Christian Aid
Head of Health, Safety, Security and Safeguarding
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Head of Health, Safety, Security and Safeguarding
Permanent. Full Time. Hybrid Working (2 days per week in the office)
Location: London
Salary: £73,615 per year
About us
Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.
We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognise the value this brings in forming strong, creative and high performing teams. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and from those with experience from outside of the voluntary sector. And no, you don’t have to be Christian to work here – we encourage people of all faiths and none to apply.
We just ask that everyone lives out our values of dignity, equality, justice and love. We value a good work-life balance, so we’re open to part-time and flexible working. We also offer hybrid working for our office-based colleagues.
About the role
Reporting in to the Director of Organisational Effectiveness, the Head of Health, Safety, Security and Safeguarding will inspire, design and drive Christian Aid’s Global Safe strategy, in respect of safety, security, and safeguarding, ensuring that staff in the UK, overseas offices, and partner organisations operate in a safe, secure, and well-supported environment.
The postholder will be the custodian of a safe culture, ensuring that it aligns with the global culture programme and overall people strategy, and will be the organisation's safeguarding and security ambassador and expert, acting both internally and externally as a thought leader, challenging appropriately and bringing external expertise to Christian Aid.
Some of the main areas of responsibility for the Head of Health, Safety, Security and Safeguarding include:
- Monitor and assess security risks in operational locations, providing guidance on crisis response and emergency planning.
- Model a culture of continuous learning through training staff and partners on security awareness, travel safety, and incident response protocols.
- Champion and oversee incident reporting and response mechanisms, ensuring timely and effective action in case of security threats.
- Lead and embed a safeguarding culture across Christian Aid and its partners, ensuring compliance with global safeguarding standards.
- Foster continuous improvement through the development of safeguarding policies, procedures, and reporting mechanisms to protect staff, communities, and program participants.
- Model accountability through leading investigations and responses to safeguarding concerns, ensuring appropriate action is taken while maintaining confidentiality and victim-centred approaches.
- Foster a mindset of connection in relation empowering others to undertake self-assessments for all partnerships and ensure adequate assurance is in place.
- Maximise impact Develop through the development of crisis management plans for security incidents, safeguarding concerns, and emergency situations.
- Provide expert advice to leadership and country teams on risk management and response strategies.
- Foster continuous improvement with legal, HR, and program teams to ensure safety and safeguarding policies align with regulatory and donor requirements.
- Facilitate opportunities with external security, safeguarding, and humanitarian networks to strengthen best practices.
- Represent Christian Aid in sector-wide discussions on safety, security, and safeguarding policies.
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About you
Who we are looking for
Essential:
- Significant experience in safety, security, and safeguarding roles, preferably in international NGOs, humanitarian organisation, or development agencies.
- Significant exposure to working in high-risk, conflict, or disaster-affected environments, managing safety and security for field teams.
- Advanced knowledge of global safeguarding frameworks, including protection of vulnerable groups, PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), and child safeguarding and how they apply in humanitarian contexts.
- Extensive experience in crisis response, risk assessment, and emergency planning for international staff and partners.
- Leadership experience in developing and delivering training on security awareness, safeguarding, and risk management.
- Proven ability to develop and implement security and safeguarding policies across multiple locations.
- Advanced understanding of global security protocols, crisis management, risk assessment, and incident response, particularly in volatile or conflict zones.
- Expertise in managing security risks, conducting security assessments, and developing crisis management plans.
- Awareness of international legal frameworks, including those related to human rights, security, and safeguarding in field operations.
- Knowledge of staff wellbeing strategies, trauma response, and resilience-building in high-risk or stressful environments.
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Further information
At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.
We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams.
We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and sympathy with Christian Aid’s faith identity.
All successful candidates will require a DBS/police check appropriate to the role and location and a Counter Terrorism Sanction check as part of your clearance for commencing your role with us. We also participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information as part of the referencing process from job applicants’ previous employers 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 their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
This role requires applicants to have the right to live and work in the country where this position is based and undertake the role that you have been offered. If you are successful and we make you an offer for the role, we will be required to conduct a right to work check on your immigration status in the UK. We will contact you regarding the documentation you will need to provide to evidence this.
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