Safeguarding Specialist

About ICIMOD

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region stretches 3,500 km across Asia, spanning eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Encompassing high-altitude mountain ranges, mid-hills, and plains, the zone is vital for the food, water, and energy security of up to two billion people and is a habitat for countless irreplaceable species. It is also acutely fragile – and frontline to the impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, Nepal, is an international organisation established in 1983, that is working to make this critical region greener, more inclusive and climate resilient. For more information, read our Strategy 2030 and explore our website.

Position Overview

ICIMOD has been working on Gender and Social Inclusion for several years, focusing on empowering mountain communities and promoting equitable development in the HKH region. In its Strategy 2030 and Medium-Term Action Plan (2023-26), ICIMOD has made firm commitments to placing GESI as a fundamental cross-cutting issue in programmes, operations, and organizational culture.

ICIMOD is advancing its safeguarding efforts through a comprehensive plan that builds on its existing Policy and SoP on the Prevention and Redressal of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (2020). This includes developing an overarching Safeguarding Policy and distinct policies/SOPs on Child Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

The Safeguarding Specialist will manage safeguarding initiatives, ensuring policies and procedures are up to date, risks are effectively managed, and incidents are handled with professionalism and confidentiality. The role requires delivering safeguarding training, conducting due diligence, embedding safeguarding principles across ICIMOD’s internal processes and also working with and building our partners’ capacity on safeguarding. Reporting to the GESI Lead with the Head of HROD as co-supervisor, the Specialist will play a critical role in advancing inclusive, equitable, and safe practices across the organisation.

Responsibilities

The Safeguarding Specialist will be responsible for supporting the work that enables ICIMOD to deliver results in line with the commitments we have made in our Strategy 2030: Moving Mountains and our Medium-Term Action Plan V (2023–2026): Embracing Change and Accelerating Impact.

The Safeguarding Specialist will fulfil the following responsibilities:

Policy Development and Implementation

• Design and implement a detailed annual safeguarding plan focusing on prevention, response, and continuous improvement of safeguarding practices.
• Conduct regular reviews of the safeguarding policy and SoPs to ensure alignment with international standards and evolving organisational and legal requirements.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including leadership, staff, ICIMOD partners, and donors, to develop/update policies and SoPs that reflect both organisational values and operational realities.
• Design user-friendly materials, guides, and tools to communicate policy updates effectively to all employees, ICIMOD partners, and stakeholders.
• Ensure all organisational policies, procedures, and practices (e.g., recruitment processes, procurement guidelines, partnership agreements) incorporate safeguarding principles.

Risk Assessment and Management

• Develop and implement a safeguarding risk management framework, integrating it into the broader organisational risk management strategy.
• Create and disseminate tools and templates for conducting safeguarding risk assessments at the programme, bilateral projects, and partner levels.
• Identify potential safeguarding risks across ICIMOD's operations, programmes, and partners, and propose actionable mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate scenario-based exercises to help teams anticipate and prepare for potential safeguarding challenges.

Capacity Building and Awareness

• Conduct assessments to identify safeguarding knowledge gaps among staff, partners, and beneficiaries.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive safeguarding training programs, including:
  • Induction training for new staff and ICIMOD's new partners.
  • Advanced training on specific topics such as child protection, sexual exploitation, and abuse prevention [with support from external experts].
  • Refresher courses to reinforce safeguarding knowledge and practices for ICIMOD staff and partners.
• Produce training materials, toolkits, and e-learning modules tailored to diverse audiences.
• Foster a culture of safeguarding through regular awareness campaigns, leadership buy-in, and integrating safeguarding into ICIMOD's values.

Partner and Community Engagement

• Collaborate with ICIMOD's Partnership team to embed safeguarding measures in partner due diligence processes, agreements, and evaluations.
• Provide technical support and training to partners to strengthen their safeguarding frameworks and compliance with ICIMOD’s standards [with support from external experts, as and when needed].
• Develop and promote community-level reporting and feedback mechanisms to ensure accessibility and inclusiveness, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

• Work with the Planning, Monitoring & Reporting Team and Evaluation & Learning Team to develop a robust system to monitor the effectiveness of safeguarding policies and practices, incorporating clear indicators and benchmarks.
• Develop and maintain a secure, anonymised database of safeguarding incidents and complaints. Analyse data to identify trends, assess risks, and inform policy updates.
• Facilitate after-action reviews and lessons-learned exercises following safeguarding incidents to enhance organisational practices.
• Prepare regular safeguarding reports for leadership and donors (as per donor compliance agreements), highlighting progress, challenges, and recommendations.

