More Information
- Experience 2-5
REPORTS TO:
(Team Leader), South and North Syria with technical relationship to the Safety and Security Director based in Amman LOCATION: Damascus/ Syria
GRADE: 3 CONTRACT LENGTH: 6 months
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: The role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking / vetting process of staff.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The South and North Safety and Security / Liaison Humanitarian Access position is a unique and professionally challenging role. Working within for a new accessed area to facilitate direct implementation, this position offers the selected candidate unprecedented opportunity to support the expansion and maintenance of operations in a context currently at the heart of world politics, and all with a capable and committed team.
Working for the Team Leader, with direct support from the SRO Safety and Security Director, the positions requires the management of kinetic and non-kinetic risk across a portfolio of direct and partner led programmes in order to enable Access. The successful candidate will require to contextually adapt and then implement SCI Global safety and security standards and policy in a dynamic and complex context. In addition, it is required for the candidate to have in-depth knowledge of the context and security politics in the South and North of Syria and especially being aware of national and international geo-political stakeholders.
The position will have line management of the LHA team, whose role encompasses both traditional INGO safety and security management as well as various liaison and negotiation tasks that are critical to operating in South and North of Syria.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Safety and Security Management
• Ensure information / analysis led security decisions are made and acted upon – this is an action orientated role
• Sit as a member of the core management team (CMT) for South and North team
• Lead in the development and maintenance of a ‘security culture’ within SCI South Syria
• Ensure compliance with SCI S&S related policy and standards
• Develop and take ownership of core SCI S&S documents
• Manage the S&S budget.
• Ensure efficient and timely flow of security information within South and north Syria and to the SRO
• Ensure Security risk management is in place at all levels and within all departments
• Provide day-to-day Safety and Security Management, and assurance, including: situation monitoring, information sharing and reporting, implementing mitigation measures, reporting, and evaluation.
Humanitarian Access
• Identify, analyse and manage key stakeholder relationships in South and North of Syria that will facilitate access for SCI programming.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with the authorities to be up to date with any changes in the context or the security regulations in the country.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with the borders authorities to follow on any new regulations that organise the border crossing from neighbouring countries and resolve any issues that might arise.
• Ensure local Gov. permissions for SCI movement and programmes are received in a timely and efficient manner
• Maintain an overview of all agreements, MOUs and past agreements with authorities and other stakeholders that enable access, with a view of ensuring that the organization is in compliance.
Contextual understanding and reporting
• Develop, maintain and hold the security contextual picture / understanding of South and North of Syria
• Build and maintain networks for information sharing and coordination among other INGOs, local authorities and other actors.
• Maintain oversight of the operational, security and cultural context in South and North of Syria, and advise other departments on contextual factors.
• Compile and write regular advisory and analytical reports for both internal and external audiences.
• Input into the development of proposals, strategy and other analysis for the Syria programme.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of all incidents affecting SCI in South and North of Syria. Lead on lessons learned exercises following incidents or near misses.
Capacity Building & Team Management
• Build, maintain, resource and develop the LHA team
• Through the field Manager and Field Coordinator, support recruitment, objective setting and performance management for the team.
• Ensure all required S&S training are undertaken by staff & where required develop and deliver training
• Undertake assessments of partner security management capacity and develop capacity building plans and proposals for them
Crisis Management
• Ensure effective incident management capacity with emphasis on:
• Develop, maintain and ensure the effectiveness of South and North of Syria Hibernation, Relocation, and Evacuation Plans.
• Ensure effective medical evacuation systems are in place
• Ensure that all necessary equipment are in place and functional (trauma kits, emergency communication, tracking, etc.)
BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
• 5 years of experience in Security Management, including international experience.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels, establish information and security networks, and coordinate with country authorities, armed groups, donors, International Organisations and local NGOs.
• Experience of working in hostile environments.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work autonomously in a highly stressful and challenging environment, balancing between multiple competing priorities.
• Proven ability to undertake Security Risk assessments.
• Ability to formulate and communicate analysis of a changing security environment.
• Proven skills in concise and succinct report writing.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Proven knowledge of MS office applications and IT literacy and capacity to learn and use other packages.
• Fluent in English and Arabic (written and spoken).
• Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of the Save the Children mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin all aspects of the job. Commitment to Save the Children child protection policy. Ability to articulate humanitarian principles as a basis for ensuring access.
Desirable
• Previous experience as an NGO Security Adviser / Manager.
• Experience in other areas of NGO operations, i.e. logistics, operations, technical sectors.
• Experience in designing and delivering Training.
• Operational experience in post war / disaster affected environments with NGO, military, police or other background.