Requisition ID: req52855

Job Title: Senior Humanitarian Access& Security Officer

Sector: Safety & Security

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Al-Raqqa, Syria

Deadline: 03-August -24

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Today, 13.4 million people in Syria - more than half of the country's population - are in need of humanitarian assistance with needs increasingly being exacerbated by economic decline. Of these, 6.8 million are refugees and asylum-seekers who have fled the country. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1000+ staff in Syria Country Program. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, early childhood development, education, women’s protection and empowerment, non-food items and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, protection and rule of law, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Senior Humanitarian Access and Security Officer at IRC facilitates access for missions in Iraq and Syria, conducts security risk assessments, and updates access procedures. They lead community engagement, manage daily access operations, develop security plans, and train staff on humanitarian access. They also supervise field safety officers, provide security risk information, coordinate cross-border movements and manage staff work plans.

Responsibilities:

+ + Established and maintained relations and networks for both IRC teams in Iraq and Syria by facilitating access to all IRC missions both staffing and programmatic supplies that essential to program sustainability.

• Conduct security risk assessments for all IRC programming areas of operations in northeast Syria both on a continuous rolling basis and for newly planned programming.

• Identify and continuously update the access standard operating procedures (SOPs), support with inputs from an access and security perspective in the IRC NES contingency planning.

• Develop and maintain contact lists, stakeholder analyses and humanitarian access profiles.

• Lead development and implementation of community engagement strategies that promote acceptance and access.

• Lead on day-to-day operations related to humanitarian access and liaison with authorities and other entities for administrative and substantive staff, program and organizational needs

• Develop field security management plan (FSMP) for IRC areas of operation in Northeast Syria with support from HAM and HASC

  Monitoring, reporting, communication

• Develop and deliver training materials, coaching and advice for staff and partners addressing humanitarian access issues with support from HAM and HASC.

• Work with implementing partners to ensure the delivery of in-kind assistance and services is consistent with humanitarian principles in coordination with HAM.

• Promote and support integration of humanitarian access approaches into program design, implementation, and operation.

• Supervise field safety and security officer to ensure implementation of SMP and SOPs at facilities, by personnel and during movements.

• Provide comprehensive, neutral and non-partisan information on security risks, threats and incidents.

• Coordinate weekly and daily cross-border movement planning and facilitation!

• Overall responsible for staff work plans, work and vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities.

• Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, and probation and annual performance reviews.

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

  Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.

• Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths the teams in Syria.

• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

• Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.

• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, minimally on a monthly basis.

• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.

• As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.

• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.

  Qualifications

• University degree in any related field.

• At least3-6years of progressively responsible professional experience of Humanitarian Access& Security

• Previous experience in an emergency or conflict-afflicted setting is required.

  Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.

• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development

• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.

• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.

• Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.

• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.

• Curiosity, a desire to continually learnis a must.

• Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.

  Language/Travel:

English is required, while Kurdish and Arabic are desired.

Travel: 15% to field sites in Raqqa and Dier Al Zor.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: HAS Manager

Position directly supervises:HAS Officer

Indirect Reporting (If applicable): HAS Co

Key Internal Contacts:Programs and operations departments

Key External Contacts: Local authorities and Humanitarian Actors

Professional Standards:IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Accountability to Clients:IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.

Gender Equality:IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion:at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.