Field Safety Adviser , DR Congo

Employer: UNHCR

Location: Kinshasa,Congo-Democratic Rep
Salary Grade : P3
The Field Safety Adviser takes on the role of leading, coordinating and providing appropriate guidance related to security management within an office.
The incumbent maintains contact with other UN agencies, NGOs, implementing partners, government partners in the area to facilitate the operation.
The incumbent directly supervises general service staff in the office, and reports to the Head of Office.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- Country operations receive practical and well-reasoned security advice and support toward helping ensure an appropriate level of safety for UNHCR's staff and operations and compliance with security guidelines and procedures.
- UNHCR benefits from effective relationships with host country law enforcement agencies and the UN Security Management System.
- Staff are aware of threats/risks and how to respond to 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 periodic security assessments in close co-operation with UNHCR senior staff members and interagency partners, analysing security factors and levels of risk related to UNHCR activities and programmes.
- Evaluate existing security measures to determine their appropriateness and identify areas needing improvement. Follow up with actions to oversee or implement those improvements.
- Assist in ensuring compliance with Minimum Operational Safety Standards (MOSS) and Minimum Operational Residential Safety Standards (MORSS).
- Assist in the development of plans for evacuation, medical evacuation and other contingencies.
- In cooperation with UNHCR senior staff members, ensure that security measures are fully integrated into operational planning, including budgetary provisions, at the earliest stages of development.
- Participate and support in activities to advise on programme criticality assessment process.
- 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 relationships with security-related actors, including host government law enforcement authorities and other stakeholders to ensure effective information sharing; provide regular feedback and analysis to country managers.
- Maintain close co-operation with staff of the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), ensuring UNHCR's understanding of applicable requirements, cooperating in security assessments and planning and supporting UNDSS understanding of agency requirements.
- 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 country-relevant security advice and training to UNHCR staff, and where appropriate, to staff of NGOs and implementing partners in areas including, inter alia, preparation for and conduct of road missions, radio telecommunications and responding to specific threats within the environment.
- Conduct rehearsals and practical exercises to ensure that staff are familiar with contingency plans and can implement them confidently in an emergency.
- Prepare periodic analytical reports on security in accordance with UN and UNHCR standard operating procedures, sharing with managers in the country of assignment and FSS.
- Maintain linkages with the Staff Welfare Section, and the Medical Service, referring cases as required.
- Undertake other security-related functions or responsibilities 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

- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) with a focus on Security Management and/or related disciplines (Business Administration, Political/Social Science, International Relations) plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function including 2 years security risk management experience in an international capacity. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Also relevant would be military or police academy degree (at Officer level).
- Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language.

(In offices where the working language is not English, excellent knowledge of UN working language of duty station ans working knowledge of English)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Proven competences in security analysis.
- Excellent communication skills, written and oral
- Negotiating skills
- Relevant training an asset

Position Competencies

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


Desirable Attributes

The incumbent should have proven ability to analyse security factors, trends and levels of risk related to UNHCR activities. She /he should be able to evaluate existing security measures to determine their appropriateness and identify areas needing improvement. In close collaboration with UNDSS, MONUSCO, State/Country security authorities, the incumbent will be required to oversee and coordinate the day-to-day safety/security of UNHCR staff and refugees in Ituri and Haut-Uele Provinces. She/he will also supervise, train, mentor, and evaluate national security assistants working under her/his supervision.

Given the considerable and diverse work load, it is important that the applicant is motivated, hard-working, organized, and that s/he has the requisite communication and leadership qualities to inspire and gain the confidence of colleagues, the Management, as well as UNHCR partners. He/she must also be flexible and available when his/her presence is required during a critical situation.

S/he must have an excellent working knowledge of French and English, as more and more reports are drafted in the English language.

Current Situation

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hosts 526,236 refugees as of 30 September 2017 countrywide (including 228,065 Rwandan refugees, 167,353 CAR refugees, 44,127 Burundian refugees and 85,426 South Sudanese refugees).
DRC also hosts more than 3 million IDPs located as follows: 1.4 million in Kasai provinces, 1.1 million in North Kivu province, 545,273 in South Kivu province, 603,000 in Tanganyika province, 210,000 in Ituri province, 147,000 in Maniema province, 96,000 in Haut-Katanga province, 64,000 in Haut-Lomami province and 16,000 in Lualaba province.
In Kasaï, political violence related to the nomination of the traditional leader Kamunia N¿Sapu erupted in August 2016, in the territory of Dibaya within Kasai Central province. As a consequence, the number of persons affected by this situation is estimated to be 2.2 million in the 9 provinces. According to human rights and humanitarian sources, 3,000 people have been killed, 1, 4 million women, girls, boys and men have been displaced, including former Rwandan refugees, while their properties have been looted or destroyed. 90/% of schools have been burned down as well as government facilities. 317 primary health care facilities have been destroyed or looted and people living with HIV and TB are facing serious problems of medical treatment. About 33,000 Congolese have found refuge in Angola.
In the volatile Kasai region, new arrivals of internally displaced persons fleeing violence continue to be reported. Some return movements are occurring in some areas thanks to a security lull and civil society awareness raising, but they have not translated into an improvement in the overall humanitarian situation. As of August 10, 2017, the displaced population in the region reached a number of 1.4M compared to 1.3M in June 2017.

