This position is open on a rolling basis and will be filled upon the availability of a suitable candidate.

Context

Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.

Our team of more than 7,000 staff and local volunteers work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.

We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.

Relief International is an alliance of four organizations with one shared mission, comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, which operate under a one-team concept under a single senior leadership team.

In Pakistan, RI works with government institutions, communities, local organizations and humanitarian partners to deliver safe, inclusive and accountable programs across protection, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), education, health, livelihoods and WASH, including programming in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. 

Job Profile

The Legal Migration Counsellor and Safeguarding Focal is an officer-level position providing confidential, protection-sensitive information and counselling on documentation, rights, access to services and lawful migration options within RISE’s approved scope. The post also supports safeguarding prevention, accessible reporting, safe receipt of concerns and referral in the assigned province. The role reports to the Head of Office on routine Programme and administrative matters and directly to the Country Director for all safeguarding matters. Legal advice is provided only within verified professional competence and RI authorization; court representation requires a separate authorized arrangement. The role does not independently investigate safeguarding allegations or determine disciplinary action.

Key responsibilities

Context background

The RISE project provides community-based and layered mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Services promote wellbeing, coping, daily functioning and earlier, safer help-seeking through outreach, wellbeing centres, mobile clinics, home-based support, hotline services and referrals. Access is voluntary and based on assessed vulnerability and approved eligibility criteria. The role connects legal information and service access with safeguarding prevention and safe reporting within the approved programme scope.

A. Legal Information and Individual Counselling

• Provide private, accessible information sessions and individual consultations on documentation, relevant rights, administrative processes and lawful migration options using approved, current materials.
• Assess the participant's questions, communication needs and preferred outcome; explain available options, likely procedural steps, service limitations and where specialist advice is required.
• Offer services voluntarily under approved eligibility criteria, with attention to women and girls, persons with specific needs, female-headed households and people experiencing psychosocial distress.
• Explain uncertainty and the limits of RI assistance. Do not promise visas, resettlement, employment or a legal outcome, or arrange irregular travel or unauthorized recruitment.

B. Information Quality and Community Awareness

• Check official notices and competent authority guidance with the legal technical focal point; date reference materials and promptly withdraw or correct information that is no longer current.
• Prepare approved, age-appropriate awareness messages on documentation, lawful migration channels and risks of trafficking, smuggling, exploitation and misinformation; adapt language and format to literacy and accessibility needs.
• Orient outreach and hotline colleagues on approved messages, misinformation risks and referral boundaries; ensure they refer individual legal questions beyond their competence.

C. Legal Referrals and Protection-Sensitive Follow-up

• Maintain verified contacts for qualified, appropriately mandated legal aid and administrative services, including eligibility, costs, opening times, language capacity and accessibility arrangements; do not imply a partnership without an agreed arrangement.
• Assess access and protection risks before arranging a referral, including documentation concerns, enforcement exposure and restricted mobility. Obtain informed consent and share only essential information; agree safe remote, home-based or RI-managed options with relevant colleagues when facility visits may increase risk.
• Escalate urgent protection concerns through approved pathways. Decisions on legal representation, contact with authorities or disclosure of sensitive information require the appropriate specialist guidance and authorization.
• Link participants requesting psychosocial support with MHPSS colleagues; legal counselling does not include clinical assessment, psychological treatment or investigation of safeguarding allegations.

