The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
Department Leadership and Governance
Lead the HASS department and set strategic priorities aligned with country program objectives.
Serve as primary advisor to the Country Director and SMT on security and humanitarian access risks.
Ensure appropriate staffing structures and performance management systems are in place.
Promote a strong organizational culture of safety and principled humanitarian engagement.
Security Management System Ownership
Ensure full implementation and monitoring of Security Minimum Standards and Security Management Plans.
Validate Security Risk Assessments (SRAs) and provide strategic risk recommendations.
Oversee country-wide SMPs, SOPs and CPs
Ensure security procedures remain adaptive to contextual developments.
Humanitarian Access Strategy Leadership
Lead development and execution of country humanitarian access and acceptance strategies.
Guide negotiations with authorities, communities, and relevant actors.
Monitor access constraints and support advocacy initiatives.
Ensure IRC programming is understood and accepted in operational areas.
Emergency Preparedness and Response to Crisis
Contribute to development of country emergency preparedness plans.
Coordinate with Program and Operational departments to develop operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to identified emergency scenarios.
Build the capacity of the in-country Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) as well as Safety and Security Management Teams (SSMTs – Field Based).
Maintain an up-to-date evacuation plan for international and relocatable staff.
Update the medevac plan on a regular basis in collaboration with HR department.
Operational Security Oversight
Oversee facility security systems, guard management, and movement safety procedures.
Ensure vehicle safety and journey management standards are implemented.
Support safe operational expansion into new geographic areas.
Capacity Building, Human Resources and Staff Wellbeing
Lead the development and implementation of country HASS training and capacity building plans, including READI delivery and structured on-the-job learning to strengthen technical skills across teams.
Line manage and mentor HASS staff, ensuring effective performance management systems are in place in line with IRC People Manager Standards.
Promote team cohesion, professionalism, and adherence to the IRC Way and HR policies, in close coordination with HR.
Ensure all direct reports develop and implement capacity building plans for their teams and receive appropriate technical support through regular field visits and follow-up action plans.
Promote and monitor staff care, wellbeing, and duty of care practices for national and international staff.
Advocate with the SMT to ensure adequate HASS staffing levels proportional to assessed risk levels and operational needs.
Budget and Resource Management
Lead HASS department budget planning and monitoring.
Ensure proportional allocation of security resources based on risk levels.
Program Cycle Management (PCM) and Partnerships:
Participate in program design, implementation and review sessions in close cooperation with the Program teams.
Participate in partner and vendor selection and assessment ensuring adherence to Humanitarian Principles.
Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks pertaining to humanitarian access, safety, and security. Contribute to the development and implementation of mitigation measures and plans.
Pro-actively collaborate with country leadership and key members of operations departments and programs to ensure that the humanitarian access and security management strategies are appropriately aligned with response priorities across all locations.
Coordination and Representation
Represent IRC in national security coordination platforms and access working groups.
Maintain strategic relationships with authorities and humanitarian actors.
Ensure alignment between IRC access strategy and broader humanitarian response.
Key Working Relationships
Field Coordinators
Program Coordinators
Logistics and Operations teams
Access and Security Working Groups
Community stakeholders and local authorities
Regional HASSD/HASSC
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
Bachelor’s degree required in Security Management, Political Science, International Relations, Law, or related field.
Master’s degree or relevant professional certification strongly preferred.
Above 6 years’ experience in humanitarian safety, security, or access roles within a humanitarian NGO.
Experience working in conflict or high-risk environments, preferably Afghanistan or similar contexts.
Proven experience managing security and/or access teams across multiple locations.
Experience in humanitarian access negotiations, crisis response, and risk management.
Experience engaging in coordination forums or government liaison is an advantage
Experience advising senior leadership and managing crises.
Strong strategic leadership and decision-making ability in complex and high-risk environments.
Proven humanitarian access negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills with authorities, communities, and partners.
Advanced security risk analysis, crisis management, and contingency planning capacity.
Ability to provide clear risk advisories and contextual analysis to senior leadership.
Strong team leadership, mentoring, and training skills for multi-location staff.
Effective coordination and representation skills in inter-agency forums and negotiations.
Solid operational management skills, including incident investigation and security resource planning.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in multicultural environments.
High integrity, resilience, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity
Provide regular technical reporting on Security Risk Assessments (SRAs), training plans, and SMS compliance.
Seek technical validation of major risk decisions and contingency frameworks.
Contribute to regional security analysis and lessons learned processes.
Align country security and humanitarian access strategies with regional and global IRC priorities.
Participate in regional HASS coordination platforms and technical reviews.
Fluency in Dari and Pashto required.
Strong English writing and reporting skills required.
Strategic leadership
Organizational governance
Humanitarian diplomacy
Crisis decision-making
Team leadership
Contextual risk analysis
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.
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