Humanitarian Access and Safety & Security Coordinator At International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

Located in the Sahel region of Africa, Chad is grappling with regional refugee crises in addition to seasonal droughts and flooding that destroy crops and threaten millions of people with hunger. For more than a decade, Chad has been a home to refugees. In 2004, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees from Darfur poured into eastern Chad, where many remain more than a dozen years later. Due to escalating conflict in the neighboring Central African Republic, thousands have fled to southern Chad. In addition, the humanitarian situation in the Lake basin region has been deteriorating since the outbreak of violence in northern Nigeria in January 2015, which caused thousands of displaced people. Incursions and attacks by Boko Haram group continue to ravage the Lac province, resulting in internal displacement. People are also moving as they are affected by floods in the province.

The IRC started operations in Chad in 2004 to respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by the influx of refugees from Darfur to eastern Chad, with intervention in the Ouré Cassoni refugee camp. Assistance to Sudanese refugees has now expanded to manage the eleven camps in the East and one camp in the West with assistance to refugees and local communities in health, nutrition, water, hygiene, and sanitation. In 2012, IRC expanded its geographic coverage in the Guéra region to respond to drought and food insecurity. IRC is currently working in five health districts Mongo, Mangalmé, Melfi, Bitkine, and Baro, providing prevention and treatment of malnutrition to the local population. In May 2016, IRC opened an office in the Lac Region to respond to the Boko Haram crisis. IRC implements assistance projects in health, nutrition as well as protection and response to gender-based violence.

In its 2015-2020 Strategic Action Plan, IRC Chad is committed to providing essential humanitarian services in health, nutrition, and protection / Gender Based Violence while improving the economic well-being and building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls. IRC Chad will continue to work with and closely support states actors/ Ministries for key areas of intervention so that IRC’s actions fit into national policies to ensure better ownership of actions taken towards. Building on this work over the years, the IRC Chad has committed to ensuring access to quality health care, sexual, mental and reproductive health care, more specifically to prevent unintended pregnancy and protect and treat them for complications of pregnancy and childbirth. IRC Chad has also committed to protect from and treat women and girls for the consequences of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Furthermore, to better respond to the needs of our clients, IRC proposes projects integrating different sectors and various approaches. IRC has committed to working in consortium with local and international partners and local authorities to assure sustainability of our actions.

Job Overview:

The Humanitarian Access, Safety & Security Coordinator will inform strategic decision-making and deliver operational management in Chad. The person will be based in Ndjamena, with 50% of their time traveling in field offices.

She/He is a member of the Senior Management Team of each country, reporting to the DDO, Deputy Director Operations (DDO). She/He will develop and oversee the implementation of humanitarian access and security management systems and protocols in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, the duty of care principles, and IRC’s overall strategy.

She/He will identify changes and trends in the humanitarian access and security environment in Chad, develop and oversee the implementation of responsive plans, standard operating procedures, and contingency plans, and facilitate training and capacity building of both management and field staff.

She/He will ensure that expert humanitarian access and security risk management advice are provided to all IRC staff in-country offices, building relationships with stakeholders, negotiating and mediating humanitarian access, contextual understanding, managing critical incidents, and providing timely advisories.

She/He will work closely with the Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) and the Field Coordinators to ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate and known to staff, and in line with global safety and security standards. She/he will also support Field Coordinators in setting up and clarify roles and responsibilities in security management.

Working closely with the Deputy Director of Programs/ Program Coordinators/project managers, she/he will help maximize the effectiveness of IRC’s activities in Chad by contributing to the design and ongoing adaptation of programming to ensure it is contextually appropriate. Where applicable, she/he will also provide guidance and support to partner organizations and ensure the capacity building of IRC staff, incentive workers, and partners with active, hands-on collaboration.

Major responsibilities

Humanitarian Access Management

• Develop and implement humanitarian access strategies and approaches tailored to local contexts in field sites throughout Chad.

• Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to local context and include overarching community engagement components.

• Ensure that the IRC field humanitarian access teams conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors in Chad in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, the duty of care principles, and the IRC’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP).

• Work to ensure that IRC, its mission, and work in the areas of operations is known and accepted.

• Work to encourage stakeholders to work with the IRC in ensuring that staff and programs are safe and allowed to continue humanitarian activities in Chad.

• Provide technical input and advice in assessments to consider new IRC programs in new geographic areas and regular assessment reviews for existing locations.

• Assist in the continued development of humanitarian access and security teams and activities across Chad.

• Contribute to developing and implementing guidelines for humanitarian access and engagement with non-state actors articulating standard IRC policy and guidance.

• Oversee and advise on the implementation and review of tailored acceptance strategies.

• Maintain a high level of preparedness vis-a-vis predicted contextual fluctuations operationally and programmatically.

• Enhance IRC image and acceptance within the community and amongst stakeholders by providing guidance on inclusive visibility strategies.

• Work with appropriate IRC units, including HR, to ensure timely and appropriate follow-up to violations of IRC’s Code of Conduct, in addition to operational breaches to humanitarian principles.

Safety and Security Risk Management

• Oversee and provide technical support to implement all policies, procedures, guidelines, and planning for staff safety, operational security, and program continuity in Chad.

• Mainstream a gendered approach in security risk management

• Evaluate, review, and update the security management plans on a regular basis in compliance with global safety and security standards and requirements.

• Work with Field Coordinators to develop, consolidate and implement operating procedures and contingency plans.

• Develop and maintain an IRC Security Focal Points network at each field office and programs sites, enhancing gender balance.

• Evaluate, review, and update the hibernation and evacuation plans for all IRC offices and residences in Chad and ensure that the practical preparations are in place and known to all staff involved.

