Position Title: Safeguarding Expert
Receiving Agency: SBP Network
P Level: P4
Location: Home Based
Duration: Until March 31st, 2025
Language: English


Introduction

Founded in 1991, The Standby Partnership Programme mechanism (SBP mechanism) provides surge capacity support to UN Agencies responding to humanitarian emergencies through the secondment of in-kind personnel (“experts on mission”) by external partner organisations. The SBP mechanism functions through a series of bilateral agreements between participating agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations and a number of surge providing organisations (Standby Partners) that are composed of a diverse group of Non-Governmental Organizations, donors, private sector actors, foundations and government agencies. Over the last three decades, the SBP mechanism has expanded considerably by gaining new participating deploying organisations, receiving UN agencies and organisations and donors.

The Standby Partnership Network (SBP Network) began in 2013 as an initiative of
organisations from the SBP mechanism. The aim was to improve the provision of “high quality personnel consistently available for support to humanitarian action through organisational engagement and collective preparedness.”

A Secretariat was created to support the network initiative and is staffed by a Network Coordinator and various other technical experts as required by the workplan. In the SBP Network, there are currently have 16 participating UN Agencies and 56 Standby Partners that regularly use the SBP mechanism for deployment of personnel. Most of these organisations also are part of and contribute to the SBP Network initiatives, through in-kind and financial support, and/or through their participation in Working Groups, the Steering Committee, and engagement with the SBP Secretariat.

The purpose of the SBP Network is to foster the implementation of best practices and new solutions to improve preparedness and response capacity and the care of the deployment personnel through collectively engaging the knowledge, skills, experience and unified voice of the network.

Role & Organizational Structure

Reporting to the Network Coordinator with the oversight of an Advisory Group comprised Safeguarding/PSEA experts from SBP Network member organisations, and assistance of all members of the Duty of Care Working Group, the Safeguarding Expert will strive to provide expert guidance, assistance and evidence based influence to move SBP Network member organisations ahead in implementing best practices in Safeguarding/PSEA.

Responsibilities

Standby deployee vetting

• Identify the main barriers to SBP Network member UN agencies and deploying organisations being able conduct the necessary background checks for standby deployees, and share this information as appropriate.
  • For UN agencies investigate the implementation of checks through the Clear Check database as well as any internal disciplinary databases.
  • For deploying organisations investigate the implementation of checks through the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, any barriers to doing so and potential solutions.
  • For all members, investigate how information is shared so individuals cannot deploy as a standby deployee if found to have breached PSEAH policies through other partners.
• Ensure SBP members, both UN receiving organisations and deploying organisations, have policies that will allow them to share information in writing on failure to pass background verification.
• Ensure deploying organisations have a policy on management actions should background verification be failed by a roster member.
• Provide recommendations on how to address/ overcome the above barriers

SEAH investigations

• Support all members in identifying and resolving obstacles on SEAH investigations policy given the tripartite relationship.
• Ensure standby deployees are specifically considered in the management actions following the outcomes of SEAH investigations.
• Ensure SBP members, both UN receiving organisations and deploying organisations, have policies that will allow them to share information in writing on the outcome of an investigation.
• Follow up with the UN IASC Taskforce on PSEA to ensure formal guidelines on inclusion of standby deployee registration in Clear Check once the UN completes the investigation is available and shared with all members.
• Investigate with UN agency members that internal guidelines are aligned to IASC guidelines on inclusion of SBP deployees in ClearCheck database.
• Ensure all members (UN receiving agencies and deploying organisations) have procedures in place regarding how, when and who will provide support and follow-up for standby deployees who are witnesses or survivors during a standby deployment.

SEAH tracking and communication

• Ensure that all members have a policy on how information sharing related to a specific standby deployee nomination or during a deployment would occur.
• Propose recommendations to streamline communication in event of misconduct and investigations involving standby deployees on individual partner and SBP Network level
• Ensure information sharing policies clarify how data protection and confidentiality will be ensured when sharing sensitive information across organizations.
• Investigate sharing information centrally so individuals cannot deploy if found to have breached PSEAH policies through other members.
• Explore how data on SEAH allegations, PSEAH investigations and outcomes involving standby deployees can be tracked and reported. Options could be:
  • The CHS Harmonised Reporting Scheme for NGO members
  • Using existing UN wide public reporting: Data on Allegations: UN System-wide Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. The database designates government secondments and UNV, advocate to add a category of personnel as "standby deployee".
  • If not possible, propose a reporting system for members to report to the SBP Secretariat the number of allegations, investigations and/or suspended deployments (and other desirable metrics – to be determined) due to code of conduct/PSEAH breaches bi-annually.

Overall

• Develop an endorsement from key donors on the above processes.
• Work with the SBP Network Duty of Care WG and IASC PSEA TAG on best practice language for addressing PSEAH in MoUs/contractual agreements and support coordination efforts on progress with MoU amendments.
• Compile a recommended workflow and responsibilities breakdown for handling SEAH cases involving standby deployees within the tripartite relationship including processes for reporting, investigation, communication of outcomes and disciplinary measures/management actions.

Essential Criteria

Required

• Masters degree in International Development, Humanitarian Affairs, Law or Human Rights, Public Administration, Health, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology or relevant interdisciplinary masters
• Minimum seven years of professional work experience in PSEA/Safeguarding, preferably in both UN and NGO contexts
• Strong knowledge of the global standards and context and norms related to PSEA
• Strong knowledge and understanding of UN, IASC and core humanitarian standards on PSEA and related strategies, policies, rules and regulations
• Experience in implementing legal policy related to PSEA
• Familiarity with data protection and confidentiality measures and protocols
• Evidence of influencing organisations to initiate institutional change.
• Work experience in person for significant periods with a duty station in humanitarian or development field operations in a PSEA/Safeguarding role
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including influencing and negotiation, including in inter-cultural settings
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• Ability to work with different stakeholders and build consensus
• Advocacy across a wide variety of actors
• Fluency in English

Desirable

• Previous experience as a Standby Deployee is highly desirable.

CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.