Country Safety & Security Advisor (National Position)

Job Title:                                            Country Safety & Security Advisor (National Position)

Function:                                           Security

Job Group:                                        Safety & Security

Duty Station:                                      El Fashir, North Darfur Region, Sudan (with travel to NP field locations)

Administrative Line Manager:        Head of Security and Operations

Line Management Responsibility:  Field Security Officers (if recruited) 

ABOUT US

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) envisions a worldwide culture of peace where conflicts within and between communities and nations are managed through nonviolent means. NP is a global civil society organisation that works with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through unarmed civilian protection (UCP) and by helping to transform the world’s response to conflict situations.

JOB PURPOSE

The Safety & Security Advisor is responsible for overseeing security functions, including security analysis and advice for NP Sudan. This will be achieved through expanding and maintaining the skills and motivation of the team to analyse and manage security and to secure a safe working environment. S/he will provide the Head of Mission with consistent, in-depth safety and security advice, threat assessment and develop and maintain robust country security policy and procedures, SOPs and Contingency Plans. This position interacts with all other functions as well as the field-based program teams. The position includes on-site security support and capacity building to field staff and ensuring that all staff are aware of and trained in the Standard Operating Procedures and related skills necessary for compliance.

PROFILE

NP is establishing programmatic presence in Sudan in January 2022. You are excited to be part of a new Country Programme and play a lead role in developing the NP safety and security infrastructure in a complex and rapidly changing environment.

KEY OBJECTIVES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Security Information Collection, Management and Communication

• Lead security information gathering, collation and dissemination from a range of local and international sources and produce formal security updates
• Maintain close contact with all relevant stakeholders to develop a network and build relationships with key actors – NGOs, INGOs, UN and government agencies, security forces and other armed actors
• Monitor and analyse the security situation, ensuring reliable security information as a basis for informed decision-making and maintain a map and log of critical security incidents to support security decision making and ensure staff and management are aware of the issues
• Provide security context analysis and daily security updates and rapidly communicate relevant security information, analysis and recommendations to CMT and staff
• Provide on-the-ground security advice and ensure situational awareness to mitigate risks to programme staff in the field
• Support risk analysis for the country program as a whole, advise the CMT on security-related issues
• Ensure that a centralized filing system of security-related documents is maintained and available to the appropriate staff.

Access

• Maintain close link with Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), other government departments and relevant security actors to ensure documentation for access and negotiate access to implementation areas
• Prepare, review, submit and follow up on Travel Permits
• Follow up on access issues from field sites and ensure updates given to respected staff
• Participate in Access Working Group meetings and/or other relevant access meeting

 Risk Mitigation and Management

• Lead on the development of the country Security Management plan including risk and threat assessments and contingency plans.
• Develop and adapt NP SOPs for the context of Sudan and whenever the context changes or mitigation strategy to contingency plans needs to be adjusted according to the changes on the ground.
• Facilitate an ongoing culture within the wider team of security awareness and ownership, and commitment to the procedures and to each other and arrange ongoing training as a key strategy for improved security conditions.
• Ensure adherence to Security management plan, SOPs, contingency plans and risk assessment documentation, ensuring these are up to date and in line with required standards.
• Recommend new protocols, or adjustments to procedures, to improve effective risk mitigation and lead the drafting of such as necessary.
• Lead security assessments in potentially high-risk new programme locations, or travel routes, to make recommendations regarding team/office set-up, movements, and required risk mitigation steps required if movements are cleared.
• Review standard requests for travel to new locations (regardless of security risk level) or repeat travel to high-risk locations.
• Advise on, and develop, contingency plans for critical incidents, including issues like hibernation, relocation, medevac, evacuation, vehicle injury accidents, among others and work with staff to prepare for those contingencies.
• Conduct physical security assessments of current and future guesthouse, office locations, and program implementation sites. Provide recommendations for physical security improvements.

Team Training & Development

• In coordination with CMT, ensure that all staff are aware of, and trained in, the procedures detailed in NP security documentation and SOPs.
• Map security training needs, such as personal security, security management, health and safety and trauma care/first aid, in addition to role-specific training for drivers, security guards and other related roles. Coordinate in-field and in-country training, as needed, to meet training needs.
• Plan and lead training for all new staff in the priority subjects and regular refresher training for all staff to ensure continuity in learning and skills capacity.
• Provide in-depth security inductions for new staff upon arrival and additional briefings for all staff upon major shifts in the security context.
• Develop and motivate NP Security team.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Qualifications

 Essential

• Undergraduate Degree or Equivalent Level of Knowledge in Safety & Security, International Armed Conflict, Peace Studies, Intelligence Studies, or International Relations or adequate previous experience.
• Previous experience working with an INGO in a security management position or field coordination position with management of security. Candidates with significant military and private security management experience will also be considered.
• Previous experience working in a complex and dynamic operational environment. Security Management Course Completed.
• Completed a Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) course within the past 12 months

Desirable

• Certified First Aid/Trauma Care Trainer for high threat environment.

 Experience

 Essential

• Previous experience in providing security and safety advice for personnel and infrastructure against a spectrum of threats
• Leadership ability with demonstrated capacities to analyse needs, develop a plan and action the plan to completion
• Comprehensive understanding of strategic, tactical and operational safety and security risk management
• Previous experience working with and negotiating with armed actors.
• Strong analytical skills on security analysis and conflict sensitivity
• Excellent organisation and administrative skills
• Skills in researching, tracking and analysing issues and trends
• Excellent writing abilities – with capacity for drafting quality documents, briefs and reports quickly
• Training skills: Ability to lead staff training
• Problem-solving capabilities
• The ability to remain calm, focused, organised and results-oriented under pressure and with rapidly changing circumstances
• Able to balance and integrate security, well-being and programme needs in analysis and advising
• High-level communication and relationship building skills, able to communicate with discretion and sensitivity.
• Able to build security networks and represent NP externally
• English writing and speaking fluency

Desirable

• Strong understanding of the Sudan context
• Knowledge of humanitarian and development issues and concepts
• Ability to speak Arabic

HOW TO APPLY

• Candidates meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a CV (max. 2 pages) and cover letter (max. 1 page) detailing your experience and how you qualify for the role. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The closing date for applications is 10 January 2022
• Interviews could be on a rolling basis therefore a candidate may be identified before the closing date
• As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment and if successful, participate in an interview process

SPECIAL NOTICE

Nonviolent Peaceforce is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff at all levels. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. However, all qualified applicants regardless of their gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, or age, will be considered for this opportunity.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, people in communities we serve, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice in the Humanitarian and Development sector.

NO FEE

PLEASE BEWARE OF FRAUDULENT JOB OFFERS. NONVIOLENT PEACEFORCE DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE OR ASK FOR FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (INCLUDING APPLICATION, INTERVIEW, MEETING, TRAVELING, PROCESSING TRAINING, ETC). NONVIOLENT PEACEFORCE WILL NOT REQUEST INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.