• Oversee risk assessments of contracted and prospective offices and residences. Follow up on actions to be taken to ensure compliance with safety and security standards

• Undertake continual assessments of equipment, and the protocols by which that equipment is used, to ensure that minimal conditions for security are being met

• Provide and implement the best possible solutions for the use of equipment to facilitate communication between staff.

• Ensure safety and security protocols, reporting mechanisms, and capacity-building initiatives account for gender-specific risks, staff profiles, and background and are sensitive to local contexts.

• Ensure that incident and crisis management protocols are known by the different teams that may be implicated.

Networking and Liaison:

• Organize and ensure IRC offices keep and maintain a network of key informants and interlocutors at the field level.

• Link to universities or other institutions that could support context understanding.

• Identify, create and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other humanitarian access and security specialists suitable for Chad.

Context Understanding and Reporting

• Compile and submit regular reports that track incidents and trends in humanitarian access and local security contexts within the IRC’s area of operation.

• Submit daily (DSR) and monthly contextual updates as needed to the SMT and relevant Field and program management staff

• Work closely with IRC field management teams to ensure all incidents and accidents are followed up with an official written report, which is then shared with relevant stakeholders and filed appropriately. Ensure that final incident reports are provided when IRC closes the case and that lessons learned are incorporated in the security management system.

• Monitor the operating environment in Chad, identify new threats, assess IRC vulnerabilities, and recommend possible responses

• Coordinate regularly with the Regional Safety & Security Advisor on access, safety, and security, and fulfill reporting requirements to the region.

• Contribute to local-level conflict sensitivity analysis and macro-level analysis of trends within the Chad conflict.

• Provide credible information and contextual understanding of localized and country-wide security situations and incidents along with appropriate advice to IRC field and program management staff.

Training and Capacity Building

• Identify safety, security, and access learning and development needs for country program staff

• Provide regular training for IRC staff on humanitarian principles and safety and security preparedness. Training(s) may include Standard Operational Procedures; Humanitarian Negotiations; Contextual Understanding; Safety & Security Risk Management; Incident Management &Reporting; etc.

• Liaise with partners to assess capacity-building needs and provide advice and support where feasible and necessary.

• Work with relevant internal focal points to develop and review the IRC Chad information and onboarding package for new hires and visitors., ensuring they went through a complete safety and security briefing.

Program Development

• Participate in program design in close cooperation with the Deputy Directors of Programs and Deputy Director of Operations (DDO).

• Ensure that safety and security needs are included in the country program’s budgets. In case there is a specific budget allocated to Safety and Security, he/she will be in charge of managing it.

• Support program coordinator and field management staff in developing conflict-sensitive and contextually appropriate approaches in Chad.

• Participate in program review meetings and contribute to implementation plans to ensure the timely, safe, and secure delivery of IRC service to beneficiaries.

• Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks pertaining to humanitarian access, safety, and security, and contribute to the development and implementation of mitigation measures and plans

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Contribute to the development of country emergency preparedness plans.

• Support and advise the SMT during humanitarian or security/safety emergencies.

• Assist with the humanitarian access and security component (situation analysis and background information, security assessments) of Chad’s Emergency Response Team deployments.

• Contribute to the development of operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to different emergency scenarios.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies. He/She will be the technical supervisor of Security ad Access focal points. He / She will participate in setting their objectives and their performance appraisal (management in partnership with Field Cos).

• Develop and implement remote management capacity-building approaches to build the strengths of the team in Chad.

• 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 perform in their positions successfully

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

• Hold meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly

• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning to strengthen technical capacity, exchange knowledge within the team, and provide guidance on career paths.

• Identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies

• 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 the succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop the capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition roles and responsibilities by the end of the assignment

• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations

Job Requirements:

Education: University degree in Management, Political Sciences, or related field, preferred. Technical degree or certification in related Field with significant applicable experience.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of non-profit or NGO work experience within international humanitarian assistance programs with demonstrated capabilities in planning, organizing, and executing humanitarian operations safely in the Field.

• Understanding the humanitarian principles, code of conduct, and specific intricacies of delivering essential services to people in need inside Chad sub-sector work linked to NGO field and operations contexts.

• Understanding of regional and local context, dynamics, and access limitations.

• Knowledge in communications technology, including satellite communications, cell phone, etc. is a plus

• Strong experience as a trainer; ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to a wide range of audiences

• Experience in gaining a precise and impartial understanding of local, regional and international policies.

• Provide clear, dynamic briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations when they occur.

• Experience in the Lake Chad Basin experience strongly preferred.

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Proven experience as a professional and reliable manager (including management of people and projects)

• Highly skilled in organizing large-scale, fast-paced, responsive field programs

• Situational awareness and opportunity awareness

• Solid ability to provide team building, coaching, and development for staff as well as encourage cross-functional collaboration and cooperation

• Solid organizational and coordination skills

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills, and the ability to effectively represent IRC at forums and with external stakeholders

• Strong negotiation and mediation skills with experience in conflict resolution are essential

• Good oral and written communication skills, with the ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders

• Experience working successfully with local stakeholders such as local and international NGOs, government, etc., with sensitivity and diplomacy.

• Proven ability to design and lead training engagements with staff and partners to enhance skills and adapt to changing program demands

Languages Required/Preferred:

• Fluency in spoken and written French and English is required. Arabic is a plus

Computer/Other Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Geographic Information System knowledge is a plus.

Working Environment: The Senior Safety and Security Coordinator will be based in Ndjamena with regular travel up to 50 % to field offices in Chad. Strict adherence to security guidelines is requested of all IRC staff.

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

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