The DRC Nigeria is looking to recruit an experienced, highly- qualified and enthusiastic professional to lead the coordination, strategy and quality assurance aspects of DRC’s safety and access work in Nigeria. The Humanitarian Access and Safety Coordinator will provide technical supervision of a safety team consisting of a Safety Specialist, a Safety Team Leader, 2 Safety Officers, and 6 Safety Assistants. The Humanitarian Access & Safety Coordinator will be based in Maiduguri, but will have to travel regularly through Nigeria. Travels can represent around 40% of the working time per month at times. This position is a senior one, requiring a strong previous experience in safety and humanitarian access. This position also requires strong communication and analysis skills in order to feed informed decision making regarding DRC operations.
Background
Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and its Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding technical unit – the Danish Demining Group (DDG), has had an operational presence in Nigeria since 2015. DRC Nigeria is the largest DRC country mission in the West Africa region and one of the largest DRC country missions globally. Currently, DRC delivers life-saving assistance and protection to vulnerable, conflict-affected populations including internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities in the areas of armed violence reduction, humanitarian mine action, livelihoods, nutrition and food security, protection, shelter and non-food items (NFI) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in 30+ Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in northeast Nigeria.
About the job
As Humanitarian Access & Safety Coordinator you will manage all aspects of the DRC Safety Risk Management (SRM) system in all of Nigeria. In consultation with safety staff, Area Managers, and programme leads, and under the direct supervision of the Country Director you are expected to pursue the following objectives and duties in your daily work:
Overall Objectives
- Manage the development and implementation of the Danish Refugee Council’s (DRC’s) Safety Risk Management System (SRMS)
- Facilitate program access and continuity by providing reliable advice
- Ensure compliance with DRC safety policy as stated in Chapters 19 & 20 of the DRC Operations Handbook
- Supervise and mentor the Safety team-members
- To develop policies and procedure, in coordination with project staff, for the safe delivery of program activities
Risk Analysis
- Conduct regular Safety Risk Assessments (SRA) for each programme area pursuant to DRC Safety Policy
- Provide quality control for SRAs
Humanitarian Access and Programme Continuity
- Produce analysis and evaluations on the humanitarian space and access adapted to the presence of DRC in Nigeria on a regular basis. Provide on request analysis and evaluations on areas, themes, dilemmas or scenarios
- Build a network with all stakeholders and develop a strategy to improve acceptance and access of DRC in the field;
- Work in collaboration with the Regional Humanitarian Access and Safety Coordinator to harmonize and streamline DRC access strategies
- Identify potential scenarios, indicators of change in the humanitarian space and key decision points at micro, meso and macro level. Keep a register of developments related to access and humanitarian space
- Work in collaboration with the program teams to ensure that humanitarian access strategies deliver the purpose while minimizing unforeseen adverse consequences on people in need (do no harm), within DRC risk acceptance
Safety Improvement Plans
- Based on the SRA, advise programmes on achievable and cost-effective mitigation measures through the development of contextualized Safety Improvement Plans
- Supervise and monitor the progress of Safety Improvement Plans
Minimum Operating Safety Standards (MOSS)
- Ensure Nigeria is compliant with the DRC global MOSS
- Based on the SRA, advise programmes on context-specific MOSS requirements
- Monitor programme compliance with MOSS
Local Safety Rules (LSR)
- Based on the SRA and MOSS, ensure all areas have updated LSR. Ensure all staff are provided with a copy of the LSR and are briefed on their responsibilities
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Ensure each programme area has appropriate SOPs developed and implemented. Monitor compliance with SOPs
Contingency Plans (CPs)
- Facilitate the development of context-specific contingency plans for each programme area. Support Incident Management Teams (IMTs) with the implementation of contingency plans. Conduct regular reviews with IMTs to ensure CPs are up to date, realistic and understood.
Capacity Building
- Conduct – or facilitate the delivery of – safety training for staff at all levels. Ensure watchmen and guards are trained and aware of their responsibilities, in accordance with the SOPs governing access control.
- Liaison: Develop a network of contacts through other NGOs, UNDSS, Government agencies and other useful contacts. Act as the primary representative for DRC Nigeria on safety matters
Crisis And Critical Incident Management
- Act as the Country-level coordinator for the Incident Management Team (IMT); Ensure IMT members are aware of their responsibilities Act as the primary point of contact for safety-related matters with the Regional Office and other local actors (UNDSS, etc).
Information Management and Reporting;
- Maintain detailed soft and hard copy files of all relevant safety documents. Monitor the overall situation and provide regular situation reports. Maintain an up-to-date incident tracking database and Provide staff with relevant and concise safety-related information and analysis, both through external and internal reports, publications, etc.
- Coordinate the submission of Safety Incident Reports and ensure that all SIRs are completed within 48 hours of an incident occurring
- Conduct post-incident inquiries, if required, and monitor compliance with action points on SIRs
Briefings
- Ensure an up-to-date visitor briefing package is provided to all visitors and international staff
- Conduct safety briefings for all visitors and international staff at the country level; at the field level, ensure that individual areas do the same
- Provide briefings on thematic and specific issues, as requested by the Country Director or Regional Safety and Access Coordinator
Field Travel
- Ensure compliance with the Field Travel SOP
- Assist with the planning of field travel, including briefing escorts if required
- Act as the focal point for issues related to armed escorts
- When required, manager and coordinate field travel
- In addition to the above, the Humanitarian Access & Safety Advisor may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Country Director or the Regional Humanitarian Access and Safety Coordinator.
About you
To be successful in this role we expect you to have the following competencies:
Required
- Master’s degree in political science, peace & conflict studies, history, disaster management or a military education.
- In lieu of the above, a Bachelor’s degree and several years of relevant experience.
- Minimum 3-5 years of working experience as a safety and security manager/adviser with an INGO
- Experience working in multicultural work settings
- Proven ability to develop and implement effective and contextualized protocols and systems
- Experience with information gathering, analysis and report writing
- Ability to conduct and produce high quality safety risk assessments (SRAs)
- Experience with critical incident management
- Experience with delivering safety-related training
- Experience working in hostile or hazardous environments
- Full professional proficiency in English
Desirable
- Proficiency in Hausa or other Nigerian languages is considered an asset but not a requirement
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:
Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
We offer
Contract length: 9 months (with possibility of extension)
Level: Non-management, E
Designation of Duty Station: Maiduguri, unaccompanied
Start date: 1 March
Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates or National Staff.
More Information
- Job City Nigeria
