Safety, Security and Access Coordinator

Job Overview/Summary

The Safety & Security Coordinator is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), reporting to the Country Director (CD). She or he will develop and oversee the implementation of humanitarian access and security management systems and protocols in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, duty of care principles, and IRC’s strategy.

She or he will identify changes and trends in the humanitarian access and security environment in XXX, develop and oversee the implementation of responsive plans, standard operating procedures and contingency plans, and facilitate training and capacity building of both management and field staff.

She or he will provide expert humanitarian access and security risk management advice to all levels of IRC staff in the country office on building relationships with stakeholders, negotiating and mediating humanitarian access, contextual understanding, managing critical incidents, and providing timely advisories.

She or he will work closely with the Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) and the Field Coordinators (FC) to ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate and known to staff, and in line with global safety and security standards.

 Working closely with the Deputy Director of Programs and Program Coordinators, the she or he will help maximize the effectiveness of IRC’s activities in XXX by contributing to the design and ongoing adaptation of programming to ensure it is contextually appropriate. Where applicable, she or he will also provide guidance and support to partner organizations and ensure the capacity building of IRC staff, incentive workers, and partners with active hands-on collaboration.

Major Responsibilities

Humanitarian Access Management

•Develop and implement humanitarian access strategies and approaches tailored to local contexts in field sites throughout XXX

•Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to local context and include overarching community engagement components

•Ensure that the IRC field humanitarian access teams conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors in XXX in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, duty of care principles, and the IRC’s SAP

•Work to ensure that IRC, its mission and work in the areas of operations is known and accepted

•Work to encourage stakeholders to work with the IRC in ensuring that staff and programs are safe and allowed to continue humanitarian activities in XXX

•Provide technical input and advice in assessments to consider new IRC programs in new geographic areas, and regular assessment reviews for existing locations

•Assist in the continued development of humanitarian access teams (dedicated or not) and activities across XXX

•Contribute in developing and implementing guidelines for humanitarian access and engagement with non-state actors articulating standard IRC policy and guidance

•Oversee and advise on the implementation and review of tailored acceptance strategies

•Maintain a high level of preparedness vis-a-vis predicted contextual fluctuations operationally and programmatically 

•Enhance IRC image and acceptance within the community and amongst stakeholders by providing guidance on inclusive visibility strategies

•Work with appropriate IRC units, including HR, to ensure timely and appropriate follow-up to violations of IRC’s Code of Conduct, in addition to operational breaches to humanitarian principles

Safety and Security Risk Management

•Provide technical support on all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for staff safety, operational security and program continuity in XXX

•Evaluate, review and update the security management plans on a regular basis in compliance with global safety and security standards and requirements

•Work with Field Coordinators to develop, consolidate and implement operating procedures and contingency plans

•Maintain a network of IRC Security Focal Points at each field office and program sites

•Evaluate, review and update the hibernation and evacuation plans for all IRC offices and residences in XXX  and ensure that the practical preparations are in place and known to all staff involved

•Conduct risk assessments of contracted and prospective offices and residences. Follow up on actions to be taken to ensure compliance with safety and security standards

•Undertake continual assessments of equipment, and the protocols by which that equipment is used, to ensure that minimal conditions for security are being met

•Provide and implement best possible solutions for use of equipment to facilitate communication between staff, including here proposing safe alternative means of communication and equipment

•Ensure safety and security protocol, reporting mechanism, and capacity building initiative account for gender-specific risks, staff profiles and background, and are sensitive to local contexts

Networking and Liaison:

•Maintaining a network of external professional contacts and counterparts

•Provide timely feedback on questions and technical assistance requests from country program team members

•Monitor and provide support and reporting on NGO field security initiatives as required

•Identify, create and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other humanitarian access and security specialists suitable for the region

•Facilitate in country NGO security coordination through networking, collaboration and coordination with humanitarian actors

Context Understanding and Reporting

•Compile and submit regular reports that track incidents and trends in humanitarian access and local security contexts within the IRC’s area of operation.

•Submit daily contextual updates as needed to the SMT and relevant field and program management staff

•Work closely with IRC field management teams to ensure all incidents and accidents are followed up with an official written report, which is then shared with relevant stakeholders and filed appropriately. Ensure that final incident reports are provided when IRC is closing the case.

•Monitor the operating environment in the region, identify new threats, assess IRC vulnerabilities and recommend possible responses

•Coordinate regularly with the Regional Safety & Security Director on safety and security, and fulfill reporting requirements to the region

•Contribute to local-level conflict sensitivity analysis and macro- level analysis of trends within the XXX conflicts

•Provide credible information and contextual understanding of localized and country-wide security situations and incidents along with appropriate advice to IRC field and program management staff

Training and Capacity Building

•Provide a capacity development plan with precise implementation plans in line with the regional Humanitarian Access & Security Capacity Development Strategy

•Work closely with the Regional Security Capacity Building Coordinator to identify learning and development needs in the country program

•Provide regular trainings for IRC staff on humanitarian principles and safety and security preparedness. Training(s) may include Standard Operational Procedures; Humanitarian Negotiations; Contextual Understanding; Safety & Security Risk Management; Incident Management &Reporting; etc.

•Liaise with partners to assess capacity building needs and provide advice and support where feasible and necessary

•Work with relevant internal focal points to develop and review the IRC XXX information and on-boarding package for new hires and visitors

Program Development:

•Participate in program design in close cooperation with the Deputy Director of Programs and DDO

•Support program coordinator and field management staff in developing conflict-sensitive and contextually-appropriate approaches in XXX

•Participate in program review meetings and contribute to implementation plans to ensure the timely, safe, and secure delivery of IRC service to beneficiaries

•Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks pertaining humanitarian access, safety, and security, and contribute to the development and implementation of mitigation measures and plans

Emergency Preparedness and Response:

•Contribute to the development of country emergency preparedness plans

•As required, support and advise the SMT during humanitarian or security/safety emergencies

•Assist with the humanitarian access and security component (situation analysis and background information, security assessments) of the Emergency Response Team deployments in XXX

•Contribute to the development of operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to different emergency scenarios

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

•Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies

•Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the team in XXX

•Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews

•Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions

•Approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews

•Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly

•Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.

•As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies

•Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions

•Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff

•Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment