Regional Safety and Security Advisor 551 views0 applications

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees that flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC leads the way from harm to home. Safety and security is a critical and constant concern in the countries that comprise IRC’s WA region, affecting staff and effective program implementation.

Position purpose

As a senior member of the regional team, a Regional Safety and Security Advisor (RSSA) provides strategic advice and thought leadership, informed by a sound understanding of the operating contexts, to help regional and country leadership handle security risks and maintain continuity of operations. Under the broad mentorship of the Regional Director, the RSSA has a significant level of autonomy in execution of responsibilities. She/he will work with country teams to ensure that organizational security policies, procedures, and plans are contextually pertinent, practical and understood by staff; and updated as the security environment changes.

Specific Responsibilities

Field Security Management Planning and Adherence:

• Minimum of one visit per year to each country to monitor and support adherence to standards and requirements. Provide a follow-up report with clear findings and actionable recommendations after each visit.
• Provide support, advice and feedback as offices develop or revise SMPs that are country or field -specific.
• Direct security plan revisions when there is significant change in the security environment.
• Inform RD, DISS, DRD and CDs of any areas of concern, non-adherence, or potential or suspected violations.
• Conduct and support field security assessments and Security risk analysis examining threats, vulnerabilities, required mitigation measures, and compile reports with findings and recommendations

Humanitarian Access Management:

• Establish principled and secure humanitarian access to enable durable programming
• Assist in the continued development of humanitarian access teams and activities
• Involved in developing and implementing guidelines for humanitarian access and engagement with non-state actors, using standard IRC policy and mentorship
• Lead and advise on the implementation and review of tailored acceptance and community engagement strategies

Security Orientation & Training:

• Support country and field offices with the development of security orientation packages for incoming staff and visitors, and monitor compliance with the security orientation policy.
• In collaboration with the Director International Safety and Security, adapt, deliver and facilitate delivery of security training program
• Track records on staff training and capacity development at regional level.
• Participate actively in the design and delivery of IPD safety and security trainings organized by IRC at international level.
• Assist in the recruitment, selection and orientation processes for international and national safety & security staff.

Human resources:

• Review of job descriptions, selection and performance management of staff with Safety and Security responsibilities.
• Act as technical supervisor for all country security focal points and most senior Humanitarian Access staff when required.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being

Incident Management:

• Monitor and ensure the effective functioning of the S&S incident reporting system at country, regional and global levels, inclusive of lessons learned and corrective actions implementation into future operations.
• Support incidents and critical incident management at country, regional.
• As required, support and review After Action review

Knowledge Management:

• Generate daily and monthly S&S reports and other reports as requested.
• Store and maintain up to date security documentation in IPD S&S Box folder.

Liaison, coordination and representation:

• Maintain a regional network of IRC security focal points and provide required support, mentoring and coaching.
• Participate and represent the IRC in existing forums, working groups and networks related to safety and security risk management.
• Develop and maintain a network of external S&S professional contacts and counterparts.

Context Analysis and Regional Early Warning:

• Conduct regular and timely contextual analyses
• Provide routine advisories to regional and country leaderships.
• Ensure that regional objectives are informed by relevant contextual S&S analysis.
• Provide early warnings as identified.

Delegates travel arrangements:

• Support the S&S management of internal and external delegates visits as required,
• Support Country and field office work on mandatory S&S documentation ahead of the visit
• Lead on the ground S&S provision for specific delegates trips

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Security Management, Risk Management, Strategic Studies, International Relations or Emergency Management or any other relevant discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum 6 – 8 years of non-profit or NGO work experience; including, at least 3 years of managerial experience in international safety and security, humanitarian assistance programs, with capabilities in planning, organizing and executing security management operations.
• Previous experience in safety and security or humanitarian operations management in high-risk or complex settings.
• Experience in facilitating the learning of others and supporting training initiatives.

Skills:

• Demonstrates understanding of the regional context.
• An understanding of humanitarian principles, codes of conduct.
• Analytical skills and critical thinking.
• Ability to handle complexity.
• Work as a member of multinational and team with dynamic strengths and lead a variety of external and internal relationships to achieve results.
• Has ability to transfer knowledge through mentoring and coaching.
• Ability to prepare and present, on short notice, clear analyses of security incidents, political events and their ramifications.
• Position requires flexibility and the capacity to handle complexity in stressful situations.
• Ambitious and able to work effectively without close supervision.
• Fluency in English is mandatory.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 40% of time, including to high-risk locations.
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
• Sense of humor.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.