Humanitarian Access & Security Coordinator
Job Description
The Humanitarian Access and Security Coordinator (HASC) reports directly to the Country Director (CD) and technically to the Regional Security and Safety Director (RSSD) and oversees the South Sudan country program's Humanitarian Access & Security Department. Per the protocol for high safety and security risk countries, he/she is a Senior Management Team (SMT) member. Working with critical programs and operations colleagues in South Sudan, he/she will aim to facilitate the safe provision of essential services to women, men, and children. He/she will establish and follow humanitarian access and security management systems and protocols consistent with humanitarian principles, IRC Standards and Requirements, humanitarian needs, duty of care principles, and IRC’s strategy, and help foster and sustain a safety culture.
Job description responsibilities:
Management & Coordination
• Offer technical guidance to the CD, SMT, Technical Coordinators, and Field Coordinators / Managers on all aspects of staff safety, operational safety, and program continuity in line with the IRC Global Security Strategy, the S&S strategy of South Sudan created in 2023.
• Assess and revise the core security documents SRA, SMPs, CIM, SOPs, and CPs periodically and as needed.
• Assess and revise the security management policies, procedures, and guidelines following global safety and security standards and requirements and SMS (Security Minimum Standards)
• Design and execute adaptive humanitarian access strategies and approaches customized to local contexts in field sites throughout South Sudan.
• Ensure that IRC, its mission, and work in the areas of operations are recognized and respected, not just tolerated.
• In close collaboration with the DDO and finance lead, ensure adequate funds are allocated under the security and safety (S&S) budget lines to uphold the principle of proportionality in conformity with the global financial guideline where the compulsory S&S lines are integrated)
• Led the country's Humanitarian Access and Security team (dedicated and non-dedicated focal points), including their daily operation and performance, in coordination with the Field Managers/Coordinators.
Context Understanding and Analysis
• Prepare and submit regular reports that monitor incidents and trends in humanitarian access within the IRC’s area of operation.
• Provide reliable information and contextual insight into localized and country-wide safety situations and incidents, along with helpful advice and analysis to the IRC field operations, RSSD, and program management staff.
• Provide technical input and advice in assessments to explore new IRC programs in new geographic areas and regular assessment reviews for existing locations in line with the SAP South Sudan.
• Track and support the review of the regular Security Risk Assessments (SRA) and share results with the Country Management Team with advice on how to adapt to changing contexts.
• Oversee the technical review of the update from the field team before sending it to CD and RSSD for approval.
• Perform in-person and remote safety assessments regularly in each field location to evaluate compliance with SMS designed for each geographical area.
• Participate in internal meetings, including the SMT, project development, and implementation meetings, and represent IRC in the external meetings.
Training and Capacity Building
• Determine learning and development needs in the country program and provide regular training to IRC staff and partners.
• Ensure that IRC partners have access to suitable capacity-building opportunities and all necessary security awareness sessions.
• Mentor and train the field coordinators and field security focal points on technical topics described in the Standards and Requirements.
• Ensure the proper implementation and mandatory delivery of Risk Education & Awareness Development Induction (READI) training at least once a year and provide quarterly updates of the training plan for the regional office.
Program and Partner Cycle Management
• Participate in program design, implementation, and review sessions in close partnership with the Program teams.
• Participate in partner and vendor selection and assessment, ensuring compliance with Humanitarian Principles.
• Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks related to humanitarian access, safety, and security, and contribute to developing and implementing mitigation measures and plans.
• Proactively work with SMT members to ensure that the humanitarian access and security management strategies suitably align with response priorities across all locations.
Networking and Liaison
• Maintain and share updated warden systems for all IRC offices in South Sudan.
• Maintain a network of IRC security focal points in the country program and with external professional contacts and counterparts.
• Establish, create, and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other humanitarian access and security experts or working groups.
Emergency Preparedness and Response to Crisis
• Support the development of country emergency preparedness plans.
• Collaborate with Program and Operational departments to design operational and programmatic contingency plans that address identified emergency scenarios.
• Enhance the capacity of in-country Critical Incident Management Teams (CIMT) and Safety and Security Management Teams (SSMTs – Field Based).
• Keep updated evacuation plans for international and relocatable staff.
• Revise the medevac plan regularly in partnership with the HR department.
Human Resources and Staff Development:
• Foster team spirit, cohesion, respect, and the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct among all Humanitarian Access and Security staff in close coordination with the HR department. Follow and act in line with the IRC Global and IRC South Sudan HR Policies and Procedures.
• Manage all human resources in compliance with IRC People Manager Standards, ensuring cutting-edge performance management systems and processes are in place for all employees to grow and thrive.
• Provide a measurable capacity-building plan, including on-the-job learning to enhance technical capacity and share knowledge within the team. Additionally, ensure that all direct reports create and implement Capacity Building Plans for their teams.
• Ensure adequate support to field-based staff via regular site visits, producing reports with action points to monitor.
• Encourage and monitor staff care, well-being, and self-care among international and national staff.
• Ensures the implementation of the standards related to staffing according to the risk level assessed. If the number of dedicated staff is not in line with the IRC Standards, they advocate to the country SMT to make it happen.
Key Working Relationships:
Reporting line: Country Director and Regional Safety and Security Director under Management in Partnership (MIP).
Supervision: Safety Security Manager, Officer, Rooving Officer, and field or project security and safety focal points.
Internal: Field and support operations and programs teams, Program Coordinators & Managers, Regional Director, Director of International Safety & Security
External: NGO counterparts and UN agencies.
Requirements:
• Preferred university degree in Business/Organizations Management, Political Sciences, Security Management, or a related field. Technical degree or certification in a related field with considerable relevant experience.
• Minimum five years of experience in operational access and security support of multi-sector humanitarian relief or development projects in East Africa or similar contexts, preferably at senior-level positions.
• Solid security management skills and experience, including international experience, are required.
• Knowledge of local context, dynamics, and access constraints related to gender, disability, religion, tradition, and local norms.
• Demonstrated experience as a trainer; ability to create, implement, facilitate, and impart learning to diverse audiences.
• NGO experience and familiarity with donor requirements.
• Flexible, adaptable, culturally aware, team player.
• Fluent in spoken and written English. Arabic knowledge is desirable.
Demonstrated Skills & Competencies:
• Established experience as a professional and dependable manager.
• Outstanding organizational and coordination skills.
• Excellent relationship-building and interpersonal skills and the ability to represent IRC effectively at forums and with external stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate ideas and concepts clearly and convincingly with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Established ability to design and lead training engagements with staff to improve skills and adjust to changing program demands.
• Ability to work in an unstable security environment and ensure staff comply with the security policies.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks.
• Self-motivated, honest, responsible, and punctual.
Qualifications