Safety & Security Manager

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) 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 forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries, IRC aims to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to survive.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The IRC is seeking a Safety & Security Manager (SSM) for its Moldova operations withtravel to program locations. SSM will work with country leadership to ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, are contextually appropriate and known to staff, and will advise on Safety & Security processes and approaches in close coordination with program teams.

Reporting to both the Senior Program Manager (FC) and Regional Safety and Security Director (RSSD), the SSM will implement IRC Safety & Security management measures, as well as provide contextual analysis and understanding to decision makers, and engage with key stakeholders to gain and maintain humanitarian access to those most in need. The SSM will prioritise the humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, duty of care and the IRC’s strategy action plans for Moldova in their work.

The SSM will conduct onsite training for staff, facilitate the development and implementation of appropriate plans, standard operating procedures, and contingency plans. S/he will provide expert humanitarian security to all levels of IRC staff across the program including building relationships, negotiating and mediating humanitarian access, contextual understanding, and conflict analysis, advisories, and incident management.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS AND COORDINATION:

Reports to:Senior Program Manager (FC) and Regional Safety and Security Director (RSSD)

Key Interfaces: Senior Program Manager, Head of Office, Partner SFPs,

External:

RESPONSIBILITIES

Safety and Security Management Planning

- Provide technical support to the FC on all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for staff safety, operational security and program continuity. - Evaluate, review and update security management plans on a regular basis. Reference and ensure compliance to the IRC Security Management Framework within the SMP and all annexes. - Work with key stakeholders to develop, consolidate and implement operating procedures and contingency plans. - Evaluate, review and update the hibernation and evacuation plans for all IRC offices and residences in Moldova and ensure that practical preparations are in place and known to all relevant staff. - 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 proposing safe alternative means of communication and equipment. - Mentor and support the capacity building of partner organizations, liaising with their SFPs. - Follow up on actions to be taken to ensure compliance with safety and security standards - Ensure safety and security protocols, reporting mechanisms, and capacity building initiatives account for gender-specific risks, staff profiles and background, and are sensitive to local contexts.

Networking and Liaison

- Provide timely feedback on questions and technical assistance requests from country program team members, Europe regional staff and HQ. - Monitor and provide support and reporting on NGO field security initiatives, as required. - Identify, create and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other Safety & Security specialists appropriate to this region.

Training and Capacity Building

- Update and implement staff capacity development plans in line with the regional Security Learning and Development Strategy. - Work closely with the RSSD to identify learning and development needs across the country program for both IRC staff and IRC partners. - Provide regular trainings for IRC staff and IRC partners on humanitarian principles and safety and security preparedness. Training(s) may include Standard Operational Procedures; - Humanitarian Negotiations; Contextual Understanding; Safety and 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 information and on-boarding package for new hires and visitors.

Context Understanding and Reporting

- Compile and submit regular reports that track incidents and trends in local security contexts within Moldova. - Submit daily contextual updates as needed to 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 RSSD on safety and security, and fulfill reporting requirements to the region

- 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.

Program Development

- Participate in program design in close cooperation with Head of Office and Senior Program Officer. - Participate in program review meetings and contribute to implementation plans to ensure the timely, safe, and secure delivery of IRC service to clients - Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks pertaining to 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 country leadership during humanitarian or security/safety emergencies - Contribute to the development of operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to different emergency scenarios

Qualifications

Education: University degree in Business Management, International Relations, Political Science, or related field, preferred. Technical degree or certification in related field with significant applicable experience.

Work Experience:

- A minimum of 7 years of work experience within the safety & security sector with international experience and exposure. A minimum of 2 years of Security Leading roles. - Understanding the humanitarian principles, code of conduct and specific sub-sector work linked to NGO field and operations contexts.

- Advanced knowledge in communications technology, including, satellite communications, cell phone mediums, etc.

- Strong experience as a trainer; ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to a wide range of audiences - Experience of gaining a precise and impartial understanding of local, regional and international policies, operational positions and interactions, providing clear dynamic briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations when they occur

- Previous NGO, UN security management essential. - Experience on Humanitarian Access will be a strong added value for the applicant.

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

- Proven experience as a professional and reliable manager (including management of people and projects) - Highly skilled in organizing large-scale, fast-paced, responsive field programs - Situational awareness and opportunity awareness - Solid ability to provide team-building, coaching, and development for staff as well as encourage cross-functional collaboration and cooperation - Exceptional organizational and coordination skills

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

- Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively represent IRC at forums and with external stakeholders - Strong negotiation and mediation skills essential with experience in conflict resolution essential - Superior oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders - Experience of working successfully with local stakeholders such as local and international NGOs, government, etc. with sensitivity and diplomacy. - Proven ability to design and lead training engagements with staff and partners to enhance skills and adapt to changing program demands

Languages Required/Preferred:

- Fluency in spoken and written English, Ukrainian and/or Russian is also desirable.

Computer/Other Requirements:

- Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint

Ability to Travel: up to 50% travel

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

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.

Attention Returning National Candidates IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the IRC MENA Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply.

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.