Nov 17, 2023

Director of Staff Safety Access and Liaison -Yemen

Hiring organization:
Job location: Yemen

The Organization
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Save the Children International seeks to always be a child-safe organization by fulfilling its obligations to the community and through programme implementation carried out by the organization for safeguarding children and improve their living standards of the child.

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Position: Director of Staff Safety Access and Liaison
Location: Country Office
Contract Length: 1 year

The Opportunity:

ROLE PURPOSE:

has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the workplace. This includes maintaining a secure environment for all staff members and programs. The Director will achieve this by developing, establishing and enforcing safety and security policies as well as access procedures. Additionally, the Director will support risk management efforts, fire safety, emergency management and asset protection.

The Director is also responsible for coordinating, administering and implementing comprehensive safety and security training. These trainings will cover occupational, sectoral and environmental safety. In the event of any reported accidents, the Director will evaluate current best practices and recommend changes where necessary. As a member of the SMT, the Director of Staff Safety Access and Liaison will play a significant role in ensuring gender equity among staff is maintained across the organisation .

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

As a member of the Senior Management Team, your key areas of accountability include the following:

Lead as the Staff Safety and Access Coordinator in the leadership team.
Ensure that the Yemen Country Office complies with all Save the Children Staff Safety and Security Management Operating Standards and Standard Operating Procedures.
Ensure that all required safety support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, while working closely with the Regional Office

In your role as Access Liaison Officer with local and national authorities, you will:

Play a key role in efforts to facilitate principled engagement and strengthen partnerships with the government.
Support engagement and collaborative relationship-building between SCI and the relevant authorities, government ministries and administrations in Yemen.
Be responsible for maintaining, further developing, and growing SCI’s existing network and communication channels.

Regarding Staff Safety & Access Policies and Procedures, your responsibilities include:

Ensure timely review and updates of all Staff Safety, Security and Risk Management compliance documentation, including but not limited to; SSMP, IMP/ CMP, SOPs, GSS ES KPI-13, and PDI. This review should include staff training.
Collaborating with other functions, maintaining a country-wide Staff Safety and Access Management Plan that is consistent with the Humanitarian Security Strategies and Save the Children standards.
Ensuring that all staff understand the country-wide Safety plan and agree to abide by its policies and procedures.
Monitoring the environment and revising policies and procedures accordingly
Ensuring the quality and relevance of the area of Safety plans to the prevailing context
Undertaking reviews of policies and procedures and identifying opportunities to enhance staff safety.Advise on safe movement and fleet management policies, conduct safety assessments, provide support to managers, ensure proper incident reporting, monitor events and report regularly to the senior management team.

Program Implementation:

Assessment and Analysis:Assess and recommend changes to enhance staff safety assessments, threat analysis reviews, and safety policies for SC facilities. Report to the Country Director if inappropriate decisions create risks for the team or the organization's external perception.

Communication and Training:

As a safety measure, it is important to maintain regular communication with government officials, diplomats, and community leaders to gather and verify safety information. It is also essential to conduct awareness training for all staff and provide orientation for newly appointed personnel. Additionally, it is crucial to establish effective systems to disseminate staff safety information and updates.To effectively manage the performance of the Staff Safety & Access team, it is necessary to establish clear and measurable objectives, provide ongoing feedback, conduct periodic reviews, and carry out fair and unbiased evaluations. Additionally, it is important to offer coaching, mentoring, and other developmental opportunities to team members, identify individuals with high potential, and establish succession plans. It is also paramount to ensure accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct in all aspects of work.
Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development:

QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

These qualifications collectively are aligned with GSS and Regional strategies and ensure that the Security Director brings not only academic excellence but also practical expertise in security management, risk mitigation, and the development of a skilled and resilient security team.

Advanced Academic Qualifications: Possession of a degree in Security and Risk Management, Crisis and Disaster Management, or a related field such as Security Management establishes a robust academic foundation conducive to informed and strategic decision-making.

Professional Security Certification: Possession of formal security qualifications or advanced security management training from recognised institutions, demonstrating expertise in the latest security practices and methodologies.

Risk Management Expertise: Certification as a Risk Management Professional, showcasing the candidate's proficiency in identifying, assessing, and mitigating security risks within diverse and dynamic environments.

Coaching and Mentoring Skills: Proven experience in coaching and mentoring, fostering the professional development of security personnel and promoting a culture of continuous improvement within the security team.

International Training Credentials: Certification in international training methodologies, reflecting the ability to develop and deliver effective security training programs in various cultural contexts, ensuring staff preparedness for diverse operational environments.


EXPERIENCE - Enhanced Experience Requirements for the Security Director Position:

Comprehensive NGO Understanding: 

Demonstrated advanced comprehension of the philosophy and operational dynamics of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), emphasising a nuanced understanding of their unique challenges and missions.

Thorough familiarity and practical experience operating within Yemen, including an in-depth grasp of the present Yemeni context.

Extensive Leadership Experience: 
A minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible experience, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles, particularly in complex and insecure settings across multiple countries, managing large teams of staff.

Government and Institutional Liaison: 
Proven experience in effectively liaising with civilian, police, and military government authorities, as well as regional, national, and international institutions to navigate complex security landscapes.

Incident Management Expertise: 
Proficiency in incident reporting, incident mapping, intelligence collation and analysis functions, including the establishment and execution of an incident warning system (warden system), and the compilation of detailed security reports and assessments.

Strategic Analytical Skills: 
Strong analytical capacity, resourcefulness, and creativity in developing the role of security within programs, ensuring optimal support to line management.

Balanced Stakeholder Engagement: 
Ability to balance the demands of beneficiaries and security actors while providing relevant and contextual NGO security advice and coordination.

Interpersonal and Communication Prowess: 
Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, encompassing influencing, negotiation, and coaching, essential for effective leadership and team collaboration.

Cultural Competence: 
Highly developed cultural awareness and the ability to work effectively in an international environment with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Effective Presentation Skills: 
Ability to present complex information concisely and compellingly to diverse audiences.

Exceptional Planning and Coordination: 
Excellent planning, coordination, and reporting skills, with the ability to manage a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities.

Adaptability and Emergency Response: 
Ability and willingness to significantly alter work practices and hours, collaborating with incoming surge teams in emergencies.

Field Experience and Travel: 
Willingness to work and travel in challenging and insecure environments, reflecting a commitment to the hands-on nature of the role.

Technical Proficiency: 
Competency in utilising Internet and Microsoft Office systems, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and other database/mapping systems.

Language Skills: 
Fluency in English and Arabic, written and spoken fluency of both is essential.

Values Alignment: 
Commitment to upholding the values of Save the Children International.

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