Regional Humanitarian Access and Security Coordinator. at International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee 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 and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC’s work in Central Africa region is among our most challenging and innovative. The IRC responds to people’s acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives. Our work gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, conflict sensitivity, coordination, and impact.

Job Overview:

Working as a member of the regional team and under the direct supervision of the Regional Safety & Security Director (RSSD), the Regional Humanitarian Access & Security Coordinator (RHASC) will support the delivery of consistent and high-quality access and security management across the Central Africa region. S/he will support the RSSD in providing technical support to meet the needs of country programs in the region and ensuring compliance with IRC’s internal standards and policies. The RHASC will support regional capacity strengthening, learning and development initiatives for safety, security and access management for IRC staff and partner organizations. The candidate will be required to travel extensively and frequently throughout the region.

Major Responsibilities:

Technical Support (Up to 70% of time)

• Ensure consistency in the approach to safety, security and humanitarian access management across the region while ensuring flexibility for contextualization. This may include suggesting improvements to key processes, guidelines and tools.
• Provide technical advice and direct support to Country Programs on safety & security risk management, trends, processes and best practices.
• Assist field leaders in implementing security risk management plans including identifying, mitigating and managing risks.
• Support Country Programs to maintain a high level of operational and programmatic preparedness in anticipation of contextual changes, including the development of contingency plans.
• As required, support Country Programs in critical incident management.
• Support initiatives across the region to integrate Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) in safety, security and humanitarian access management. Ensure safety and security risk management efforts at the field level are inclusive of staff with diverse social identities and backgrounds.
• Ensure that IRC partners receive support in security risk management including leveraging IRC’s systems, tools and best practices as relevant.
• Support the development of humanitarian access strategies in field locations ensuring alignment with global guidance and standards.

• Support the implementation of contextualized acceptance and community engagement strategies.
• Advise on and support efforts at the field-level to enhance the IRC’s reputation, image and acceptance within the community and amongst relevant stakeholders.
• In coordination with the RSSD, monitor and support adherence to the IRC’s humanitarian access and security policy, principles, standards and requirements.
• Recommend measures for field sites to improve compliance with the IRC’s humanitarian access and security, policy, principles, standards and requirements. Monitor progress and make recommendations to the RSSD on additional support that may be required.
• Travel to country programs to provide gap coverage, support the Humanitarian Access and Security team with key projects or during the onset of an emergency.
• Deputize for RSSD when needed.

Training, Learning and Knowledge Sharing (Up to 20% of time)

• Identify regional learning and development needs, informed by the country programs in order to continue delivering high-quality, durable and contextually relevant programming
• Design and facilitate the delivery of learning programs to support staff in country programs to gain the knowledge and skills they require to achieve programmatic and organizational objectives and improve the capacity of IRC staff in safety & security risk management and humanitarian access.
• Tailor training and capacity building materials for remote management use and/or delivery.
• Support and deliver capacity-sharing initiatives with implementing partners.
• Build a core group of Trainers across the region who can support capacity-building initiatives.
• Support country teams in liaising with established external training providers to identify and assess effective training options.
• Assess and monitor the impact of capacity-building initiatives.
• Contribute to the recruitment of Humanitarian Access and Safety & Security staff across country programs. This may include designing technical tests and participating in recruitment interviews.

Liaison & Networking (Up to 10% of time)

• Maintaining a network of IRC security focal points in the country programs as well as external professional contacts and counterparts, monitor the security environment in the region in close collaboration with the RSSD, identify new threats, assess IRC vulnerabilities, and recommend possible responses
• Attend and sometimes lead the regional meeting about context and dynamics in the Central Africa
• Provide timely feedback on questions and technical assistance requests from country programs
• Monitor and provide support and reporting on NGO field security initiatives as required
• Identify, create, and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other security specialists suitable for the region.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Regional Safety & Security Director

Position directly supervises: None

Indirect Reporting: None

Key Internal Relationships*: Country Access & Security Leads, Deputy Directors for Operations, Country HR Coordinators, Regional HR Director, Regional GEDI Director, Chief Safety and Security Officer, Director of Safety and Security Development*

External: Partner organizations,peer humanitarian agencies, training providers, specialized networks and forums.

Job Requirements:

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in safety & security risk management roles in humanitarian contexts, of which at least a minimum of 3 years should have been at a senior management level.
• A willingness and ability to travel up to 50% of the time throughout the Central Africa region.
• Experience or exposure to humanitarian operations and emergency relief is a must with a preferable focus on risk and crisis management.
• Ability to coordinate and partner with regional and local stakeholders either directly or remotely.
• Sound working knowledge of humanitarian security and a commitment to humanitarian principles.
• Sound appreciation of the personal and technical issues facing aid workers, such as international law, codes and standards, gender and conflict issues.
• A strong track record in learning and development initiatives in Humanitarian Access and Security
• Demonstrable competence in and enthusiasm for practical training methods
• Ability to manage a complex workload and meet tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to influence without authority.
• Excellent leadership, people management, and negotiation skills in cross cultural context.
• Strong track record in project management, including project planning, scoping and delivery, proposal writing, budget planning/spending, and delivery.
• Computer literacy in MS Office packages, such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn new tools such as PowerBI and ArcGIS.
• The position may require some unsociable hours due to regional coverage, online meetings and in the event of an emergency.
• Ability to work within a highly matrixed and sophisticated agency organizational structure and to adapt to shifting priorities

Education: University degree, preferably in humanitarian work, security studies or risk management.

Language Skills: Fluency in both French and English is mandatory. Fluency in Kiswahili would be an additional asset.

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC in Central Africa, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

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