Job Description

Job Title: Safeguarding and Compliance Specialist


Department: Operations


Location: Burlington, ON, Canada (Hybrid)


Reports to: Director of Safeguarding and Accountability


Status: Full-time, Exempt


Salary Level: K


Last Updated: August 5, 2025

PURPOSE:

World Renew empowers communities and partners to adopt transformative, sustainable practices that enhance the well-being of individuals affected by poverty, disaster, or injustice.


As part of its commitment to accountability and maintaining certification in the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), World Renew upholds a comprehensive suite of safeguarding policies. The Safeguarding and Compliance Specialist position will play a key role in ensuring the effective implementation of these policies across World Renew's programs in North America.


This role will focus on strengthening safeguarding, quality, and accountability by building capacity within key programs, including Disaster Response Services, Refugee Resettlement, Church Engagement, and International Relief Managers. Additionally, the position will support global safeguarding focal points and actively contribute as a member of the Global Regional Safeguarding Team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Safeguarding Policy Compliance:

Coordinate the implementation of the safeguarding suite of policies, together with related procedures and guidelines, throughout North American programming including new policies related to children and youth. Effectively communicate and establish key contents of the Complaints Policy, and the Suite of Safeguarding Policies through systematic training cadences and timelines. Support the Canadian Refugee Resettlement Program by training and creating the appropriate Safeguarding systems that connect into local church, Canadian police and legal contexts. Creating and maintain a case management database in line with World Renew's Data Protection Policy to support the complaints report collection and analysis process.

Create and maintain a database tracking system related to global safeguarding grant opportunities.

Propose appropriate safeguarding content for new project proposals in close collaboration with the following teams: Transformational Development (also known as Program Excellence), Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs and other relevant departments, as needed.

Capacity Development:

Develop training material in the Safeguarding Toolbox applicable for a variety of Canadian and American audiences, including but not limited to: Constituency members (in conjunction with existing Church Engagement Team), Volunteers, board members, and participants in the Refugee Resettlement Program.

Facilitate the implementation and tracking of Safeguarding, Complaints, Anti-fraud and Corruption and CHS training via MS365. Effectively strengthen capacity of Canadian and US based staff to enable appropriate handling of complaints, responsiveness to complaints, while also focusing on building the capacity of all Safeguarding Focal Points in both work locations. Partner effectively with the Donor Relations Teams to develop internal safeguarding and accountability proposals for donors and churches. Support development of the Global Safeguarding Focal Point Network, surfacing existing practices among regions and teams, share resources and plan joint activities in support of the Regional Safeguarding Coordinators.

Solicit for feedback and learning on the Complaints Polic and Complaints Handling and Investigation Guidelines during implementation to inform future revisions to the policy and guidelines in conjunction with the Regional Safeguarding coordinators and Director of Safeguarding and Accountability.

Ensure the Church Engagement Managers and DRS leads receive new updates to safeguarding trainings in a timely manner and provide clear guidance on implementation measures.

Assist with regular SEAH risk assessments on North American programming. Effectively update safeguarding and complaints content on the company's website annually, as necessary. Maintain update to date knowledge in the area of Safeguarding and Accountability by attending relevant training sessions on a regular basis and keeping abreast of the latest developments in the sector with a focus on PSEAH and Child Protection.

Complaints Management:

Maintain all information related to complaints within North American programming, including a log of feedback and complaints, ensure data security in accordance with World Renew's Data Protection Policy.

Support North America teams with referring reports of safeguarding issues (e.g. related to children or vulnerable adults) and not against World Renew, its staff or partners, to the relevant authorities or organizations as necessary in accordance with WR's Referral Mechanism and ensure partnership with Human Resources.

Effectively collaborate with Human Resources and Finance as appropriate for sensitive complaints.

Support the investigation processes, upon request by direct manager.

CHS Charter Group and the Core Humanitarian Standard Administration:

Maintain the Charter Group Teams Channels to ensure timely filing, and organization.

Serve as the SharePoint Administrator for both Safeguarding and CHS sites, Assist with preparing all CHS audits to include mid-term reports in collaboration with the Director of Safeguarding and Accountability and the CHS Charter Group. Provide document control within the CHS Action Plan and update documents on the HQAI cloud regularly.

Perform other duties as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES REQUIRED:

1. Able to respect and support the mission, vision and values of World Renew.


2. Demonstrated commitment to Christ and be able to recognize this position as one that contributes to the work of God's Kingdom.


3. Demonstrated commitment to contribute to and promote a work environment that values diversity, inclusion and equity.


4. Proven ability to work on sensitive issues, including sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and able to maintain discretion and confidentiality


5. Commitment to building capacity of colleagues through training events, development of resources and providing a mentoring approach.


6. Proactive and able to work independently with minimal supervision.


7. Able and willing to work diplomatically in a team setting and with external stakeholders.


8. Highly proficient in MS365 and Teams setting including MS Word, MS Excel and MS Power Point.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

1. Minimum bachelor's degree or similar in international development, human resources, political science, social work or related specialty.


2. At least 3 years' direct experience in complaints handling, assisting in investigations, compliance and/or safeguarding is a requirement.


3. 4-6 years' experience in safeguarding, protection and/or quality and compliance standards in the international development or humanitarian aid sectors.


4. Direct experience working with low resource communities or and vulnerable populations.


5. Prior experience in humanitarian or development sectors and agencies, and working in crisis affected states is a definite asset.


6. Prior experience with working with large global databases data analysis is a definite asset.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

1. Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.


2. French and/or Spanish language ability is an asset

WORK ENVIRONMENT, PHYSICAL AND OTHER DEMANDS:

The work environment encountered and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.


Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position requires:


1. Extensive computer work and concentrated reading, sitting for long periods of time.


2. This role will requires bi-annual visits to program sites in North America, Burlington and Michigan as well as attendance at an International annual global gathering.


We do not discriminate based on disability, culture, ethnicity, or gender, and welcome and encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply. World Renew is committed to the Core Humanitarian Standard and Safeguarding practices. As part of the recruitment process, the successful candidate will be subject to a thorough background check.

Please note that the application deadline for this position will be September 15, 2025, depending on volume of applications. We encourage all interested candidates to apply before this deadline as we move candidates through our hiring process on a continuous basis.
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