Country Safety Coordinator At Danish Refugee Council

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Country Safety Coordinator to join our team in Mogadishu, Somalia. As Country Safety Coordinator (CSC) you will manage all aspects of the DRC Safety Risk Management (SRM) system in all of Somalia, to include Somaliland and Puntland.

About the job

You will work in coordination with the DRC Area Managers and Safety Team Leaders / Safety Focal Points for South Central Somalia, Somaliland, and Puntland for day to day management, and will work directly with the Country Directors/Head of Programmes and the Senior Management Team. Technical support will be provided by the Regional Security Coordinator in Nairobi. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Manage the Safety Risk Management (SRM) process

• Develop and supervise the implementation of area safety management policies, protocols and procedures
• Perform Safety Risk Assessments (SRAs) and supervise the implementation of mitigation measures
• Oversee the information management, analysis and reporting process for DRC offices within Somalia
• Maintain relevant safety documentation, data and records for the areas of concern within SharePoint
• Facilitate and deliver safety-related training to national and international staff
• Mentor and provide technical supervision to safety staff per DRC location.
• Develop the capacity of, and coordinate, the Incident Management Team (IMT)
• Provide quality assurance and capacity building of armed and unarmed guards
• Act as the focal point for contractual and procurement issues related to safety risk management, including the provision of armed security
• Manage all safety related equipment, including communications and B6 armor vehicle(s)

To achieve the position objectives, the Country Safety Coordinator will perform the following tasks and undertake the following responsibilities:

• Manage the development and implementation of the SRM process. Specific tasks include:
• Perform area-specific SRAs and conduct Safety Level assessments.
• Advise Programme and Area Managers on available safety management strategies, including the transfer, avoidance, acceptance and/or control of risks.
• In cooperation with Safety Team Leaders and Security Focal Points, develop and supervise the implementation of area-specific safety plans, including Local Safety Rules (LSR); Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); Contingency Plans (CPs); Hibernation, Relocation and Evacuation plans (HRE); and Minimum Operating Safety Standards (MOSS).
• In cooperation with Safety Team Leaders and Security Focal Points, develop, update and supervise the implementation of Safety Improvement Plans (SIP) for all programmes in Somalia as needed
• Monitor and evaluate the SRM process in Somalia, providing regular updates on the quality and progress of SRM implementation
• Monitor and maintain the country information for the EAGL safety database

Facilitate programme access and continuity through the provision of dependable advice and field trip planning, including:

• Provision of regular analysis, statistics and reporting on key developments within the country
• Tailored analysis and assessments, including SRAs, on specific areas, themes, issues or scenarios
• Monitor negotiations and developments related to access and humanitarian space
• Establish and maintain a list of contacts throughout the region
• Maintain and update the incident tracking database for South Central Somalia, Somaliland, and Puntland, and provide trend/pattern analysis
• Provide advice on programme development and implementation, including programme assessments
• Identify potential scenarios, indicators of change and key decision points
• Oversee the implementation of field travel SOPs and planning

Represent DRC and DDG programmes within inter-agency fora as related to safety issues, including:

• Focal point for safety co-ordination between relevant actors within the area of operations
• Attend NSP, UNDSS and other relevant external fora
• Establish a network of contacts and represent DRC at security meetings

Capacity building of all staff, consultants and implementing partners, including:

• Provide operational safety briefings and orientation to all new and visiting staff
• Brief new international and non-local staff on specific cultural norms and behaviors
• Train local safety staff in the delivery of establish safety training modules
• Organize and coordinate the delivery of Personal Awareness Safety Training (PAST) on a quarterly basis

Incident and crisis management and response, including:

• Supervise the establishment of Area IMTs for DRC including a shared IMT protocol
• Coordinate the IMT in the event of a critical incident or crisis
• Develop the area level Critical Incident Management Plan and support area-specific Contingency Plans
• Brief IMT members on their responsibilities and ensure alternate members are available and briefed
• Assist in the management of safety incidents and provide timely and accurate incident reports
• Oversee the regular review and scenario-based TTXs for all IMTs

Quality assurance of safety-related policies, protocols, procedures and regulations, including:

• MOSS audits
• Monitoring of armed guards, watchmen and SPUs
• Assess the implementation of physical and asset protection protocols and regulations
• Ensure that appropriate access controls are in place for all DRC facilities
• Conduct regular site assessments and advise on mitigation measures

Act as the focal point for the procurement and installation of safety-related equipment, facilities and other resources, including:

• Assist logisticians and administrators with the procurement, delivery and control of safety equipment
• In cooperation with Local IT department personnel, act as the focal point for telecommunications systems, including radios and satellite phones
• Liaison with Private Security Providers (PSPs) and monitoring of payments to PSPs

Manage and oversee all aspects of international staff safety and security including:

• Coordinate and directly supervise all field visits outside of the office
• Supervise all travel authorizations for permanent and visiting international staff
• Oversee and, if necessary, operate the B6 armored vehicle during field visits and travel
• Brief all incoming staff and visitors
• Insure that all staff, both international and national have attended the mandatory safety training, and arrange for the training of personnel who have not met this requirement

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 5 years’ military experience with a rank of Sergeant or above and at least 1 year of operational experience on international deployments in a hostile environment DRC SLS 4 and above. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• A degree or masters relevant to the humanitarian context or additional 5 years to the above requirement in the humanitarian field or military.
• HEAT (or equivalent) qualification within the last three years or at least 1 year in an SLS 4 environment with an INGO within the same period.
• At least 2 years of INGO safety management experience with a proven ability to develop and implement effective and contextualized protocols and systems
• Detailed knowledge of radio and other telecommunications systems
• Experience with critical incident management
• Experience with delivering security-related training
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Proven ability to work effectively with minimal supervision
• Stable and robust character, team-player with a good sense of humor
• Excellent communication skills

Desirable

• Somali is an advantage but not required
• Experience with the Somali context
• First aid or first responder qualified
• INGO deployment experience in a hostile environment.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 12 months

Level: Senior Management, E

Designation of Duty Station: Mogadishu, unaccompanied, non-family duty station

Start date: 1 December

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates.