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CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER [Temporary]

Addis Ababa

  • Organization: UNECA - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
  • Location: Addis Ababa
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Security and Safety
    • Managerial positions
    • Internal Security and Safety, Security
  • Closing Date: Closed

Org. Setting and Reporting

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions, the mandate of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development. Made up of 54 member States, and playing a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape, ECA is well positioned to make unique contributions to address the Continent’s development challenges. The strategic objective of ECA is framed around delivering ideas and actions for an empowered, inclusive and transformed Africa in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union through its three core functions, namely, its function as a think tank, its convening function and its operational function.

The Department of Safety and Security is responsible for providing leadership, operational support and oversight of the security management system to enable the safest and most efficient conduct of the programmes and activities of the United Nations System. This post is located in the Security and Safety Service (SSS) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The incumbent reports to the Executive Secretary of the Commission.

Responsibilities

Under the overall technical supervision, policy direction and operational guidance by the Director, Division of Headquarters Security and Safety Services (DHSSS) in the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in New York and the direct supervision of the Executive Secretary of UNECA, the incumbent:

1.Directs and manages the Security and Safety Service of the United Nations office at Addis Ababa, which includes but is not limited to the following:

-Defines security and safety policies and standards at the UNECA premises;
-Initiates and reviews all operational planning and standard operational procedures (SOP) applicable to the conduct of security operations at the headquarters, including specific procedures for special events;
-Supervises and controls the functions of SSS according the defined organizational structure, directs and deploys supervisors and officers to ensure the most effective and efficient provision of security and safety services;
-Provides leadership to the Security and Safety Service, ensuring that SSS staff discharge their duties in accordance with United Nations policies and security and safety procedures; -Elaborates recruitment policy in consultation with the Human Resources Management
Service, and in accordance with the professional Standards for security personnel for recruitment and retention of qualified security personnel, procedures for screening and evaluating new candidates, and identifies new recruitment sources;
-Directs the SSS management team, by supervising the development and/or implementation of each security related project together with appropriate entities of the Division of Administration.
-Ensures prudent management of financial resources.

2.Coordinates effective security provision with local police/security services for UNECA staff and premises, special events and conferences to include the following:

-Establishes contacts at the strategic, operative and tactical levels of the host country security counterparts, to determine threat levels and criteria for enhanced security measures, and coordinates their implementation;
-Develops and implements security and safety training programmes, including weapon training and security related information technology and organizes special training sessions for UN staff and security personnel;
-Makes special security arrangements for visiting Heads of State, the Secretary-General and other high level officials and for special events and conferences including security risk assessments and conference security, outside the duty station, if so requested by the Department of Safety and Security in consultation with the Executive Secretary of UNECA; -Coordinates security measures pertaining to travel of the Executive Secretary or other VIPs, as required, and manages the provision of additional security services;
-Participates in UN and other regional and international conferences/meetings on security and safety;
-Establishes contracts, through the appropriate channels, with Permanent Missions, on special security arrangements.

3.Maintains regular and effective communications with the Executive Secretary, the Division of Administration, the Security Adviser's office and other security/emergency management groups or crisis operations groups, as well as other resident UN and other international organizations, and advises on all security-related matters.

4.Based on regular and ad hoc threat assessments, develops a risk mitigation/management strategy for the UNECA, including major events, such as conferences, meetings, VIP visits.

5.Within the H-MOSS (or similar standard) framework and UNDSS overall strategies and policies, supervises, organizes, develops and updates, local security policies, plans and procedures and their implementation.

6.Evaluates the effectiveness of physical and security and safety installations, and in the context of the organizational resilience management system (ORMS) and with guidance from the UN Crisis Management Team in UNECA, evaluates the effectiveness of crisis response and security procedures, including, but not limited to incident response planning and mass casualty planning, and adopts preventive and/or proactive measures to remedy potential deficiencies.

7.Performs other duties as directed by the Executive Secretary or requested by UNDSS.

Competencies

Professionalism: Excellent knowledge of the UN security management system, combined with solid background of military/police or other security specialization and sound political and social knowledge of Ethiopia. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands; provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in social/political science, law, criminal justice or business administration, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Certification from a Police/Military War College/Senior Staff Course is an advantage.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in security, risk or disaster management in the public or private service areas, such as national security, military or police, or in a corporate environment is required.
Senior command or management experience in the public or private or corporate sector is required.
Experience conducting threat and risk assessments is required.
Experience coordinating security arrangements with military, police and other security forces is desirable.
Experience in a management function in a large international organization such as the United Nations is desirable.
Prior experience in the management of Security and Safety Services within the United Nations System is an advantage

Languages

English and French are the working language of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretarial, English or French, (both oral and written) is required, knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until the filling of the regular post . If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.


· For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 August 2019, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

This vacancy is now closed.
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