Senior Safety, Security and Humanitarian Access Manager Mexico

Job Description

Update

Qualifications

The IRC’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

The IRC is supporting local partners in Mexico to aid migrants and asylum seekers stuck in border towns. We are supporting programs that work with women and girls who have experienced violence by increasing access to services such as medical care.

We are also working with local partners on a COVID-19 public health awareness campaign along with psychosocial support in shelters at the Mexico-U.S. border in Ciudad Juárez. The project will directly benefit 17 shelters hosting approximately 3,000 people and reach an additional 10,000 in surrounding host communities. The initiative will include sessions on the transmission of COVID-19, protective and preventive measures, including identification of at-risk groups, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, where to access help and support, reinforcement of public health best practices and the distribution of hygiene kits.

Overview:

This post would ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate and known to staff, and advise on humanitarian access approaches in close coordination with the Safety, Security and Humanitarian Access Coordinator and Deputy Director of operations - DDO. Training will also be provided for staff in order to facilitate and implement the security topics, in addition to other standard operating procedures and contingency plans related to incident prevention/management and safety and security of teams.

This position reports to the Safety, Security and Humanitarian Access Coordinator

All roles that support the IRC’s Mexico program will require the highest level of discretion, with special attention to security protocol, to protect staff, partner organizations, and beneficiaries.

Main objectives of the position:

· Support program teams in achieving and maintaining access for the most vulnerable communities.

· Identify security risks through participatory and inclusive processes and propose mitigation measures

· Ensure that access and security strategies are taken into consideration from the initial stages of intervention design

· Ensure that the organization's security policies and procedures are respected, adapted to the context and known by the staff.

Safety and Security Management Planning

Support the Security Coordinator-SC and DDO to create all policies, procedures, guidelines, and planning as related to staff safety, security and program continuity in Mexico.

· Create the Security Management Plan (SMP) for the IRC Mexico Program.

· Reference and ensure compliance to IRC Security Management Framework within the SMP and all annexes (this can be done in coordination with SC and Regional Security Director- RSSD.

· Work with SC to create and roll out implementation of Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans related to team safety and security, in line with the Security Management Plan.

· 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.

· Provide continuous updates to guidance and technical input to programs on areas of operation (current and prospective), stakeholders and context.

· Assesses prevailing local security conditions, identifying security trends and advising IRC personnel, project personnel on security issues;

· Determines accessible areas, maintains tracking systems and coordinates an Emergency

· Response; ∙Monitors, conducts or coordinates security operations; ∙Maintains continuing lines of communication with security focal points and other stakeholders;

Humanitarian Access Management

· Support the SC to develop and maintain relationships with local authorities and key actors, in line with the program design, in order to ensure that important stakeholders are well informed and involved in the IRC program in Mexico, also leading to increased ease and safety in the implementation of humanitarian activities.

· Provide technical input and advice to assessments in new geographic areas.

· In Coordination with the SC, liaise with relevant security actors (i.e. other NGO security coordinators, region/local UNDSS contacts, local community stakeholders, heads of local authorities, etc.) to ensure that the overall team is informed of changes in security trends and access within the country as a whole, and in IRC areas of implementation specifically.

· Advise programs in order to ensure that IRC, its mission and work in the areas of operations is known and accepted (this depends on visibility and program strategies);

Monitoring, Analysis and Supervision

· Based on security SOPs, monitor activities in the field and revise if necessary, to ensure that IRC staff, operations, and facilities are safe.

· Compile and submit the following reports regularly:

· Daily Advisories – these will be shared in the form of an e-mail when the subject poses no immediate threat to staff, operations and facilities; these advisories will be shared byWhatsApp group/SMS/phone call or other agreed upon modality when threat is immediate

· Weekly Reports – these should include incident information that is relevant to the organization’s current or future operations; links to relevant open-source information may be included; most importantly, weekly reports will include a paragraph (no longer than one page) of analysis on the current situation/events and the effects of these on trends and possible changes in scenario

· Monthly Security Report in SHIELD App– this will have to be updated by the end of each month and shared with SC, DDO and Regional Security Director- RSSD

· Incident Report Tracking Sheet – this will need to be updated each and every time incidents and trends within the IRC’s area of operation are recorded

· Maintain both live and static movement maps (heat maps and risk maps) for Mexico updated and keep staff informed in weekly meetings

Security & Access Training and Orientation

· In coordination with the SC the Security manager will be responsible for delivery of the following trainings, orientations, interactions:

· Pre-Arrival security documentation to be shared with visitors and incoming staffs before their arrival; they should also be offered an opportunity to contact the SECURITY MANAGER before arrival

· On-Arrival Orientation should be provided to any IRC staff, visitor, consultant, within 24 hours of arrival in country

· Safety and Security Training/Induction should be provided for all staff joining IRC; this must be recorded in the training log; this may include Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs); Contingency Plans (CPs); Security Management; Incident Reporting; Prevention and Response Mechanisms; Communications protocols, etc.

· Monitor, record and update the IRC contact card (both the virtual file and Excel version), in coordination with Admin and SM

Requirements for the Role:

· A university degree in security management or business administration, political/social/military science or international relations with focus on security management is required.

· 3 to 5 years of non-profit or NGO work experience within international humanitarian assistance programs with demonstrated capabilities in planning, organizing, and executing humanitarian security operations in the field.

· Understanding the humanitarian principles, code of conduct and specific sub-sector work linked to NGO field and operations contexts.

· Proven experience as security manager or similar position

· Experience in security reporting and emergency response planning

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

· Experience as a trainer/facilitator; ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to a wide range of audiences.

· Ability to gain a precise understanding of the various local, regional, country 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 security management an asset.

· Excellent command of Spanish and English required.

· Flexible and creative

· Ability to work independently, self-motivation