JOB ADVERT

POSITION: JASIRI PROGRAM SAFEGUARDING LEAD

REPORTING LINE: CREAW DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND JASIRI PROGRAM STEERING COMMITTEE

DUTY STATION: NAIROBI COUNTY WITH VISITS TO PROGRAM SITES.

 

1. Purpose

The Jasiri Consortium, comprising Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood (GROOTS Kenya), Collaborative Center for Gender and Development (CCGD), Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD), and Advocates for Social Change Kenya (ADSOCK) are jointly implementing the Jasiri Program (the program) for a period of 5 years (2023-2028). The Jasiri program, through CREAW seeks to retain a qualified safeguarding expert who will coordinate the day-to-day implementation of safeguarding policies and practices across the Jasiri program and its partners. The successful candidate will directly report to the Deputy Director at CREAW and to the Jasiri Program Steering Committee (PSC).

 

2. Context

The Jasiri program builds on the achievements of a pilot program implemented by the consortium during the COVID Pandemic to address the high incidences of gender-based violence. The program is deepening support to most at-risk girls and young women who are survivors of gender-based violence in 16 counties^[1] in Kenya that are recording high prevalence rates of Gender Based Violence. The Jasiri Program has expanded its scope to address GBV and the heavy load of unpaid care and domestic work as an emerging gender barrier that disproportionately affects adolescent girls and young women living in rural areas and urban informal settlements.

This program addresses the following systemic and structural barriers:

1. Limited access to gender-responsive financial resources and skilling would reduce entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for adolescent girls and young women who are GBV survivors or at risk of GBV.
2. Limited capacity and resources among national and sub-national (county) governments and GBV service providers to effectively respond to GBV and unpaid care work faced by adolescent girls and young women.
3. Social norms and harmful cultural beliefs, attitudes, and practices expose AGYW to abuse and discrimination and prevent them from meaningfully participating in the world of work.

 

The program’s broad interventions are:

1. Engage financial services providers and the State Department of gender to build up responsive and inclusive financial services that cater to the full range needs of young women, especially gender-based violence survivors.
Support and collaborate with community skilling partners to provide skilling opportunities (life skills, entrepreneurship) to GBV survivors and most at-risk Adolescent Girls and Young women (AGYW) as a pathway to work
2. Collaborate with national and county governments and to address unpaid care and domestic work through policy, practice, and budget reforms.
Engage community leaders and gatekeepers (including men, boys, and cultural and religious leaders) in shifting perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs that perpetuate gender inequalities e.g GBV and the heavy load of unpaid care work.
3. Enhance capacity and resilience GBV service providers including Safe shelter actors to provide timely, safe, and confidential services to support the short- and long-term healing and empowerment of GBV survivors.
Enhance capacity of National and county governments (e.g., sensitization on how to domesticate national GBV policies and SOPs) to implement laws and policies that prevent and respond to GBV.

 

Some of the expected program outcomes include:

1. Increased utilisation and uptake of gender responsive and inclusive financial services/products by young women and young women owned MSME’s.
2. Enhanced resilience of GBV survivors and most at-risk adolescent girls and young women in entrepreneurship and in the world of work.
3. More time and agency for adolescent girls and young women to participate in economic opportunities.

 

3. Position Summary.

The Safeguarding Lead will provide strategic and hands-on leadership on all matters relating to safeguarding across the Jasiri Program and will collaborate and work closely with all safeguarding focal points at consortium level. The lead will be based at CREAW HQ in Nairobi County.

3.1 Duration: This is a 24 months initial engagement, with potential extension based on performance and availability of continued funding.

3.2 Reporting: Reports directly to the CREAW Deputy Director with a dotted line to the Jasiri Program Coordinator and the Jasiri Program Steering Committee (PSC). The Safeguarding Lead will maintain independent authority to escalate safeguarding incidents directly to CREAW senior leadership and relevant donor safeguarding channels where required, ensuring transparency and protection from conflicts of interest.

 

3.3 Key Roles and Responsibilities

Safeguarding Policy and Strategy

1. Support Jasiri program to uphold the highest standards in safeguarding
2. Ensure the Jasiri program Safeguarding policy aligns with the needs and realities of the program’s target audience (vulnerable young women and girls who are GBV survivors or at risk of GBV)
3. Lead the implementation and periodic review of the Jasiri Program safeguarding policy and ensure it remains aligned with national laws, donor requirements, and best practices (safeguarding, gender-based violence, prevention of Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment [PSEAH], data protection, etc.).

Risk Management and Compliance

1. Review and strengthen Safeguarding systems, including reporting procedures at the Sub partners and other grantees levels.
2. Lead safeguarding due diligence and capacity assessments for consortium partners and sub-partners, ensuring compliance with Jasiri safeguarding minimum standards prior to and during implementation.
3. Establish and maintain safeguarding risk registers, incident reporting mechanisms, and escalation pathways; ensure timely investigation and response to allegations.
4. Ensure compliance with local laws, international standards, and ethical guidelines.

