Safeguarding & ESG Manager

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in safeguarding, ESG, impact investing, or sustainable finance; demonstrated safeguarding experience is essential
  
• Direct experience designing, managing, or implementing safeguarding frameworks, policies, and due diligence processes, ideally with investees or partners in Africa
  
• Experience investigating safeguarding incidents with a survivor-centered approach
  
• Strong understanding of safeguarding standards, gender lens investing, gender equality and social inclusion strategies, risk-management practices, and due diligence, alongside ESG policies, procedures, and metrics across sectors
  
• Bachelor's degree with a focus on social enterprise, sustainable finance, or international development.
  
• Strong ability to take initiative with research and analysis and produce valuable results in conditions of uncertaint
  
• An investigative mind and an ability to synthesize disparate data to draw conclusions and propose recommendations
  
• A sense of proportionality in determining practical approaches to requirements with a focus on substantive value add and beneficiaries
  
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills and experience managing internal teams towards a common objective
  
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to set up efficient systems for managing data, processes and information
  
• Strong writing and presentation skills
  
• Commitment to and enthusiasm for the organization’s mission to change the way the world tackles poverty, and respect for our core values: generosity, accountability, humility, audacity, listening, leadership, integrity, and respect
  
• Ability to thrive when there is ambiguity, remain cool-headed when there are unexpected obstacles, and withstand the tests of a rapidly changing environment with resilience and resolve
  

Accountabilities include:

• Managing Acumen’s safeguarding framework across Green RISE, including safeguarding policies, procedures, and standards
  
• Leading safeguarding due diligence on prospective and existing funding recipients, fellows, and partners
  
• Monitoring safeguarding risks across the Green RISE portfolio, and escalating and managing safeguarding incidents as they arise
  
• Owning and managing Green RISE’s grievance and safeguarding reporting mechanisms, including accessible reporting channels, confidential case management, survivor-centered and trauma-informed response and referrals, escalation and investigation coordination, and monitoring implementation across external partner organizations
  
• Supporting Pioneer and the Academy on safeguarding integration, with additional support for Acumen’s returnable capital funds
  
• Supporting Pioneer’s investing strategy, including integrating ESG into pipeline development, investment diligence, and post-investment portfolio support
  
• Supporting Acumen’s returnable capital funds on ESG, including diligence, risk monitoring, and reporting to fund investors and partners
  
• Supporting external partner organizations, investees, and other stakeholders with safeguarding capacity building, training, and resources
  
• Co-developing new safeguarding resources across funds, including trainings and templates
  
• Reporting on safeguarding performance, risks, and incidents to Acumen’s funding partners
  
• Synthesizing safeguarding data and narrative into clear insights, supported by evidence, with recommendations for action
  

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in safeguarding, ESG, impact investing, or sustainable finance; demonstrated safeguarding experience is essential
  
• Direct experience designing, managing, or implementing safeguarding frameworks, policies, and due diligence processes, ideally with investees or partners in Africa
  
• Experience investigating safeguarding incidents with a survivor-centered approach
  
• Strong understanding of safeguarding standards, gender lens investing, gender equality and social inclusion strategies, risk-management practices, and due diligence, alongside ESG policies, procedures, and metrics across sectors
  
• Bachelor's degree with a focus on social enterprise, sustainable finance, or international development.
  
• Strong ability to take initiative with research and analysis and produce valuable results in conditions of uncertaint
  
• An investigative mind and an ability to synthesize disparate data to draw conclusions and propose recommendations
  
• A sense of proportionality in determining practical approaches to requirements with a focus on substantive value add and beneficiaries
  
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills and experience managing internal teams towards a common objective
  
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to set up efficient systems for managing data, processes and information
  
• Strong writing and presentation skills
  
• Commitment to and enthusiasm for the organization’s mission to change the way the world tackles poverty, and respect for our core values: generosity, accountability, humility, audacity, listening, leadership, integrity, and respect
  
• Ability to thrive when there is ambiguity, remain cool-headed when there are unexpected obstacles, and withstand the tests of a rapidly changing environment with resilience and resolve
  

Accountabilities include:

• Managing Acumen’s safeguarding framework across Green RISE, including safeguarding policies, procedures, and standards
  
• Leading safeguarding due diligence on prospective and existing funding recipients, fellows, and partners
  
• Monitoring safeguarding risks across the Green RISE portfolio, and escalating and managing safeguarding incidents as they arise
  
• Owning and managing Green RISE’s grievance and safeguarding reporting mechanisms, including accessible reporting channels, confidential case management, survivor-centered and trauma-informed response and referrals, escalation and investigation coordination, and monitoring implementation across external partner organizations
  
• Supporting Pioneer and the Academy on safeguarding integration, with additional support for Acumen’s returnable capital funds
  
• Supporting Pioneer’s investing strategy, including integrating ESG into pipeline development, investment diligence, and post-investment portfolio support
  
• Supporting Acumen’s returnable capital funds on ESG, including diligence, risk monitoring, and reporting to fund investors and partners
  
• Supporting external partner organizations, investees, and other stakeholders with safeguarding capacity building, training, and resources
  
• Co-developing new safeguarding resources across funds, including trainings and templates
  
• Reporting on safeguarding performance, risks, and incidents to Acumen’s funding partners
  
• Synthesizing safeguarding data and narrative into clear insights, supported by evidence, with recommendations for action