Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Safeguarding Officer

World University Service of Canada – is a leading Canadian non-profit organization in international development, committed to building a more equitable and sustainable world. We work with a unique and powerful network of post-secondary institutions, private-sector partners and volunteers to provide education, employment and empowerment opportunities that imp…

Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Safeguarding Officer

Role Description

• The Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Safeguarding Officer will provide technical leadership and practical support to embed GESI and safeguarding across DREEM Phase II. Working with project leadership, thematic and country teams, WUSC technical advisors, and partners, the Officer will translate project commitments into contextualized strategies, technical assistance, partner practices, and measurable results. The role will support delivery of the 70% young women and 10% youth with disabilities targets across the project and strengthen the capacity of RLOs and ecosystem partners to deliver safe and inclusive programming.

• The Senior GESI and Safeguarding Officer will work closely and in collaboration with WUSC teams in Kenya and globally, the donor’s regional and country teams, and the donor’s partners.

Responsibilities

GESI strategy and inclusive programming

• Coordinate the review and update of the project’s gender analysis and GESI strategy, incorporating lessons from DREEM Phase I, evidence from new contexts, and consultations with young women and youth with disabilities. Translate findings into practical actions, responsibilities, and monitoring measures across workplans and partnerships.

• Provide technical guidance to embed gender equality and disability inclusion across education, employment, entrepreneurship, and RLO support. Strengthen safe and inclusive pathways into, through, and beyond secondary and higher education, particularly for young women.

• Support teams and partners to assess gender norms, power dynamics, and intersecting barriers related to gender, disability, and displacement. Integrate Do No Harm analysis and gender-based violence risk mitigation into activity design and implementation, including measures to prevent backlash and engage men and boys as allies.

• Work with disability inclusion specialists, disability-led and serving RLOs, and accessibility service providers to identify barriers and support reasonable accommodations and accessible outreach, training, events, and reporting mechanisms.

• Promote meaningful participation and leadership by young women and youth with disabilities in consultations, co-design, research, and project governance, including engagement with the Youth Advisory Board.

Technical assistance and partner capacity strengthening

• Develop and deliver contextualized training, coaching, webinars, toolkits, and guidance for staff, Foundation partners, and RLOs on GESI and safeguarding. Adapt methods and materials to partners’ capacities, languages, accessibility requirements, and operating contexts.

• Work with the RLO Opportunity Fund team to embed GESI and safeguarding in partner assessment, selection, grant implementation, and monitoring; strengthen equitable access for women-led and disability-led organizations.

Safeguarding and accountability

• Coordinate safeguarding risk assessments and mitigation plans across project activities and partnerships, including risks affecting children and young people in secondary education. Support implementation of WUSC safeguarding procedures, the Mastercard Foundation’s Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, and relevant child protection guidance.

• Support partner safeguarding due diligence, including review of organizational and board practices, policies, reporting arrangements, and response capacity.

• Develop and monitor practical improvement plans and coach RLOs establishing or strengthening their safeguarding systems.

• Strengthen accessible, visible, and confidential reporting and response mechanisms, and ensure participants, staff, volunteers, and partners understand expected conduct, reporting options, and safeguarding focal points.

• Support timely, survivor-centred handling, referral, and escalation of safeguarding concerns through designated WUSC channels. Maintain confidentiality and follow established accountability and donor reporting procedures, in coordination with authorized safeguarding personnel and project leadership.