Field Safety Adviser

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the IOM-FOM issued for this Compendium / Fast Track exercise, as well as the  Revised Policy and Procedures on Assignments (UNHCR/HCP/2015/2 refers). Field Safety Adviser

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Field Safety Adviser takes on the role of leading, coordinating and providing appropriate guidance  related to security management within an office.
The incumbent maintains contact with other UN agencies, NGOs, implementing partners, government partners in the area to facilitate the operation.
The incumbent directly supervises general service staff in the office, and reports to the Head of Office.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- Country operations receive practical and well-reasoned security advice and support toward helping ensure an appropriate level of safety for UNHCR¿s staff and operations and compliance with security guidelines and procedures.
- UNHCR benefits from effective relationships with host country law enforcement agencies and the UN Security Management System.
- Staff are aware of threats/risks and how to respond to them, understand and comply with guidelines and procedures.
- Security management is efficient, well-coordinated and consistent with policies and procedures.

Responsibility

- Advise and support the Representative or Head of Office in managing staff safety and security of UNHCR staff, partners, operations, premises and refugees or persons of concern.
- Undertake periodic security assessments in close co-operation with UNHCR senior staff members and interagency partners, analysing security factors and levels of risk related to UNHCR activities and programmes.
- Evaluate existing security measures to determine their appropriateness and identify areas needing improvement.  Follow up with actions to oversee or implement those improvements.
- Assist in ensuring compliance with Minimum Operational Safety Standards (MOSS) and Minimum Operational Residential Safety Standards (MORSS).
- Assist in the development of plans for evacuation, medical evacuation and other contingencies. 
- In cooperation with UNHCR senior staff members, ensure that security measures are fully integrated into operational planning, including budgetary provisions, at the earliest stages of development.
- Participate and support in activities to advise on programme criticality assessment process.
- As a member of a multi-functional team, contribute to efforts to ensure the physical protection and security of refugees and other persons of concern by providing security assessments, analysis and advice in developing and implementing effective strategies which underpin the responsibilities of the host state.
- Develop and maintain relationships with security-related actors, including host government law enforcement authorities and other stakeholders  to ensure effective information sharing; provide regular feedback and analysis to country managers.
- Maintain close co-operation with staff of  the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), ensuring UNHCR's understanding of applicable requirements, cooperating in security assessments and planning and supporting UNDSS understanding of agency requirements.
- Support UNHCR staff serving as members of the country Security Management Team (SMT), or Area Security Management Team (ASMT), Area Security Coordinators (ASC) and Wardens.
- Provide country-relevant security advice and training to UNHCR staff, and where appropriate, to staff of  NGOs and implementing partners in areas including, inter alia, preparation for and conduct of  road  missions, radio telecommunications  and  responding to specific threats within the environment.
- Conduct rehearsals and practical exercises to ensure that staff are familiar with contingency plans and can implement them confidently in an emergency.
- Prepare periodic analytical reports on security in accordance with UN and UNHCR standard operating procedures, sharing with managers in the country of assignment and FSS.
- Maintain linkages with the Staff Welfare Section, and the Medical Service, referring cases as required.
- Undertake other security-related functions or responsibilities as delegated by the supervisor.

Authority

- Provide security-related advice, in written and oral form, to the manager and other staff
- Advise on, and upon approval, implement, needed mitigating measures.
- Participate in criticality assessments.
- Represent UNHCR in interagency working groups and attend SMT or ASMT meetings as an observer.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- University Degree with a focus on security management and/or related disciplines (business administration, political/social science, international relations). Also relevant would be military or police academy degree (at Officer level).
- Minimum 8 years of previous relevant job experience including 2 years security risk management experience in an international capacity.
- Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language.

