African Parks (AP) is a not-for-profit organization that secures a mandate to conserve through Public Private Partnerships with Governments and communities for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in Africa, and here in Malawi, AP has secured this mandate for the management of Majete Wildlife Reserve, Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

An opportunity has arisen for the post of Safeguard Officer tenable at Majete Wildlife Reserve in Chikwawa

The Safeguard Officer (Safety) will report directly to the Human Resources Manager and Park Manager. The successful candidate will support the implementation and monitoring of occupational health and safety systems, Protection of Human rights, environmental sustainability, community well-being, emergency preparedness, risk mitigation, and safeguarding practices to ensure a safe working and visitor environment at Majete Wildlife Reserve.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE (but not limited to):

1. Policy Implementation and Legal Compliance

• Implement and enforce Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), safeguarding, environmental, and social policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards in line with Malawi labour and occupational safety laws, The Constitution of Malawi (rights to dignity, safety, equality, and fair labour practices)
• Organisational policies and donor safeguard requirements.
• Ensure that all safety, safeguarding, and social compliance policies are clearly communicated, understood, and applied by staff, contractors, service providers, and relevant stakeholders.
• Support management in the regular review, updating, and improvement of safety and safeguards policies to ensure continued relevance, effectiveness, and legal compliance.

2. Safeguards Systems and Environmental & Social

• Management Operationalise and maintain the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), including screening, categorisation, risk registers, and preparation or quality review of safeguard instruments such as Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP Stakeholder Engagement Plans, Livelihood Restoration Plans, SEA/SH Action Plans.
• Ensure compliance with applicable environmental and social legislation and regulatory requirements, and alignment with organisational and donor safeguards standards.
• Integrate safeguards requirements into project planning, procurement, construction, law enforcement, tourism, fisheries, and community development activities, and monitor contractor compliance.

3. Safety Inspections, Audits and Risk Assessments

• Conduct routine and ad-hoc safety inspections across all operational areas, including field operations,
  workshops, lodges, offices, vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Carry out formal risk assessments to identify hazards associated with wildlife, terrain, machinery, chemicals, security operations, and working conditions.
• Document inspection, audit, and assessment findings and track corrective and preventive actions to completion.

4. Hazard Identification and Risk Mitigation

• Proactively identify existing and potential safety, health, environmental, and social risks affecting employees, contractors, communities, and visitors.
• Recommend practical and proportionate control measures to eliminate or reduce risks.
• Monitor the effectiveness of mitigation measures and support continuous risk reduction.

5. Compliance Monitoring and Fair Enforcement

• Monitor compliance with safety, safeguarding, labour, and operational standards by staff, contractors, and service providers.
• Address non-compliance through guidance, corrective action, training, or escalation to management, in line with principles of fairness, due process, and natural justice.
• Support consistent and professional enforcement of safety and safeguarding standards.

6. Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Coordinate the development, implementation, and review of emergency response and contingency plans.
• Organise and participate in emergency drills, including fire, medical, wildlife incidents, security incidents, and evacuations.
• Respond promptly to emergencies and coordinate with security teams, medical providers, government authorities, and external emergency services.

7. Incident Management and Investigation

• Respond to workplace accidents, safeguarding incidents, near-misses, and reported concerns.
• Conduct or support investigations to determine root causes, contributing factors, and systemic weaknesses.
• Prepare accurate and confidential incident and investigation reports with clear corrective and preventive recommendations.
• Monitor implementation and closure of agreed actions.

8. Community Engagement and Grievance Redress

• Strengthen and manage accessible, transparent, and confidential Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs) at organisational and community levels.
• Ensure survivor-centred, safe, and confidential pathways for sensitive cases, including SEA/SH and human rights concerns.
• Facilitate inclusive and meaningful consultations with communities and stakeholders, including traditional leaders, women, youth, vulnerable groups, and persons with disabilities.
• Coordinate with government institutions, civil society, and partners to resolve grievances and monitor commitments.

9. Training, Capacity Building and Safety Culture

• Plan and deliver inductions, refresher training, toolbox talks, and awareness sessions on:
  • Occupational health and safety
  • Human rights and labour standards
  • Conflict sensitivity
  • GBV/SEA/SH prevention,
  • Stakeholder engagement and grievance handling.
• Mentor designated focal persons to mainstream safety and safeguards into daily operations.
• Promote a positive safety, accountability, and rights-based organisational culture.

10. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Management

• Ensure availability, suitability, and proper use of Personal Protective Equipment for all relevant tasks.
• Monitor correct usage, storage, maintenance, and timely replacement of PPE in accordance with safety standards.

11. Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date safety, safeguards, risk, and incident records and registers.
• Prepare periodic internal reports, management briefs, and donor safeguard updates.
• Contribute safeguards and safety sections to operational plans, annual reports, and audits.
• Ensure confidentiality and secure handling of sensitive information.

12. Coordination, Liaison and Representation

• Liaise with management, government authorities, community structures, NGOs, service providers,
  and development partners on safety and safeguards matters.
• Represent the organisation in safety, environmental, and social compliance forums when required.
• Contribute to cross-site learning and continuous improvement of organisational safeguards and safety practices.

13. Continuous Improvement

• Analyse trends from inspections, incidents, audits, and grievances to inform proactive interventions.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives aimed at strengthening safety, safeguarding, and compliance systems.

