More Information
- Experience 5-10
Job Description
Title: Security and Access Manager
Location: Damascus
Travel: Travel inside Syria, with possible visits to neighbouring countries
Job Family and Level: Professional, P7
**Pre hire checks :**This role is classified as requiring standard pre-employment checks and enhanced due-diligence
1. Scope Responsibility
Responsibility: Country
Department : Middle East – Syria country office
Reporting to: Country Director – Syria
Direct reports: Matrix management to security team inside Syria.
Technical/matrix reporting line to the Regional Security and Access Director.
Budget responsibility: Country security budget
Relationship management: Syria country team, relevant external stakeholders for the Syria country office such as INSO, UNOCHA.
2. Context
Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.
Our team of more than 7,000 staff and local volunteers work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.
We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.
Relief International is an alliance of four organizations with one shared mission, comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, which operate under a one-team concept under a single senior leadership team.
3. Job Profile
The Security and Access Manager is a critical leadership role responsible for ensuring the safety and security of Relief International’s (RI) staff, assets, and operations in Syria. This position focuses on developing and implementing effective security and access strategies, conducting risk assessments, and building organizational capacity to operate safely in a volatile and high-risk environment. The role involves leading access negotiations, developing contingency plans, and providing strategic guidance to the country team. The role will be based initially in Amman with regular travel to operational areas in Syria.
Due to the urgency of this position, it will be reviewed on a rolling basis
4. Key Responsibilities
Accountability & Complexity:
- Leads others to solve complex problems
- Uses experienced analytical thought to exercise judgement and identify innovative solutions
- Work is guided by functional policies, but procedures are applied with some degree of discretion given the complex context and advice provided to next level management and external stakeholders
Security and Access:
· Ensure that risks are identified in the working environment and project locations
· Foster a culture of security awareness, duty of care, and collaboration within the Relief International team
· Lead on access negotiations and advice for the area and senior management team
· Ensure that security risk management is an integral part through all areas of implementation and planning
· Lead the regular review of the country and area country security risk management tools and ensure all staff are brief and trained on use
· Continuously monitor changes in the security and operating environment, including political developments, conflict dynamics, and local tensions, ensuring real-time updates to risk mitigation strategies
· Ensure and lead budgeting for security-related needs and following tracking the security budget burn rate
· Provide technical support and supervision to area security focal points, ensuring a unified and effective approach to security and access and team cohesion
· Update and develop security risk assessments for all operating areas and effective mitigation measures to ensure the safety of Relief International country staff, premises, assets and reputation
· Update inside mandated review cycles the country and area contingency plans, ensuring that they are fit for purpose, kept as live documents and adapted to changing contexts
· Provide guidance, feedback to staff on humanitarian-development program access analysis, identify staff’s training needs on access issue such as humanitarian negotiation, humanitarian principles, and stakeholder analysis
· Identify and evaluate the risks and possible threats associated with program activities and take appropriate action to control the risks, communicating and collaborating regularly with the country senior management team
· Act as the security lead for critical incident management at the area and country level, providing leadership and support as required
· Collaborate closely with the Regional Security and Access Director to ensure alignment with Relief International’s global safety and security strategy
Training and Capacity Building
· Develop, review appropriate training, capacity-strengthening and development opportunities for Relief International Syria and Partner Organizations
· Conduct and deliver ongoing professional development to staff to enhance their understanding and application of Relief International Syria security and access protocols
Reporting
· Report all safety and security incidents in a timely manner, ensure mitigation and response measures are in place and after-action reviews held for lessons learned
· Ensure that the Country Leadership team and regional counterparts are updated about the operating environment for Relief International in Syria
· Develop and disseminate quality weekly situation reports for all operational areas
· Provide high quality analysis and guidance on access challenges and opportunities, ensuring alignment with the country programmes vision and Relief International standards
External Representation and Coordination
· Participate and represent RI in Access and Security Working Groups / coordination mechanisms for Syria
· Maintain effective communication with INGOs, NGOs and UN humanitarian access focal points
· Liaise and coordinate with relevant security actors which include peer agency security staff, local community stakeholders, and local authorities
Management and leadership
· Create a positive and productive work environment which is free from harassment and bullying
· Demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of diversity and cultural differences, gender issues and the commitment to equal opportunities
· Technically manage and provide support to area security focal points
· In collaboration with HR and the Regional Security and Access Director, update and ensure there is a focused capacity building plan for all staff covering key areas of SRM and access
· In collaboration with management and the Country Director ensure timely and quality staff performance management of safety and access focal points
· In accordance with Relief International’s HR policy and in-line with RI’s staff care efforts, maintain a healthy work environment, with reasonable workloads and proper leaves
· Work with closely with the HR team to assess and prevent risks of excessive stress and burnout in the workplace and
Behavior and Conduct
· Ensure the highest standards of behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies
· Be a model for ethical conduct standards for other team members
· Ensure own actions and the actions of the teams’ members they manage do not impact the safety of the RI team and the vulnerable communities we serve.
· Ensure external stakeholders are aware of RI conduct and reporting mechanisms
· Report any concerns and ensure a well-functioning Incident Management Team at country level.
5. Person Specification Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role. Essential criteria
· Bachelor’s degree with commensurate work experience. Prior relevant working experience will be considered without a third level degree
· Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in security and access management in high-risk settings conflict and post conflict settings
· Strong analytical skills with significant experience providing high quality risk and security risk assessments.
· Strong and proven experience for providing high quality SRM training
· Prior experience leading teams in high risk locations including providing medical cover for team members
· Prior experience in critical incident management and providing CMT/IMT training to senior management teams.
· Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with colleagues in a multi-cultural sensitive setting
· Ability to work independently, set priorities, and manage time efficiently.
· Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including ability to give effective feedback and to guide and mentor direct reports.
· Proficient in Microsoft Office suite and mapping software such as ARCGiS or similar platforms.
· Proficient in tracking and satellite communication systems.
· Fluency in English
Desirable criteria
· Previous experience in the Middle East
· Certification in SRM or risk management
· Experience in Syria or the regional context
· Minimum of FREC 3, MIRA or equivalent qualification which is current
· Qualified and certified to deliver emergency HEAT and first aid/trauma care
· Working knowledge of Arabic
RI Values
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:
· Integrity
· Adaptability
· Collaboration
· Inclusivity
· Sustainability
How to apply
To apply, please click on the following link: