Regional Safeguarding Adviser - Asia Mekong

At CARE, we seek a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live with dignity and security.  This has been our vision since 1945, when we were founded to send lifesaving CARE Packages® to survivors of World War II. Today, CARE is a global leader in the movement to eradicate poverty. In 2016, CARE worked in 94 countries and reached 80 million people with an incredible range of life-saving programs. We also put women and girls at the center of our work because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities.  We believe that poverty is an injustice, poverty is solvable and together, we have the power to end it.

CARE believes that everyone has the right to live free from abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to keep children and vulnerable adults safe, and we are committed to protecting them in all our activities. This role has been created to ensure that we continue to protect people from sexual harassment exploitation and abuse, and that this is managed in a professional, sensitive, coordinated, accountable and urgent way, in line with best practices within CARE and  the sector. 

The post holder reports to the CARE USA Director of Safeguarding and PSHEA and is responsible for socialising and raising awareness of CI’s Safeguarding and PSHEA policy by:

• Ensuring that CARE offices in the Asia Mekong region are prepared and able to repond to reports of SHEA (sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse) and CA (Child abuse).  
• Raising awareness of the issues and CARE’s policy commitments, including our zero-tolerance approach through training and coaching 
• Ensuring that the global SHEA/ CA reporting mechanism (CAREline) is socialised and used by staff and related personnel 
• Ensuiring that community based complaints mechanisms are designed, consulted on and communicated to staff and program participants and the   wider community. 
• The post holder will be the Lead SHEA and CA investigator in the region, and will be accountable for ensuring that reports are followed up and survivor support mechanisms are in place.
• Working with program colleagues in the region to ensure that PSHEA is mainstreamed into program design 
• Working closely with country office (CO) PSHEA focal points and SHEA Investigators to deliver these objectives

The post holder is also jointly responsible for the delivery of the Safeguarding and PSHEA team road map, working closely with the Safeguarding team  to ensure that the HQ authorised training/ awareness raising program is delivered in country offices, and to support with investigations and capacity building of CO PSHEA focal points and investigators.

Although the primary focus of the role is Asia- Mekong region this is a global role therefore, travel is a key aspect of this role.The post holder is required to travel to locations of humanitarian disaster and conflict as part of this role and should be willing and able to do so.

Responsibilities:

1. PSHEA capacity building support and advice to Asia- Mekong region country offices
   • Provide technical advice, and support to Country Office’s (CO’s) in coordination with Safeguarding team colleagues.
   • Ensure that advice and guidance is in line with CARE USA and CARE International Safeguarding and PSHEA policies and protocols
   • As part of the global delivery team assist with the roll out of the HQ designed and endorsed awareness raising and training in accordance with the plans designed by the Safeguarding and PSHEA and Learning and development team
   • Work closely with CO PSHEA focal points and trained SHEA Investigators to build their skills and capabilities to support the work of the CO.
   • Ensure coordination and close working with PSHEA and Safeguarding networks in the region
   • In coordination with the Director of Safeguarding and PSHEA, and Safeguarding team colleagues to act as a strategic adviser to the Asia- Mekong region on PSHEA issues aligning with the regional strategy
   • Work with CO program and gender staff to ensure that PSHEA is mainstreamed in project plans and program design
   • Work with Regional HR staff  and the Regional Director to deliver a coordinated service to CO’s in the region
   • Leading and working alongside PSHEA country office focal points in PSHEA and safeguarding related data collection and auditing.
   • Ensuring that action plans are in place at the country office and regional level to facilitate continuous improvement in the prevention of and response to safeguarding and SHEA reports.
   • Work with COs program teams  to ensure that effective "Community Complaints Mechanisms” are implemented.
2. Regional vetting & referencing checks including implementation of the misconduct diclosure scheme
   • Work with the HQ Safeguarding team to ensure that there is a clear process in place for appropriate levels of vetting and checking for different levels of staff, this includes global criminal checks and the INGO misconduct disclosure scheme, taking a lead on this in the region.
   • Work with legal and the talent aquisition team to ensure that these checks are rolled out, ensure that all staff are checked in line with agreed protocols.
   • Ensure that clear vetting information is retained to protect the organisation from those people that may wish to access vulnerable people, so that we can ensure that they are not recruited into the organisation.
   • Work with CO PSHEA focal points and HR staff to ensure that these practices are implemented at a local level.
3. Investigation- Sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse
   • As directed by the Director of Safeguarding and PSHEA, conduct investigations and guide management on subsequent actions in line with the organizations policies and procedures.
   • Conduct investigations by adhering to the principles of confidentiality, impartiality, fairness and sensitivity of investigation. 
   • Coordinate and where appropriate act as the Lead investigator and advisor on SHEA investigations in the Asia- Mekong region, take the lead on misconduct cases as and when required.
   • In consultation with the Director of Safeguarding and PSHEA, ensure organizational clarity of approach for investigations into allegations of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse and CA.
   • Ensure rigorous reporting and close out of cases in line with CARE’s investgation protocols .
   • Work with Safeguarding team colleagues to deliver SHEA investigation training.
   • Ensure that responses are aligned with CARE’s survivor centered approach.
4. Emergency response and deployment
   • Providing on the ground PSHEA support and expertise during humanitarian emergencies in the Asia-Mekong region, this is a deployable role.
   • Ensuring that CARE staff and related personnel that are deployed have recieved onboarding in PSHEA, and have signed the code of conduct.
   • Carrying out PSHEA assessments, setting up processes for community complaints.
   • Working in coordination CARE staff,  UNHCR and other actors/ INGO’s to provide a coordinated response.
   • Working with the other safeguarding Advisers to develop a roster of deployable safeguarding and PSHEA experts that CARE can draw on in emergencies.
5. Other tasks as delegated by the Director of Safeguarding and PSHEA
   • Project work as delegated by the Director of Safeguarding and PSHEA.
   • Covering the work of Safeguarding team colleagues/ support to other regions.
   • Development of resources and materials.

Qualifications:

• Degree level of education or equivalent.
• 3-5 years of safeguarding experience.
• Previous experience of humanitarian work (3-5 years).
• Training in managing sensitive investigations.
• Training in interview skills and techniques or mediation techniques.
• Must have previous experience of managing sensitive and serious investigations involving SEA.
• Must have a high level of resilience and ability to remain calm under difficult circumstances.
• Must have experience of managing organisational change and uncertainty.
• Must be able to impartial in the most challenging situations.
• Must have excellent problem – solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills in English.
• Highly confidential and discrete.
• Proven experience in building and maintaining trust.
• Experienced trainer, facilitator and mediator.
• Fluent in at least one of the following languages Vietnamese, Lao or Khmer.