Safeguarding Manager-Ethiopia

About Inkomoko

Inkomoko helps entrepreneurs strengthen and expand their businesses so they can improve incomes, generate employment, and contribute to stronger communities. The organization was recognized in 2026 by the Financial Times as Africa's 5th fastest-growing company. It supports entrepreneurs across East and Central Africa through training, consulting, access to finance, and systems-level market support, with a strong focus on refugee entrepreneurs.

Established in 2012, Inkomoko has worked with more than 100,000 entrepreneurs and now operates with 900+ staff across 50 offices in Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Through its 2030 strategy, the organization plans to expand into three additional countries, support more than 550,000 entrepreneurs, and grow its $30M loan fund to improve the lives of 7 million people.

Organizational values

• Purpose: focus on practical solutions, high standards, and leadership at a global level.

• Achievement: stretch beyond current limits and keep raising performance.

• Improvement: stay humble and keep learning through honest, constructive feedback.

• Bravery: take thoughtful risks, create safe spaces, and act with compassion and inclusion.

• We Eat Goat: celebrate successes and stand by each other during difficult times.

Inkomoko is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Refugees, women, and people who reflect the communities served are especially encouraged to apply.

Role summary

The Safeguarding Manager for Ethiopia will help build and maintain a workplace and program environment where clients, staff, and partners are safe, respected, and supported. The role is responsible for putting safeguarding standards into practice, tracking compliance, and responding to concerns in line with international humanitarian best practice. It will work closely with security, HR, program teams, leadership, and the regional safeguarding function.

What you will do

• Support leaders in embedding safeguarding into daily operations, performance expectations, and decision-making.
• Build awareness and capability among staff, partners, and clients on the Code of Conduct, safeguarding rules, reporting channels, and individual duties.
• Carry out regular safeguarding risk reviews across programmes, offices, field activities, partnerships, and new expansion areas, and help teams put mitigation plans in place.
• Make sure complaint and reporting channels are easy to reach, confidential, inclusive, and usable for refugees and other vulnerable groups.
• Work with the regional safeguarding team to keep policies, standards, and risk management approaches aligned across the organization.
• Coordinate fast, survivor-centred responses to safeguarding allegations and concerns, ensuring timely triage and confidential handling.
• Oversee safeguarding case management and investigations, with clear documentation, follow-up, escalation, and resolution.
• Link survivors to legal, medical, psychosocial, and protection support through referral pathways that protect dignity, safety, and choice.
• Coordinate with leadership, the regional safeguarding team, and outside protection actors such as government bodies, UNHCR, and partner organizations when needed.
• Contribute to incident reporting, trend review, and organizational learning to improve prevention and response systems.
• Track compliance with safeguarding requirements, donor expectations, procedures, and minimum standards across country operations.
• Conduct field visits and site assessments to spot risks, verify practice, and identify improvement areas.
• Lead safe-partnering work, including partner due diligence, capacity building, and ongoing monitoring of safeguarding standards.
• Represent Inkomoko in coordination meetings, communities of practice, forums, and other external networks related to safeguarding and protection.
• Prepare regular updates and reports for country and regional leadership on incidents, trends, compliance, and overall safeguarding performance.
• Work with People & Culture to include safeguarding in recruitment, onboarding, programme design, implementation, monitoring, partnerships, and planning.
• Facilitate learning forums, communities of practice, and knowledge-sharing sessions that strengthen safeguarding across country operations.
• Identify new risks, share lessons learned, and help teams apply good practice consistently.
• Support teams to strengthen safeguarding systems, safe programming, gender equality, disability inclusion, and protection mainstreaming.
• Work with country leadership to keep safeguarding visible through management briefs, KPI discussions, and the organization’s values.
• Deliver safeguarding training so staff understand how to protect each other and clients, and so clients understand their rights.
• Provide targeted training for different programme areas.
• Promote refugee participation so communities understand the Code of Conduct, their right to protection, and how to raise concerns.
• Ensure complaint mechanisms are accessible to all clients, with particular attention to refugee clients.
• Provide survivor-support that is respectful, culturally appropriate, and centered on the person affected.
• Work with legal, medical, and psychosocial providers to maintain reliable referral pathways.
• Manage concerns from a client-focused perspective and advise leadership on appropriate action.
• Engage external actors such as police, CNARR, DPHR, and UNHCR when reporting or follow-up is required.
• Help establish and maintain survivor-centred referral pathways.
• Support the development and implementation of a framework to assess how well safeguarding is working at country level.
• Carry out field visits to confirm safeguarding practices are being followed across all sites.
• Participate actively in the network of safeguarding champions across Inkomoko offices.
• Prepare and submit routine reports on activities, trends, and incidents.
• Lead safe-partnering activities by assessing partnership risks, supporting compliance, and training partners.
• Ensure partners understand and follow Inkomoko safeguarding standards.
• Work with communities, partners, cultural advocates, protection partners, and other stakeholders to raise safeguarding awareness and improve practice.
• Liaise with UNHCR and other humanitarian actors to stay updated on good practice and joint initiatives.
• Represent Inkomoko in safeguarding meetings, workshops, and forums.
• Support the inclusion of safeguarding in programme design, implementation, and partnership work.
• Guide conversations on emerging risks, trends, and best practice.
• Design and facilitate training, learning sessions, and knowledge-sharing events within the community of practice.
• Help members identify gaps and strengthen safeguarding frameworks, including gender, disability inclusion, and safe programming.
• Promote alignment with organizational policy, donor expectations, and global standards.
• Serve as a convener and coordinator for the community of practice, encouraging active participation.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of relevant work experience.
• At least 2 to 3 years of direct experience in safeguarding, protection, or PSEA.
• Proven background handling safeguarding cases and investigations.
• Experience in humanitarian or development settings.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience managing safeguarding incidents and case-management processes.
• Experience carrying out or supporting investigations.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, including refugees, women, and children.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding frameworks such as PSEA, child protection, and GBV.
• Good grasp of survivor-centred approaches.
• Practical knowledge of case management and referral systems.
• Ability to assess risk and design mitigation measures.
• Hands-on experience with reporting systems, including hotlines and complaints mechanisms.
• Ability to design and deliver training.
• Experience developing policies and implementing SOPs.
• Ability to lead teams, build trust, and manage relationships with stakeholders.
• Someone who can thrive in fast-moving, resource-limited environments with patience, humor, and creativity.

Benefits

• Work on mission-driven initiatives that support livelihoods and job creation across East and Central Africa.
• Competitive pay with the possibility of a performance-based bonus.
• Strong company culture with room for learning and professional growth.
• Exposure to diverse colleagues and inclusive policies.
• Dynamic, entrepreneurial environment focused on innovation and social impact.
• Health insurance for the employee and family.
• Staff savings and provident fund, plus negotiated bank rates for long-term employees.
• Generous annual leave, parental leave, and sabbatical options.

Application process

Candidates interested in this opportunity should submit a CV and a brief explanation of why they are a strong fit. The application deadline is July 15, 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Employment is conditional on successfully passing a background check.

Additional information

Inkomoko is committed to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Refugees and women are strongly encouraged to apply, and fair treatment is built into the hiring process.