Director, Global Safety & Security - USA

Employer: Child Fund International
Location: USA Washington
Applications Close: 20 Nov 2014
Summary

The Director for Global Safety & Security is responsible for establishing the operational standards for safety and security in collaboration with the Regional and National Directors. The Director leads organizational efforts to promote staff safety and security, asserting a global agenda that provides conceptual and technical leadership, promotes learning, mobilizes and stewards resources and engages with the wider development community.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides vision, leadership and training initiatives to organizational efforts that enhance staff safety and security while ensuring specific and defined mechanisms are in place to address safety and security risk to staff globally.
• Establish, review and support implementation of safety and security procedures for ChildFund International globally, and facilitate collaboration with NGOs, other international organizations, government and other stakeholders.
• As a core member of the Global Emergency Response Coordination Team, is available for immediate mobilization to assess emergencies, identify safety and security aspects relating to program interventions, set-up security and communications support systems and communicate internally/ externally.
• Drafts and Reviews compliance with Organizational Safety and Security Guidelines, Policies and Procedures, makes recommendations to correct deficiencies and provides quantitative/qualitative analysis and reports to senior management groups as required.
• Monitors, researches and assesses factors regarding safety and security of ChildFund offices and staff through the collection and analysis of security incident reports.
• Around-the clock responsibility for monitoring global security conditions, with particular focus on the countries ChildFund operates in. Anticipates and responds directly and proactively to staff who may be impacted by emerging events or conditions.
• Makes recommendations to reduce risk and where necessary undertakes targeted technical assistance missions to national offices, prioritizing those in high risk contexts.
• Provides direction and assistance to the Crisis Management Team on all safety and security issues during crisis periods and leads management of critical security incidents such as hostage events.
• Responsible for maintaining linkages and developing strategic policies and guidelines for ChildFund’s Civil-Military coordination procedures and standards. May require direct interaction with military forces on behalf of ChildFund during both emergency and developmental responses. This interaction may range from professional militaries to those less organized as well as unsanctioned militias and other armed groups.
• Provides leadership and direction for the management of strategic innovation. Remains aware of trends, analysis, studies and evaluations that will inform the organization’s understanding of threats and/or develop effective practices to enhance organizational response to them.
• Serves critical external and internal representation role, in order to raise the profile of ChildFund, particularly around safety and security of NGO workers, Civil-Military engagements, NGO security collaboration, and ChildFund’s unique approaches to working with children and youth.

Required Skills

• Superior knowledge of safety and security management, the issues related to the security and protection of NGO field workers, and legal protections/ rights of aid workers and the populations they assist.
• Knowledge of grants management and donor specific security concerns and requirements.
• Proven ability to set strategic direction and develop operational plans.
• Expertise in the analysis of security threats, risks and vulnerability in international field settings including both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Demonstrated success in the management and development of dispersed geographic and multi-disciplinary teams with the ability to catalyze and influence team members across functions and disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building of staff, including training, mentoring and coaching.
• Excellent report writing, presentation, public speaking and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing an influential style of leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise superior judgment, political acumen and problem solving skills.
• Experience in researching and drafting policy.
• Experience with and ability to effectively manage dangerous, ambiguous, high-stress and high-stakes situations.
• Strong computer skills, with familiarity in using Microsoft Office suite applications (particularly Word and PowerPoint).
• English speaking with basic understanding of French, Spanish, or Portuguese language skills

Experience Required

• 10 years of senior security experiences, 5 of which must have been in a safety and security management role, preferably with the UN or INGO.
• Minimum of 3 years in an overseas posting (non-native country), with at least 2 of these in a management capacity.
• Experience in design and implementation of development programming and funding models
• Knowledge of participatory community development approaches
• Ability to cultivate and steward relationships with partners and donors
• Ability to relate to military and law enforcement culture, staff and structures
• Previous training and experience in law enforcement, military, intelligence or other government security structures

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in development or security related discipline or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides a broad range of security related experiences.

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