Position: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Safeguarding Specialist
No. of vacancies: 1 (One)
Date of Announcement: 11 October 2023
Duration: One Year and Extendable 
Location: Kathmandu 
Reports to:  Program Director (direct); functional reporting (Safeguarding) to Sr HR & Admin Manager
Field Visits: 40% travel (Domestic travel to project areas) 

Core Function: 

Habitat for Humanity International Nepal (Habitat Nepal) is looking for an experienced professional to join our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and safeguarding team. Reporting directly to the Program Director, the DEI and Safeguarding Specialist will serve as a lead for developing, revising, when needed, and integrating our DEI strategy, GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disabilty and Social Inclusion) guideline, Safeguarding policy and other relevant policies into our program and influencing work to serve communities. The DEI and Safeguarding Specialist will also monitor external social trends, explore innovative strategies, conduct benchmark studies and drive actions that support Habitat Nepal’s DEI and safeguarding related works. 

The DEI and Safeguarding Specialist coordinates with Program Director, HR Manager, and other relevant staff at Asia Pacfic Regional Office’s along with Senior Management Team and other staff across the organization to build and execute influencing work, programs, processes and initiatives, integrating DEI and safeguarding as vital elements of our culture, mission, and operations. The Specialist will implement and deliver organization-wide DEI and safeguarding efforts and help shape an inclusive culture where everyone can grow and thrive. 

We are looking for a candidate with a breadth of experience and a deep understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, social justice change initiatives, and safeguarding. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

1. Strategic Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• Develop and manage Habitat Nepal’s DEI strategy and work plan and align with the Asia Pacific regional frameworks and teams, which includes building realistic and aspirational internal and external goals and metrics. 
• Coordinate with program department team and cross-functional teams in Habitat Nepal to design country strategy with realization metrics that focuses on Habitat Nepal’s priorities related to ‘Build and Influence’ to drive larger impact in the communities we partner with.
• Partner with DEI Program Director – Asia Pacific Regional Office, and external organizations in the development of strategic and tactical programming objectives and relevant value metrics to advance DEI and social justice within Habitat and the communities that we partner in Nepal.
• Create and assess initiatives, integrating HFHI values to execute and influence programs that help us work closely with governments, our partner organizations and other stakeholders to put our DEI strategy into action in Nepal.
• Use technical, practical expertise and experience, build relationships with leadership and programs team to promote, build capacity, enhance ownership and commitment to DEI initiatives to define and support the collective leadership and delivery of DEI strategy and plan.
• Serve as a point of contact for related benchmark data, surveys, request for proposals, and various DEI data reporting or related inquiries.
• Work closely with partner organizations to ensure that the organizations have DEI strategy and safeguarding policy in place. 
• Collaborate with Program team members, Resource Development and Communication team, Finance team, and other cross-cutting functions to ensure the inclusion of DEI and safeguarding throughout every project cycle and influencing/advocacy cycle. 

2. Strategic Leadership in Safeguarding 

• Support leadership to build a culture of safeguarding, where staff are informed, able to recognize and empowered to report safeguarding concerns and violations. 
• Ensure safeguarding risks are identified for all new projects, activities, volunteers’ engagements that involve contact with community members especially women and children through risk assessment and establish and review risk controls on a regular basis. Advocate for adequate allocation of budget for risk mitigation measures.  
• In consultation with leadership prepare safeguarding annual work plan and keep senior leadership informed on the status of its implementation and gaps, if any. 
• Support senior leadership to provide periodical updates to Asia Pacific Regional Office on safeguarding matters. 
• Lead the contextualization, adaptation, of HFHI’s safeguarding policies, which includes internal stakeholders’ consultation getting inputs from cross functional teams, adapting the HFHI policy provisions to suit local cultural / national law requirements, review by regional safeguarding advisor, clearance from HFHI legal and finally obtaining board approval. 
• If any exemption to HFHI’s established procedure is required, obtain exemption approvals from HFHI Legal. 
• Ensure background checks, safeguarding policy acceptance and orientation is done for all staff and new recruits.  
• Collaborate with the HR department to evaluate and strengthen HR systems from an accountability and safeguarding perspective.

