Snr Field Safety Adviser

UNHCR                                    Pretoria South Africa

The post of Senior Field Safety Adviser takes on the role of leading, coordinating and supervising all activities related to security issues within a country or operation.
The incumbent maintains contact with other UN agencies, NGOs, government partners and
implementing partners to facilitate the operation.
The incumbent directly supervises UNHCR Field Safety personnel within the operation, and reports to the Representative or the Deputy Representative.
The incumbent has a responsibility to monitor, coach, guide and support staff within the given area of responsibility


FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT.

Accountability

- Country operations receive practical and well-reasoned security advice and support, helping ensure an appropriate level of safety for UNHCR¿s staff and operations and compliance with security guidelines and procedures.
- UNHCR benefits from effective and responsive support from host country law enforcement agencies and the UN Security Management System.
- Staff are aware of threats/risks and how to manage them, understand and comply with guidelines and procedures.
- Security management is efficient, well-coordinated and consistent with policies and procedures.

Responsibility

- Advise and support the Representative or Head of Office in managing staff safety and security of UNHCR staff, partners, operations, premises and refugees or persons of concern.
- Undertake regular travel within the country, assess current and potential risks and provide timely and proactive analysis to support managerial decision making.
- Provide specific recommendations regarding measures and procedures to ensure and improve the safety of UNHCR staff, operations, premises, partners and persons of concern, with specific attention to agency-specific needs such as camp security, refugee convoys and security issues related to urban refugees: provide follow-up support to ensure implementation.
- Develop plans for evacuation, medical evacuation and other contingencies
- Provide regular and forward-looking analysis of the security environment, focusing on factors of risk with potential to impact UNHCR operations.
- Ensure that offices are MOSS and MORSS compliant; make sure that deficiencies are brought to the attention of management.
- In cooperation with senior management, ensure that humanitarian and security objectives are reconciled in the area of responsibility, and that security measures are fully integrated into operational planning (including budgetary provisions) at the earliest stages of development.
- Conduct or participate in security risk assessments for UNHCR programme activities. Advise on programme criticality processes.
- As a member of a multi-functional team, contribute to efforts to ensure the physical protection and security of refugees and other persons of concern by providing security assessments, analysis and advice in developing and implementing effective strategies which underpin the responsibilities of the host state.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with security-related actors including host government law enforcement authorities and other actors within the operating environment to ensure effective support and information sharing; provide regular feedback and analysis to country managers.
- Ensure UNHCR's effective participation in the UN Security Management System, by maintaining close co-operation with staff of the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) and security personnel of other UN agencies, ensure UNDSS understanding of agency requirements and contribute to development of policy and procedures to support these, cooperating in the development of security plans and procedures, and supporting UNHCR¿s role in security forums such as the Security Management Team.
- Support UNHCR staff serving as members of the country Security Management Team (SMT), or Area Security Management Team (ASMT), Area Security Coordinators (ASC) and Wardens.
- Provide training and advice to staff and partners aimed at developing skills to plan and conduct operations safely within the specific security environment.
- Provide country-relevant security briefing, training and advice to UNHCR staff at all levels, and where appropriate, to staff of NGOs and implementing partners in all areas of field safety and security risk management.
- Provide security analysis and reports to UNHCR offices within the region of responsibility and the Field Safety Section at Headquarters according to established procedures.
- Maintain linkages with the Staff Welfare Section, and the Joint Medical Service, referring cases as required.
- Undertake other functions or responsibilities in the interest of UNHCR as appropriate and as delegated by the supervisor.

Authority

- Provide security-related advice, in written and oral form, to the manager and other staff.
- Advise on, and upon approval, implement, needed mitigating measures.
- Participate in criticality assessments.
- Represent UNHCR in interagency working groups and attend SMT or ASMT meetings as an observer.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.

- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) with a focus on Security Management and/or related disciplines (Business Administration, Political/Social Science, International Relations) plus minimum 8 years of previous work experience relevant to the function including 5 years security risk management experience in an international capacity. Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 9 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 7 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Also relevant would be military or police academy degree (at Officer level) at the equivalent of a Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) specifically successful completion of the Command and General Staff at a recognized military staff college or police equivalent.
- Fluency in English and another relevant UN language, including strong drafting skills.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Excellent communication skills, written and oral.
- Proven competences in security analysis.
- Negotiating skills.
- Organisation management.
- Proven training skills. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3 The post of Senior Field Safety Adviser (Roving) takes on the role of leading, coordinating and supervising all activities related to security issues within the region but more particularly in relation the impacted countries by the DRC emergency. The incumbent maintains contact with other UN agencies, NGOs, government partners and implementing partners to facilitate the operation.

The incumbent will be based in Pretoria but will undertake regular missions to the impacted country operations. The incumbent directly supervises UNHCR Field Safety personnel within the operation, and reports to the Regional Representative. The incumbent has a responsibility to monitor, coach, guide and support staff within the given area of responsibility.

In view of the above operational context and the volatile security situation in the country, a seasoned Field Safety Officer with considerable years of working experience at the Field is needed. The Regional Representation for Southern Africa (ROSA) currently oversees UNHCR operations in South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It also monitors and carries out direct implementation in Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho and in the Indian Ocean Islands.

By August 2016 and due to the current complex emergency in Kasai Central Province, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) witnessed violent uprising of a local militia (Kamuina Nsapu). Since then, the crisis has spread to provinces of Kasai, Katanga, Tanganyika and Pweto areas. Currently, more than 3 million people are displaced in the said regions. For South Africa sub-region, this impacted both Angola (declared as L2) and Zambia (declared as L1) emergencies. The living conditions in South Africa are generally very good. Housing and basic commodities are readily available. The country has an abundance of health providers of all sectors. The country's infrastructure and communication facilities are of international standard and are amongst the best in the world. Currently the Security level is at 3. Security clearance is mandatory.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add.2 to the September 2017 Compendium is Monday 12 February (midnight Geneva time).
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.

APPLY