May 23, 2023

Senior Security Officer P5 - Syria

Hiring Organization: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
Job Location: Middle East - Syria - Damascus


Base Salary: between 110,869 USD and 138,944 USD per year
Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 02, 2023 (10:59 PM CET)

Are you an experienced Security Professional interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organization investing in its people? If so, an exciting & fulfilling career awaits you! Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

Job Purpose:
The Security Officer will provide strategic and technical advice, guidance and management of WFP’s response to safety and security to enable the effective delivery of Programmes that meet food assistance needs and maintain the security and safety of WFP personnel, activities and facilities within a highly complex context.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)
Contribute to the development of global and regional security strategy, policies and guidance to ensure optimal security presence and activity that ensures the safety and security of all WFP operations, with a particular focus on designing & implementing a country security and humanitarian access management strategy to ensure an optimal field presence that enables safe and durable programming
Keep up to date with and advise upon global, regional and local security developments and issues and the potential impact upon WFP activity to inform security and operational activities. Provide on-going strategic advice to the CD on relevant contextual, security and operational issues that may have an impact on operations.
Provide support and guidance to relevant Directors and their representatives upon security responsibilities and accountabilities in line with WFP security strategies and policies and contribute to the development of regional and country strategy, policies and planning.
Actively contribute to the development of the contextual analysis and the security budgetary requirements for the Country Strategic Plan.
Co-ordinate and oversee WFP’s response to safety and security within a particular area/location, e.g. Security Assessment Missions, providing technical expertise and guidance to strengthen capacity within security management and enabling considered decisions re: risk management.
Continuously assess security compliance and alignment with corporate processes at all levels to implement, optimize and prioritize remedial actions/efforts in adherence with the UNSMS and WFP Framework of Accountability.
Lead, motivate and develop a large and complex team(s) of professionals to enable high performance and constructive team dynamic.
Build relationships and collaborate cross functionally to align security activities with wider programmes and activities and ensure a coherent approach that complies with security and risk management best practices.
Identify and build productive relationships with government agencies and regional/national partners to align activities and exchange information to enhance co-ordination and optimise the best protection for staff, activities and facilities e.g. strengthening relationships between UNDSS security advisors and WFP country offices.


Establish and maintain a regional security network among WFP security personnel.
Represent WFP at regional, national and inter-agency meetings e.g. security coordination cells to contribute to technical discussions and exchange of knowledge and experience, provide advice to the international community on security practices and advocate for the WFP position.
Provide advice and guidance upon training needs and priorities, overseeing training programmes to ensure fit for purpose e.g. in conjunction with the Field Security Training Unit and equipping personnel with security responsibilities with an appropriate and clear understanding of operational and support functions and resources to efficiently support their responsibilities.
Monitor and oversee accurate and timely reporting that meets WFP standards and requirements e.g. Guidelines for Security Reporting and enables informed decision making.
Support the monitoring and evaluation of WFP activities, providing technical analysis, interpretation and information as required to support the assessment of activity impact.
Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitor the management of risks.
Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
Performs other duties as required.


Qualities And Key Requirements
Education: 

Advanced University degree in Security Management, International Relations or Law Enforcement, Risk Management, Stratetic Studies or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses. A diploma obtained from Military/Police Academy with qualifying relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the First University degree.

Experience: 
A minimum of eleven (11) years of relevant progressively responsible postgraduate experience in Safety and Security Risk Management. at least 7 of which in the non-profit sector with demonstrated capabilities in planning, organizing and executing complex humanitarian security operations in conflict or high-risk settings would be an added value.

Language: 
Fluency (level C) in English language.
Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (a WFP’s working language)

More About You
Experience in corporate security, international humanitarian development, and peace enabling.
Experience as a strategic partner in strengthening the security management function of an organisation and contributing to the development of strategy, policies, and planning.
Experience in managing, supervising, and coaching a multicultural, multinational team.
International security management experience in large international humanitarian organizations.
Knowledge of security operations in the United Nations.
Previous local or regional experience.