The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, working in more than 40 countries to provide appropriate assistance with a rights-based approach to refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees, and migrants. DRC has been present in Colombia since 2011, but in 2018 expanded its operations in response to the Venezuelan crisis. DRC Colombia is currently implementing a humanitarian response focused on protection for Venezuelan and Colombian refugees and returned migrants in Colombian cities such as Riohacha, Barranquilla, and Bogotá. It also currently incorporates activities in Nariño and Norte de Santander.
JOB GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
- The Context Officer is a member of the Senior Management Team for the Tumaco, Nariño area, with frequent field activities in the Telembi Triangle and Sanquianga subregion, reporting to the Area Manager and supporting the Context and humanitarian access processes of emergency and protection teams at the field level.
- The Context Officer will be responsible for ensuring the Danish Refugee Council’s (DRC) adequate and fluid humanitarian access in Tumaco, Nariño, with frequent field activities in the Telembi Triangle and Sanquianga subregion.
- Effective oversight of all mission safety and security procedures, including reporting and contributing to context analysis.
- The Context Officer is an active member of the team in managing, developing, and maintaining appropriate and effective relationships with authorities, counterparts, and various stakeholders. The position will also be responsible for establishing routine Context with community leaders for the team’s humanitarian access and related administrative matters.
- You will provide humanitarian access and security risk management advice to the Area Manager on stakeholder relationship building, humanitarian access negotiation and mediation, contextual understanding, critical incident management, and timely notification.
- He/she will work closely with the Security Coordinator. He/she will help maximize the effectiveness of DRC activities in Nariño. When appropriate, he/she will also provide guidance and support to partner organizations and ensure capacity development for DRC staff.
Responsibilities:
Networking, Context and Acceptance
- Establish and maintain good relationships and a network of contacts with local authorities, counterparts, stakeholders, and any relevant partners to gather information related to humanitarian access in the areas covered by the site, as well as in other potential future locations, specifically in the intervention zones.
- Develop and regularly update the contact list by department/municipality in the DRC operational area in the Telembà Triangle and Nariño department.
- Support the Area Manager in developing and updating local safety standards.
- Work with program teams, develop, maintain, and share monthly DRC intervention charts
- Identify access barriers and support program teams in developing and implementing community engagement strategies that promote acceptance and access.
Monitoring, Reporting and Analysis
- Evaluate the situation in the operational zones of Tumaco and the Telembà Triangle to ensure the proper functioning and access to humanitarian activities.
- Immediately inform the Area Manager and internal stakeholders of any sudden changes in access in the areas where DRC operates.
- Provide contextual and data input into humanitarian situation reports and share them with program teams.
- Provide complete, neutral, and non-partisan information to the Area Manager, Emergency Team Leader, and Protection Manager regarding any risks, threats, and incidents related to humanitarian access.
- Conduct periodic security risk assessments according to DRC policy.
- Identify security indicators and key decision points, and link them to the implementation phases of field-level activities.
- Support and promote training in security procedures as required for program staff.
- Provide security-related advice in program development and implementation.
- Support the Area Manager in the preparation and submission of Security Incident Reports (SIRs) to the Department of Homeland Security.
- Support the Area Manager in security inductions for new members of the Organization and visitors.
- Monitor and support Support in the proper functioning of communication systems: Mobile phones, satellite phones and VHF radio phones, prioritizing operations
Training/Capacity Development:
- Promote and support the integration of humanitarian access approaches into program design, implementation, and operation.
- Promote the capacity, awareness, and preparedness of security focal points.
- Provide ongoing support to DRC staff in security awareness, prevention, and response. Support may include entry/access points; contingency plans; safety and security management; incident reporting; prevention and response mechanisms; and communications.
Other key responsibilities:
- Ensure access to security and the implementation of security and protection policies, protocols and procedures with the support of the Protection Team;
- Coordination, Context and attendance at meetings with other coordinators, authorities, NGOs to determine operational needs and necessary support;
- Review reports on humanitarian access incidents.