D. Safeguarding Focal Responsibilities

• Serve as the Provincial Safeguarding Focal, reporting directly to the Country Director on all safeguarding matters, and coordinate provincial implementation of the country safeguarding audit and action plan.
• Conduct regular safeguarding checks across RI offices, wellbeing centers, mobile clinics, outreach activities and home visits. Monitor compliance with safeguarding requirements, including safe access, privacy, informed consent, professional boundaries and appropriate engagement with children and vulnerable adults.
• Support safeguarding audits and risk assessments, document gaps, and agree corrective actions with responsible managers, including clear deadlines. Track completion, verify improvements and report unresolved risks directly to the Country Director.
• Deliver safeguarding induction and refresher training to all provincial staff, volunteers and relevant partner personnel. Cover safeguarding principles, prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, child safeguarding, confidentiality, reporting obligations and safe responses to disclosures. Maintain training records and identify further learning needs.
• Ensure staff and communities understand expected standards of conduct and can access safe, confidential and inclusive reporting channels. Promote awareness of participants’ rights, available support and protection against retaliation.
• Receive safeguarding concerns respectfully, record only necessary information and escalate promptly through authorized procedures, with direct reporting to the Country Director. Facilitate appropriate support and referrals, protect confidential records and support authorized follow-up without independently investigating allegations.
• Support safeguarding risk assessments, prevention work plans, staff and partner orientations, and accessible community information on expected conduct and reporting options. Report directly to the Country Director on all safeguarding matters, including prevention and follow-up.
• Receive concerns respectfully without probing or seeking proof. Explain confidentiality and its limits, record only necessary information, and report promptly to the Country Director through RI’s authorized safeguarding procedures without requiring Head of Office approval.
• Facilitate survivor-centered, child-sensitive referrals and immediate safety support with qualified providers. Explain options, seek informed consent and appropriate assent, and follow approved procedures for children and people requiring additional support.
• Support authorized follow-up and protection against retaliation, sharing information strictly on a need-to-know basis. Do not independently investigate, mediate allegations, interview alleged perpetrators, determine disciplinary action or close safeguarding cases.
• Declare conflicts arising from the combined legal counselling and safeguarding role. Seek an independent authorized focal person or legal provider where continuing both functions could compromise confidentiality, impartiality or participant interests.

E. Confidential Records and Accountability

• Explain informed consent, confidentiality and its limits before consultation. Store essential legal records securely with restricted access. Keep safeguarding records in separate authorized systems; exclude identifiable safeguarding information from programme MIS, routine reports and general case discussions.
• Use coded identifiers to record consultations, referrals and follow-up status; distinguish unique participants from repeat contacts and report only aggregated, de-identified findings to MEAL.
• Provide accessible information on feedback and confidential safeguarding reporting channels. Handle routine service concerns within the role and ensure sensitive allegations follow the direct Country Director reporting line and authorized alternative channels described above.
• Maintain professional boundaries, disclose conflicts of interest and report suspected fraud, exploitation or data breaches through RI procedures; do not retain original identity documents unnecessarily.

F. Coordination, Learning and Professional Conduct

• Prepare provincial legal migration work plans and concise service reports for the Head of Office. Submit safeguarding work plans, risk updates, concerns and authorized follow-up directly to the Country Director, using restricted channels where information is sensitive.
• Participate in legal technical supervision, anonymized case consultation and authorized coordination meetings. Complete RI-required safeguarding induction and training before independently undertaking focal responsibilities, and seek ongoing support from RI’s designated safeguarding personnel.
• Support approved emergency service linkage when delegated, follow field security procedures and carry out other duties consistent with the role and professional competence. 

G. Professional Conduct and Teamwork

• Uphold RI’s Code of Conduct and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment requirements; report concerns promptly through designated channels.
• Participate in staff wellbeing and learning activities, follow security procedures and perform assigned duties within professional competence. 

5.     Qualifications

Essential Criteria

• LLB or an equivalent recognized law qualification.
• At least four years of relevant experience in legal information, legal aid, protection or migration counselling, including confidential work with vulnerable communities.
• Demonstrated ability to verify legal and administrative information, explain it clearly and recognize when specialist advice or representation is needed.
• Sound consultation, referral, informed-consent and secure record-management skills, with demonstrated understanding of safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, child-sensitive communication and professional boundaries.
• Experience delivering safeguarding or protection awareness and handling sensitive disclosures safely within an authorized reporting and referral framework.
• Clear communication in Pashto, Baluchi, Urdu and a language commonly used in the assigned district; basic English reading and reporting ability. 

Desirable Criteria

• Current provincial bar enrolment and relevant supervised legal practice experience; specialist experience in documentation or migration-related legal assistance.
• Experience with humanitarian programmes, legal aid networks and accessible community awareness materials; completed safeguarding or prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment training is an advantage.

Behavior and Conduct

• Maintain the highest standards of behavior inside and outside work and uphold RI's Code of Conduct, safeguarding policies and humanitarian principles.
• Model ethical leadership and create an environment in which staff and communities can raise concerns safely and without retaliation.
• Ensure that personal actions and those of managed teams do not compromise the safety, dignity, rights or confidentiality of staff, partners or communities.
• Report and respond to concerns promptly through the appropriate RI channels.

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, as well as Do No Harm, Relief International values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

Equal Opportunity

Applications are welcomed from all qualified candidates. Relief International is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.