Department: Programme

Responsible to: Country Director

Safeguarding Advisor

Liberian Nationals Only

Location: Tubmanburg, Bomi County

Contract length: Open Ended Contract

Job purpose

To support managers and staff at Mary’s Meals Liberia to fully implement the Mary’s Meals Global Safeguarding Policy and standards across the programme and all its activities.

This role will focus on strengthening a safe culture and environment, promoting safeguarding awareness, survivor support and ensuring that across the programme, staff are encouraged and feel empowered to report concerns.

Our vision

That every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things.

Our mission

To enable people to offer their money, goods, skills, time, or prayer, and through this involvement, provide the most effective help to those suffering the effects of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest communities.

Our values

Confidence in the innate goodness of people – respect the dignity of every human being and family life – good stewardship of resources entrusted to us.

Key activities

Safe Programming

• Support the Head of Programmes to identify safeguarding risks across the programme and work on ways to mitigate these risks.
• Coordinate the production of safeguarding awareness raising materials and their placement in all school feeding locations.
• Support colleagues across the programme to review operating procedures, working methods and physical arrangements to improve safeguarding arrangements in place in the School Feeding Programme.
• Support Programme Partners to understand and carry out their safeguarding responsibilities and support the Programme to conduct due diligence of Partners.

Policy

• Using MMI’s Global Safeguarding Policy as a foundation, support the publication, dissemination and implementation of policies, procedures and good practice documents and tools. This will include ensuring that procedures in different parts of the programme meet the needs of different stakeholder groups and are understood by different audiences.

Job description: Safeguarding Advisor 1

Training and awareness raising

• Work with the Global Safeguarding Lead to develop a range of materials to raise awareness safeguarding standards and reporting mechanisms to ensure that high levels of awareness of standards of behavior, rights, obligations and reporting mechanisms across all areas of the programme.
• Work with the L & D Advisor to develop or adapt and deliver general and role-specific training packages and materials for students, staff and other stakeholders that address the particular challenges and vulnerabilities at play in different contexts including MML’s School Feeding Programme. This will include conducting induction training (with HR), refresher training for all staff, students and support the roll out of Community awareness raising activities.
• Work with the L&D Advisor and Head of HR to develop, update and implement an annual calendar of trainings and awareness raising sessions.
• Work with the L&D Advisor to evaluate all training interventions to ensure that participant knowledge, attitudes and behaviors have been positively influenced.
• Work with the L&D Advisor and Head of HR to ensure that accurate records of all trainings are maintained.
• Provide advice to the SLT on ways to increase Safeguarding awareness within MML. • Support the Head of Programmes to ensure that Safeguarding posters are clearly posted in schools and communities. Ensure that regular checks take place with findings recorded and any issued followed up.

Safe Reporting and Response

• Receive and safely document safeguarding reports, respond in accordance with procedures, provide referral or next step advice.
• Act as an adviser to managers when safeguarding issues are raised or where there are concerns identified.
• Work with the Global Safeguarding Lead to establish, manage reporting mechanisms at all levels and for those who come into contact with our work (including all staff, students, contractors, Board, PTA and communities).
• Be proactive about setting up relationships with external professional expertise such as statutory authorities, police, Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection and women, children and youth groups.
• Support the HR team and managers to strengthen safeguarding investigative capacity across the programme.
• Support the response to allegations and assist with the planning, management and support to investigations related to safeguarding. This will include providing professional advice whilst also taking into consideration the potential risks to personal safety for those involved.
• Conduct context mapping and referral mapping to ensure that the PA is clear on mandatory reporting requirements and any onward referral pathways for protection issues.

Safe Media and Communications

• Support the programme to implement and comply with Mary’s Meals standards with regards to safe image and content gathering, storage and use.
• Provide briefing and trainings to internal and external stakeholders to ensure that Mary’s Meals processes are consistently followed by all school visitors.

Job description: Safeguarding Advisor 2

Continuous learning and improvement:

• Support any postholders with specific responsibilities for safeguarding to ensure they understand and feel confident carry out their responsibilities.
• Represent MML at appropriate sector events on safeguarding and child protection and liaise with other safeguarding professionals to learn from best practice.
• Work closely with the Global Safeguarding Lead and colleagues in other Programme Affiliates to learn from the experience of other programmes and gain support in the implementation of activities. • Following a significant event (an investigation or incident) conduct lessons learnt exercises to ensure continuous learning and improvement.
• Support the CD and SLT to monitor any actions and recommendations from incidents, reviews or safeguarding audits.

How to apply for this role

To apply, please send your CV (maximum 3 pages) with details of three professional references (emails and cell numbers), a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the role and a valid up-to-date Police Clearance of good conduct (Liberian nationals) to Jobs.Liberia@marysmeals.org

Closing date: 30th November 2024, at 5pm. Only shortlisted candidates will be communicated to for interview.

Your covering letter should make a compelling case for why you feel motivated to work for Mary’s Meals Liberia in this role, as well as giving a concise overview of your most relevant skills and experience and should fill no more than two pages of A4.

Job description: Safeguarding Advisor 3

While Mary’s Meals Liberia will endeavour to contact all candidates within a reasonable time, this may not always be possible due to limited resources. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, you can assume that your application has on this occasion, been unsuccessful.

All applicants will be judged strictly based on merit. Mary’s Meals is a child friendly organisation committed to the protection of children.

Mary’s Meals is an equal opportunities employer, all who meet the criteria are encouraged to apply.

Job description: Safeguarding Advisor 4