14. Other Duties

• Perform any other duties lawfully assigned by management that are consistent with the role, organisational objectives, and the provisions of Malawi labour law.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Educational Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management / Environmental Science, OR
• A Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences / Development Studies

Professional Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years’ relevant experience working in environmental and social safeguards, compliance, or risk management roles.
• Professional Training and Certification
• Formal training in safeguarding, GBV/SEA/SH prevention and response, occupational health and safety, or environmental and social safeguards is a strong added advantage.
• First Aid certification will be an added advantage.
• Valid driving licence a prerequisite.
• Legal and Technical Knowledge
• Demonstrated knowledge of Malawi labour, occupational safety, and environmental legislation.
• Sound understanding of occupational health and safety principles, risk management, and emergency preparedness and response.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong communication, report writing, and record-keeping skills.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with integrity and professionalism.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.

Personal Attributes and Other Requirements

• Physically fit and able to work in remote, field-based, and outdoor environments.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends and public holidays when required.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
• Possession of a valid Malawi National ID.

• Implement and enforce Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), safeguarding, environmental, and social policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards in line with Malawi labour and occupational safety laws, The Constitution of Malawi (rights to dignity, safety, equality, and fair labour practices), Organisational policies and donor safeguard requirements.
• Ensure that all safety, safeguarding, and social compliance policies are clearly communicated, understood, and applied by staff, contractors, service providers, and relevant stakeholders.
• Support management in the regular review, updating, and improvement of safety and safeguards policies to ensure continued relevance, effectiveness, and legal compliance.
• Operationalise and maintain the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), including screening, categorisation, risk registers, and preparation or quality review of safeguard instruments such as Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP Stakeholder Engagement Plans, Livelihood Restoration Plans, SEA/SH Action Plans.
• Ensure compliance with applicable environmental and social legislation and regulatory requirements, and alignment with organisational and donor safeguards standards.
• Integrate safeguards requirements into project planning, procurement, construction, law enforcement, tourism, fisheries, and community development activities, and monitor contractor compliance.
• Conduct routine and ad-hoc safety inspections across all operational areas, including field operations, workshops, lodges, offices, vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Carry out formal risk assessments to identify hazards associated with wildlife, terrain, machinery, chemicals, security operations, and working conditions.
• Document inspection, audit, and assessment findings and track corrective and preventive actions to completion.
• Proactively identify existing and potential safety, health, environmental, and social risks affecting employees, contractors, communities, and visitors.
• Recommend practical and proportionate control measures to eliminate or reduce risks.
• Monitor the effectiveness of mitigation measures and support continuous risk reduction.
• Monitor compliance with safety, safeguarding, labour, and operational standards by staff, contractors, and service providers.
• Address non-compliance through guidance, corrective action, training, or escalation to management, in line with principles of fairness, due process, and natural justice.
• Support consistent and professional enforcement of safety and safeguarding standards.
• Coordinate the development, implementation, and review of emergency response and contingency plans.
• Organise and participate in emergency drills, including fire, medical, wildlife incidents, security incidents, and evacuations.
• Respond promptly to emergencies and coordinate with security teams, medical providers, government authorities, and external emergency services.
• Respond to workplace accidents, safeguarding incidents, near-misses, and reported concerns.
• Conduct or support investigations to determine root causes, contributing factors, and systemic weaknesses.
• Prepare accurate and confidential incident and investigation reports with clear corrective and preventive recommendations.
• Monitor implementation and closure of agreed actions.
• Strengthen and manage accessible, transparent, and confidential Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs) at organisational and community levels.
• Ensure survivor-centred, safe, and confidential pathways for sensitive cases, including SEA/SH and human rights concerns.
• Facilitate inclusive and meaningful consultations with communities and stakeholders, including traditional leaders, women, youth, vulnerable groups, and persons with disabilities.
• Coordinate with government institutions, civil society, and partners to resolve grievances and monitor commitments.
• Plan and deliver inductions, refresher training, toolbox talks, and awareness sessions on: Occupational health and safety, Human rights and labour standards, Conflict sensitivity, GBV/SEA/SH prevention, Stakeholder engagement and grievance handling.
• Mentor designated focal persons to mainstream safety and safeguards into daily operations.
• Promote a positive safety, accountability, and rights-based organisational culture.
• Ensure availability, suitability, and proper use of Personal Protective Equipment for all relevant tasks.
• Monitor correct usage, storage, maintenance, and timely replacement of PPE in accordance with safety standards.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date safety, safeguards, risk, and incident records and registers.
• Prepare periodic internal reports, management briefs, and donor safeguard updates.
• Contribute safeguards and safety sections to operational plans, annual reports, and audits.
• Ensure confidentiality and secure handling of sensitive information.
• Liaise with management, government authorities, community structures, NGOs, service providers, and development partners on safety and safeguards matters.
• Represent the organisation in safety, environmental, and social compliance forums when required.
• Contribute to cross-site learning and continuous improvement of organisational safeguards and safety practices.
• Analyse trends from inspections, incidents, audits, and grievances to inform proactive interventions.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives aimed at strengthening safety, safeguarding, and compliance systems.
• Perform any other duties lawfully assigned by management that are consistent with the role, organisational objectives, and the provisions of Malawi labour law.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management / Environmental Science, OR A Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences / Development Studies
• Minimum of three (3) years’ relevant experience working in environmental and social safeguards, compliance, or risk management roles.
• Formal training in safeguarding, GBV/SEA/SH prevention and response, occupational health and safety, or environmental and social safeguards is a strong added advantage.