Field Security Adviser

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Field Security Adviser

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Field Security 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 standards established through the Security Risk Management process.
- 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
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) with a focus on Security Management and/or related disciplines (Business Administration, Political/Social Science, International Relations) plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function  including 2 years security risk management experience in an international capacity. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Also relevant would be military or police academy degree (at Officer level).
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Proven competences in security analysis.
- Excellent communication skills, written and oral.
- Negotiating skills.
- Relevant training an asset.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Field Security Adviser positions. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. 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 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific security and welfare profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). These profiles have been specifically designed to answer some of the key questions (on security conditions, medical provisions, staff welfare, living and working conditions) potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care. This project is still in the pilot phase, and as such some of the information leaflets are being produced as we speak and might not be available yet. They will be soon, so keep checking. 

- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) with a focus on Security Management and/or related disciplines (Business Administration, Political/Social Science, International Relations) plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function  including 2 years security risk management experience in an international capacity. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted ;
- Also relevant would be military or police academy degree (at Officer level) ;
- Excellent knowledge of French and working knowledge of another UN language. This is an stabilized operation with approximately 25,000 refugees;
The operation is downsizing, this is especially due to the hard and current financial situation;
The operation has two camps refugees (Mentao and Goudoubo) and facing environmental rehabilitation of impacted areas;
Hard conducive funding environment due to current financial situation worldwide;
Emphasis on livelihoods, self-reliance, Mixed Migration Project  and plan of having Emergency Temporary Management (ETM) installed given that the one of the operation challenge is to permit resilience, prevents refugees to be permanently dependant to UNHCR and find durables solutions in term of Protection for Refugies and Asylum.

Transition from emergency situation (2012/2013) to protracted refugee camp situation combined with the low level of financial resources, is on the process to reduce the number of implementing partners; Very basic infrastructure as well as leisure and recreational facilities;
Health facilities available locally (more than 04 clinic with four recommended by UN System);
Epidemics and other disease outbreaks are common in the operational area;
Although the operation is a family duty station, education is only in the French language or only available up
to age six;

Banking services facilities with more than five international bank with two recommended by UN System (United Bank of Africa and Ecobank);

Hot and dry desert environment with extreme daily temperature fluctuations;
Due to security restrictions, office has established well organized guest house facilities where all international
professional and national staff are required to reside during the mission on the field (precisely while on mission at FU Djibo and FO Dori);

There is no possibility of either staying in a guesthouse since they are established only when the staff is on mission. The staff, before renting private accommodation can stay in the guesthouse paying around $US 25 daily;
Frequent mission travel to the deep field locations (Bobo-Dioulasso, Dori and Djibo) ;
Current operational circumstances require frequently long working hours;
Very rare emergency operational environment with staff working from tented facilities;
Highly stressful work context, therefore capacity for self-care is critical. Sensitive political context could put certain nationalities, like white people (European, American or Asiatic) at risk. The area of Sahel (North of Burkina Faso, border with Mali) where is based the essential of our activities is permanently faced Terrorists incursion.
The security situation has been continuously deteriorating with the sporadic incursions and attacks in the northern part of the country. In this line, FSS carried out an assessment mission last year.  The main findings confirmed substantial terrorist threats in the whole Sahel region, where complex operations, possibly resulting in mass casualties and kidnappings, are likely.  The report has allowed  the urgent improvement of UNHCR offices, the construction of one guest house in Djibo and the construction and the improvement of two safe rooms in Dori and Ouagadougou.
The UNHCR Djibo guesthouse that is presently operational will ensure safe and decent housing facilities for all staff on mission to Djibo, providing the necessary security measures according to the approved country MOSS to mitigate the current security risks.  UNHCR Field Unit Djibo is located at some 200 kilometers from the capital and ensure protection and assistance activities to some 7,000 Malian refugees living in Mentao refugee camp.
Although a C category family duty station, there are general criminality and banditry due to the prevailing Jihadists threat from Malian;
Although there is an official curfew in place (Northern of Burkina Faso between 05:00pm and 06:00am) Although the official language is French, knowledge of another UN language like English is required and local language (state language) would be an asset;
Geographical diversity is welcome as the majority of staff in the office are from several counties in the world (Mali, Congo, Ivory Cost, Burkina Faso).
As the incumbent will supervising one staff member at G6.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add.4 to March 2018 Compendium is Wednesday 5 Septembe 2018 (midnight Geneva time).