Job Title: Gender Equality Social Inclusion & Safeguarding Officer
Location: Hoima with travel within districts of operation
Reports to: Gender Equality Social Inclusion & Safeguarding Advisor
Application Deadline: 8th March 2026

Program Background

The Agrifood System Transformation for Youth Employment (ASTYE) Uganda program
ASTYE is a 5-year transformative initiative designed to enable dignified and fulfilling work opportunities primarily for financially disadvantaged young women, refugees, and vulnerable groups by addressing structural barriers in Uganda’s Agrifood system. Aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040, the National Development Plan and Government of Uganda Agriculture Value Chain Development Strategy, the program will contribute to national efforts toward poverty alleviation, economic growth, as well food and nutrition security. Additionally, ASTYE is part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy in Uganda, which aims to empower 4.3 million young Ugandans, particularly young women, by addressing structural barriers to employment and providing them with the skills and resources to succeed.
Specifically, GOAL will implement component one to reach 500,000 financially disadvantaged young people, with 400,000 transiting into work and 320,000 securing dignified and fulfilling work. As the program is young women-centric, 80% of the total outreach target will be young women within Uganda’s agrifood ecosystem. Furthermore, 3% of the total youth in work target will be refugees, and another 3% will be people with disabilities.

Job Functions

This position reports to Gender Equality Social Inclusion & Safeguarding Advisor, the Gender Equality Social Inclusion & Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for coordination, supervision and implementation of all the GESI and Safeguarding activities in accordance with the programme description and budget provisions as detailed in the sector workplans.
He/she will support the Gender Equality Social Inclusion & Safeguarding Advisor in ensuring the successful Integration of GOAL’s GESI & Safeguarding policies, guidelines and approaches in all program interventions, with the aim of creating safe, inclusive, and equitable access to program opportunities for young women and men, persons with disabilities, refugees, and other marginalized groups, while embedding robust prevention, reporting, and response mechanisms for safeguarding risk reduction.

Inductions and Training

• Conduct GESI & safeguarding inductions of locally recruited staff within 30 days of employment and ensure they understand and commit to policies and procedures related to GESI & safeguarding.
• Plan, organise and co-facilitate GESI and safeguarding training for programme teams and partners, on GESI & general safeguarding polies & procedures through formal training and refresher sessions.

Programme Implementation Support

• Work with technical teams to ensure programme activities reflect the needs of women, youth, and marginalized groups.
• Support inclusive selection processes for participants, partners, and community representatives.
• Ensure GESI and safeguarding considerations are applied during activity implementation and partner monitoring.
• Ensure documentation and reports for GESI & safeguarding is compiled and submitted to the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor monthly.
• Conduct community meetings to raise awareness on GESI & safeguarding and the expected behaviors of GOAL and Partner staff and inform communities on ways they can report safeguarding cases.

Safeguarding Standards at Field Level

• With support from the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor, work with program teams to conduct mapping and risk assessments
• In liaison with the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor, support the program teams to develop safeguarding mitigation and prevention action plan as per risk assessments
• Act as field safeguarding focal point for ASTYE Programme.
• Act as the field Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) focal point receive feedback and consolidate reports from CFRM system.
• Work with the team to ensure functionality of feedback mechanisms
• Provide quarterly updates of training and create reports using PowerBi dashboards.
• Provide quarterly updates of the country safeguarding KPIs and progress towards the GESI & Safeguarding Action Plan to the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor
• Identify and report safeguarding concerns in a timely manner, including providing response to the concerns as advised by the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor.
• Make appropriate referrals for GBV and violence against children (VAC) cases, in consultation with the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor while maintaining confidentiality.
• Participate in a monthly or bi-monthly safeguarding meeting with the GESI & Safeguarding Advisor, to assess the level of compliance and progress made on the GESI & Safeguarding Action Plan.
• Foster a working environment that is non-threatening, safe and actively addressing GESI & safeguarding in its processes.

Job Level Specifications

Essential Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Gender and Women’s Studies, Development Studies, Anthropology, International Development, Human Rights.
• 3 years’ experience in gender, safeguarding or protection, programme roles in the development or humanitarian sector
• Experience working with community groups, CSOs, youth structures, or implementing partners.
• A good understanding of safeguarding, gender-responsive and inclusive programming principles.
• Experience in supporting safeguarding awareness, reporting processes, or protection referrals.
• Demonstrable interest in working to prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
• Demonstrable understanding of power relations.

Desirable Criteria

• Good facilitation, communication and partnership-building skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proficient in using various design software to create visual resources, including posters, flyers, and infographics.

General Terms and Conditions

At GOAL, we welcome people of all abilities and want to ensure that our hiring and interview process meets the needs of all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation to make your application or interview experience a great one, please just contact our Recruitment Team at recruitment@ug.goal.ie

GOAL Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
GOAL is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees. We foster an inclusive culture where all voices are heard and valued. We know that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

All employees share in the responsibility for fulfilling GOAL’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and equal treatment. GOAL does not discriminate against any employee on the basis of sex, race, colour, ethnic background, tribe, birth, creed or religion or social or economic standing, political opinion, disability.

Code of Conduct and Accountability within GOAL

GOAL is an equal opportunities employer and has values and behaviours framework which defines our code of conduct. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability.

• Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, Code of Conduct, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
• Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
• Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.

Safeguarding

Children and vulnerable adults a must be safeguarded to the maximum extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury, and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

GOAL 

Established in 1977, GOAL is an international humanitarian agency and works with the most vulnerable communities to help them respond to and overcome humanitarian crises, and to assist those facing poverty and exclusion achieve greater resilience and well-being. GOAL envisions a world beyond humanitarian crises where poverty no longer exists, where vulnerable communities exposed to shocks and stresses are resilient, where barriers to well-being are removed and where everyone has equal rights and opportunities.

General Description of the Country Programme 

First operational in Uganda in 1979, the current GOAL Uganda country programme focuses on Health, (including WASH, Health Accountability and Nutrition); and a market-based systems approach to improving agricultural livelihoods and WASH. GOAL Uganda mainstreams gender, child protection, social behavior changes and resilience strategies across all programming. GOAL uses a mixture of direct implementation and partnerships with national and international civil society organizations, local government, the private sector and communities to give effect to our mission.

GOAL Uganda has a skilled team of over 110 personnel and has a head office in Kampala and field offices in 7 locations across Northern, Southwestern and Eastern regions of Uganda.  GOAL Uganda’s donors include the Mastercard Foundation, charity: water, Irish Aid, The Kingdom of Netherland Embassy in Uganda (EKN) and other private donors.

Interested applicants who meet the requirements should apply through the link with at least 3 reference contacts (current or former Line Manager) from the last three employers and daytime contact number by 8th March 2026.