Incident Management and Response

1. Lead the development and implementation of clear incident reporting, investigation, and remediation protocols.
2. Provide guidance on confidential and survivor-centered handling of safeguarding concerns; ensure protection of survivors’ rights and safety.
3. Ensure that all safeguarding responses follow survivor-centred principles, including informed consent, confidentiality, non-retaliation, and access to medical, psychosocial, legal, and protection services.
4. Coordinate with relevant authorities, service providers, and partners for appropriate safeguarding referrals.

Capacity Building and Awareness

1. Design and deliver safeguarding training and capacity-building for CREAW staff, partners, and key stakeholders; tailor training to roles (field staff, program managers, supervisors, partners).
2. Ensure that training on safeguarding policies and procedures to (partners, sub-partners, consultants, service providers, and communities) are delivered and tracked.
3. Ensure program participants are informed about their safeguarding rights, expected staff conduct, and safe reporting channels.
4. Develop safeguarding indicators, tools, and guidance notes to support program activities (e.g., risk screening, consent, data collection, referral pathways).
5. Promote a safeguarding-first culture across the Jasiri Program, sub-partners, and partner organizations.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

1. Integrate safeguarding indicators into MEAL plans; track progress, outcomes, and learning related to safeguarding.
2. Support the development of safeguarding-related data collection tools that protect privacy and confidentiality.
3. Conduct periodic safeguarding audits and participate in program evaluations to assess effectiveness and areas for improvement.
4. Produce periodic safeguarding reports highlighting risk trends, incident analysis, mitigation actions, and safeguarding learning for the Program Steering Committee and donor reporting requirements.

Partnerships and Coordination

1. Engage with external professional groups to keep abreast of best practice, to influence the sector dynamic and approach and safeguarding professionalism.
2. Build strong working relationships with consortium partners, government bodies, service providers, and community stakeholders to coordinate safeguarding efforts.
3. Support partners and Sub-partners to comply with the agreed safeguarding standards under the Jasiri Program.

Advocacy and Policy Influence

1. Identify opportunities to advocate for stronger safeguarding policies and practices at county and national levels, in alignment with the program’s goals.
2. Share learnings and best practices with CREAW and consortium partners to influence policy and practice.
3. Support partners to implement safe recruitment practices, including background checks, safeguarding declarations, reference verification, and safeguarding clauses in contracts

Safeguarding complaint feedback management – [CFM]

1. Ensure complaint and feedback mechanisms are accessible, confidential, gender-responsive, disability-inclusive, and safe for adolescent girls and young women, including anonymous reporting options.
2. Manage the different complaint feedback mechanisms currently being used under the Jasiri program.

Safeguarding Communication

1. Lead in the creation of a Safe environment with partners and sub-partners to raise and discuss Safeguarding concerns.
2. Foster a working environment that is non-threatening, safe, and actively addressing safeguarding in its processes.
3. Research and develop context-appropriate innovative approaches to countering SEA and other safeguarding issues and to address barriers to reporting.
4. Ensure that appropriate records are maintained of SEA and safeguarding cases, suitable for admission in legal proceedings, ensuring data protection and confidentiality.
5. Champion the safeguarding communications strategy: develop and promote clear, survivor-centered safeguarding messages for staff, partners, and program participants; ensure consistent use of terminology, reporting channels, and confidential communication practices across all program activities.
6. Lead safeguarding incident communications: coordinate timely, sensitive, and compliant internal/external communications about safeguarding incidents; ensure proper escalation, confidentiality, and coordinated messaging across the program with its partners, and relevant authorities.
7. Build capacity through targeted messaging: design and deliver concise briefing notes, alerts, and training materials; tailor communications for field teams, partners, and communities to increase awareness, reduce risk, and reinforce safe reporting and referral pathway

 

4. Qualifications and Work Experience

1. Advanced degree in social work, psychology, public health, development studies, law, or related field; or equivalent professional experience.
2. Minimum proven 5-7 years of experience in safeguarding, child protection, GBV risk management, PSEA, or related fields within development programs, preferably in Kenya or East Africa.
3. Proven experience in leading safeguarding policy development, incident response, and capacity building.
4. Experience managing safeguarding investigations and incident response within development or humanitarian programs.
5. Strong understanding of GBV, unpaid care work, and AGYW dynamics; experience with women’s rights and girl-centered programs.
6. Experience working with multi-stakeholder consortia and in NGO sector; ability to work with government entities and service providers.
7. Strong knowledge of Kenyan safeguarding laws, policies, and guidelines, including national GBV policies and SOPs.
8. Excellent communication, facilitation, and training skills; culturally sensitive and survivor-centered approach.

 

5. Application Submission.

Interested candidates are invited to apply and submit their CV and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experiences via https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/XgNi1Mso  by the close of business Friday, 27^th March 2026

 

CREAW is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and diversities.

 

CREAW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of women and girls and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a background check.

 

Young women are highly encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.