3. Safeguarding Policy Implementation 

• Disseminate the board approved safeguarding policies to all staff and ensure that all staff read & acknowledge the receipt, understanding and acceptance of the policy. 
• Update all the templates required for the implementation of the policy i.e., consent forms, JD, job advertisements, interview template, offer letters, code of conduct, contractors’ agreement, partner agreement, service rules, etc. 
• Advise HR, Communications, Volunteers Engagements, Procurement, and other relevant departments on their safeguarding responsibilities. 
• Organize safeguarding induction, basic and refresher training for all staff, partners, and suppliers/vendors personnel. 
• Conduct safeguarding due diligence for all downstream partners and establish safeguarding capabilities improvement work plan to enhance their capacity to meet HFHI safeguarding requirements. 
• Integrate safeguarding into Complaints & Feedback mechanism being set up in all communities (by MEAL) and ensure CFM is accessible, safe & responsive to women, girls, children and PWDs.
• Work with regional safeguarding advisor to complete safeguarding annual review and verification process including submission of required evidence. 

4. Safeguarding Incident Management 

• Prepare a written down document with clearly laid down procedures & protocols to handle safeguarding allegations. It must include, ToR for NO/BO level safeguarding committee, legal mapping, mapping of survivor support services, determination process for external reporting, etc.  
• Report all allegations and concerns within 48 hours in HEAL.
• Manage HFHI’s response to safeguarding allegations /concerns. i.e., investigations in association with Regional Safeguarding Advisor, AP leadership and GRC team. This includes investigations, disciplinary action, survivor support and recommendations to improve organizational process and procedures.  

Safeguarding

In accordance with its foundational mission principles, Habitat for Humanity International is committed to the highest ethical standards and opposes all forms of discrimination, exploitation, and abuse. We intend to create and maintain a work and living environment that is safe, productive, and respectful for our colleagues and for all we serve.

We require that all staff take seriously their ethical responsibilities to Safeguarding (Child Protection, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Harassment and Abuse) our intended beneficiaries, their communities (especially children), and all those with whom we work. In line with the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, all staff must pass a thorough background screening, police check and will be held accountable to upholding our policies around ethical behavior, including safeguarding and whistleblowing

Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

Education Qualification and Professional Experience

• Master’s degree in legal studies, development studies, social work, sociology and other relevant courses.  
• 5+ years professional experience of DEI and Safeguarding. 
• Self-starter with strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with people at all levels and in diverse geographies.
• Ability to bring the right balance of confidence, authentic voice with tact and persistence to establish credibility and trust with talent at all levels and backgrounds across the firm.
• Ability to conduct a DEI root-cause analysis, identify and solve problems, work independently, and take initiatives.
• Excellent attention to detail. Ability to compile, review and determine logical conclusions or recommendations based on data and information which is varied in content and format.
• Experience sharing and developing best practices and resources.
• A strong understanding of data and the ability to run relevant analyses as needed. Comfort with leveraging data to guide and drive decision making.
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to be empathetic to the needs of a wide range of employees while maintaining confidentiality and managing risk.

Preferred Competencies

• Upholds highest organizational and ethical norms and maintains high standards of integrity and trustworthiness.
• Effectively adapts own approaches to suit changing circumstances or requirements and has a consistent high-quality performance, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated ability to tailor communications to be effective for a range of audiences and purposes.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-driven, takes initiatives and actions to accomplish tasks.
• Strong computer skills, especially the MS Suite.

Habitat for Humanity Nepal is an equal-opportunity organization. Women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized and disadvantaged communities are encouraged to apply.
We strive to keep our recruitment process consistent and fair. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.