeguarding challenges.

• Experience and ability to provide leadership and strategic direction.

• Experience and ability to work with and build effective partnerships between a broad range of stakeholders, including consortium partners.

• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to articulate complex information backed with evidence to advocate to and persuade influential stakeholders. 

• Fluency in spoken and written English.

Desirable:

• Experience working on FCDO-funded programmes.

• Experience working with vulnerable communities in Ethiopia or similar contexts.

• Fluency in one or more Ethiopian languages.

Competencies:  

As this is a key leadership position, potential candidates are expected to demonstrate significant ability in the following areas:

Focusing on the most marginalized people 

Communicating and influencing

Making decisions

Leading change

Leading by example

Driving performance

Motivating and developing

Removing barriers to delivery

We encourage all eligible candidates, irrespective of gender, ethnicity or origin, disability, political beliefs, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status to apply to become a part of the organization. Concern is against all forms of discrimination and unequal power relations and is committed to promoting equality. 

If this role sounds right for you, please apply with your CV and cover letter. We will respond to every applicant. Please be aware we may offer positions before the closing date. Concern reserves the right to interview and select the chosen candidate before closing date for receipt of applications, so early application is strongly recommended.

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a disability e.g. a hearing impairment - please let us know and we will do our best to respond to your needs.  

Recruitment for this role is contingent upon the successful award of the project, and the final applicant's selection is subject to FCDO approval.

Important information:

Concern has an organizational Code of Conduct with three Associated Policies: The Programme Participant Protection Policy, the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organizations, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in their work, in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Consequently, working or volunteering with Concern may be subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking. 

During this job application, you will provide Concern with your personal data. Concern takes its responsibilities towards this personal data very seriously and is committed to complying with all relevant data protection legislation

What we offer

• A competitive salary and benefit package

• Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)

• 20 days annual leave

• 26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave

How to Apply

Interested applicants should send non-returnable C.V., application letter outlining how their experience and education fit this vacancy, please note that no need to submit your supporting documents at this stage:

Apply though THIS LINK

Safeguarding at Concern: Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking. 

Women and people with disability applicants are highly encouraged to apply.