Security Officer (m/f/d) in Ukraine At Forum Civil Peace Service

We are looking for a Security Officer to join our dedicated team in Ukraine starting in mid-January, 2023.

The duty station of the Security Officer will preferably be Odesa or Kyiv, with travels to other regions of Ukraine based on the needs of the programme.

Our profile

Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e.V. (Forum Civil Peace Service, forumZFD)

forumZFD is a German, non-profit, politically independent and non-denominational peacebuilding organization, which supports people involved in violent conflicts on the path to peace and strives to help overcome war and violence. forumZFD is currently working with peace consultants in Germany as well as eleven other countries in Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia. Its Academy for Conflict Transformation offers a learning space for professional, international peace work. Through dialogue events, educational work and campaigns, forumZFD actively advocates civil peace policy. forumZFD is recognised by the German federal government as a member of the Civil Peace Service (CPS) consortium. It finances its work through public and private grants, donations and membership fees.

forumZFD’s programme in Ukraine was commenced in 2017 and operates through its offices in Kyiv and Odesa. The programme focuses on four interconnected areas: Systemic conflict transformation through tailored organizational capacity development; work towards more inclusive historical remembrance; strengthening of social cohesion; as well as support of sustainable conflict transformation approaches based on trust and cooperation between different civil society actors. Therefore, we work with a broad range of local actors, such as civil society and grassroots organizations, experts, academia, national and local authorities, art community and individuals involved in peace and conflict transformation efforts.

Your tasks and responsibilities

The Security Officer works under direct supervision of the Country Director Ukraine (his/her line manager) and will be responsible for developing and updating safety and security plans and procedures, act as a focal person for access related issues, as well as analyzing security trends, advise, update, and implement forumZFDs Local Security Plans.

Safety and Security Risk Management Planning

• Provide technical support to the Country Director and staff on all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for staff safety, operational security and programme continuity.
• Evaluate, review, update and develop the Local Security Plan on a regular basis.
• Work with key stakeholders to develop, consolidate and implement operating procedures and contingency plans.
• Evaluate, review, update and develop the hibernation and evacuation plans for all forumZFD offices and residences in Ukraine and ensure that practical preparations are in place
• Conduct risk assessments of programme offices, residences and the project regions
• Ensure that safety and security protocols, reporting mechanisms, and capacity building initiatives are sensitive to local contexts.

Safety and Security Management

• Daily monitor the security situation in the areas of intervention, provide documentation and security updates to the Country Director and staff
• Carry out regular security assessments as requested, including road security clearance, assessment of checkpoints, external meeting venues etc.
• Ensure that security at all forumZFD premises is in accordance with security standards
• As required, support and advise the Country Director during safety and security emergencies

Networking and Liaison

• Liaise with relevant security actors e.g., NGO Security Focal Points and Security Coordinators, INSO, local community stakeholders, local government administrations, etc.
• Build and maintain a network for security and access monitoring
• Establish and develop a network of local key informants to collect up to date information
• Participate in external and security meetings with local and international stakeholders and authorities

Training and Capacity Building

• Develop and implement forumZFD staff’s capacity development on safety and security
• Provide regular training for forumZFD staff on safety and security risk management, standard operational procedures, humanitarian principles, contextual understanding, incident management etc.
• Design and implement safety and security training’s for forumZFD local partners when required

Context Understanding and Reporting

• Compile and submit regular reports and contextual updates that track incidents and trends in humanitarian access and local security contexts within forumZFD’s areas of operation
• Monitor the operating environment in the region, identify new threats, assess forumZFD vulnerabilities and recommend possible responses, along with appropriate advice to forumZFD field staff and senior management

Your profile

• University degree in the field of political science, security management or any relevant field
• Minimum of three years’ professional experience with demonstrated capabilities in planning, organizing and executing humanitarian/development aid security operations in the field
• Strong skills in context analysis and advanced knowledge of security principles in fragile contexts
• Experience of gaining a precise and impartial understanding of local, regional and international policies, operational positions and interactions, providing clear briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations
• Strong experience as a trainer; ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to forumZFD, its staff members and if required to external audience to enhance skills and adapt to changing programme demands
• Advanced knowledge in communications technology, including satellite communications, cell phone mediums, etc.
• Situational awareness and opportunity awareness, as well as very good understanding of the current context in Ukraine is required.
• Exceptional organizational and coordination skills
• Experience of working successfully with local stakeholders, such as local and international NGOs, government, etc. with sensitivity and diplomacy
• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal and networking skills, as well as the ability to effectively represent the forumZFD to external stakeholders
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, Ukrainian and/or Russian with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly
• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Understanding of the humanitarian principles
• Ability to travel throughout the country
• Flexibility and ability to adjust to changing and challenging circumstances and needs is required
• Driver license and driving experience
• Commitment to and understanding of forumZFD aims, values and principles

Our offer

This is a full-time national post with one-year contract initially with possibility of extension. We offer a competitive salary, according to forumZFD Ukraine salary grid.