Safeguarding Officer (Port Sudan) – IMC

Job Description

Organization	International Medical Corps
Supervisor	Specialist, Accountability and Effectiveness
Section/Unit	Program
Duty Station	Port Sudan
Closing Date	25 May 2025

The Safeguarding Officer plays a key role in promoting a safe and accountable environment for vulnerable populations served by International Medical Corps, particularly children and at-risk adults. Working across program sites in Sudan, the role is responsible for implementing and maintaining strong safeguarding systems that prevent and respond to safeguarding issues in line with donors, IMC, and international standards. This role ensures the organization complies with statutory safeguarding requirements and operates in line with the best practices and policies.

The Safeguarding officer will provide capacity-building support to the field teams, strengthen the survivor support mechanisms, implement lessons learned, and strengthen field site systems to prevent future incidents, address gaps in safeguarding, and feed into broader protection mainstreaming to improve program design.  This role will be liaising regularly with: Safeguarding Lead, Safeguarding Focal Points, Safeguarding Case Worker, and the Survivor Assistant Liaison in the organization. The post holder will also represent IMC in relevant safeguarding forums such as the PSEA Working group and related inter-agency meetings in Sudan. 

We are looking for an ambitious and talented colleague with an eye for detail, a drive to learn, and an assion for safeguarding children and adults at risk. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children, adults at risk, and any form of trafficking in persons.  Should be an open-minded, non-judgmental, supportive colleague. With great communication skills, compassion, respect, and understanding of diverse cultural, social, and individual differences without bias or discrimination.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• In coordination with the Safeguarding lead, develop a continual and proactive PSEA & Safeguarding training completion strategy for all IMC staff, partners, and affected communities.
• Plan and facilitate staff induction and refresher training on PSEA & Safeguarding.
• Develop and implement capacity development training, coaching, and mentoring for nominated Safeguarding Focal Points in field offices, based on capacity gaps assessment.
• Maintain, update, and disseminate new safeguarding policies and materials as they become available. 
• Support review of safe and confidential Community-Based Feedback and Response Mechanism (CBFRM)  in communities and field sites, ensuring accessibility for women, children, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
• Promote safe programming concepts in programs, by supporting regular safeguarding audits, safeguarding risk assessments, and ensuring mitigation strategies are integrated into the entire project cycle
• Support the review of safeguarding concerns with program teams, consolidating lessons learned to improve program quality.
• Properly receive PSEA & Safeguarding complaints/reports at a country level and channel correctly, ensuring a timely survivor-centered response, and appropriate referrals in coordination with protection actors.
• Coordinate with protection actors and other relevant agencies in-country to ensure that an appropriate referral pathway is developed for use by IMC and is in place for survivors of safeguarding violations to access services as outlined in detail in the IMC guidelines for Supporting Survivors of Safeguarding Violations. 
• Time Sheet Management: staff is responsible for filling his/her time sheet on a daily basis, ensuring submission of the time sheet before the end of the month to process the monthly salary.
• Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all-inclusive.
• On a case-by-case basis and under the direction of the HQ Safeguarding Investigations Unit, assist in the planning and participate in investigations of reported PSEA and other Safeguarding complaints.
• Under the direction of the Country Director and Safeguarding lead, support the development, implementation, and monitoring of Sudan Safeguarding Action Plans, including country self-assessment reviews and audits. 
• Liaise with IMC regional/global safeguarding teams, local PSEA & Safeguarding focal points from other NGOs, UN agencies, and networks as appropriate. 
• Ensure country program is aware of and, where appropriate, contributes to, collective, interagency measures to prevent and address PSEA and Safeguarding violations.
• Maintain contact with HQ through Senior Advisor Safeguarding & Employee Relations for information-sharing regarding PSEA & Safeguarding resources and activities at the country level.
• Participate in facilitating PSEA & Safeguarding capacity building activities (local and regional trainings and workshops, etc.) 
• Maintain a working knowledge of PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) guidelines and how to refer to the designated PEP custodian.
• Keep up to date on trends, new safeguarding approaches, and knowledge.
• Policy Implementation and Compliance:
• Ensure adherence to IMC policies and procedures for all warehouse operations, facility,y and utility needs.
• Ensure compliance with policies to be documented through systematic and random verifications of policy implementation and Supply Chain records.
• Provide consistent and constructive support to other departments to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Promptly inform the SC Manager and department staff of any areas of concern for potential or suspected violations of policies and procedures.
• Ensure there are no negative audit observations/findings related to his/her role and the department. If required, corrective action plans are developed & implemented to address audit findings.
• Respect IMC safety and security regulations.
• Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards within International Medical Corps and amongst beneficiaries served by International Medical Corps.

Qualification, Skills, and Experience Required:

• Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Law, Human Rights, Gender, Child Protection, Humanitarian Action, International Development, or related social science field. 
• Minimum 4 years of experience in safeguarding and/or protection in a humanitarian or development setting working with refugees/IDPs and the host community, in an INGO or UN Organization.
• Knowledge of international safeguarding standards (e.g., IASC, CHS, Inter-Agency PSEA commitments).
• Excellent understanding of the local context in Sudan, including cultural norms, conflict sensitivities, and community dynamics.
• Proven ability to write and edit reports, plus basic data collection skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate tactfully and sensitively with a wide range of people.
• Experience in designing and delivering training or workshops to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to engage with diverse communities, including vulnerable groups and subaward partners.
• The capacity to manage stress and remain flexible in challenging, high-pressure working conditions.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and the ability to implement continuous improvement initiatives
• Personal organizational skills, including time management and the ability to meet regular deadlines.
• Confidentiality is to management of sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Should be computer literate, with a good level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
• Be an active learner, team player, and be able to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
• High-level English proficiency (Speaking – Reading – Writing)
• High-level Arabic proficiency (Speaking – Reading – Writing).

Desired personal and professional attributes

• Open-minded, non-judgmental, respects and understands diverse cultural, social, and individual differences without bias or discrimination.
• Supportive attitude towards staff, partners, and community members, demonstrating genuine care, compassion, and concern for the well-being of others. 
• Respond calmly and effectively in urgent situations requiring immediate safeguarding intervention.
• Can advocate and promote the importance of safeguarding in IMC or the community and encourage adherence to standards. 
• Friendly and approachable, creating a welcoming environment where people feel comfortable sharing sensitive concerns. 
• Can identify risks and take appropriate actions to mitigate or address them.

Working conditions

• Ability to work in challenging environments, including remote and conflict-affected areas.
• Ability and willingness to travel to field locations in displaced communities. 
• May require working in community settings with limited infrastructure.

How to apply

If you are interested and meeting needed minimum requirements highlighted in the advertisement JD details, please submit your applications, C.V, qualifications & experience certificates, national card, birth certificate, through IMC Port Sudan Office-Transit-East Al Nile petroleum before 25th May,2025.