- Participate daily with programs and field management to ensure daily operations meet operational requirements
Experiences and technical skills:
Technical skills and experience:
- At least one year of experience in a similar position, preferably with an international NGO.
- Willingness to work irregular hours, 24/7/365; honor meetings, deadlines, and other reasonable requests;
- Ability to work in a fluid, unpredictable and complex security environment;
- Strong ability to prioritize work under pressure and coordinate multiple tasks
- Maintain a good team spirit among staff and colleagues.
- Knowledge and experience working with external authorities and stakeholders and ability to network and build relationships;
- Carry out any other duties reasonably assigned by management;
- Good computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required;
Desired certifications:
- First aid training certificates.
- Training for the Trainer certificate.
- Good connections with stakeholders.
- Certificates related to safety and security
Occupational Health and Safety
- Seek comprehensive care for your health.
- Actively participate in the formation of the COPASST – Workplace Coexistence Committee – Emergency Brigades, as well as the activities they carry out.
- Comply with the rules, regulations and instructions of the SG SST.
- Report any latent hazards and risks at your workplace in a timely manner.
- Attend SST training sessions defined by the SG-SST training program.
- Ensure the maintenance of order and cleanliness of your post and work area.
- Provide clear, truthful and complete information about your health status.
- Immediately report any work-related accidents, incidents (near misses), and illnesses diagnosed as occupational to the OSH department and your immediate supervisor.
- Report to the immediate supervisor the need to take corrective or preventive actions, which correspond to actual or potential non-conformities in the process to which it belongs.
- Participate in training activities, drills and those scheduled by occupational health and safety
- Participate and contribute to the fulfillment of the SG-SST policy and objectives.
Education:
- University degree in administration or social subjects preferably
Languages
- Native Spanish
Main stakeholders: (Internal and external)
- Barbecue Area Manager
- Emergency Team Leader
- Protection Manager
All DRC roles require the incumbent to master the core DRC competencies:
- Achieving excellence: focusing on achieving results and ensuring efficient processes
- Collaboration: Involve relevant parties and encourage feedback
- Taking the initiative: taking ownership and initiative while seeking innovation
- Communicate: listen and speak effectively and honestly
- Demonstration of integrity: Acting in accordance with DRC’s vision and values
We offer:
- The opportunity to belong to one of the best NGOs in the world.
- Access to over 1,000 free online training courses and certificates.
- Prepaid medical insurance, 100% coverage for employees, and a special rate for beneficiaries.
- National contract for work or labor with all the benefits of law.
- Salary starting at $3,475,000 depending on the candidate’s experience and skills.
- Start date: September 2025
- Salary and conditions in accordance with the terms of employment in Colombia.
Application process
All applicants must upload only a cover letter (1 page) and a resume.
updated (not exceeding 3 pages) no further support is received by this means.
Note 1: The applicant who applies to this call authorizes DRC to validate the information
personnel provided in the resume. Their identification will be checked against the databases
public and private with the exclusive use of validating the information, in accordance with our
anti-fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing policies.
Note 2: The applicant who freely and voluntarily wishes to be part of the selection process
To fill the position in this call, they must observe strict adherence to the
standards that apply to the subject (suitability of the titles presented, execution of tests
personally and individually and truthfulness in the information) adhering to the manuals and
DRC anti-fraud policies, under penalty of declaring the applicant disqualified
incur in any irregularity in the opinion of the organization, even on mere suspicion, and
even in possible criminal conduct under Colombian law.
Note 3: This vacancy is subject to subordination of funds by the donor.
Note 4: If the candidate applies for this vacancy, it is understood that he or she has immediate availability.
to work and move to the location described in the vacancy: Colombia, Tumaco Nariño
Note 5: Due to the urgency of the position, DRC reserves the right to hire a candidate who
fits the required profile before the deadline indicated above.
Closing date for applications: August 24, 2025, at 11:59 a.m. Local Time.