Technical Coordinator, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH)

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability. 

 

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

 

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. 

 

The Ethics, Risk and Safeguards Department (ERSD) acts as a strong, cohesive, effective and visible second-line vector for IFRC at global and national levels. It provides oversight and expertise to IFRC first-line activities and operations and ensures that the organization operates in accordance with highest standards across the five following pillars:

• Ethics and Integrity to promote a culture of transparency, integrity and accountability in line with industry standards and IFRC policies.
• Risk Management to create a culture of positive risk taking within IFRC operations and activities, supported by appropriate tools and capacity.
• Social Safeguards including Prevention against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH) and Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) to ensure safety, dignity, access and inclusion are part of humanitarian programs and operations and that the principle of ‘do not harm’ is mainstreamed in all IFRC activities.
• Environmental Safeguards to ensure that all IFRC operations and activities are environmentally sustainable and accountable.
• Compliance to implement systemic, harmonized and coordinated internal control mechanisms across the organization and align with internal policies and international standards.

 

The newly established Social Safeguards function is a key support to IFRC in meeting the three goals and overall aim of Strategy 2030 of “devoting particular attention to people who are vulnerable, excluded or marginalized”. It is also a core element of IFRC’s priority of promoting Values, Power and Inclusion, and the enablers of Engagement, Accountability and Trust as articulated through the IFRC secretariat’s Renewal. The function aims to establish policies, procedures, and measures designed to protect people from potential harm, prevent negative social impacts, protect human rights and well-being, and ensure equitable benefits for communities, especially vulnerable populations. 

Job Purpose

The PSEAH Technical Coordinator serves as IFRC’s global technical lead on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), providing strategic leadership, technical direction and institutional oversight for the implementation of IFRC’s global PSEAH agenda across the Secretariat and wider network. Reporting to the Manager, Social Safeguards, the position leads the development, implementation and continuous improvement of PSEAH policies, standards, tools, guidance, learning programmes and assurance mechanisms, ensuring alignment with international best practices and organizational priorities.

 

The position plays a key role in driving organizational change, strengthening accountability systems, managing institutional risks related to sexual misconduct, and advising senior leadership on safeguarding priorities and emerging challenges. The incumbent provides strategic and technical leadership to PSEAH personnel across regions and delegations, fostering a high-performing and collaborative technical function and ensuring the consistent application of survivor-centred approaches and safeguarding standards across diverse operational contexts.

 

Working closely with the Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) function and other relevant departments, the role promotes the integration of PSEAH considerations into programmes, operations, workforce management, risk management and National Society development. Through evidence, learning and strategic partnerships, the position translates IFRC’s commitments into measurable improvements in prevention, risk mitigation, reporting, referral and response mechanisms. The incumbent also represents IFRC in Movement-wide and inter-agency safeguarding forums and contributes to strengthening IFRC’s leadership and influence on safeguarding within the humanitarian sector.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

PSEAH strategy implementation and technical leadership

• Lead the implementation and periodic review of IFRC’s global PSEAH strategy across the Secretariat, regions, delegations and, in collaboration with relevant functions and the wider IFRC network.
• Translate PSEAH policy commitments, evidence and emerging good practice into practical standards, approaches and tools for programmes, operations and institutional functions.
• Provide technical advice to senior management, regional and country teams, and relevant departments on the prevention and mitigation of SEAH risks.
• Develop implementation priorities, workplans and measurable indicators, and monitor progress against agreed PSEAH objectives.
• Identify systemic gaps and emerging risks and recommend proportionate, context-appropriate corrective measures.
• Champion organizational culture change initiatives that strengthen accountability, prevention and safe reporting environments.

PSEAH systems, standards and quality assurance

• Lead the development, review and continuous improvement of PSEAH policies, procedures, standards, guidance and technical tools, in coordination with relevant policy owners.
• Maintain and strengthen IFRC’s PSEAH control and assurance framework, including mechanisms for monitoring implementation and reporting on progress.
• Maintain and improve the Safeguarding Self-Assessment Framework and support regional and National Society counterparts to interpret findings and develop realistic improvement plans.
• Promote consistent minimum standards while enabling appropriate adaptation to operational and local contexts.
• Use monitoring data, assessments, feedback and lessons learned to identify trends and inform improvements in PSEAH systems and practice.

