Head of HQ Security

Purpose of the post

The ICRC Directorate validated an organization-wide Business Continuity Planning Approach, which aims to ensure that critical assets and services can be recovered as quickly as possible in the event of a severe disruption. It involves identifying major threats, determining how these threats could affect the ICRC, harmonizing alert mechanisms and risk levels, implementing safeguards and procedures to mitigate them, testing these safeguards and procedures to ensure their effectiveness, and periodically reviewing the process.

This approach covers five broad categories of threat: (1) attacks on the ICRC; (2) nuclear and weapon contamination; (3) natural hazards; (4) health-related threats; and (5) and technological threats. In implementing this approach, the organization must ensure coherence between its efforts to identify and manage “global” threats to business continuity and more “local” aspects of risk management linked to the security of people and property on the ICRC’s premises in Geneva.

In this context, a new Head of HQ Security post has been established to oversee the implementation of the business continuity approach and to supervise the development and implementation of the HQ security management concept.

Main duties and responsibilities

The Head of HQ Security provides leadership, expertise and support concerning business continuity at the organizational level as well as the physical security of people and property, at the ICRC’s headquarters. He/she oversees the implementation of the Business Continuity Approach as well as the HQ-specific plan and related security concept. He/she provides the organization with an analysis of the nature of threats and possible protection / mitigation measures. He/she interfaces with other internal support functions and maintains relationships with external stakeholders to ensure the effectiveness and adequacy of proposed measures. He/she is a member of the General Services team and provides regular updates to the Director-General, escalating emergencies and/or significant security breaches directly to him.

Business Continuity Planning

• Ensure the development and implementation of a business continuity plan for HQ, ensuring that it remains adapted to the evolving nature of threats.
• Ensure alignment between the Crisis Management Methodology developed by the Security and Safety Management support Unit and the business continuity approach.
• Develop a training plan for functions involved in the Headquarters crisis management organization, in collaboration with the Security and Safety Management Support Unit, and implement appropriate internal communication.
• Serve as the risk owner for the annual review of major institutional risk related to severe disruption of ICRC business continuity due to external event, in coordination with all functions concerned (notably IT, RH, etc).

Risk Management

• Establish a catalogue of security risks for the ICRC headquarters and develop scenarios that document the principal measures to be considered in view of major threats identified.
• Oversee the implementation of risk prevention and recovery measures, including the development of new security procedures and controls, the organization of regular staff training exercises and appropriate internal communication.
• Analyze data and trends to strengthen “evidence-based” risk management.

Security management

• Review the HQ security concept and revise it as appropriate.
• Ensure the provision of information on security incidents to relevant stakeholders and their escalation as appropriate, up to the level of risks of severe disruption of ICRC business continuity (at which point the Director-General launches an established crisis management process).
• Supervise internal investigations when appropriate and liaise with the competent authorities in the event of serious security incidents.
• Monitor compliance with security management protocols and procedures and ensure that required corrective measures are taken.

Managerial responsibilities

• Coordinate a multidisciplinary group of internal and external experts in security matters at HQ.
• Regularly update the Director-General and the President on evolutions in risk levels and implications for the overall approach to HQ security as well as specific actions to be undertaken.
• Manage the budget related to the implementation of the business continuity approach and the physical security of the HQ premises and assets.
• Manage internal and external communication on HQ security, with support of the Communication and Information Management Department and the Human Resources Department.
• Represent the ICRC vis-à-vis federal and cantonal security authorities as well as external interlocutors (e.g. IOs/INGOs, diplomatic missions etc).
• Manage contracted security guard services.
• Supervise HQ Security Coordinator.

Education and experience required

• Advanced education / training in security administration or similar fields
• 10 years of experience with a minimum of 5 years in security-related fields
• Experience in mid/large-size multinational organizations
• Proven successful experience as head of security or similar position
• Experience using relevant technology and equipment in field security
• Experience in business continuity and emergency response planning
• Excellent communication skills (in English and in French) with the ability to interact across all levels of management and across all business units.

Desired profile and skills

• Outstanding organizational and leadership skills
• Excellent knowledge of physical security methodologies, protocols and procedures
• Solid understanding of budgeting and data analytics
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications
• Committed and reliable, capable of working independently and in a team environment

Scope & Impact

For further details, please contact Marco De Oliveira (hiring manager) and/or Aleksandra Popovic (recruiter).

• Location :                           Geneva
• Type of contract :               Open-ended
• Activity rate :                      100%
• Estimated start date :         ASAP
• Application deadline :     Sunday, 27th May 2018