Incident Management and Response

• Along with the Ombudspersons, serve as the primary contact for reporting safeguarding concerns, ensuring confidentiality and a survivor-centred approach.
• Coordinate safeguarding investigations in accordance with organisational policies and international best practices.
• Establish mechanisms to provide immediate and long-term support to survivors, including access to medical, psychological, and legal assistance.
• Ensure fair, transparent, and timely resolution of safeguarding complaints, balancing organisational and stakeholder interests.
• Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to report incidents to relevant authorities where required by law or donor agreements.

Systems Strengthening and Integration

• Work with HR, Communications, Procurement, and other teams to ensure safeguarding is integrated into all organisational systems and processes.
• Work with the IT, ERP, Web and other digital-focused teams to leverage technology to enhance safeguarding efforts, such as online reporting platforms, training portals, and data analytics tools.
• Develop mechanisms to track and report compliance with safeguarding policies at all levels of the organization.

Leadership and Advocacy

• Advise senior management on safeguarding issues, emerging trends, and risks to ensure organizational accountability.
• Represent ICIMOD in external forums, working groups, and networks to share knowledge, learn from peers, and advocate for sector-wide improvements in safeguarding practices.
• Explore and pilot innovative approaches to safeguarding, such as participatory feedback systems and new technology solutions.

Reporting and Communication

• Provide periodic updates to senior management on safeguarding risks, incidents, and mitigation efforts.
• Ensure compliance with donor safeguarding requirements, including timely submission of safeguarding-related reports.
• Support the Communications team in managing safeguarding-related public relations issues, ensuring messaging aligns with organizational values and legal obligations.

Person Specification/Competencies

[Experience, Knowledge, and Skills]

ESSENTIAL

• A Master’s degree in social sciences or a related field (e.g., gender and women’s studies, sociology, anthropology, development studies, geography, or environmental studies), with at least five years of relevant experience.
• Certification in safeguarding investigations.
• Proven experience in conducting or managing safeguarding investigations related to sexual exploitation, abuse, and/or child protection. Extensive experience in leading serious incident management is essential.
• Strong understanding of gender-responsive methodologies and approaches, including the ability to conduct gender and social analysis that yields meaningful outcomes and impacts.
• Experience working in an international context, particularly within the international development sector or other relevant fields.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary and diverse teams, as well as manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience in drafting policies, writing briefing documents, and delivering communications effectively, both in writing and verbally.
• Proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with professionalism and manage reputational risks effectively.
• Skilled in facilitating training sessions and/or enhancing organizational understanding of internal policies and practices.

Reporting and Supervising

The Safeguarding Specialist will report to the GESI Lead with the Head of HROD as Co-Supervisor. The Safeguarding Specialist will also work in close collaboration with the Strategic Groups, Action Areas, Interventions and bilateral project teams, as well as relevant support Units in ICIMOD, to mainstream safeguarding into ICIMODs delivery. S/he will collaborate with the functional leads to ensure that safeguarding is embedded in all internal operations and processes.

Duration

Two years, with a probation period of six months. There is a possibility of extension subject to performance and ICIMOD’s future funding levels.

Remuneration

This is an international position at ICIMOD. The starting annual gross salary for this position is USD 34,062 (negotiable based on experience and qualifications). Gross salary comprises of basic salary, provident fund, and family/post adjustment allowance. Salaries and benefits at ICIMOD are competitive compared with other international organisations. We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes child/dependency allowances, insurances (medical, life and accidental), children’s education grant for maximum 2 children below 18 years of age, severance pay, paid leave (30 holidays and 10 public holidays per year) and day care facility.

For expatriates, there is a tax exemption in Nepal; they are responsible for their home country’s tax payments. Expatriate staff are entitled to housing allowance, annual home leave ticket, shipment of personal effects, and an installation and repatriation allowance.

ICIMOD’s Core Values

Our core values are integrity, neutrality, relevance, inclusiveness, openness, and ambition. These values are an expression of our culture and are central to the guiding beliefs and principles of our work and behaviour. Our core values will lie at the heart of ICIMOD operations and delivery. They will underpin everything we do and frame how we work with our partners. They reflect our founding intentions and the balances we seek to hold, while equipping ourselves for the future.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding

ICIMOD’s consultant selection process is based on the qualifications and competence of the applicants. As an employer, ICIMOD is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and offers equal opportunities to applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life, including but not limited to gender, age, national origin, religion, race, caste, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or social status. ICIMOD strongly encourages applications from all eligible applicants, especially women, from all parts of the HKH region.

ICIMOD is dedicated to establishing and upholding a safe and nurturing work environment, where all its employees can participate fully and meaningfully without fear of violence, harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Any type of abuse or harassment, including sexual misconduct [including child abuse], by our staff, representatives, or stakeholders is not condoned or tolerated.

How to apply

Method of application

Applicants are requested to apply online before December 14, 2025 (11:59 PM Nepal Standard Time) through the mentioned link - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development - Current Openings

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.