Mercy Corps GESI, Protection & Safeguarding Advisor 2026: Border Security Programme in East Africa

Overview

Mercy Corps is hiring a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), Protection & Safeguarding Advisor for its FCDO-funded Border Security Programme (BSP). The full-time post is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and was posted on 13 August 2026. Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries. The programme addresses irregular migration, human trafficking and organized crime in East Africa through prevention, protection and cooperation with law enforcement. It starts with border regions in Kenya, with planned expansion into Uganda, Ethiopia and possibly Somalia.

The advisor sets and oversees the programme's protection and safeguarding vision, working with consortium partners, programme teams and security specialists to keep activities inclusive, survivor-centred and responsive to women, men, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Responsibilities include embedding human rights, Do No Harm and safeguarding principles in programme design, identifying and reducing risks linked to law enforcement engagement, organized crime, intelligence gathering, community reporting and data management, building survivor-centred referral pathways and confidential reporting, leading safeguarding risk assessments at inception, promoting ethical and GESI-sensitive research, and working with monitoring teams on sex and age disaggregated data. The advisor also trains staff, partners and law enforcement on safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, protection mainstreaming, psychological first aid and child safeguarding, and represents Mercy Corps in technical working groups.

Requirements

Applicants need at least 10 years of experience in protection, anti-trafficking, gender-based violence, child protection or human rights programming, and strong expertise in protection mainstreaming, safeguarding, risk analysis and GESI frameworks. Experience in border, migration, security or justice settings, knowledge of trafficking dynamics and organized crime, and strong partnership skills are also expected.

How to apply

The role involves regular travel to programme sites in Kenya and possible travel to Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia. Mercy Corps encourages staff to spend 5% of their working time on learning. No application deadline is stated.