Current Situation

Despite a gradual improvement in the security environment, protection issues remain a major concern. In the province of Kasai, 149 violations were reported by a local source in July (looting, attacks on physical integrity or freedoms, sexual violence, etc.). In addition, 12 inter-community conflicts involving displaced persons and residents were reported by protection actors, mainly in the Tshikapa and Kamonia territories.
In addition to incursions by armed groups, arbitrary arrests and detentions of civilian populations by the Forces Armées de la RD Congo (FARDC) have been observed, according to the report of the provincial protection cluster for the period 7-11 August 2017. Similar cases have reportedly occurred in Lomami Province, despite the deployment of new FARDC units in the area.
In Tanganyika, due to the fact that intercommunal conflicts are intensifying in the province of Tanganyika and are spreading to Pweto in the upper Katanga, as well as conflicts involving armed groups like the FDLR, Hapa-Na-Pale, Yakutumba, Malaika among them and against the FARDC, significant population movements and serious violations of human rights are noted. The Protection Monitoring reported 12,831 protection incidents among which 398 cases of VSS attributed to the bearers of arms (May-May, Twa militia, Bantou militia etc.) until September 2017. According to the report of OCHA, there is a displacement of 584,000 people within Tanganyika province, 118,000 IDPs in Pweto. Nearly 4,500 people from Pweto and Moba had crossed over to Nchelenge in Zambia according to OCHA in addition to those already registered since the beginning of the year. These population displacements are marked by the destruction of more than 300 villages. The needs in the reception areas are increased especially in terms of health, nutrition, education, shelter (especially during this rainy season), NFIs, peaceful coexistence, etc.

Current Situation

The North and South Kivu, have seen an escalation in conflict in the course of 2017, due to the presence of armed groups fighting for control of territory and natural resources, resulting in almost 500,000 new displacements in the first nine months of the year together with a sharp increase in related protection incidents. While the North Kivu remains the DRC province with the largest displaced population, with 1.1 million persons of which 385,000 newly displaced in 2017 (Jan-Sept), the current situation found the South Kivu with 545,273 IDPs of which 125,000 were displaced during this year. In South Kivu, the territory of Fizi has been most affected by the latest fights, hosting 217,000 IDPs. In the southernmost part of the province, bordering with Tanganyka province, a conflict between the pygmee population and the local Babembe people has led to mass displacements in South Kivu and also towards Maniema. Other conflicts between communities have been reported in the « Haut Plateaux de Bijombo », in Uvira territory. In general, armed conflict, land-grabbing, sexual violence and exploitation, risk of forced recruitment all contribute to forced displacement. Military operations are ongoing on several axes between the national army ¿ FARDC ¿ and various armed groups that often enter opportunistic alliances. Rwandese armed and Burundian armed groups are also active. In such a context, ethnic tensions are also on the rise. The overall security situation and the related instability led to repeated displacements that have weakened the resilience of both displaced families and communities, while increased the needs and protection risks when at the same time there is a sharp reduction in humanitarian funds. In South Kivu, 80% of all 2017 alerts were not evaluated; in North Kivu, the number reaches 50%.

Current Situation

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the refugee population in South Kivu, 50,000 Burundian refugees mostly in camps as well as just under 50,000 Rwandan refugees, alongside 200,000 Rwandan refugees in North Kivu, are themselves frequently victims of forced displacement.
The Regional Office in Kinshasa supervises and provides support to 5 sub-offices and 13 field offices/units within the Country. It also oversees operations in Gabon, Sao & Principe and the Republic of Congo which provides support to more than 55,000 people of concern.
The FSA will report directly to the Senior Regional FSA.
His/her primary role is to assist the Senior Regional FSA with assessments, recommendations and guidance to support decision making on security issues for staff and PoCs for the entire DRC operation. He/She will establish a functional linkage with the UNHCR operation in the Field and with MONUSCO/UNDSS security, to provide analysis and support services for the operation.

Working and Living Conditions

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse. Living conditions therefore vary between UNHCR duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. Accommodation is very expensive in Kinshasa. There are several Supermarkets in town but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative. Kinshasa is considered family duty station effective 1 January 2015, despite the fact that most facilities and amenities are still basic.

The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller¿s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), it is recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and payments will be processed in cash.

In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.

Security Considerations

Kinshasa is a security level 2 duty station.

Additional Factors

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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