Oxfam Safeguarding Advisor 2026 – Africa | Apply for the Elite Safeguarding Advisor Job

Oxfam International is hiring a Safeguarding Advisor – OiA to provide expert leadership in safeguarding across Sub-Saharan Africa. This is a full-time, fixed-term one-year opportunity that can be based flexibly in an African country where Oxfam has an office or presence. The successful candidate will help strengthen safeguarding systems, prevent and respond to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, protect children and vulnerable people, and build safeguarding capacity across Oxfam country offices and partners.
Oxfam Safeguarding Advisor Job 2026 – Overview
| Job Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Position | Safeguarding Advisor – OiA |
| Organization | Oxfam International |
| Location | Flexible within Africa Region |
| Work Arrangement | Flexible |
| Job Type | Full-Time |
| Contract | Fixed-Term |
| Contract Duration | 1 Year |
| Internal Grade | C1, National |
| Salary | In line with Oxfam pay range |
| Hiring | External candidates |
| Languages | English and French – Fluent |
| Application Deadline | 7 September 2026 |
| Work Permit | Candidates must already have the legal right to work in their chosen location |
About the Oxfam Safeguarding Advisor Role
Oxfam in Africa is looking for a credible, experienced and values-driven safeguarding professional to provide strategic and technical leadership across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Safeguarding Advisor will work within the People and Culture Team while maintaining an independent professional role. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted adviser to the One Africa Director, Oxfam in Africa Leadership Team and Country Directors.
The role will focus on developing and implementing safeguarding prevention and response strategies while ensuring that staff, partners and communities are protected from sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and child abuse.
The position also involves strengthening safeguarding systems, supporting country offices, developing community feedback and complaints mechanisms, and ensuring appropriate referral pathways.
Key Responsibilities
The Safeguarding Advisor will be responsible for a wide range of strategic and technical functions, including:
- Providing expert safeguarding advice across Oxfam in Africa.
- Developing and implementing safeguarding prevention and response strategies.
- Strengthening safeguarding capacity across country offices and partner organizations.
- Designing inclusive community feedback and complaints mechanisms.
- Establishing appropriate referral pathways for safeguarding concerns.
- Supporting survivor-centred case management.
- Providing expert advice on investigations and allegation management.
- Managing complex and sensitive safeguarding cases.
- Supporting consistent safeguarding practices across Oxfam affiliates.
- Advising leadership on safeguarding risks and priorities.
- Contributing to Assurance and Risk Management.
- Supporting culture-change initiatives based on power awareness and feminist principles.
- Representing Oxfam in relevant external safeguarding forums.
- Participating in the Global Safeguarding Network.
- Contributing to inter-agency safeguarding and PSEA initiatives.
- Matrix-managing country-level Safeguarding Focal Points.
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Required Experience and Skills
Oxfam is seeking a professional with strong practical experience in safeguarding, particularly in the prevention and response to sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and child abuse.
Candidates should ideally have experience working within an international NGO, UN organization, civil society organization or similar international development environment.
Key areas of experience include:
- Safeguarding strategy and programme implementation.
- Prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
- Child safeguarding.
- Safeguarding case management.
- Survivor-centred approaches.
- Investigations and allegation management.
- Community feedback mechanisms.
- Referral pathways.
- Confidentiality and ethical information management.
- Safeguarding training and capacity building.
- Technical support to country offices and partners.
- Knowledge of African safeguarding legal and regulatory environments.
- Gender-transformative programming.
- Organizational culture and change.
- Inter-agency PSEA representation.
Language Requirements
Fluency in both English and French, written and spoken, is essential for this position.
Strong communication and facilitation skills are also important because the successful candidate will work with diverse teams, leadership, country offices, partners and external stakeholders across Africa.
Who Can Apply?
The position is open to candidates who can legally work in a location where Oxfam has an office or presence in the Africa region.
Important: Oxfam International states that it cannot guarantee obtaining a work permit for this role and will not support relocation to an Oxfam location. Applicants must already have, and be able to retain, the legal right to work in their chosen location.
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Contract and Working Arrangement
The position is a full-time, fixed-term contract for one year.
The role offers flexible working arrangements, with the exact setup to be discussed depending on the candidate’s circumstances and the requirements of the position.
The internal job grade is C1, National, with salary determined according to the applicable Oxfam pay range.
Why Join Oxfam?
This position offers an opportunity to contribute to safeguarding and accountability across the African continent.
Oxfam in Africa works with country offices, civil society organizations, governments, academics and private-sector partners to challenge inequality and promote a more equal and just Africa.
The organization focuses on humanitarian response, development, campaigning, gender equality, climate justice, accountable governance and locally led development.
The Safeguarding Advisor will have the opportunity to influence organizational culture and strengthen systems designed to ensure that people and communities are safe, heard and protected.
Oxfam Core Values
Oxfam’s work is guided by six core values:
- Empowerment
- Accountability
- Inclusiveness
- Courage
- Solidarity
- Equality
Applicants should demonstrate a strong commitment to these values as well as survivor-centred and feminist approaches to safeguarding.
How to Apply for the Oxfam Safeguarding Advisor Job
Interested candidates should prepare and submit:
- An up-to-date CV.
- A cover letter clearly explaining their suitability against the essential criteria in the Job Profile.
Application Deadline
7 September 2026 at 23:59 GMT/BST/EAT
Only shortlisted candidates will normally be contacted, usually within two weeks of the closing date.
Important Recruitment Information
Oxfam is committed to safeguarding and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, discrimination and other forms of misconduct.
Employment offers are subject to satisfactory references and may include appropriate screening checks. Oxfam also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
Candidates should also be aware that Oxfam does not guarantee work permits or relocation support for this position.
Final Thoughts
The Oxfam Safeguarding Advisor 2026 vacancy is an excellent opportunity for an experienced safeguarding professional who wants to contribute to stronger protection, accountability and safeguarding systems across Africa.
If you have experience in safeguarding case management, investigations, survivor-centred approaches, PSEA, child safeguarding, capacity building and working with international development or humanitarian organizations, this opportunity may be worth considering.
Make sure your CV and cover letter clearly demonstrate your experience against the essential requirements before the 7 September 2026 deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the position?
The position is Safeguarding Advisor – OiA with Oxfam International.
2. Where is the job based?
The role is flexible within the Africa region and may be based in any country where Oxfam has an office or presence, subject to the candidate having legal authorization to work there.
3. Is the position full-time?
Yes. It is a full-time position.
4. How long is the contract?
The contract is fixed-term for one year.
5. What languages are required?
Fluency in both English and French, written and spoken, is essential.
6. When is the application deadline?
The deadline is 7 September 2026 at 23:59 GMT/BST/EAT.
7. Will Oxfam provide a work permit?
Oxfam International states that it cannot guarantee obtaining a work permit and cannot support relocation to an Oxfam location. Candidates must already have and retain the legal right to work where they are based.
8. What should applicants submit?
Applicants should submit an up-to-date CV and a cover letter explaining their suitability for the position.