(In offices where the working language is not English, excellent knowledge of UN working language of duty station ans working knowledge of English)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Proven competences in security analysis.
- Excellent communication skills, written and oral
- Negotiating skills
- Relevant training an asset C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3 Since December 2013, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been facing a deteriorating situation due to intensified violence and unrest. This situation has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, suffering for the populations and massive internal and external displacements. Evaluations conducted in the country at the height of the crisis early January indicated that more than 2.6 million of people (50% of the entire population) were in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. The total collapse of local administration as well as public services reinforced by the magnitude of crime, protection incidents and violations of human rights remains of great concern, in spite of the presence of international forces and large-scale interventions by humanitarian actors. Large displacement, destruction of property and loss of livelihoods have exacerbated vulnerabilities of already very fragile populations deprived of basic services. Overall, as of 30 June 2017, there were some 534,000 people entangled in internal displacements in the country, with only 1750 remaining in IDP site/Central mosque at PK5 within the Capital city, Bangui.
Exactions continue to be reported especially in Bangui, the North-Western, South-Western, Central and Eastern parts of the country, including massive and targeted killings of Muslims who are still considered populations at risk, forced to stay in enclaves against they will.
It worthy to note a resurgence of criminal activities from the armed groups throughout the country since the creation of the UN Special Court showing warlords wiling to be amnestied. In order to enable UNHCR to continue to exercise its mandate, a review of its staffing has led to the necessity to reinforce its human resources for a strengthened humanitarian response and intervention to assist some 8,234 refugees in CAR who have been exposed to the same risks as CAR nationals.
In this respect, the Field Safety Adviser (P3) will be based in Bangui with authority to support the Senior FSA and Heads of UNHCR field offices in managing staff safety and security of UNHCR staff, partners, operations, premises and refugees or persons of concern.
Under the direct supervision of the Senior FSA, the incumbent will have to undertake periodic security assessments in Bangui and field offices in close co-operation with UNHCR Heads of offices, and interagency partners, analyzing security factors and levels of risk related to UNHCR activities and programmes, Evaluate existing security measures to determine their appropriateness and identify areas needing improvement, Follow up with actions to oversee or implement those improvements,
Assist in ensuring compliance with Minimum Operational Safety Standards (MOSS) and Minimum Operational Residential Safety Standards (MORSS), Assist in the development of plans for evacuation, medical evacuation and other contingencies, In cooperation with UNHCR senior staff members, ensure that security measures are fully integrated into operational planning, including budgetary provisions, at the earliest stages of development, Participate and support in activities to advise on programme criticality assessment process.
As a member of a multi-functional team, the incumbent will contribute to efforts to ensure the physical protection and security of refugees and other persons of concern by providing security assessments, analysis and advice in developing and implementing effective strategies which underpin the responsibilities of the host state, Develop and maintain relationships with security-related actors, including host government law enforcement authorities and other stakeholders to ensure effective information sharing; provide regular feedback and analysis to country managers. The incumbent will also Maintain close co-operation with staff of the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), ensuring UNHCR's understanding of applicable requirements, cooperating in security assessments and planning and supporting UNDSS understanding of agency requirements, Support UNHCR staff serving as members of the Area Security Management Team (ASMT), Area Security Coordinators (ASC) and Wardens. Provide country-relevant security advice and training to UNHCR staff, and where appropriate, to staff of NGOs and implementing partners in areas including, inter alia, preparation for and conduct of road missions, radio telecommunications and responding to specific threats within the environment, Conduct rehearsals and practical exercises to ensure that staff are familiar with contingency plans and can implement them confidently in an emergency.
Prepare periodic analytical reports on security in accordance with UN and UNHCR standard operating procedures, sharing with Senior FSA, Senior managers in the country of assignment, Maintain linkages with the Staff Welfare Section, and the Medical Service, referring cases as required, Undertake other security-related functions or responsibilities as delegated by the supervisor.
The knowledge of French is essential to properly communicate with the main stakeholders and other interlocutors in the Central African Republic. The crisis in Central African Republic (CAR) remains fluid; as at 30 June 2017 the estimated number of internally displaced persons had increased to a total of 534,000 individuals. About 484,234 individuals fled the country to seek asylum in neighboring countries. Despite the security situation in CAR, the country hosts some 8,542 refugees mainly from Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Sudan in three camps in Zémio and Obo (Haut-Mbomou province) and Bambari (Ouaka province), as well as in urban areas within Bangui. The recent Humanitarian Overview (HNO) found that in total 2.7 million people in CAR are in need of humanitarian assistance.  As a long-standing capacity of the agency, UNHCR funds protection monitoring projects with its partners. Protection monitoring is currently approached from a community angle in view of the scale of human rights situation.  To better compile data collected, analyze and disseminate information from its protection monitoring projects as well as interventions in Shelter/NFIs and CCCM sectors, UNHCR tremendously needs an Associate Information Management Officer. UNHCR has 8 offices in CAR: 1 Representation (Bangui), 1 Sub-Office (Bouar) and 5 Field Offices (Bambari, Kaga-Bandoro, Paoua, Obo, Zemio); in addition to a Field Unit in Berberati.                                           
UNHCR has in Capital Bangui 2 guesthouses compliant with residential security measures (RSM) and WIFI connection.
The country is landlocked with very limited travel possibilities and surrounded by countries with volatile and security problems (Chad, DRC, Sudan, and Cameroon). Volatile socio-political situation, social unrest and grievance in the capital city Bangui with frequent civil servants strikes causing interruption of health, education and civil service due to years of unpaid salaries. Power cuts are a norm causing insecurity in town. The population in Bangui including the expatriates is concerned about cases of criminalities as a direct result of the crisis. The country is totally dependent on Cameroon seaport situated 1,500 kms away causing regular shortage of basic domestic goods. Travel time from Douala (Cameroon) to Bangui for a truckload averages 4 days to a week because of very bad roads and several roadblocks. The country security level is at UN-SLS 4 and 5 restricting movement to official travel only. Currently the curfew applies from 10 pm to 5 am. This situation puts great stress on staff members. There are very limited medical infrastructures and services do not function properly. Nevertheless, a UN Dispensary provides basic medical care for the UN personnel. Staff are accommodated in UNHCR guesthouse until they arrange their own private accommodation inside the approved security perimeter in Bangui. Despite the peaceful organization of presidential and the first round of legislative elections, the security situation across the country, though still a concern, improved during the past five months, notably in the capital, Bangui and other key areas including Kaga Bandoro, Bouar, Bossangoa, and Berberati. The visit of Pope Francis to Bangui from 29 to 30 November 2015 and subsequent dialogue initiated by the Muslim and Christian as well as other non-Muslim communities led to a decrease in tension and violence in Bangui and throughout the country. Other crimes such as theft, abduction, and armed robbery, destruction of property, illegal detention of weapons, murder, torture and sexual violence continued throughout the country. The deployment of members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) in Bangui led to an improvement of the overall security situation. Movements, activities of, and clashes between opposing armed groups, particularly elements of former Séléka groups and the anti-balaka have increased recently in Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Ouaka and Nana Gribizi prefectures.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add. 3 to March 2017 Compendium is Thursday, 3 August 2017 (midnight Geneva time).