Safeguarding Associate Field Manager

Job Description

Location: This role is based in Zomba. The Safeguarding AFM is expected to spend significant time doing field visits in Phalombe.

About this role

The Safeguarding Associate Field Manager ensures that GiveDirectly’s activities are planned and delivered in ways that prevent abuse. They also support appropriate and timely responses to safeguarding concerns. The role will primarily be based in the field, working closely with field staff and communities to identify and reduce safeguarding risks, promote safe behaviours, and strengthen confidence in our reporting pathways. The Safeguarding AFM supports the Safeguarding FM in contributing safeguarding input to operational decision making, guides effective case handling and escalation, and monitors and supports teams to apply best safeguarding practice consistently. This position upholds high safeguarding standards, reinforces trust, and ensures that all aspects of work protect the dignity and rights of recipients.

Reports to: Safeguarding Field Manager

Level: Associate Field Manager

Travel Requirement: Regular travel required to conduct field visits in Phalombe

What you’ll do:

• Direct engagement with communities, recipients, and staff in order to identify safeguarding risks and take early action to prevent abuse.
• Receive, document, and support responses to safeguarding concerns in line with our case management protocol by using survivor centred practice and established escalation pathways.
• Conduct Safeguarding investigations as needed, focusing on recipient/ field-based concerns.
• Support in developing and maintaining a network of safeguarding focal points to strengthen localised and collaborative risk identification and promote safeguarding best practice.
• Contribute safeguarding expertise to planning, design, and delivery to ensure that GiveDirectly’s activities remain safe, inclusive, and respectful.
• Support in delivering ongoing safeguarding training and sensitisation sessions for staff and partners, and support teams to apply best safeguarding practice consistently and promote safe behaviours.
• Represent safeguarding needs in field operations and maintain trusted relationships with local leaders, partners, and community actors.
• Monitor safeguarding trends and incidents, prepare self assessments and routine reports, and escalate and address gaps in safeguarding practices appropriately.

What you’ll bring:

• Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates who have personal or professional experience in the low-income and/or historically marginalized communities that we serve.
• Language Requirement: Professional fluency in English and Chichewa.
• Minimum of 1-2 years experience in safeguarding, protection, community development, social work, or related operational roles, with a strong understanding of risks affecting development or humanitarian programmes.
• Strong judgement and the ability to take timely and appropriate action in sensitive or complex safeguarding situations.
• Confidence in identifying safeguarding risks across program activities and supporting staff to apply safe planning and safeguarding best practice consistently.
• Understanding of and commitment to survivor centred practice, confidentiality, and ethical decision making.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and documentation skills, including the ability to explain safeguarding obligations clearly and engage staff and community members respectfully.
• High levels of organisation, reliability, and attention to detail when maintaining safeguarding records, logs, and reports.
• Ability to work independently in field settings, manage competing priorities, and uphold safeguarding standards with professionalism and integrity.

Working at GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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Commitment to Safeguarding

As a global organization working with communities to eliminate extreme poverty, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and will systematically check with previous employers about any abuse or misconduct related matters involving potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.

These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we work with, and prevent abuse to our recipients and staff.

**GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect people and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance when it comes to preventing, reporting, or responding to any form of abuse or exploitation.” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.**

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of the role, please email us at careers@givedirectly.org with the email subject “Accommodation Needed”. We will work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations are made to support your needs.

Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!

Referrals

Know the right person for this role? Please consider referring them. We offer a reward of $3,000 for a Senior Manager or above role, and $500 for a Manager role, paid if we end up hiring your referral. Thank you for sending great people our way!