Background

GiveDirectly has delivered more than $1B in cash directly to 2+ million people living in poverty across 15 countries since 2011. We believe cash transfers are one of the most scalable, cost-effective, and dignified forms of aid, with the research to back it up. Our work has been covered by The Economist, NPR, TED, and The Washington Post. We are one of Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2026.

Our culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical. We support high ownership and real professional growth. Curious about what it’s really like to work here? Read our values and hear from the people who do. If they resonate, this could be a great fit!

Location

This role is based in Zomba. The Safeguarding AFM is expected to spend significant time doing field visits in Phalombe.

About this role

The Safeguarding Associate Field Manager ensures that GiveDirectly’s activities are planned and delivered in ways that prevent abuse. They also support appropriate and timely responses to safeguarding concerns. The role will primarily be based in the field, working closely with field staff and communities to identify and reduce safeguarding risks, promote safe behaviours, and strengthen confidence in our reporting pathways. The Safeguarding AFM supports the Safeguarding FM in contributing safeguarding input to operational decision making, guides effective case handling and escalation, and monitors and supports teams to apply best safeguarding practice consistently. This position upholds high safeguarding standards, reinforces trust, and ensures that all aspects of work protect the dignity and rights of recipients.

Responsibilities

• Direct engagement with communities, recipients, and staff in order to identify safeguarding risks and take early action to prevent abuse.
• Receive, document, and support responses to safeguarding concerns in line with our case management protocol by using survivor centred practice and established escalation pathways.
• Conduct Safeguarding investigations as needed, focusing on recipient/ field-based concerns.
• Support in developing and maintaining a network of safeguarding focal points to strengthen localised and collaborative risk identification and promote safeguarding best practice.
• Contribute safeguarding expertise to planning, design, and delivery to ensure that GiveDirectly’s activities remain safe, inclusive, and respectful.
• Support in delivering ongoing safeguarding training and sensitisation sessions for staff and partners, and support teams to apply best safeguarding practice consistently and promote safe behaviours.
• Represent safeguarding needs in field operations and maintain trusted relationships with local leaders, partners, and community actors.
• Monitor safeguarding trends and incidents, prepare self assessments and routine reports, and escalate and address gaps in safeguarding practices appropriately.

Qualifications

• Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates who have personal or professional experience in the low-income and/or historically marginalized communities that we serve.
• Professional fluency in English and Chichewa.
• Minimum of 1-2 years experience in safeguarding, protection, community development, social work, or related operational roles, with a strong understanding of risks affecting development or humanitarian programmes.
• Strong judgement and the ability to take timely and appropriate action in sensitive or complex safeguarding situations.
• Confidence in identifying safeguarding risks across program activities and supporting staff to apply safe planning and safeguarding best practice consistently.
• Understanding of and commitment to survivor centred practice, confidentiality, and ethical decision making.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and documentation skills, including the ability to explain safeguarding obligations clearly and engage staff and community members respectfully.
• High levels of organisation, reliability, and attention to detail when maintaining safeguarding records, logs, and reports.
• Ability to work independently in field settings, manage competing priorities, and uphold safeguarding standards with professionalism and integrity.

• Direct engagement with communities, recipients, and staff in order to identify safeguarding risks and take early action to prevent abuse.
• Receive, document, and support responses to safeguarding concerns in line with our case management protocol by using survivor centred practice and established escalation pathways.
• Conduct Safeguarding investigations as needed, focusing on recipient/ field-based concerns.
• Support in developing and maintaining a network of safeguarding focal points to strengthen localised and collaborative risk identification and promote safeguarding best practice.
• Contribute safeguarding expertise to planning, design, and delivery to ensure that GiveDirectly’s activities remain safe, inclusive, and respectful.
• Support in delivering ongoing safeguarding training and sensitisation sessions for staff and partners, and support teams to apply best safeguarding practice consistently and promote safe behaviours.
• Represent safeguarding needs in field operations and maintain trusted relationships with local leaders, partners, and community actors.
• Monitor safeguarding trends and incidents, prepare self assessments and routine reports, and escalate and address gaps in safeguarding practices appropriately.

• Emotional intelligence
• Problem solving
• Project management
• Follow-through
• Fostering inclusivity
• Professional fluency in English and Chichewa
• Strong judgement
• Confidence in identifying safeguarding risks
• Understanding of and commitment to survivor centred practice, confidentiality, and ethical decision making
• Strong communication, facilitation, and documentation skills
• High levels of organisation, reliability, and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently in field settings
• Manage competing priorities
• Uphold safeguarding standards with professionalism and integrity

• Minimum of 1-2 years experience in safeguarding, protection, community development, social work, or related operational roles, with a strong understanding of risks affecting development or humanitarian programmes.
• Ability to take timely and appropriate action in sensitive or complex safeguarding situations.
• Ability to support staff to apply safe planning and safeguarding best practice consistently.
• Ability to explain safeguarding obligations clearly and engage staff and community members respectfully.
• Ability to maintain safeguarding records, logs, and reports.