Senior Advisor, Safeguarding, Protection and Community Engagement

Save The Children

4d • $88,400 - $121,600

About The Position

The Senior Safeguarding Advisor, Protection and Community Engagement, serves as a strategic leader and subject matter expert for safeguarding, protection, safety, and community engagement across Save the Children's Head Start programs. This role is responsible for providing high-level technical assistance, managing complex safeguarding concerns, and leading and supporting sensitive investigations involving staff, consultants, volunteers, or partners. The Senior Advisor will collaborate closely with Head Start and agency leadership, including the National Safeguarding Team, to cultivate a culture of safety and accountability. This position reports to the Deputy Executive Director, Head Start, with a dotted line to the Managing Director, Safeguarding (Save the Children US).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, plus a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in safeguarding, child protection, or related field.
• At least 3 years leading or supporting safeguarding investigations, including case management, reporting, and follow-up.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding standards (including PSEA), trauma-informed approaches, and child protection systems.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with a track record of managing cross-functional teams or initiatives.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, with experience working across levels of authority.
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to draft clear, concise reports and action plans.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practice.
• This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver's license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Social Work, Child Development, Law, Public Health, or related field.
• Certification or formal training in safeguarding investigations or case management.
• Experience in federally funded early childhood education programs (e.g., Head Start).
• Knowledge of local and state-level child welfare and protection systems.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a thought leader and strategic partner to Head Start leadership and the National Safeguarding Team on safeguarding and protection across the portfolio.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of safeguarding strategies, frameworks, and tools tailored to the Head Start context.
• Provide supervision, coaching, and mentorship to assigned safeguarding advisors across programs.
• Represent Head Start in agency-wide safeguarding initiatives, learning exchanges, and cross-functional workgroups.
• Analyze trends from incident data and recommend system-wide responses and policy improvements.
• Lead or support safeguarding-related investigations in collaboration with the National Safeguarding Team and HR, ensuring a trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and legally compliant approach.
• Oversee the intake, triage, documentation, and case management of safeguarding concerns, ensuring timely resolution and thorough follow-up.
• Prepare investigation reports with clear findings, recommendations, and risk mitigation actions.
• Act as liaison with internal stakeholders (e.g., HR, Legal, Compliance, EthicsPoint) and external agencies, as appropriate.
• Maintain high standards of confidentiality and integrity throughout all investigations and reporting processes.
• Provide high-level technical guidance to ensure adherence to SCUS Safeguarding Policies and Head Start's Child Safeguarding Policy Notebook.
• Lead risk assessments across departments and develop action plans for mitigation.
• Support contextualization and delivery of safeguarding and child protection training to program leaders, staff, policy councils, and families.
• Promote and monitor the use of active supervision, positive guidance, and trauma-informed care practices.
• Support the development of child-friendly complaint and feedback mechanisms.
• Strengthen community-level partnerships to enhance local prevention and response systems related to child protection and family well-being.
• Provide strategic oversight of outreach initiatives and community-based safeguarding education campaigns.
• Advise on the integration of trauma-informed, family-centered practices in community engagement strategies.
• Guide implementation of safety and security policies across Head Start sites in alignment with OHS and SCUS protocols.
• Analyze safety incidents and provide recommendations to strengthen systems and prevent future occurrences.

Benefits

• Flexible schedules and time off: Flexible schedules, generous PTO, 11 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays and hybrid working opportunities
• Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family
• Family: A variety of paid leaves: caregiver, parental/adoption, critical child illness and fertility benefits
• Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
• Retirement: A retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
• Wellness: 15 safety and wellness days annually (if hired on or after July 1, safety and wellness days prorated to 8 days), mental health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
• Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
• Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees