Director of Child Safety & Safeguarding (Volunteer)

Director of Child Safety & Safeguarding (Volunteer)

PromiseShield | Safeguarding, Child Protection & Organizational Risk

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Location: Hybrid / Remote (NYC-based coordination as needed)

Type: Volunteer (Leadership | Risk-Critical)

Reports To: Chief of PromiseShield

Works Closely With: Executive Leadership, Legal & Compliance, Program Leadership (PromiseLearning), Volunteer Operations, School & Shelter Partners

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, and community. Because MAP works directly with minors, safeguarding is not a supporting function—it is a foundational responsibility embedded across all programs and operations.

About PromiseShield | Risk, Compliance & Safeguarding

PromiseShield is MAP’s division responsible for safeguarding, compliance, privacy, and organizational risk management. The division ensures that all programs, systems, and personnel operate within clear legal, ethical, and protective frameworks—prioritizing the safety and dignity of every child and participant.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Director of Child Safety & Safeguarding to lead, design, and enforce MAP’s safeguarding framework across the entire organization.

This is a senior leadership, risk-critical role responsible for ensuring that all programs, personnel, and partnerships operate within clearly defined child protection standards, legal requirements, and ethical safeguarding practices.

This role owns safeguarding at the institutional level.

Why This Role Matters (Non-Negotiable)

MAP serves minors. This role ensures:

• Abuse prevention frameworks are fully established and enforced
• Mandatory reporting obligations (including NYS SCR compliance) are clearly defined and executed
• Supervision structures and safety protocols are standardized across all programs
• Incident response and escalation processes are immediate, documented, and compliant

Without this leadership function, the organization faces significant legal, ethical, and reputational risk.

Key Responsibilities

Safeguarding Strategy & Governance

• Design and lead MAP’s organization-wide safeguarding strategy
• Establish and maintain child protection policies and procedures
• Ensure safeguarding is embedded across all divisions and programs

Compliance & Mandatory Reporting

• Ensure full compliance with mandated reporter laws and SCR requirements
• Oversee reporting protocols and documentation standards
• Partner with legal and compliance teams on safeguarding obligations

Training & Organizational Readiness

• Develop and implement safeguarding training across all staff and volunteers
• Ensure onboarding includes required safeguarding education
• Build a culture of awareness, accountability, and prevention

Incident Management & Escalation

• Oversee all safeguarding incidents and ensure proper escalation
• Establish clear response protocols and documentation systems
• Coordinate with leadership and external agencies when required

Program Oversight & Risk Mitigation

• Work with program teams to ensure safe environments across all sites
• Define supervision standards, ratios, and safety procedures
• Identify and mitigate risks across school and community-based programs

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with HR, Legal, Programs, and Partnerships
• Ensure safeguarding is integrated into all operational decisions
• Advise leadership on risk, compliance, and safety matters

Systems, Monitoring & Accountability

• Establish systems to track compliance, incidents, and training completion
• Monitor adherence to safeguarding policies
• Support audits, reporting, and continuous improvement

Qualifications

Required

• Extensive experience in child protection, safeguarding, or youth-serving environments
• Strong knowledge of mandated reporting laws (NYS SCR and related frameworks)
• Experience developing and implementing safeguarding policies
• Ability to lead in high-stakes, sensitive environments
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ethical decision-making
• Alignment with MAP’s mission and dignity-centered values

Preferred

• Background in social work, education, psychology, or child welfare
• Experience in nonprofit or school-based program environments
• Familiarity with NYC DOE compliance and safeguarding requirements
• Trauma-informed care expertise

Commitment

• Volunteer senior leadership role
• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment preferred
• Hybrid / remote with NYC-based coordination as needed

What You’ll Gain

• Senior leadership experience overseeing a mission-critical function
• Direct impact on protecting children and strengthening organizational integrity
• Collaboration with executive leadership and cross-functional teams
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• A defining role in building safe, ethical, and compliant systems

How to Apply

Interested candidates must apply directly through Idealist and submit:

• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (required) describing experience in safeguarding, child protection, or related leadership roles

This role protects the foundation of our work.

Help ensure that every child we serve is safe—not by intention alone, but by structure, accountability, and unwavering standards.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.