GESI AND SAFEGUARDING ADVISOR- ISLAMABAD

Essential Responsibilities

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Support

• Lead or support Gender Equality and Social Inclusion assessments, analyses, and periodic reviews to identify barriers to equitable access, participation, decision-making, and benefits among program participants, and provide recommendations for program adaptation.
• Support the implementation, monitoring, and periodic review of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Action Plans, ensuring agreed actions are integrated into annual workplans, implementation plans, and reporting processes.
• Support the collection, analysis, and use of sex-, age-, disability-, and diversity-disaggregated data (SADDD), and promote the integration of gender equality and social inclusion indicators within monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems.
• Monitor progress toward gender equality and inclusion outcomes and provide technical recommendations to strengthen program effectiveness and accountability.
• Promote equitable participation and access to services for women, girls, persons with disabilities, youth, transgender persons, and other marginalized populations throughout the project cycle.
• Provide technical guidance to Mercy Corps and partner staff on gender-responsive and socially inclusive programming approaches, including gender-responsive service delivery and community engagement.
• Strengthen integration of gender equality, social inclusion, and GBV risk mitigation considerations across program activities and operational processes.
• Develop and facilitate capacity strengthening initiatives for staff, partners, and stakeholders on gender equality, social inclusion, GBV risk mitigation, and inclusive programming approaches.
• Advise program and HR teams on gender-responsive recruitment, retention, leadership development, and workforce diversity strategies to strengthen representation and inclusion.
• Document, share, and promote good practices, lessons learned, and evidence related to gender equality and social inclusion across programs and partners.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Provide technical leadership in mainstreaming safeguarding prevention initiatives across programmatic and operational functions as guided by the Safeguarding Core Standards
• Pro-actively support program teams and staff in conducting safeguarding risk assessments, identifying program risks, and implementing practical and contextually appropriate mitigation measures.
• Provide safeguarding orientation and training to Mercy Corps team members, partners, suppliers and other relevant stakeholders across all offices
• Build a community of practice for safeguarding focal points and champions to support the integration and implementation of safeguarding initiatives in Mercy Corps Pakistan
• In coordination with CARM and program teams work to ensure communities and program participants understand their rights and reporting options and build trust around response systems and survivor support.
• Develop guidance and tools to support partners in the development and/or strengthening of safeguarding mechanisms aligned with sector best practice standards
• Act as a reporting avenue for Safeguarding related issues, concerns or experiences and ensure next steps occur in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.
• In coordination with local PSEA networks identify, map, and annually update the country survivor service map to serve as a directory for support services available to survivors
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.Encourages openness and communication across the country office and raises awareness on reporting hotlines, confidentiality and the Speak out! Policy Act as a resource to the program participants and help to improve processes and procedures to ensure their safety & security and well-being with a survivor-centered approach.
• When requested, supporting investigations by providing survivor-centered approach

 Coordination and Organizational Compliance

• Support implementation and institutionalization of Mercy Corps' GESI and Safeguarding standards and related organizational policies, standards, and minimum requirements.
• Coordinate with regional and global GESI, Safeguarding and CARM team members to ensure alignment and seek support when needed
• Provide technical support to programs and partners to meet donor, organizational, and regulatory requirements related to gender equality, safeguarding, protection, and inclusion.
• Monitor partner compliance with safeguarding and GESI minimum standards, support capacity strengthening efforts, and track implementation of improvement plans.
• Facilitate internal coordination among program, operations, HR, ethics, accountability, and safeguarding focal points to ensure integrated approaches and consistent implementation.
• Contribute to organizational assessments, audits, reviews, and reporting processes related to gender equality, safeguarding, and inclusion.
• Support representation and engagement in relevant external coordination platforms, technical working groups, clusters, and networks related to gender equality, safeguarding, protection, and inclusion.
• Coordinate with regional and global communities of practice to share lessons learned, innovations, challenges, and emerging good practices.

Supervisory Responsibility

Nil

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

Works With: Project leads, MEL Manager, Finance and Operations teams, Team Leader South, work closely with and provide support to the Safeguarding focal points within the organization and Partner organizations.  

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills  

• Master’s degree in Gender Studies or relevant field in social sciences.
• 5-8 years of experience of working in gender and safeguarding programs with national or international NGOs.
• Experience in mainstreaming safeguarding and GESI across programs and operations
• Able to confidently work alongside and collaborate with senior leadership
• Specific experience implementing safeguarding efforts in N/INGOs will be a plus.
• Track record of maintaining liaison with governmental and non-governmental partners.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English and Urdu. The knowledge of regional languages will be a plus.

Success Factors 

Must have strong coordination, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Must be a team player and be able to work proactively.  Must be adaptable and flexible. Should be able to work under stress. Time management is critical to the success of this program.  

Ongoing Learning 

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development 

Team Engagement and Effectiveness  

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. 

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together. 

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.  

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work. 

Safeguarding & Ethics 

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and participate in the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis. 

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline 

([email protected]). 

Note: 

• Only shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview.
• The management reserves the right to accept or reject any or all CVs without assigning any reason.
• Preference will be given to local candidates. 

We are an equal employment opportunity employer; females and transgender individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.