Mercy Corps is recruiting a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), Protection & Safeguarding Advisor for its FCDO-funded Border Security Programme (BSP). Based in Nairobi, Kenya, this full-time position offers an opportunity to lead protection and safeguarding strategies across a complex regional programme addressing irregular migration, human trafficking and organized crime in East Africa. The advisor will play a central role in ensuring that border security interventions protect vulnerable populations, uphold human rights and integrate gender equality and safeguarding principles throughout programme design and implementation. The position was posted on 13 August 2026 and is open to experienced professionals with extensive expertise in protection, anti-trafficking and safeguarding programming. About Mercy Corps Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries to help communities respond to crises, build resilience and create sustainable pathways toward prosperity. The organization partners with local communities, governments and civil society to deliver innovative solutions in challenging humanitarian and development contexts. The Border Security Programme represents one of Mercy Corps’ flagship regional initiatives focused on addressing the growing challenges of irregular migration, trafficking in persons and cross-border organized crime while prioritizing the safety and dignity of people on the move. About the Border Security Programme The Border Security Programme (BSP) adopts a comprehensive approach built around prevention, protection and law enforcement collaboration. Initial implementation will focus on border regions in Kenya, with planned expansion into Uganda, Ethiopia and potentially Somalia. A key objective of the programme is to strengthen efforts to prevent human trafficking and migrant smuggling while ensuring that border management and security interventions do not expose vulnerable individuals to additional risks. The programme combines community engagement, protection systems, safeguarding, research and collaboration with justice and security institutions to improve outcomes for affected populations. Role Overview The GESI, Protection & Safeguarding Advisor will develop and oversee the programme’s overall protection and safeguarding vision. Working closely with consortium partners, programme teams and security specialists, the advisor will ensure that interventions remain inclusive, survivor-centred and responsive to the diverse needs of women, men, children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. The position also serves as a key technical advisor on safeguarding risk management, ensuring that protection considerations are integrated into programme strategies, monitoring systems, standard operating procedures and partner operations. Key Responsibilities The successful candidate will provide leadership across several interconnected areas. Strategy and Safe Programming The advisor will ensure that human rights, Do No Harm, protection and safeguarding principles are embedded across all programme activities. Responsibilities include developing protection strategies informed by contextual risk analysis, integrating safeguarding into programme workplans and advising leadership on minimizing risks to communities during implementation. Protection Risk Management The role involves identifying and mitigating safeguarding risks associated with law enforcement engagement, organized crime, intelligence gathering, community reporting and data management. The advisor will support the development of survivor-centred referral pathways, strengthen confidential reporting mechanisms and ensure that community engagement remains safe and inclusive. Assessments and Evidence Generation The advisor will lead safeguarding risk assessments during programme inception and ensure findings inform the programme’s risk register and conflict sensitivity planning. They will collaborate with monitoring and research teams to promote ethical data collection, GESI-sensitive methodologies and safe trafficking-related research practices. Capacity Strengthening A major responsibility will be building the capacity of Mercy Corps staff, consortium partners and relevant stakeholders. This includes delivering training on safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), protection mainstreaming, psychological first aid, child safeguarding and survivor-centred approaches. The advisor will also support law enforcement partners by integrating safeguarding principles into operational procedures and training curricula before engagement with vulnerable communities. Monitoring, Learning and Coordination The position will work closely with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) teams to integrate sex and age disaggregated data (SADDD) into programme indicators and adaptive learning processes. The advisor will help identify unintended harms, strengthen protection monitoring tools and ensure that evidence informs continuous programme improvement. Beyond internal collaboration, the role will represent Mercy Corps within technical working groups and coordinate with governments, regional initiatives and programme partners working on migration, trafficking and border governance. Qualifications and Experience Mercy Corps seeks a senior technical professional with substantial experience in protection and safeguarding. Applicants should possess: Minimum 10 years of experience in protection, anti-trafficking, GBV, child protection or human rights programming. Strong expertise in protection mainstreaming, safeguarding, PSEA and risk analysis. Experience working in border, migration, security or justice contexts. Knowledge of trafficking dynamics, organized crime and migration systems. Strong understanding of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) frameworks. Demonstrated ability to integrate GESI throughout programme design, implementation and measurement. Excellent stakeholder coordination and partnership management skills. The ideal candidate will be an effective strategic thinker capable of translating complex protection concepts into practical operational systems across multiple countries and partners. Location and Working Environment The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, with regular travel to programme sites in Kenya and potential travel to Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia as the programme expands. Mercy Corps promotes a collaborative learning culture, encouraging staff to dedicate 5% of their working time to professional learning and development activities. Why This Opportunity Matters This role offers an opportunity to influence one of East Africa’s most significant regional programmes addressing human trafficking, migration and border protection. By strengthening safeguarding systems, supporting survivor-centred programming and advancing gender-inclusive approaches, the successful advisor will contribute to protecting vulnerable communities while improving accountability and human rights across border security interventions. 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