SAFEGUARDING ADVISOR - OiA

About The Role

Closing date: 7th September 2026 @23:59 GMT/BST/EAT

Location: Flexible in Africa Region. Any country with an Oxfam office/presence,

Subject to being able to establish a contract of employment directly or via hosting affiliate.

Contract: Fixed term – 1 year

Internal Job Grade: C1, National

Salary: In line with Oxfam pay range

Oxfam International is unable to guarantee the obtaining of a work permit for the role. Candidates must already have and be able to retain the legal right to work in the location where they are based. We are not able to support the relocation of a candidate to take up the position in an Oxfam location.

We believe flexible working is key to building the Secretariat of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of working arrangements that might work for you.

The Role

Oxfam in Africa is seeking a credible and experienced Safeguarding Advisor to provide expert leadership in delivering Oxfam's safeguarding strategy and programme across Sub-Saharan Africa, ensuring that communities, staff and partners are safe from sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and child abuse.

This is a uniquely independent and continental role. While sitting within the People and Culture Team, you will exercise independent professional judgement and serve as a trusted business partner to the One Africa Director, the OiA Leadership Team and Country Directors. You will co-design and deliver prevention and response strategies, build safeguarding capacity across country offices and partners, and lead the design of inclusive community feedback and complaint mechanisms with appropriate referral pathways. You will coordinate survivor-centred case management, provide expert advice on investigations and allegation management, and ensure consistent safeguarding practice across affiliates.

As an active member of the Global Safeguarding Network, you will represent Oxfam externally — including in the IASC AAP/PSEA Task Team — contribute to Assurance and Risk Management, and drive culture change initiatives rooted in power awareness, feminist principles and Oxfam values.

This role reports to the Head of People and Culture for Oxfam in Africa, with a matrix reporting line to the OI Head of Safeguarding, and matrix-manages country-level Safeguarding Focal Points.

What we're looking for

We are seeking a dynamic, resilient and values-driven safeguarding professional with proven experience in the prevention of and response to sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and child abuse. You will bring a strong track record of delivering safeguarding advice, training, capacity building and technical support across diverse country offices, ideally within an INGO, UN or civil society setting.

You will have hands-on experience in safeguarding case management, survivor-centred practice, investigations, and the management of complex and sensitive cases. A strong understanding of community feedback mechanisms, referral pathways, confidentiality and ethical information management is essential, as is knowledge of African safeguarding legal and regulatory environments.

You will be an exceptional communicator and facilitator — able to deliver compelling messages to diverse audiences, build trust quickly, and inspire people to embrace change. You will manage sensitive information with the highest discretion and integrity, balance competing priorities with strong organisational skills, and demonstrate resilience, self-awareness and agility in complex environments.

Fluency in both English and French — written and verbal — is essential. Experience in gender-transformative programming, organisational culture design, and representation in inter-agency PSEA forums will be highly valued

Above all, you will be deeply committed to Oxfam's values, feminist principles and survivor-centred approaches.

Why join us.

Join a vibrant, continental platform committed to decolonising humanitarian and development action and championing feminist, locally led leadership. This is a unique opportunity to shape how Oxfam strengthens safeguarding and accountability across Africa — building the systems, culture and capacity to ensure that the people and communities we work with are safe, heard and protected.

What we offer

At Oxfam, we believe that every aspect of our work can lead to a positive outcome. If you have the same opinion, together with the ability to meet the challenges involved, this role offers scope for immense personal fulfilment – as well as outstanding opportunities to develop your career. Oxfam is committed to providing a fair compensation package based on a 36-hour work week.

How to apply

Please upload an up-to-date CV and a cover letter, clearly explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the Job Profile.

Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted- usually within 2 weeks of the closing date.

About us

We are an international confederation of 22 organizations (affiliates) plus the Oxfam International Secretariat, working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 76 countries.

Oxfam in Africa (OiA) is a continental platform overseeing country offices in Africa and working with civil society organizations, academics, governments, and private sector, to create a more equal Africa by challenging power structures that perpetuate inequality and injustice. In doing so, Oxfam in Africa provides dynamic thought leadership and a space to collaborate with its partners. Oxfam in Africa plays a leading role in supporting and empowering local communities, promoting gender equality, advocating for policy changes, and building the capacity of local civil society organisations.

All our work is led by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality

Our commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and may be subject to appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam International Secretariat also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, if a job applicant has been employed by another member of the scheme, we will request information from that organization about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of this recruitment procedure.

About Oxfam

At Oxfam we respond to emergencies and advocate for people in crisis, partnering with local organizations to deliver essentials and help rebuild communities. We work with activists and partners to fight poverty and injustice. We campaign for economic, gender, climate justice and accountable governance, striving for sustainable growth and transformation. We fight for a future that is equal, just and fair – one in which people have more equal opportunities and rights, and one in which we can all flourish, not just survive.

Click here to view Our Strategy and What We Believe.