Safeguarding Officer at Society for Women Development & Empowerment of Nigeria - SWODEN

Purpose of the Position

• The Safeguarding Officer will provide technical leadership and oversight on safeguarding, child protection,
• prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), and ethical community engagement throughout the project lifecycle.
• The officer will ensure that all project staff, volunteers, consultants, partners, and stakeholders comply with safeguarding policies and standards while promoting safe and inclusive programming across all intervention communities.
• This document is the copyright property of SWODEN Nigeria. Sharing or unauthorized usage by any party without prior approval will be deemed illegal.

Key Responsibilities

The Safeguarding Officer shall:

• Lead the implementation of safeguarding and child protection strategies across project locations.
• Ensure compliance with organizational safeguarding policies, donor safeguarding standards, and national protection guidelines.
• Conduct safeguarding risk assessments for project activities and recommend mitigation measures.
• Develop and implement safeguarding action plans and reporting mechanisms.
• Train project staff, volunteers, media facilitators, community mobilizers, and stakeholders on:
  • Safeguarding principles
  • Child protection
  • PSEA
  • Gender sensitivity
  • Confidential reporting procedures
• Establish confidential complaint and response mechanisms within project communities.
• Receive, document, and manage safeguarding concerns in line with approved protocols.
• Coordinate survivor-centered referrals for health, psychosocial, legal, and protection services where necessary.
• Support safeguarding integration into:
  • Community dialogues
  • Radio listening groups
  • Media production activities
  • Social mobilization campaigns
• Work closely with LGA coordinators, community leaders, religious leaders, and health partners to strengthen local safeguarding systems.
• Monitor safeguarding compliance during field activities and partner engagements.
• Maintain accurate safeguarding records and prepare periodic safeguarding reports.
• Support awareness campaigns on child protection, gender-based violence prevention, and safe community participation.
• Ensure inclusive safeguarding approaches for vulnerable groups, including persons living with disabilities and adolescents.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate should possess:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Public Health, Sociology, Gender Studies, Law, Development Studies, or related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in safeguarding, child protection, GBV prevention, or protection programming.
• Experience working with NGOs, media development organizations, donor-funded projects, or community-based interventions.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Safeguarding standards
  • Child protection frameworks
  • PSEA protocols
  • Gender and inclusion principles
• This document is the copyright property of SWODEN Nigeria. Sharing or unauthorized usage by any party without prior approval will be deemed illegal.
• Experience handling sensitive cases with professionalism and confidentiality.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Knowledge of Hausa language and northern Nigeria community dynamics is an added advantage.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and community-based settings.

Core Competencies

• Integrity and professionalism
• Confidentiality and survivor-centered approach
• Risk assessment and incident management
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Training and capacity-building skills
• Problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Cultural sensitivity and community engagement skills
• Teamwork and coordination

Deliverables

The Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for delivering:

• Safeguarding implementation plans
• Safeguarding risk assessment reports
• Staff and stakeholder training reports
• Incident and referral documentation
• Monthly safeguarding monitoring reports
• Community safeguarding awareness materials
• Safeguarding compliance updates for project management