The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Program Brief

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Since 2017, IRC has supported Rohingya Refugees and Bangladeshi nationalities communities in Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong with integrated services. The organization also addresses climate change impacts by building resilience and promoting economic recovery, education, and protection.

Purpose of this role:

The Safeguarding, PSEA and ESS Officer is responsible for preventing, reporting, and responding to safeguarding harm, including Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Environmental and Social Standards (ESS), ensuring programs are implemented safely, ethically, and in compliance with IRCs policies, donor requirements, and international standards.

The role supports the implementation of IRCs safeguarding minimum standards, PSEA and ESS action plan, strengthening reporting and response systems, staff sensitization and clients awareness raising, in line with IRC and doner requirements.

The Officer works closely with IRCs program teams, People & Culture, partners, accountability and ECU to ensure strong safeguarding systems are in place and function effectively.

Workstation: IRC Bangladesh, Ukhiya Office

Reports to: Safeguarding Coordinator

Contract Length: Till 31 December 2026 (with high possibility of extension)

Key Responsibilities

• Safeguarding & PSEA (Prevention, Awareness & Capacity Strengthening)
• Support rollout of safeguarding and PSEA orientations and training for all project specific staff, volunteers, incentive workers, and contractors with the technical support from Safeguarding coordinator.
• Conduct regular refresher trainings and awareness sessions, prioritizing frontline staff, managers, and communityfacing roles.
• Support development and contextual adaptation of safeguarding and PSA IEC materials for staff and communities, ensuring accessibility, inclusion, and childfriendly approaches where relevant.
• Promote a culture of respect, safety, and accountability in line with IRCs Code of Conduct and doner PSEA Core requirements.
• Reporting, Response
• Support safe, confidential receipt and referral of safeguarding and PSEA concerns in line with IRC SOPs and doner guidelines.
• Guide staff on appropriate, survivorcentered responses to disclosures, including informed consent, confidentiality, and referrals.
• Maintain accurate documentation and support timely escalation to the Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU) or designated mechanisms.
• Support analysis of safeguarding trends and risks to inform prevention planning and management decisions.
• Ensure safeguarding responses prioritize the best interests of the survivor, including children and persons with disabilities.
• Community Engagement & Accountability
• Support safe, accessible, and inclusive feedback and complaint mechanisms.
• Support integration of safeguarding and PSEA risk mitigation throughout the project implementation, monitoring, and closeout.
• Ensure community awareness on safeguarding, PSEA, and environmental/social impacts.
• Coordinate with community structures to strengthen trust and accountability.
• Participate in field monitoring visits, FGDs, and KIIs to assess safeguarding risks and effectiveness of mitigation measures.
• Support alignment with doner expectations on CFRM/GRM and referral pathways.
• Environmental and Social Standards (ESS)
• Lead ESS screening and risk assessments; identify and mitigate environmental, social, safeguarding, GBV, and child protection risks in line with World Bank ESF
• Ensure implementation and regular updating of Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Labor Management Procedures (LMP), and other safeguard instruments
• Monitor ESS compliance through field visits, indicator tracking, and proper documentation, and integrate ESS into program design
• Prepare timely ESS reports, maintain documentation, and ensure immediate reporting of serious incidents
• Coordinate with program, MEAL, and partners; support audits and advise management on risk mitigation
• Coordination & Representation
• Coordinate with Protection, Child Protection, GenderBased Violence, MEAL, Security, and P&C teams to ensure coherent safeguarding approaches.
• Work closely with the GEDI champions, W@W and Safeguarding Focal Points within the Country program across all field sites
• Experience
• At least 2 years of experience needed in the field of Safeguarding, PSEA, Gender, GBV, Child Protection.
• Knowledge, Skills & Competences
• Education in social sciences, social work, law, psychology, and Development Studies, womens studies, or related field.
• Experience supporting training, awareness activities, and communitybased reporting systems.
• Knowledge of environmental and social risk management in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Strong understanding of survivorcentered approaches, confidentiality, and ethics.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and analytical skills.
• Willingness to travel regularly to field locations.
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail;
• Personal qualities: Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural and diverse environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
• Computer literacy, including Microsoft Word and Excel;
• Good working knowledge of language spoken by population in need, plus English language
• Specific Educational Qualification
• Minimum bachelor’s degree in social sciences social work, law, psychology, womens studies, or related field.
• Language Preference
• People who is familiar with local culture and local dialects will get preference.
• Standard of Professional Conduct
• The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. In accordance with these values the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding (including PSEAH, Adult Safeguarding and Child Safeguarding), Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti Retaliation.
• PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
• All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct . Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding , Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.
• Cookies: https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/cookiesettings