Capacity strengthening and people leadership

• Provide strategic and technical leadership and direction to PSEAH personnel across regions and delegations.
• Build a high-performing technical community of practice that promotes consistency, quality and innovation.
• Lead workforce planning and contribute to the recruitment, development and succession planning of safeguarding personnel.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, continuous learning and performance excellence across the PSEAH function.
• Establish clear objectives, responsibilities and ways of working across the function.
• Create a working environment that ensures staff growth, motivation, and satisfaction.
• Identify capacity gaps and coordinate targeted learning, coaching, peer exchange and technical accompaniment.
• Lead the technical development and continuous improvement of PSEAH learning products, including mandatory all staff eLearning on Saying NO to Sexual Misconduct and an expanded safeguarding curriculum.
• Strengthen the capacity of managers, focal points and technical personnel to apply PSEAH standards in their respective areas of responsibility.

Risk-informed and survivor-centred approaches

• Support the integration of SEAH risk identification and mitigation into programme design, operational planning, partnerships and decision-making, in coordination with the Risk Management function.
• Strengthen practical approaches to safe reporting, referrals, assistance and protection, consistent with survivor-centred principles and agreed institutional responsibilities.
• Work with relevant counterparts to map available referral pathways and services and identify gaps affecting access to timely and appropriate support.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Collaborate with HRMD, Legal, OIAI, the Ombudsperson and other relevant functions to translate anonymized and appropriately shared lessons into improvements in prevention, training, policies and operational practice.

Accountability

• Lead the preparation of strategic reports and updates for different stakeholders.
• Develop and deliver periodical all staff updates on PSEAH and expected standards of behaviour, promoting awareness of progress against IFRC’s action plans, expected behaviours, and available resources.
• Monitor implementation of key safeguarding commitments and escalate systemic risks and gaps to management where appropriate.
• Lead the development and monitoring of organizational safeguarding performance indicators and dashboards.
• Support organizational oversight mechanisms related to safeguarding compliance and accountability.

Partnerships, learning and representation

• Work closely with PGI and other Social Safeguards colleagues to ensure coherent and integrated technical support to National Societies.
• Represent IFRC in global inter-agency and other safeguarding forums and consultations.
• Position IFRC as a thought leader on safeguarding and PSEAH through strategic partnerships, advocacy and technical engagement.
• Foster strategic relationships with the wider humanitarian sector and partners.
• Facilitate learning activities, consultations and communities of practice that promote continuous improvement and shared accountability.

 

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Work actively towards the achievement of IFRC’s goals. 
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.
   

Education

Required

• Advanced university degree in law, social sciences, international development, humanitarian affairs, organizational development or another relevant field; or a first-level university degree combined with additional relevant professional experience.

Experience

Required

• At least seven to ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in PSEAH, safeguarding, or another closely related field, including substantial experience leading PSEAH or safeguarding work in humanitarian, development or similarly complex settings.
• Demonstrated experience leading or making a substantial contribution to the successful development and implementation of a PSEAH, safeguarding or closely related organizational strategy, framework or programme.
• Proven experience leading and managing a team of PSEAH professionals including providing strategic direction, technical oversight, performance management, mentoring and capacity strengthening.

Preferred

• Experience working in a RC/RC National Society and/or IFRC/ICRC.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Advanced knowledge of PSEAH or safeguarding standards, policies and current technical practice.
• Demonstrated ability to translate policy commitments into practical standards, tools and operational approaches.
• Experience designing or strengthening organizational PSEAH, safeguarding or comparable control and assurance systems.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret assessments, identify systemic gaps and develop proportionate corrective actions.
• Experience developing and delivering PSEAH technical learning, guidance, coaching or capacity-strengthening initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate sensitive and technical issues clearly to senior and non-technical audiences.
• Strong coordination, facilitation, networking and advocacy skills.
• Ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder processes across different organizational and cultural contexts.
• Capacity to build credibility and trust and work effectively at all levels across the organisation.
• Proficiency in carrying-out PSEAH self-assessments and developing corrective action plans. 
• Ability to apply survivor-centred, rights-based and risk-informed approaches.
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to work inclusively within a multi-cultural, multilingual and multidisciplinary environment, while maintaining strong inter-personal qualities and communication skills.
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants.
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values). 

Preferred

• Solid understanding and knowledge of IFRC and Movement processes, systems, values and culture.

 

LANGUAGES

Required

• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.

Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Empowering others.

Managerial competencies: Managing staff development.

 

Application Instructions

Please submit your application in English only.