Senior Humanitarian Access and Safety Officer – Mogadishu, Somalia
Relief International
Job Type
Full Time
Location
Mogadishu, Somalia
Description :
Position: Sr. Humanitarian Access and Safety Officer
Reports to: Country Director
Working Hours: 8 hours per day for 5 days
Location: Mogadishu, Somalia (up to 25% travel to field locations)
ABOUT RI: Relief International is a leading non-profit organization working in 20 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. RI specializes in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.
Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which RI calls The RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, RI empowers communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for themselves.
Overall role of the position
The Sr. Humanitarian Access and Safety Officer is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), reporting to the Country Director and supports the security focal points at RI offices in Somalia.The position has the responsibility is to monitor the overall security situation, enforce safety regulations and provide sound and timely advice to IRC staff and field management in order to support the safe access and efficient delivery of program activities in the designated areas of operations in South Central Somalia and Puntland. The Sr. Humanitarian Access and Safety Officer will advise on and implement the RI’s Country Security Plan, in coordination with RI’s Global Security team.
She/he will provide humanitarian access and security risk management advice and build relationships with stakeholders, negotiating and mediating humanitarian access, contextual understanding, managing critical incidents, and providing timely advisories/reports.
Position Responsibilities and Duties
Networking, Liaison & Acceptance
Establish and maintain relations and a network of contacts allowing the collection of information related to security and humanitarian access in current and possible future areas of intervention. Develop and regularly update list of contacts and stakeholder maps per district/sub-district in the RI operational areas.Develop and regularly update internal maps on safe and un-safe areas, in coordination with security focal points in each location. Working with field teams, identify risks and support the program teams develop strategies to address. Support the field teams to develop and implement community engagement strategies that promote acceptance and access.
Monitoring, Reporting & Analysis
Assess the situation in the RI operational areas for collecting information from formal and informal network and/or the team and/or electronic means (email, blogs, webpages, twitter, etc.). Report immediately to the Country Director and Regional Security Manager any sudden changes on the security threats or access in the areas where IRC operates. Provide contextual and data inputs into humanitarian situation reporting and share them to the program teams. Provide contextual and data inputs into humanitarian situation reporting and share with the SMT. Provide comprehensive, neutral and non-partisan information on security risks, threats and incidents to Global Security team. Compile bi-weekly reports for the CD’s review and release to the RD Conduct regular Safety Risk
Assessments (SRAs) as per RI policy. Assist in training on safety procedures as required for program staff. Provide safety-related advice on program development and implementation.Advising staff on security incidents by SMS, WhatsApp, Skype and email as decided by the CD and IMT
Training / Capacity Building
Deliver training materials, coaching and advice for staff and partners addressing humanitarian access and safety issues with the support of RI’s Global Security.Promote and support integration of humanitarian access approaches into program design, implementation and operations. With the assistance of Global Security, build up the capacity, awareness and preparedness of the security guards at RI offices. Provide security awareness brief to all newly hired staff. Establish an emergency call-out procedure (Warden System) for each RI location to enable staff tracking and incident response. Provide ongoing support for RI staff on security preparedness, prevention and response. Support may include SOPs; Contingency Plans (CPs); Security Management; Incident Reporting; and Communications.
Other Key responsibilities:
Implement access and security policies, protocols and procedures with the support of Regional Security
Manager.
Train and supervise compound security guards, under the guidance of Regional Security Manager.
Attend meetings with other INGO focal points to determine operational needs.
Review reports on incidents and breaches.
Analyze data to form proposals for improvements (e.g. trigger the review of existing Security Management
Plans).
Engage on a daily basis with the field management to ensure that the daily operationsmeet operational requirements.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Country Director
Indirect Report to: Regional Security Manager
Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: Area Managers, Program Coordinator, security focal points External: NGO counterparts, INSO,UNDSS, local authorities.
Qualifications & Requirements
Experience of working in safety and access management or support
Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
Knowledge and experience working with authorities and external stakeholders and ability to network and build relations in Somalia;
Experience travelling throughout Somalia;
Understanding of risk management and access challenges
Ability to work in a fluid, unpredictable and complex security environment
Ability to work with others of different backgrounds and identities
Excellent analytical and reporting skills.
Good connections with stakeholders.
Fluency in English, both written and verbal; Somali language required.
Strong interpersonal skills, including capacities to negotiate with non-government stakeholders.
First aid training certificates (desirable)
Train of Trainer’s certificate (desirable)
RI Values
RI upholds the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities. RI values:
Inclusiveness
Transparency and Accountability
Agility and Innovation
Collaboration
Sustainability
How to apply :
Applicants should send their applications (CV and cover letter with 3 referees) to Somalia.jobs@ri.orgindicatethetitle as “Senior Humanitarian Access and Safety Officer– Somalia”in thesubjectline.
The closing date for applications is August 24, 2020. Only qualified and shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
RI is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.