Regional Security Coordinator – MENA - Open for National and International

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”  IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during, and after disasters, health emergencies, and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The IFRC's work is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

Its Secretary General leads IFRC and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters is organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy, and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy, and Corporate Services.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster, and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The IFRC Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) based in Beirut supports 17 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' efforts to implement the humanitarian mission responding to both man-made and natural hazards and to become effective contributors to the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The regional office's support for National Societies has also increasingly focused on capacity building for effective service delivery.

The National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the Middle East and North Africa region are striving to advance the shared agenda of serving humanity in the common mission of improving the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable people. Fundamentally, the mission focuses on alleviating human suffering often caused by disasters, diseases, and other factors that increase exposure to risks in various ways

Job Purpose

The Regional Security Coordinator (RSC) is line managed by the Regional Director (RD), receives technical direction from the Global Security Unit in Geneva, and serves as a core member of the regional management team.

The position holder serves as the lead technical resource on risk assessment, security management, and critical incident management within the region, providing training, professional expertise, and guidance to the Director of the MENA region, Heads of Country Delegations, and Heads of Country Cluster Delegations

The incumbent provide advice and training to country and regional management and personnel on the implementation of the minimum-Security Requirements (MSR) and serve a key role in MSR compliance monitoring by reviewing the MSR-related documents produced by country offices in the region (such as security regulations, relocation, medical plans, self-assessments, etc.).

The RSC also monitors and analyses the security situation in the region and helps identify security-related trends and issues that affect the Federation and RC/RC Movement. 

The RSC maintains external relations and information sharing with the Region's ICRC, UN, and NGOs.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Advise and provide guidance to the Director of the MENA region, Heads of Country Delegations, and Heads of Country Cluster Delegations on all security-related matters.
• Support the Global Security Unit (GSU) Geneva with MSR compliance review in accordance with the established MSR review protocol.
• Undertake security assessment missions of IFRC operations according to the needs and as directed by the Regional Director to ensure compliance with the IFRC (MSR).
• Support any operations (surge or other) that might occur in the region, from Lebanon and directly in operational areas.
• Identify security risks to RC personnel and operations and assist in developing risk prevention and mitigation measures.
• Advise and assist IFRC managers and National Societies (NSs) in developing appropriate security plans and procedures per MSR.
• Provide security-related input into the regional operational plans to enhance the security of field operations.
• Provide security-related input in all Emergency Appeals and participate in the Join Task Force meetings as required.
• Advise senior management in the IFRC and PNSs on required changes to operations and procedures to address identified trends and issues.
• Disseminate and promote the region's various IFRC security tools and initiatives to all Movement partners, such as the Stay Safe website and e-learning modules.
• Establish and maintain internal and external security-related contacts and participate in internal and external security meetings with ICRC, UN, local authorities, and NGOs as required. Assist IFRC and NS delegations under IFRC security management in developing similar external relations networks within their area of operations as required.
• Advise field managers on coordinating actions required to deal with security-sensitive situations.
• Follow up on security incident reporting and assist the regional Operational Field Managers in incident analysis and country/delegation-specific “incident mapping.”
• Maintain a list of all RC personnel security incidents within the region.
• Advise the management team during any Critical Incident Management (CIM) process.
• Provide country-specific security briefings and debriefings to RC personnel and visitors entering or exiting the region and others as required. Maintain a briefing and debriefing file and regularly provide the Regional Director with feedback from debriefings.
• Coordinate training sessions for managers, delegates, and RC personnel national staff in basic security awareness and technical security-related areas such as security management, security risk assessment, and CIM.
• Develop and support security focal points (IFRC and NS) identified in the region.
• Support the technical security competency assessment of recruited national security officers during the recruitment process in regional offices or country or country cluster delegations.
• Create, maintain, and improve any warden system.
• Undertake operational field liaison functions as assigned by the Regional Director.

LATERAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Establish and ensure effective working relations with the delegates and national staff.
• Establish and maintain effective liaison relations with ICRC, the UN, the interagency community, and local authorities.
• Ensure effective working and reporting relations with the Security Unit in Geneva.
• Ensure effective liaison with National Society leadership at all levels in the region.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Strengthen the security management structure and improve the IFRC's overall preventive security management by ensuring MSR compliance.
• Provide timely and effective support to field managers regarding all security-related matters.
• Ensure that the regional Operational Field Managers are informed of all security incidents, security trends, relocation/evacuation procedures, and all proposed actions or measures to improve individual, institutional, and operational security.
• Ensure that all security incidents are timely reported to the Global Security Unit in Geneva.

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Work actively towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals.
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that the line manager may assign.

Education

• Relevant university degree or extensive professional experience in a related field or professional qualification in operations management - Required.
• Successfully Completed all three levels of Stay Safe e-learning courses - Required.
• Be part of the IFRC Surge Security Rooster - Preferred.
• Basic Delegates Training Course or equivalent knowledge - Preferred.

Experience

• 5 years’ experience in a similarly wide-ranging role - Required.
• 5 years’ of RCRC movement experience in security management in a medium to high-risk security area - Required.
• Experience with IFRC management procedures and security approach - Preferred.
• Experience in developing contingency plans and implementing relocation/evacuation - Required.
• Experience in relationship-building, interpersonal skills, and the ability to effectively represent IFRC at forums with external stakeholders, including government authorities, military, police, and the UN - Required.
• Proven training/mentoring record - Preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• General security knowledge of the region/country - Preferred.
• Skills to analyze and draw conclusions - Required.
• Rapid and well-argued decision-making skills - Required.
• Proven planning and training skills - Required.
• Developed networking and negotiation skills - Required.
• Good oral and written communication skills, with the ability to express ideas and concepts clearly & persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders - Required.
• Successful completion of IFRC Stay Safe online (Personal & Management) courses - Preferred.
• Relevant security training (HEAT, Security Management & CIM course attendance) - Required.
• Fluent in spoken and written English - Required.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish, or Arabic) - Preferred.

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust
• Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability
• Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development

Both International and national applicants are to be considered for this role. The contract modality will depend on the nationality of the selected candidate.