Gender, Child Protection, and Safeguarding Programme Manager

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy, Design, and Planning

• Lead the design, review, and implementation of national strategies addressing violence against children, gender equality and social inclusion, safeguarding, and accountable GIK management in alignment with the National Office and global strategies.
• Ensure child participation and GESI principles are embedded across all sector strategies, programmes, and advocacy priorities.
• Provide strategic leadership to integrate Child Protection, Safeguarding, GESI, and GIK management into the National Office strategy.
• Develop and oversee multi-sectoral action plans that address root causes of violence, exclusion, and inequality while ensuring safe and equitable GIK distribution.

Technical Leadership and Programme Management

• Lead the design and implementation of technically sound Child Protection, Safeguarding, GESI, and GIK interventions based on robust context and root-cause analyses.
• Ensure the adaptation and implementation of Child Protection and Safeguarding models in line with national legislation and international standards.
• Oversee programme implementation to ensure compliance with approved scope, budgets, timelines, and quality standards.
• Promote meaningful, safe, and inclusive participation of children and adolescents throughout programme cycles.
• Provide technical leadership on Child Protection in Emergencies and safeguarding during emergency responses as required.

Safeguarding and GEDSI Leadership

• Lead national safeguarding systems, including the development and implementation of annual safeguarding action plans, compliance monitoring, and continuous improvement processes.
• Coordinate the prevention, reporting, and management of child and adult safeguarding incidents in line with World Vision protocols.
• Lead safeguarding, child protection, and GESI capacity-building initiatives for staff, partners, contractors, and volunteers.
• Ensure safeguarding, GESI, and accountability standards are consistently applied across programmes, partnerships, and GIK processes.

Capacity Building and Staff Development

• Assess staff competencies and develop targeted capacity-building plans for Child Protection, Safeguarding, GESI, and GIK management.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and technical support to field teams and partners to strengthen quality and compliance.
• Foster a culture of learning, accountability, and professional development.
• Strengthen staff understanding and application of child protection, gender, GESI, and safeguarding tools and standards.
• Oversee and support the capacity development of the Social Accountability & Local Governance Officer/interns.
• Provide technical assistance to strengthen social accountability and advocacy initiatives.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning

• Support integrated planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for Child Protection, Safeguarding, GESI, and GIK interventions.
• Conduct routine quality assurance and compliance checks using approved tools.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality reporting to internal and external stakeholders.

Advocacy, Representation, and Partnerships

• Represent World Vision in national and sub-national coordination forums, clusters, and working groups related to Child Protection, GESI, Safeguarding, and accountability.
• Build and sustain strategic partnerships with government, civil society, faith-based organizations, and humanitarian actors.
• Use programme evidence to influence policies, systems, and practices that promote child protection, inclusion, and accountability.

Resource Acquisition

• Utilize programme evidence to influence national and international policy frameworks prioritizing child protection and participation.
• Collaborate with resource acquisition teams to identify, develop, and secure funding for Child Protection and Safeguarding initiatives.

Representation and Coordination, External Engagement and Networking

• Position World Vision as a leader in child protection and safeguarding through strategic engagement with national and international stakeholders.
• Build partnerships that enhance programme visibility, policy influence, and resource mobilization.
• Actively participate in Child Protection cluster coordination during emergencies and responses.
• Strengthen World Vision International Sierra Leone’s reputation as a credible, effective, and trusted organization committed to ending violence against children.

Other responsibilities

• Knowledge management is strengthened through the establishment of a regular cycle of documenting major project successes and impact, which informs programme implementation, IPF redesign, strategy revision, policy advocacy, and external publications. Learning is enhanced by compiling lessons from programmes and applying them to improve implementation, TP redesign, and strategic adjustments.
• Within the National Office, Child Protection staff develop appropriate and realistic learning pathways to build their professional skills and improve the quality of interventions. In addition, data, innovations, and good practices from Gender, Child Protection, Safeguarding, and GIK programmes are systematically documented, reflected upon, shared, and utilized to enhance programme delivery, strengthen the organization’s positioning, and influence decision-makers on GESI priorities.

Budget Management

• Manage budgets, timelines, and resources for advocacy and campaign activities
• Support Program/Project Managers in planning and utilizing advocacy and campaign budgets.

Public Engagement & Advocacy

• Advance communications work around the global ENOUGH campaign: Ending Child Hunger and Malnutrition activities and key joint national and global engagement initiatives.
• Collaborate with the advocacy colleagues to define key issues, communications channels, and messaging for public advocacy and campaign initiatives.
• Support in any other work-related task assigned by the supervisor

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Development Studies, Child Protection, Gender Studies, International Development, or a related field. Postgraduate qualification is an added advantage.
• At least five years of progressive experience in Child Protection, Safeguarding, GESI, or related programme management roles.
• Demonstrated experience in safeguarding systems, incident management, and capacity building.
• Proven experience in managing partnerships, integrated programming, and accountability systems, including GIK management.
• Strong programme planning, budgeting, and project management skills.
• Strong facilitation, training, and coaching skills.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and coordination skills.
• Strong understanding of national child protection systems, safeguarding standards, gender equality, and inclusion principles.
• Strong computer literacy, with the ability to effectively use standard office and programme management tools.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with staff, partners, and key stakeholders.
• Proven leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to motivate and guide diverse teams.
• Strong planning, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to analyze short- and long-term issues affecting children, particularly in education, child protection, and child rights, and to assess emerging challenges and opportunities.
• Strong capacity to ensure clear linkages between advocacy and programmes, with advocacy efforts grounded in robust evidence.
• Experience working collaboratively with MEAL teams to generate, communicate, and apply programme evidence and best practices to inform advocacy strategies and achieve results at scale.
• Extensive experience in advocacy and influencing, including policy engagement, lobbying, and information provision on humanitarian and development issues at national, regional, and/or international levels.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and advocate effectively with government officials, humanitarian actors, and UN agencies in developing country contexts.
• Proven expertise in designing, implementing, and monitoring effective advocacy strategies.
• High-level analytical and strategic thinking skills, supported by strong research and evidence-generation capabilities.
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to rapidly build trust and effective relationships with diverse groups and communities.
• Demonstrated adaptability, flexibility, patience, and resilience, with the ability to remain responsive and communicate clearly under pressure.
• Ability to manage small teams and collaborate effectively with multiple internal stakeholders.
• Strong people-management skills, with a track record of fostering collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing teams across different geographical locations.

Working Environment / Conditions:

• Work environment: Office-based with travel to the field
• Travel: 40% Domestic/international travel is required.
• On call: 20%

All successful candidates will be required to undergo a police (criminal background) check, appropriate to the role and location, as well as a Counter-Terrorism Sanctions screening, as part of the clearance process prior to commencing employment.

World Vision International also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org/). In line with this Scheme, we will request information from applicants’ previous employers, as part of the reference checking process, regarding any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, as well as any such incidents under investigation at the time of separation.

By applying for this role, applicants confirm their understanding of and consent to these recruitment procedures.

WOMEN ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only